詳しい紹介
When the Moon opened around 2013, it featured an open western-style kitchen and bar, with a row of small round tables and chairs set out in the alley on Guangwu Road outside the door, giving off a French café-restaurant vibe. Not only in Dali, but across China, it was considered quite trendy. At that time, we ran a late-night eatery nearby, and often after chatting until 8:00 in the morning, we would go to the Moon for breakfast (back then, few places opened that early). We would have a bowl of Pian'er Chuan noodle soup or dry noodles, and an American coffee. Many of our most cherished memories are tied to those moments.
Although it is called a western restaurant, it also serves Pian'er Chuan (a type of Hangzhou noodle), confidently incorporating hometown flavors without being confined by a particular cuisine. Looking back, in that era, the previous style of completely imitating "authentic" western food had passed, and a certain confidence had gradually emerged. Just as after 2010, more and more ordinary people moved from big cities to live in Dali, starting to reflect on their own lives—from taking things for granted, to questioning, to taking action, making "their own life choices."
Thin-crust pizza was also a relatively new thing. The methods and flavors were no longer the mainstream American-style pizza of before (with enormous, thick crusts and simple, coarse toppings). Flavors like spicy beef, Meicai Kou Rou (pork with preserved mustard greens), and durian were all available—very French in preparation, yet fused with Chinese flavors. So at that time, the Moon was Dali's most modern western restaurant. Now many new restaurants have appeared, each with their own strengths, but the Moon remains a very popular classic brunch spot. Xiaojing especially likes it; even if there's a queue, she'll go to Guangwu Road to eat there every once in a while. Avocado salad, basa fish, grilled ribs, thin-crust pizza, Spanish seafood paella, and squid ink pasta—you can always switch it up.
The two branches on Guangwu Road in the old town and on Cangshan Avenue are Dali's most popular simple western-style brunch spots. The characteristic is western food with a Chinese twist, offering great value for money, and they are also well-liked among long-term local residents. The American breakfast includes coffee, juice (32 RMB), and a hot iron-pan French-style baked egg dish with vegetables, meat, and eggs. The thin-crust pizza is also tasty. It's just crowded; we go during the off-season, and we also go when friends visit. It's especially great for families with kids, as there are many choices. Note that during peak season, you might wait in line for over 30 minutes, and parking is inconvenient. Recently, a new Moon Left Bank Highland branch opened next to San Nei Croissant on Cangshan Avenue, where parking is convenient.
What characterizes the Moon, it seems, is that although it does western-style food, it takes Chinese tastes into account. A chef can pursue two directions: making the most authentic version (which is quite questionable, because even at the place of origin, authenticity is often disputed—often what most people think is authentic is just what they like to eat. Yes, the most important thing is that most people "like to eat it"), or making what they themselves like, or adjusting according to the customers' tastes. Whether the western food at the Moon is what the owner likes is uncertain; I believe it has been adjusted according to the customers.
Also, the Moon's cost control and process optimization are truly admirable. Because the final prices are very affordable, even if you learned to cook the same dishes exactly the same way, it would still be hard to compete with them on the balance of quality and price.
Another interesting thing is that the Moon has always maintained the tradition of waiters taking orders by hand, which I believe is for their own reasons.
With professional processes and excellent cost control, once the business matures, perhaps in the future, you might see new Moon branches in your city.
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