Mokomandy

I was in the area for a conference and found Mokomandy by happenstance. My mind was blown. The marriage of Cajun creole and Korean is perfection. Foie Gras dumplings and the fresh bay leaf in the hoppin John is. I hope the stars align again and I can revisit this restaurant.

Tapas style dining has always been my favorite way to try out several different dishes and be able to share the experience with someone. Mokomandy is a Korean Cajun fusion restaurant that follows this exact format. The menu changes enough so you can come back to try out a new dish each time you visit.
The evening that we visited was extremely busy with a lot of wait staff bustling through the energy of the crowd. Our party was promptly seated and provided the menus to look over. One thing to not about tapas style dining; order a few dishes, consume them and then pause your dining experience to see if what you had is enough to fulfill your hunger. Using this method you won’t suffer from your eyes being bigger than your stomach.
The selection of wines and craft brews are pretty extensive, so if that is part of your dining régime, you won’t be disappointed. Our party waited for a little while before being greeted by our server Chelsea. She immediately apologized for the long wait and it was apparent that she was running several tables. I ordered a glass of the 2013 Bramare Luján de Cuyo Malbec. A taste of the wine revealed a nice jammy flavor with a smooth flint finish.
First up in the order was the jalapeño hush puppies, which were light and flavorful, not as dense as you’d expect from a traditional hush puppy. The jalapeño adds a good flavor with very mild spiciness. The second small plate was the 5 Bison Dumplings which was accompanied by a nice flavorful sauce garnished with daikon. You’ll want to save a few of those jalapeño hush puppies to dip into the remaining sauce it actually works from a flavor perspective.
The final small plate in the lineup consisted of the Bone Marrow and Onion Jam served with Toasted Brioche. You’re wondering how does this even qualify for food, but you will be very surprised at how well the flavors meld together as it sits atop that crisp brioche toast. The onion jam balances out the richness that you get from the marrow and it pairs extremely well with the Malbec that I selected earlier.
Using my own advice we sat for a bit to see if we wanted to tuck into any other dishes, and I found that I had just enough to eat. Of course this means that I saved room for dessert. I ordered the miniature key lime pie, which was described as being sweeter and not as tart as the traditional key like pie that most are used to eating. The dessert was a great way to wind up the meal.
I believe the part that made this meal the best was due to the graciousness of our server Chelsea. She went out of her way to decorate the Lemon Mochi Cake with Raspberry Sorbet by adding a birthday candle to help celebrate the evening out. If you’re looking for a unique experience and have an adventurous palette, you’ll need to give Mokomandy a try.

The fried kale chips tend to disappear very quickly when placed in front of Cat P., so placement is rather important. At Mokomandy, there are dozens of foodie-​licious small plates from which to choose including the snacks and sides. We really just came for the pineapple upside-​down butter mochi cake and cherry cream mouse, but it has long ago been swapped out of the menu for an equally sweet lemon butter mochi cake and raspberry sorbet. Another new menu addition is the monkfish and potatoes with veggies; though a bit offputting when picked at individually, the dish becomes captivating once you manage to fit a bit each ingredient in one bite. The mainstay house-​made noodles with mushrooms are still my favorite. Best part about our experience was that our menu was customised to pescatarian preferences with recommendations and substitutions offered. I even had my house-​made lemonade altered, not spiked, with hibiscus. Yep, amazing… especially if there is such a thing as wild tofu.

Awesome food/​great service. Jason helped us out with ordering from the menu, he was very helpful. I’ll def be back… Atmosphere unique to this area. All around good stuff!

We were looking something bit different but close to our house. Read the Unilocal reviews and gave Mokomandy a try. We were a bit sceptical as cajun/​creole Korean seemed an odd choice. But Mokomandy blew us away.
It’s meze /​tapas style. We tried a couple of appetizers, several of the middle plates and one of large dishes. That was sufficient for 4 of us. Desert was also quite unique with canesugar cake with ice cream and the gâteau. Though we had an Opentable reservation they had made us wait for over 30 minutes so without us even asking they gave the desert for free. That was a real nice gesture and definitely builds brand loyalty. While waiting I glanced through the drinks menu — quite long and different. This is a special restaurant with out of the ordinary in every drink and dish. Will definitely be back.

I was so excited to visit this restaurant and it’s been on my list for years. I was hoping for some kind of magical Korean/​Cajun blend but this did not come through from the menu for me. A little of this and a little of that, in seperate dishes.
The vibe was good and the service was genuine though inexperienced. The drinks did not disappoint but took a bit to make. However, the food was underwhelming for us. Foigras dumplings were decent but pot roast sliders were simply off for me due to choice of meat. The wild boar bowl and ssam carnivore platter were very similar but the bowl was better due to the quality and flavor of the two meats in the bowl. The platter seemed like a good effort of elevating the dish but ended up being a bland version of standard Korean food we can get anywhere in the area for half the cost.
If we return I’ll be sure to focus on some Cajun highlights, but having gone with several top Unilocal recommended dishes and being so disappointed has really thrown my interest. Maybe the lightning fast prep time for all food we ordered indicated a little love was left out, or suggests this may actually be a lunch spot at heart. We also left with the impression that this may be for people who haven’t had Korean food before, which is to say that the main dish was not as enjoyable as a regular low cost Korean equivalent. I really hope they mature the operation and menu, but as it stands we will not be repeat visitors. For a quick lunch spot it’d be a 5, as an elegant dinner experience it is a miss for us.
Tip: Reservation is a must
Tip: Probably could order one thing at a time to suit taste and hunger because they come out instantly

There’s so much magic at Mokomandy — why did it take me so long to make it here, especially with it being so close to home? I can now confidently say that I have a spot to visit for birthday dinners, out-​of-​town guest dinners, celebratory meals, happy hour with friends, Sunday brunch… all while supporting an amazing LOCAL and DELICIOUS establishment. Oh, they take reservations and their service is thorough and well-​trained, and the menu is thoroughly delicious and varied!
I maintain that strip malls have some of the BEST gems in the dining world for foodies to discover! Who would imagine a spot like Mokomandy in Sterling, VA? The perfect combination of Korean and Cajun, inspired by the chef whose background is just that.
I took my best friend here for her birthday dinner, and it was the perfect spot. Our server (I don’t recall her name — younger lady with glasses and a bubbly attitude) was spot-​on. She recommended several cocktails (we later learned that these handcrafted cocktails are $ 2 off during their 5 – 7 PM happy hour) — we opted for the Bees in the Garden (an amazing gin cocktail), the Paloma (a twist on the classic grapefruit/​tequila concoction), and their Cosmopolitan, which was perfectly pink and not sweet at all.
Mokomandy structures their food as Snacks, Tapas, Mediums, and Larges to help you discern their size and share-​ability. We began with 3 Snack items, which is a bargain at $ 7! We opted for the Jalapeño Hushpuppies, Pork Cracklins, and Fried Kale, so we had a good mix of Cajun and Korean with which to whet our appetite. It was fun to eat Cracklins in such a «fancy» place, alongside «haute cuisine» kale! Delicious dichotomy between healthy and not-​so-​healthy!
For Tapas, we again opted for three items; their tapas section does vary wildly in price, but you do get a good amount of shareable food with each item. We chose the 5 Bison Dumplings, the Gator Croquettes, and the Blistered Peppers. The bison dumplings were perfectly-​cooked and wrapped in soft al dente dumpling wrappers, in a Korean-​inspired sauce with some sriracha. The gator was really awesome — almost roasted/​shredded gator meat served fritter style alongside a tasty dipping sauce. My favorite was the blistered shishito peppers, which were like playing Russian roulette in terms of spiciness, so for this Spice Fiend, it was a lot of fun eating each pepper in one bite and waiting to find out how spicy each one was!
OH! Speaking of spice, Mokomandy handcrafts three different hot sauces that our server described in great detail to us — a milder jalapeño-​based sauce, a medium-​heat adobo pepper smoky sauce, and a sneak-​up-​on-​ya ghost pepper-​based sauce (my favorite, and actually packed good heat)!!
For the Medium-​sized dishes, we shared both the Bulgogi Beef and the House-​Made Noodles. The bulgogi was nicely-​cooked, tender, and served with a variety of banchans (sides). The house-​made noodles were absolutely phenomenal comfort food — perfect size and texture, and their sauce and accompaniments of various veggies were well-​matched.
We sadly didn’t opt for dessert as we were going to get some frozen yogurt at the closed-​for-​the-​winter Cold Spoon, so I wish we had stayed behind. If their food is any indication, the desserts are probably awesome. We will definitely be back for that bangin’ happy hour (I love their bar and the bartender seemed very cool) and the brunch menu looked awesome as well!

I am fairly new to the Great Falls area, but can I say this is the best restaurant around?
It’s almost always packed during dinner time so you have to make reservations; luckily they use open table so booking is no problem.
They have several different sizes of their menu items from snacks to platters and are made to be like tapas. The place is Korean and Cajun, not fusion (and thank goodness it’s not), but their food is fantastic.
Service is great. I think I had the same server both times I’ve been and he was good about explaining the menu. The food is made to order and comes out in a reasonable pace. I never had to ask for water or really anything, and the waiters are not overbearing or overly-​absent.
My favorite is their foie gras dumpling which is like a siu mai wrapper with foie gras inside. Amazing. Gotta try it.

A friend of mine recommended this spot so my dad and I decided to head here for dinner on my birthday. We enjoyed every minute of it thanks the amazing food and the service that matched it.
We ordered the pot roast sliders, gumbo, bison dumplings, house made noodles, house beef, sautéed mushrooms, and the scallops. All of the items had that Korean/​Cajun flavor that you crave if it’s on your mind. The sliders, beef, noodles, and scallops were my favorites. The sliders are definitely a must order. The gumbo was good but it came in an individual bowl and my dad and I had some difficulty sharing it. Next time I’ll just order one for myself since it’s more of a single dish. You can tell the noodles are house made because they are thick with that Asian taste. House beef should be cooked med-​rare to medium since it’s the most tender that way (whoever orders anything well done has zero IQ of how to enjoy proteins and needs to be educated immediately). The scallops are super tender and fresh and comes in a delicious sauce (definitely the most expensive item but still worth it).
The menu has four sections: snacks, small size, medium size, and large size. Obviously the medium to large size are entrée styles while small size is appetizer and the snacks are just that; snacks. A lot of people are complaining about the price for the portions but the taste and freshness easily make up for it. I think people keep forgetting that part; sometimes it’s about quality instead of quantity and this place definitely hits the quality mark.
Service was phenomenal as our server (didn’t catch her name) was attentive and knowledgable with the menu and described anything we had questions about. She was also accommodating with my dad’s lactose intolerance diet and made sure the dishes met his needs. I know it can be difficult as a server to make these accommodations but she handled it superbly.
I’m definitely a fan of this restaurant and you should be too. You’ll definitely enjoy the food and the great service that goes along with it!
Note: there are some negative reviews written about this place: take them with a grain of salt because many of them are very inaccurate. One wrote a review about scallops giving her ammonia or something; it’s people like that that make restaurants hate Unilocal and Unilocalers. Don’t buy into that BS! This place is awesome!

We been wanting to try this place for some time now since we’ve heard great things, and so glad we finally got to as it definitely lived up to the hype! We will be back again for sure! The Korean and Cajun was nothing like we’ve tasted anywhere else.
The menu is tapas style so you can try different things and share. Sizes were a good portion and it surprisingly filled us up. (Tapas usually don’t fill up my fiancé) There are 3 different size options (small, medium, large portions) and ‘snacks’. We ordered from each section except the large, since we weren’t too hungry. Our faves were the kimchi pancake, bison dumplings (SO good) and shrimp etoufee. The bison dumplings is a must! The broth it came in was delicious, and meat was tasty.
We can’t wait to come back and try more!

What a find in Sterling, Va!!!
Inventive, delicious and simple ingredients; all hands-​on-​deck mentality makes the dining experience grounded and fuller. The choices are perfect for snacking on many small plates or fully enjoying a gigantic meal, diner’s options of small, medium & large. Fantastic way of showing off a very smart menu.
The bar excelled in house made ingredients mixed with the likes of SC’s Blenheims, aperol, elderflower, etc.
I said it many times last night and will say it again here; OPEN IN ARLINGTON and I will become a regular and bring friends to enjoy and discover this fabulous food…
Thank you chef, Chelsea & company.

This Korean and Cajun (apparently not fusion) restaurant deserves five stars for food, service, and atmosphere. The interior was modern and clean, which reminded me of restaurants in New York. Our server was super nice, gave good recommendations, and was attentive (I mean, what else could you ask for?!).
Now for the food/​drinks… We ordered a bunch of things to share tapas style:
Somona pear cider– came in a bottle, poured into a glass. It was tangy and tasted almost like a jolly rancher but I enjoyed it
Korean Potroast sliders– so so good! Pot roast was really flavorful and tender… I could probably eat 10 of these
5 Bison Dumpling– (because fois gras dumpling was sold out…*tear*) it was ok but nothing spectacular
Wild boar bowl– the meat was so lean and tender that it was easy to cut into pieces and scoop up into your spoon. All the accoutrements went well together and the presentation was excellent. Soooo good but also kind of expensive for basically… bibimbap
Aztec bourbon milk punch cocktail– mmm this one was sweet and smooth! I liked the milky-​ness of the cocktail and the chocolate design added a nice touch
Iced coffee cocktail– I expected this one to taste more like coffee or… condensed milk but it tasted like watered down coffee and rum put together. Maybe I just prefer dessert drinks to be a lot sweeter but my friend said it was fine and offered to trade with me (thanks T!)
The food was on the pricier side but, overall, it was a great experience.

Popped in during their Sunday brunch and sat at the bar with the very nice bar tender. He was very helpful with suggestions and made an excellent mimosa. He gave me some background history about the owner and his family that I found fascinating. I love the Cajun-​Korean influence.

Mokomandy offers a refreshing take on Korean/​Cajun fusion cuisine. Located in the Great Falls Shopping Plaza, the restaurant has a very modern look and feel to it. Try to make reservations ahead of time as the space is small and seats are limited! My friends and I arrived around 8PM on a Friday night and were seated at the bar within an hour. The host was prompt and attentive.
The bartender was great! Very friendly and exhibited outstanding bar and menu knowledge. The bar had a large selection of whiskey, craft beers, wines and signature cocktails. Their main menu is divided according to plate sizes: small, medium, and large. The bartender told us to «think tapas and family-​style» and recommended a number of popular dishes from each section.
Korean Pot Roast Sliders ($ 14) — They looked like tiny hamburgers — super cute! The sliders came with roast beef, kimchi’d apples, and radish sprouts sandwiched in between two crispy buns (which were steamed and then fried). The roast beef was quite flavorful, tender and juicy. The apples and sprouts added a taste that was both sweet and sour. Very unique — I highly recommend as a starting appetizer!
Roast Pork and Heirloom Hoppin’ John ($ 15) — This dish had a great variety of texture and flavor. Described as being crispy pressed, the pork was cooked well — it had a crisp surface and was soft and tender on the inside. The combination of Carolina rice and heirloom beans was creamy but light. The overall flavors blended together well.
120 Degree Tomahawk Ribeye ($ 45) — The tomahawk ribeye appeared deep fried and had a crisp exterior. Not gonna lie — my friends and I were pretty disappointed. At such a hefty price tag, we expected a steak that was flavorful and tasty. This was ridiculously bland! The side sauce also did not help — it had a sour and acidic taste that failed to complement the overall dish. The combination of horseradish and vinegar (as a sauce) was a head scratcher for us. Overall I would not recommend.
Korean Karnivore Ssam ($ 25) — This was my favorite! Representative of traditional Korean BBQ, the dish came with slabs of tender pork, rice, lettuce, kimchi and other pickled vegetables. The pork was seasoned well — extremely flavorful and juicy. I drool just thinking about it! Wrapped in a piece of lettuce with some rice and vegetables, it was like an explosion of flavors in my mouth — refreshing and delicious.
While the ribeye was disappointing, my friends and I enjoyed our overall experience at Mokomandy. The bartender was very open to feedback, and that was much appreciated. I look forward to coming back and trying more of their unique dishes!

My wife and I went out to sell our car at the CarMax and heard about this place. We went over at around 3pm on a Saturday and it was empty. We sat at the bar and a lovely man took excellent care of us. He said that if we were not happy with our food, they would make it right. That was such a considerate thing to say and really made us feel welcome and special.
We ordered the Kimchi pancakes which are some pancake batter crispy fried with a bit of Kimchi in the middle. 2 bites or so and there were 6 in an order. They bring out the food as it is done, I like that for this place. We ordered some fresh Kimchi which was awesome and vegan, no shrimp paste as usually called for in this item.
We ordered the bulgogi platter that came with lettus and a ton of veggies to go with. This was more than enough food for my wife and I. We had another Kimchi pancake. Really great flavors, fresh, awesome service, well done.

Bit of improvement since they opened a few years back (when I first and last visited). Although ok, the food and the prices still did not wow me but I’m willing to give it another star now and another try later.
+Jambalaya — loved the flavor. Sauce made it kind of like a risotto texture.
+Foie gras dumplings — ok. Didn’t wow me. Maybe it’s the interesting combo that is both duck and foie gras but neither duck nor foie gras.
+Mokomandy grilled oysters — more steamed than grilled. Fat and plump but with too much breading stuff dropped on top. Flavors didn’t complement well.
Service at the bar was great! The gentleman bartender was both attentive and nice, with readily available recommendations. The drink menu is extensive and he offered to make us basically anything.

Sat at the bar and was treated incredibly by Katherine. I told her what I liked to drink, and she made me an incredible Boulevardier with Booker’s bourbon. Very tasty and exactly what I needed after a long day of travel and presentations.
I asked her what I should order if this is the first and last time that I was at Mokomandy (since I live in Florida, it might be), and she suggested Korean Potroast sliders and the Jambalaya. Both were tasty (sliders for the win!).
For the entrée, Katherine recommended the Boar Bowl. It was the surprise of the night! Complex, tasty, spicy, sexy, a must have.
This was the first time, but, I hope that it is not the last time that I experience the wonderful Mokomandy.

Superb food, delicious cocktails, excellent service!
Mokomandy is located in an unassuming strip mall, but the inside is clean and modern and you will soon forget that you are in Sterling, VA.
Drinks:
The cocktails were intriguing and creative. We had a difficult time deciding what to order but between all of us, we tried all of the drinks we were interested in and they all turned out to be very high quality!
Hurricane — Kraken Black Spiced Rum, Brugal, Anejo Rum, Flor De Cana, Lemon, and Passion Fruit. 4 stars.
Black Rose Fizz — Citadelle Gin, Blackberry/​Rosemary Ice Cubes, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Soda. I loved this drink! It was the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and fizz. It was also light and refreshing, while delivering a nice but delayed buzz (careful!). 5 stars.
Hibuscus 75 — Catoctin Creek Watershed Gin, Hibiscus, Elderflower, Sparking Wine. This drink was super fruity and was delivered in a champagne flute. 4 stars.
Bees in the Garden — Chartreuse, Lime, Bluecoat Gin, Pepper/​Thyme/​Honey Syrup, Basil. This tasted just I imagine a honey bee would taste! If you like honey, this is a must try. 4 stars.
Orange Ginger Rye — Bulleit Rye, Snap Spirit, Honey, Orange, Barrel Aged Bitters. I took one sip and almost fell over. This is not a drink for girly girls. It was not actually my drink, and the man who was drinking it loved it. This was his third drink of the evening and turned out to be his favorite. It had a lot of warmth and depth but was very strong. The cut ice cube and half an orange floating in the glass were a nice touch. 5 stars.
Mint Julep — my friend loved the mint julep. She gets one almost everywhere we go and has been disappointed a few times, but Mokomandy hit the mark! 5 stars.
Food:
Everyone loved the food. We tried most of the items on the menu and there were very few low marks.
Fried Kale Chips — 5 stars
Korean Choucroute — 3 stars. Skip it!
Spin/​Sprout Pine Nut — this was a noodle, spinach, pine nut mixture. 4 stars.
Mixed Fries — a mix of regular and sweet potato fries. Surprisingly good for a plain fries dish. 4 stars.
SSAM (Vegetarian) — lettuce cups, purple rice, Korean accoutrement, sesame, radish, kochujag, scallion). This dish was so bland! It tasted like eating air. 3 stars.
SSAM (Pork) — same ingredients as above but with pork. Apparently the pork made all the difference. 5 stars.
Bison Dumplings — with sesame, kochujang, and beef sauce. 5 stars.
Korean Potroast Sliders — kimchi’d apples, radishes, house-​made plum sauce. 5 stars.
Wild Boar Bowl & Local Duck Egg — fried egg, braised wild boar, pork kimchi, rice, korean accoutrement, kochujang. 4 stars.
Bulgogi Beef — julienned petite-​filet, soy marinade, purple rice, white rice, black garlic, banchan. 5 stars.
Modern Korean Scallops — with glazed sweet potato, pea purée, sake bok choy, kochu mayonnaise, herb-​orange essence. My friend loved the sweet potato more than the scallops. 4 stars.
There was some type of alligator dish on the menu which I cannot find, but my friend rated it 4 stars.
Dessert:
Gâteau de Sirop — cane syrup cake, pecans, frozen vanilla mousse, syrup/​butter/​soco sauce. The cake looked a bit dry.
Chocolate Pot Au Crème Et Lait — simple chocolate custard, vanilla milk foam, sugar cookies. 5 stars.
Service:
The service was top notch! We never wanted for anything. Jason, our server, has an impressive memory. He never wrote anything down and we were all yelling menu items at him, talking over each other, asking questions, etc. He then repeated everything back to us perfectly. The menu item names can be confusing but Jason was able to explain all of the items to us. He really knows the menu! Everything was delivered in a timely manner.
The final bill was $ 225 for 4 people.
Reservations:
Make reservations at least a week in advance unless you want to visit on a Tuesday.
Notes:
We spent 2.5 hours dining. We were politely asked by the chef if we could depart soon after we paid our bill because another group had been waiting for 20 minutes. Time flew by and we had been drinking and were not paying attention to the time. So I guess, be mindful that the tables are in high demand.
I would not recommend this place for gluten free vegetarians. I mostly rated the food 5 stars because everyone at the table was so gorged and happy, but I had very few food options (I knew this before arriving). See picture for gluten free items.

Mokomandy reminds me of a gastropub. They have an excellent beer selection and also a creative cocktail menu, with kicked up versions of traditional Korean and Cajun dishes.
I sat at the bar and the bartender, Phil, was great. He offered suggestions, and happily answered any questions I had.
I started with the mixed fries, kimchi, and jalapeño hush puppies off the snacks section of the menu. They were a steal at $ 7 for all three dishes, and probably the best value on the menu. Everything was delicious. The hush puppies were the best of the three. They arrived crispy, and steaming hot right out of the fryer. They’re light, not dense like typical hush puppies and they have a very mild heat level and good flavor. They’re more a like savory pastry, than a traditional hush puppy.
I also had the Jambalaya. I loved it. In nearly every spoonful I got a bite of the house made sausage which was delicious. At Phil’s recommendation, I added a few tiny drops of the ghost chili hot sauce that they also make in house. Ghost chilis, or bhut jolokia, are insanely spicy, and if I’m not mistaken, the spiciest chili pepper in the world. The hot sauce added a wonderful, smoldering background heat. If you like hot sauce, do try it, but use caution.
I also tried the sezerac cocktail and was pleased that it wasn’t sweet. I could taste the individual components of the drink. It was nicely balanced.

Great place for a date! Their interior design is pretty modern but also not too minimalistic. Overall the place is very appealing and brightly lit. Our waitress was charismatic and just made the experience better too!
I really liked the 3 for $ 7 appetizer deal too, and ordered the kimchi pancakes, kale chips, and I forgot the last one (I’m completely blanking out). The kimchi pancakes were savory and had very little spice (which I prefer). Kale chips weren’t a big deal to me though, and I could’ve made that at home instead, so I have no idea what made me inclined to order it thinking it would be any different. My favorite dish of all though would have to be the wild boar bowl. It was portioned just right for me and came out freshly made and well-​put together! Very neat dish and full of flavor from the meat too. Reminds me of a fancier version of the Korean dish bibimbap! If I were to return, I’d probably just order that and some drinks, since the appetizers didn’t make much of an impression on me.