When “circumstances outside our control” led West Melbourne gem Moon Mart to close in late September, it could’ve sullied the team’s characteristically sunny disposition. But instead – in less than a month – owners Eun Hee An (ex-Moon Park and Paper Bird) and Mei Onsamlee (ex-Momofuku Seiobo) have hustled to transplant their Japanese- and Korean-influenced cafe to a new site, across the river in South Melbourne. Now trading on Clarendon Street, it’s part of a boom of exciting new openings in the ’burb.
But, importantly, it’s still got the heart, soul and pops of yellow of its West Melbourne predecessor, where a loyal fandom was born. “So far everyone has been amazingly positive, which has been so nice,” says Hee An. “We were a little worried about losing some of the cute charm of the original, so it’s super nice to hear people say they love it.
” And how could you not, when most favourites remain firmly on the menu, including funky kimchi jaffles, okonomiyaki-style hash browns and tonkatsu galore? “I’ve accepted that I will be making tonkatsu for the rest of my life,” says Hee An, with a laugh. “But [the move] also felt like a really good opportunity to try some new fun ideas,” she continues. That means more shokupan (Japanese milk bread) toast options – will it be curried scrambled egg, or smoked Ora King salmon rillettes with green-tomato pickle? There’s also a new unagi (eel) katsu sando with tomato and yuzu-jalapeno mayo.
And in th.
