Slovakian food is not traditional romantic fare. The aphrodisiacal effects of sauerkraut, onions, and dumplings are probably somewhere next to brussel sprouts on the continuum that links custard to caviar. Nonetheless, good food generally gets everyone’s engine a-revving and this St Clement’s fixture knows how to turn out a decent bowl of grub.
Moya is both a restaurant and cocktail bar. The front half has wooden tables and metal stools for those just in search of a tipple. The back half has the same tables, but with proper chairs. These were draped with fabric that appeared to have been recycled from monks’ robes and that was clearly cut for full-height backs. Both my dining partner and I took umbrage to these drapes on discovering that the chairs underneath were considerably less comfortable than they appeared. Much like the inside of a monastery. The flaccidity of the soft furnishings aside, the room itself was perfectly amenable to romancing: candles and daffodils on each table were a simple enhancement to the otherwise bare surface. Wooden floorboards and pale walls decorated with pictures from around the world (though curiously not from Slovakia) completed the look – it is not a fancy restaurant, but it is homely.
The evening menu has eleven starters and seventeen main courses (four vegetarian dishes in each). My dining partner remarked that it would be quite difficult not to find something appealing on the menu. She ordered Devil’s Toast: sourdough bread with onions, tomatoes, peppers, chillies and goat's cheese. It sounded good in theory and was in practice – a lovely blend of flavours, textures, and colours. I ordered Kapustnica: a ‘hearty soup’ of pork shank, smoked sausage, sauerkraut, root vegetables, and potatoes. It came with two types of rye bread and was absolutely delicious: the prune loitering at the bottom was a spectacular treat. She had rum-battered aubergine to follow. Although deep-fried things do tend towards the oily side, the aftertaste of stale fat was disappointing and not offset by the fragrant horseradish sauce. My goulash was very tasty – the spices were well balanced and the knedla (steamed bread) accompanying it were an ideal mop for the sauce. The portion was too small for a dish with a £10 price tag but, being generous, they had probably run out as it had got quite late by that point.
This brings me on to the service. Though we had not booked a table, the restaurant was not especially full when we arrived at 8.30. There were around twenty people in a room that can sit twice as many. The owner said that food would be slow out of the kitchen, but that does not excuse having to wait twenty minutes to put in a drinks order. Likewise, he obligingly moved us when a table opened up at the back but, with only three other people in the restaurant by the end of the night, let the team down with his nonchalant attitude to fetching our bill. Perhaps this is the curse of being a student – no one expects a tip from you so even if you plan on leaving one you never get treated in a manner that justifies much generosity.
Reflecting on it, there are probably more romantic places to go for Valentine’s Day – Gee’s comes to mind. If you fancy spending £80 before you’ve even thought about wine, to feast upon lemon sole, poached chicken, or mushroom risotto then be my guest. The service will probably be quicker, though starchier to be sure. For a restaurant charging Michelin prices it would be nice to see a menu that pushes beyond what you can knock up at home. Moya, on the other hand, turns out very good food at reasonable prices (£40 for two with drinks). The cocktails aren’t half bad either. So give it a go, but book now unless you want to end up on a lowly bar stool.Four stars.
– By Adam Ross
Restaurant Review: Moya
