Charlotte’s Best Korean BBQ

In August, MOA, a Korean BBQ restaurant, opened in Uptown Charlotte, and after seeing the pictures they posted of their food and interior decor I knew I had to go check it out.

MOA presents itself as an upscale Korean BBQ and when you arrive you will completely agree with that statement. It’s located in the center of the city, but you don’t have to worry about the hassle of finding parking. They offer the convenience of a complimentary valet Thursday - Saturday evenings from 6 pm-11 pm. As you walk in, a hostess greets you and if you look up, you will see a TV screen with a thermal camera that scans everyone upon entering (to protect against COVID-19). This is a safe and fast way to get seated. On your way to your table, you will walk past the elegant bar with lavish royal blue velvet chairs and a beautiful display of their wine selection. You have the option to sit at a table with or without a grill, but I highly recommend you enjoy the full experience and choose a table with a grill. This is not like other Korean BBQs that typically offer two hours of all-you-can-eat for a set price. Instead, MOA offers six different combos that include a variety of high-quality premium meats, and the servers come to cook at your table unless you prefer to do it yourself. The first time I went was with my mom and we got combo #3. It was plenty of food for the two of us and we even had leftovers to take home. The second time I went it was with a group of four so we picked combo #4, which includes more meat, seafood, and my favorite marinated ribs Galbi. If you are unsure of which combo to pick, you can always ask your server to help you decide what is the best combo for your preference as well as the number of people in your group.

To start off, we ordered our drinks. If you are looking for a potent drink with a beautiful presentation, I recommend the War of Roses. For a refreshing and fruity drink that you might not have tried before, I recommend the Japanese sake Mio. It comes in an elegant blue bottle and was so good I didn’t even notice when we finished it. And if you have kids make sure to ask for the children’s drink, trust me, they will think it’s really cool.

For appetizers, we had the seafood kimchi pancake and the carbonara tteokbooki. The second time we went we had the Korean beef tarte, which is eaten raw and served with Korean pears. I was a bit hesitant to try this at first but figured why not try something new and way out of my comfort zone. I’m so glad I did because it was exquisite.

One of my favorite things about Korean BBQ is that there is no wait for the food to arrive at your table. Since it's all cooked in front of you, as soon as it hits the grill you are in control of your own food. Each combo comes with side dishes, known as banchan. They vary depending on the chef’s selections for the day and the combo you have chosen. Some of the banchan that might be served are kimchi, seaweed salad, braised lotus roots, bean paste stew, Korean potato salad, steamed egg, chayote, fish cakes, and corn with cheese. You can also ask for rice at no additional cost.

As soon as you get your banchan the tray of meats for your entree arrives. You are also given a smaller tray that includes salt and pepper, fermented bean paste, and a soy sauce that compliments your meat. Some meats already come marinated. All the flavors from the side dishes combine with the meats perfectly.

If you have room for dessert I have heard that their fried ice cream is a must. By the end of the meal I’m usually too full to have dessert, nor do I like sweet things.

We really had an amazing time at the restaurant, from the incredible food to the great service. The owner even stopped by our table to ask us how everything was and to see if there was anything he could do for us. I noticed he visited every table, having conversations, and even cooking for them himself. You can tell the restaurant always has the customer’s experience in mind and they pay very close attention to detail.

I will admit that the place can be pricey, but I believe that the overall experience and the satisfaction you leave with is definitely worth the price. It's a great place to go with friends and family, to impress a date, or simply to treat yourself.

Go ahead and make your reservation at MOA for the next time you're in the Queen City!