I thought I came for sushi. And then I found out what MOON is doing now
Almost two years after closing its previous branch, MOON returns to Herzliya Pituach — bigger, more beautiful, and more ambitious. Alongside the excellent sushi, you will find deep ramen, Japanese grill, surprising skewers, and a vegetarian menu that isn't just there to check a box. And there is one dessert worth saving room for.
The MOON chain is returning to Herzliya Pituach after the previous Herzliya branch on 4 HaHoshlim Street closed in November 2024. Even then, the chain announced it planned to return to the area in a new, more spacious, and larger location, and now it is happening.
What began at the legendary branch on Bograshov Street in Tel Aviv continued to the Pinsker branch, and in recent years the chain has expanded outside of Tel Aviv, with branches in Savyon and now in Herzliya Pituach. A new branch is also expected to open in Hod HaSharon later on.
In the renovated branch, you will find, alongside the sushi, izakaya dishes, ramen, robata, and skewers from the Japanese grill. This is not a change that cancels the chain's foundation, but rather expands it.
The place itself is beautiful and meticulous down to the smallest details, and even the sharing plates are designed in the shape of a moon. Warm lighting and rich textures, a two-way bar — all these create a pleasant and warm atmosphere, with a nocturnal feeling of "moonlight" that connects well to the restaurant's name. Beyond the design, the service was also excellent with precise and good guidance.
So what did we eat?
One of the interesting innovations in the branch is the robata and skewers menu, which allows the kitchen to showcase capabilities beyond the sushi sector.
Denver Cut skewer (38 NIS) — a juicy beef cut, cooked perfectly and well-seasoned, with an excellent chimichurri that adds freshness. A successful and very tasty dish, but slightly expensive relative to the size of the cut.
Caesar skewer (24 NIS) — one of the surprises of the meal. A very interesting idea. The prominent grill flavors blend great and turn the familiar classic into a much more interesting dish.
Chicken Gyoza (63 NIS) — five seared and steamed dumplings in a Japanese rayu sauce. A tasty and nice dish, but standard compared to the rest of the dishes we tasted.
Tori Ramen (73 NIS) — a deep, rich, and comforting dish. The chicken broth that was cooked for a long time was full of flavor, and the fresh noodles arrived with a precise texture. One of the dishes that is easiest to surrender to during the meal.
Sushi and Rolls
The sushi was one of the strong parts of the meal. The fish was fresh, the rice was tasty and well-seasoned, and the ratio between the amount of rice and fish was successful.
Surf and Turf (78 NIS) — a roll with salmon, avocado, and chives, topped with seared salmon, foie gras, and red tobiko. The foie gras was soft, tasty, and fatty, but did not overpower the flavors of the roll.
White Kiss (52 NIS) — a roll with white fish seasoned with togarashi, peanuts, and avocado, topped with seared white fish and chives. The white fish, hamachi, was meaty and good, and the peanuts inside added a successful texture change that gave the roll more interest.
Oscar (59 NIS) — a roll with spicy salmon and avocado, topped with butter-seared salmon, micro-basil leaves, and yuzu sauce. Here we received more sour flavors, with a good combination between the fish, rice, and other ingredients.
Vegetarian and Vegan Sector
One of the things that stood out for the better is the existence of an entire vegetarian menu. Such a selection, with so many options, is really not taken for granted and it makes the restaurant a good option even for those who do not eat fish.
Jungle (53 NIS) — a roll with avocado, asparagus, cream cheese, tempura flakes, avocado wrap, and chives. Overall a nice roll, but it had too many soft textures, mainly because of the combination of avocado and cheese. Another crunchy vegetable that would have created a buffer between the textures would have made the bite more fun and interesting.
Black Purple (47 NIS) — a roll with avocado, cucumber, carrot, beet, asparagus, and sprouts, with charcoal rice and an avocado wrap. It was tasty and interesting, and the beet is definitely a cool idea that gives the roll character, but its taste is quite dominant and therefore it will not necessarily suit everyone.
Alix (45 NIS) — a roll with avocado, cucumber, carrot, and shiitake in an avocado wrap, with tempura tofu. A tasty and fun roll, where the tofu was especially successful and the carrot on top added more texture and flavor.
Sweet for the End
The dessert sector turned out to be a successful surprise and closed the meal with a precise bite.
Japanese Tiramisu (56 NIS) — a tiramisu ball with milk chocolate, cocoa, and coffee sauce. A rich, pampering, and precise dessert that gives a successful interpretation of the Italian classic. With a ritual of pouring coffee on top that is always fun.
Asian Lemon-Yuzu Pie (56 NIS) — a sour, fresh, and balanced dessert, a simply tasty bite that provides a light finish to the meal.
Ultimately, this is still MOON with the flavors and style that made it what it is over the years, but in a wider, more mature, and updated version. We had a tasty and enjoyable evening, the sushi remains one of the strong things here, but the grill menu, ramen, and new dishes add more layers to the experience and make it more diverse.
