This time my experience was a lot better! I'd probably give it 3-3.5 stars.
Had lunch today this time instead of the happy hour set meals. I decided to try Moji again because of all the mentions of the revamped menu on Instagram and my friend also mentioned that it had gotten better.
I decided to try some of the new menu items given my experience with the older ones. They're less pricey than I thought they were - not sure if they've changed anything. I decided to try out the crispy gyu don and we also got a spicy mayo tempura rice.
The food was as expected, very nicely presented - but portions were much larger this time. Perhaps that's the difference between lunch and happy hour? My crispy gyu don was nice. There was a sweet soy sauce on the beef and the rice with tempura bits. The beef wasn't dry and was sliced very thinly. All drizzled with mayo - it seemed like a lot of mayo at first but it was actually quite light and mixed well with the sweetness of the soy sauce. Served with edamame and slices of cantaloupe. Being nitpicky here but I think they could have salted the edamame more. Comes with miso soup which we didn't touch because it was way too salty. It was around 9 dollars for the whole thing for what is essentially beef, rice, and tiny side dishes but it was tasty enough that it didn't bother me too much. I felt like the apps were a little pricey though. It was 4.95 for 6 takoyaki balls, 5.95 for cheese or wasabi cream takoyaki.
The spicy mayo tempura rice and takoyaki we got was also quite good. The takoyaki was piping hot and I made the mistake of putting the whole thing in my mouth - the cantaloupe was useful for that cause they give you hot water instead of cold! The rest of the food comes out lukewarm - is this intentional? But still good.
We also decided to get a black milk tea soft serve. I was surprised by the taste. It tasted like bubble tea.. and I think they put tapioca sometimes but I didn't get any. Given that it tasted like bubble tea it was slightly artificial tasting - but still decent, though I probably wouldn't crave it or get it again. And more on the icy side. Nothing super amazing - I'd probably still go to Wooffles and Cream across the parking lot.
Also Vivian L. is totally right about the guy server. He really was welcoming and friendly and part of what made my experience a much better one! The music was also on point with a very coffeeshop (think Norah Jones) vibe so it was really quiet during lunch - would be good for chatting with friends. Not sure if this is the place to do work though.
Consider me a convert based on the food and service and atmosphere of this experience. The decor still doesn't get me but my focus is on the food and service. Overall a nice experience and I'm more likely to come back. Kudos to the people at Moji for working to grow and develop their menu.