Let’s just say that the burger we ate at this sub-brand of Mos Burger made us want to start a petition immediately.
Did you know? Popular Japanese burger chain Mos Burger (“MOS” standing for “Mountain, Ocean, Sun”) has several sub-brands to its name such as drink specialty shop Stand by Mos or cheeseburger specialty shop Mosh Grab’n Go. Most of these shops can be found, or in some cases exist only, within the Greater Tokyo Area.
Up until September 12, one sub-brand called Cafe Mountain, Ocean & Sun was located exclusively in Shizuoka Prefecture. That’s all changed now that its second location is officially open in Tokyo’s eastern Kameido district, and you bet that we had to check it out for ourselves. The restaurant is part of the Atre Kameido shopping and dining complex, which also just newly reopened after extensive renovations. When we visited the day after this grand opening, there was still a sense of excitement in the air, and facility staff were handing out promotional uchiwa fans in order to lure shoppers inside.
We found the restaurant a short walk inside from the entrance on the first floor in area with plenty of sweets, coffee, and tea.
We then took a moment to mull over its mouthful of a name, which sounds a bit longwinded in either Japanese or English. Perhaps the inclusion of “Cafe” and the illustrated logo were trying to convey a laidback vibe, but all we could think was that it sounded like the title of a minor rock band’s album.
Looking at the menu, it was clear that there were fewer options for burgers than at a typical Mos Burger–but that seemed to make sense based on its smaller size. In terms of menu items that don’t appear at a regular shop, the “Pinsana” pizza-style bread and hot dogs were definitely unique.
The featured drinks were a line of Colorful Sodas and the spotlighted dessert was Milky Soft-Serve Ice Cream.
The Pinsana was definitely tempting, but we eventually settled on the Mos Chicken Burger (990 yen [US$7] for a set with fries, a side salad, a piece of fried chicken, and juice or soup). While regular Mos Burger stores sell fried Mos Chicken as a side order, it doesn’t currently exist in burger form (there’s a different Mos Chicken Burger that’s made using a chicken patty). We also ordered an additional small-sized Homemade Lemonade Soda for 389 yen, which resulted in a 100-yen meal/drink combination discount.
The drink arrived first. It was sweet, sour, and incredibly refreshing, with slices of lemon floating near the top. It definitely helped to beat the lingering summer heat.
The meal set soon arrived on a circular plate and looking very colorful as a whole.
There are two choices for a liquid when ordering the meal set–vegetable juice or a mini soup–and we sprung for the juice this time. Its size wouldn’t have been large enough for a drink on its own, but as part of this set, it was a perfect accompaniment.
The other side was a bean and sweet potato mini salad. Rounding off the plate were a small handful of fries and a slice of bone-in Mos chicken to eat separately.
Now, onto the burger itself. Practically spilling out of the buns were a thick slice of tomato and chunk of Mos Chicken, all resting on a bed of fresh lettuce. The tomato was also covered in a tartar sauce that definitely contained a splash of lemon juice.
Needless to say, the crispiness of the chicken paired exquisitely with the softness of the vegetables. What a simple but delicious concept it was–and made using ingredients that should all already be lying around at any Mos retail location. We’re going to put a plea out to the cosmos now that the Mos Chicken Burger needs to become a standard menu item at regular Mos Burger locations. Yes, it’s just that good. Of course, it may be hard getting over to the Mos Cafe in Kameido again in the near future when regular stores have just begun offering tantalizing sweet potato-themed desserts as well.
Restaurant information
Cafe Mountain, Ocean & Sun / カフェ 山と海と太陽
Address: Tokyo-to, Koto-ku, Kameido 5-1-1 Atre Kameido
東京都江東区亀戸5丁目1-1 アトレ亀戸1階
Open: 8 a.m.-9 p.m. (last order at 8:30 p.m.)
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