Let’s be honest. Most hospitality people don’t get excited about eating in malls and I’m one of them. We’ve spent our entire careers trying to get guests out of them. We talk about destination bars, neighborhood restaurants, hidden gems and experiences. But every now and then, you walk into a place that forces you to drop your ego and admit something uncomfortable, and that is “Good hospitality can exist anywhere”. That’s exactly what happened the moment I sat down at Moderna.
Moderna, tucked inside Gateway Theatre Shopping Mall. The ambience is light, open and modern. Plants, neutral tone, a terrace that gives you some distance from the retail madness. It’s designed to make you slowdown, which is rare in a place where most people are rushing to the next store. The menu reflects that same philosophy, Italian, Greek and Portuguese influences, simple but polished.
On arrival we were welcomed by their hostess, who then handed over to Noncebo who sat us down and was our waitress for the duration of the service. The first thing I ordered was their cocktail the Greek Pistachio Sour, the name itself was enticing. On arrival of the cocktail visually it already had my attention. A clean, pale green drink with a solid foam. A pistachio crumb rim that actually made sense.
The drink was well balanced, nutty but not heavy. The citrus kept it fresh, and the liqourice liqueur with absolute vodka carried the flavour without turning the cocktail into dessert. It’s the kind of sour you order when want something interesting but still grown. As a bartender, this is the kind of drink that earns respect not because it’s complicated but because it’s disciplined.
My friend also ordered the Frozen Mixed Berry Bellini, which I could not resist to take a sip from. It contained Absolute vodka, frozen mixed berries and a glass of sparkling wine. Truly a refreshing drink, but I would suggest adding a bit more of sparkling wine. The frozen mixed berries overpowered the sparkling wine and vodka, as the ratio of the berries was a lot more than the rest. Presentation and garnishing were absolutely flawless.
I went for the chicken parmigiana, which is one of those dishes that can either comfort you or disappoint you. In this case it came out looking exactly how comfort food should look like. Golden, bubbling cheese with proper crust. The portion was generous without being excessive and the spaghetti on the side was coated in a rich, creamy tomato sauce that actually tasted cooked not assembled. The plating was clean and it wasn’t trying to be fine dining. It felt like someone in that kitchen understands that most guests don’t want to decode their food. They just want to enjoy it.
Then came the Tiramisu, which completely sealed the experience. Plated clean and cocoa dusted with intention, not chaos. The cream was light and structured, not collapsing into sugar sludge halfway through. You could taste the coffee; it wasn’t overly sweet. It didn’t try to reinvent anything; it just did the classic properly.
Sometimes people just want a good sour, a well-executed classic and food that taste like someone cared. And Moderna delivers that, overall I enjoyed the entire experience with great service from Noncebo. And no, this isn’t a sponsored post. This is just what happens when a restaurant quietly does its job properly.
