The restaurant is located off Thomasville Rd. on Market Street, just past interstate 10. Ana and I missed the turn trying to find it BUT there is a benefit to having no sense of direction whatsoever. I FOUND A FRESH MARKET. Yes, just 10 minutes away from my darling FSU campus there is a place of refuge. I was squealing at this point and so was Ana... my fellow foodie friend. We decided to check it out because seeing food always makes me work up an appetite. We did a walk through and though I have seen all of these things before, they are still absolutely mesmerizing--pastry, bread, produce, flowers-- the abundance is astounding! I left giddy as ever with a bouquet of hot pink Gerber Daisies and freshly ground peanut butter-- two of life's essentials.
We arrived at Mozaik around 8. The dining area is split in two: a more causal deli area and a formal dining room. But, not to worry, it is still a very casual atmosphere and there were a variety of guests dining-- families, young adults, seniors. They were about half full which is good considering season doesn't start for a couple months. The hostess sat us and I had a great view of the whole restaurant-- I cannot/will not stare at a wall. All of the wait staff were clad in head to toe black and the one male waiter was gorgeous. I stared at him the whole time half listening to Ana. I'm kidding... but I am sorry to say I have a one track mind. It's either food, friend, or man and none can occur simultaneously.
The hostess brought us ice water and menus and I admired the decor of the restuarant. Glittery tile work is scattered about the walls and is illuminated by interesting large scale light fixtures. All the colors created the perfect ambiance and I couldn't wait to read the menu.
The cuisine at Mozaik calls itself "Modern American with Asian and Mediterranean accents." Is this my kind of restaurant or what?! So, I didn't even need to decipher the menu, the ingredients spoke for themselves! We started with the Asian Spiced Crab cakes with Kimchee Salad (Korean pickled vegetables) , Wakame (Japanese seaweed often used in Miso soup), and Ponzu Aioli (Citrus based mayonnaise). The cakes came right up and with one cake for each of us we dove right in. Heavenly. Why? BUTTER. Clarified butter. I'm sorry but I cannot stand it when seafood is fried in oil. Butter compliments the flavor so well without making the dish heavy. It also allows for a crunchy crust and succulent inside. Very French of them. I know this because I saw Julie & Julia for the third time yesterday.
It was time to decide on an entree and I was all out of sorts. I must have read the menu 20 times. I knew I wanted seafood but the options were endless! Tuna, oysters, swordfish, grouper, shrimp, salmon! (If you are afraid of the sea don't fret, they have land options as well--pasta, chicken, filet, etc.) Ana wanted pasta but I told her to broaden her horizons and order some variety! Yeah, yeah, I know I am bossy.
I think we made two excellent choices:
| LONG LINE SWORDFISH - | |
| honey glazed spiced sweet potatoes, marinated Chinese long beans-pickled red onion salad, blueberry-balsamic barbeque, haricot vert (French green beans) | |
GULF GROUPER & JUMBO HOPPER SHRIMP - | |
| pan seared, creamy smoked lemon risotto, spinach, roasted garlic & grape tomatoes, kalamatas, crushed red pepper, oregano, roasted eggplant aioli, charred green tomato purée, house made ricotta | |
I got the latter because I am a sucker for roasted garlic and kalamata olives and she got the former because I love sweet potatoes. The food arrived while we were immersed in conversation but naturally that seized when I smelled the lemon scent wafting off my steaming risotto. I took the first bite... juicy tomato, creamy spinach, tender olives, and fluffy ricotta cheese smothered that perfectly cooked rice. I am telling you, you could taste every single flavor from the brightness of the lemon to the zip of the red pepper flakes. AND THE RICE WAS NOT SOGGY. Thank God. It still had a bite to it which is an absolute must. Next, I went for the pair of shrimp that were hugging each other on top of my grouper. They were also perfectly sauteed... in butter... with a naturally crispy skin and tender interior. The grouper was good too. It was lightly breaded and fried and had a nice, flaky texture. Grouper is a mild whitefish so all of the other flavors complimented it well.
I forked Ana's next. The sweetest, smoothest sweet potatoes I have ever tasted. Good firm Swordfish and crunchy, bright green haricot ver. Everything prepared in respect to the beauty of the ingredient. I loved it.
When we were thoroughly stuffed, I wanted to meet the chef and express to him how much we enjoyed ourselves. He came out a few minutes later with a glass of Cab Sav and pulled up a chair. We talked to him for a while about his culinary experience and how he wound up at Mozaik. He trained in Philadelphia, home to some of the best restaurants in the country, and came to Tallahassee about 3 years ago. Thank you chef for finding your way into my arms! You are very talented!
Secrets from the chef himself:
They hand make all of their pastas!
They also make Ricotta Cheese from scratch!
They take pride in the food here. You can just tell. From the presentation to the taste they are not going to skimp on specialty and creativity in order to make a profit.
My words can only do so much. You MUST do yourself a favor and treat yourself at Mozaik. It is worth every penny.
Check out there website: dinemozaik.com
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