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Mojo risin' >> New resto is a tasty addition to the Monkland Village by IVY TOLCHINKSY A recipe for a successful new restaurant: take a busy street in a popular neighbourhood. Add a terrasse partially shaded by a magnificent maple tree. Combine with hardworking owners and a talented chef. Mix in friendly, young wait staff and offer an interesting, modestly priced menu. Add a pinch of chutzpah, a dash of good luck and you're off. These are some of the ingredients that have gone into the creation of Mojo, recently opened by Graham Lorimer. Graham, formerly of Benedict's (his neighbour up the street, incidentally) was lucky to nab Clinton Hughes, originally of the Monkland Taverne (also a neighbour) and the Bistro on the Green. Not too shabby, I say. So what have they come up with? The menu is not exactly brilliant, but the selection of terrasse/bistro-style fare does possess a healthy sparkle: salads, light appetizers such as jerk chicken, dumplings in peanut sauce and Mojo's own poutine, pastas, burgers, baguettes and grilled meats. And the dessert menu is nothing to sneeze at, either. But let's start with the appetizers. I may not be the maven of poutine, but when Graham recommended Mojo's special version of exquisitely crispy fries with asiago cheese (a cheddar-like flavour), bathed in robust peppercorn sauce, how could I possibly resist? Well, one forkful of this unusual combination nearly sent me spinning. Who needs anti-depressants when you can have gourmet poutine? This was a hard act to follow, but the grilled vegetables--slices of eggplant, peppers, zucchini, red onion and yellow squash, piled high on a bed of romaine and sliced tomatoes, drizzled with a tangy lemon-cilantro dressing--managed to be as pleasing to the eye as to the palate. If you're a Tex-Mex fan, you'll enjoy the veggie quesadillas; spinach tortillas stuffed with melted cheese, tomatoes, green peppers and beans, complimented by a refreshing and summery mango-cucumber salsa. For our main courses, we decided on a cross-section of the menu. I chose the delectable thin-crust pizza, embellished with a generous topping of portobello mushrooms, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes and fontina cheese. It was so rich and filling that I took half home for lunch the next day. Carmen's chunky Napolitana sauce (named after Graham's wife) surprised us by revealing the light taste of summer-sweet tomatoes. The grilled meat department is perhaps where the chef's talents have the opportunity to shine more brightly. The chicken Marsala, a tender chicken breast stuffed with a purée of fontina cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, with a hint of oregano, had a slightly smoky flavour and was well paired with rice and grilled vegetables. Chef Clinton will be displaying more of his skills when the table d'hôte is introduced, hopefully by the time you read this. You can look forward to a choice of a main course salad, pasta, grilled meat or fish to be featured daily. As for the desserts, they are between "for fainting" and "to die for," depending on the condition of your heart. The flourless chocolate torte, served with a raspberry coulis, is dense and decadent, while the open-faced apple tart has loads of sweet, tart Granny Smith apples. The chef's special creation, the Mojo millefeuille, consists of layers of brandy snap cookies filled with vanilla custard, sliced strawberries and whipped cream. It's presented with the name Mojo spelled out in raspberry coulis--just in case you become so delirious you forget where you are. And Mojo may just be worth remembering. With the addition of the table d'hôte and a few adjustments to the mix, it has the potential to become another bright light on the Monkland main. Comments welcome: ivy@total.net
Mojo Address: 5629 Monkland Phone: 487-3335 Hours: Sun-Thurs, 11am-10:30pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-11:30pm Best Features: Gourmet poutine, fresh dishes, professional service Alcohol: Yes Vegetarian friendly: Yes Fish & seafood: Yes Wheelchair access: Yes Price: $22/person after tax and tip Rating: **1/2 out of **** |