MosaicTo create a mosaic, an artist must plan every detail right from the start, or risk unsightly gaps and holes in the finished work at the end. Chef Deborah Knight and her team at Mosaic restaurant have created a true culinary masterpiece, with every element of their work of art masterfully selected and placed.
The first piece of the artwork is the space itself – inside and out. The setting, the building, and the interiors are beautiful yet serene; elegant but not uncomfortably opulent. In fact, Mosaic has won awards for its architecture and interior design. The views outside the windows are of the north Scottsdale desert and no vista disappoints. .
Other fine dining restaurants in Phoenix should take note of Mosaic’s service. Servers are knowledgeable but not pushy, attentive but not hovering. They know the menu and its nuances, can recommend a great wine, and are always cordial, a pleasure not always on display at other local establishments.
Of course, the key element to this masterpiece is the food. Chef Knight is ambitious, yet not over-the-top with her creations. As a proud supporter of the Slow Food movement (www.slowfoodusa.org), she is always conscious of using fresh, seasonal and local ingredients whenever possible. Appetizers, such as a decadent maple duck breast served with a port blackberry sauce and nutmeg roasted butternut squash, and wild mushroom ravioli in a sage-scented browned butter, are perfect for a winter’s evening meal. In spring , the menu shifts its focus to the season bounty of the desert.
Next up, try a “knock-out” bowl of Thai coconut and shrimp soup, with lemongrass, ginger and shiitake mushrooms.. Creamy, dimensional and hugely satisfying. (In fact, the restaurant served the same soup the day after my visit at the West of Western Festival and event-goers were wowed with its simple yet delectable scent and taste.)
A gorgonzola chop salad was a mosaic all its own, with bits of artichoke heart, heirloom tomato, chickpeas, eggplant, red onion and spinach, all draped in a lemon-basil vinaigrette. Not only was it beautiful on the plate, but each mouthful delivered wonderful tastes and textures.
The entrées are complex but not contrived. Mosaic is brave, and successful enough to serve a variety of game, such as venison, boar chops and goose. If you’ve been wanting to sample these kinds of meats, Mosaic is the place to try it. The Scottish salmon wrapped in leeks came accompanied by roasted fennel and the not-usually-served fiddlehead ferns. This dish is for fish lovers! The citrus-butter poached lobster was cooked just to meltingly tender, and served with an aromatic rice, oranges and a citrus-avocado salsa.
As expected by now, the desserts were presented fabulously with many colors and textures. The zabaglione, which came with the freshest of berries and a crunchy cookie, was quite good, but we ended up fighting for bites of the mocha mousse and banana napoleon with caramelized bananas…wow! There also is a cheese course, fortified wines and fun dessert drinks.
Good to know: GM Matt knows his wine…ask him for recommendations, or opt for one of the “duets,” a two-glass flight of uniquely paired wines.
What to wear: appropriate attire is requested – we saw a range of Scottsdale resort wear to men in suit coats and ties.
Must haves: The tasting menus allow you to sample the very best of each course offering at Mosaic…be adventurous!Mosaic
10600 East Jomax Rd., Scottsdale (480) 563-9600