Mua Restaurant-Oakland
By
Carol & Joe Davis
Dining Detectives
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We
knew about a hip, trendy restaurant just off of Oakland's
Broadway Auto Row called Mua but had never had
a chance to go. A recent tweet from @1skinnychef alerted us that
experienced Executive Chef, Brandon Peacock,
had recently joined them so we decided to see what this Oakland
Hot Spot was all about. The décor is SoHo warehouse chic
industrial with wood beam ceilings, skylights, cement walls and
ceiling fans. Large wild edgy Art paintings by Kimlynh
E. Chun www.kimlynswork.com
and Hi-Suk add to the fun Artist's Loft statement.
There
is an active Bar area, Garden Patio seating, a spacious main Dining
Room with high ceiling and an Upstairs Dining area with a Bar
which overlooks the action below. Candelabras on the long tables
for large parties and individual candles on all the smaller tables
makes the setting quite atmospheric. Upbeat background music adds
to the dining experience and great acoustics allows you to have
a private conversation over dinner without having to talk too
loud.
Mua
has an evolving menu featuring reasonably priced Modern American
Cuisine with small plates, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers
and entrees using fresh and seasonal ingredients. There is a Full
Bar and an International Wine List with over 20 wines by the glass.
We suggest that you start with their Signature Cocktails. We loved
both the Joe Smash made with Ciroc Vodka, Cointreau,
mint, red grapes and lemon which tasted minty fresh and the Jus'
Margarita made with Don Julio Tequila, agave nectar, lemon,
lime, orange juice and a float of Grand Marnier which tasted herbaceous.
We
decided to begin with a few of their Smaller Plates. The Beef
Carpaccio with manchego, arugula and pine nuts was super
thin and absolutely wonderful. We love great Carpaccio and it
can be difficult to find...so we were very happy. The Ahi
Tuna Sashimi that was nori wrapped and tempura fried had
a fabulous crust. The combination of delicate texture of the ahi
with the light crunch of the tempura was perfect. You must have
the Beef Bone Marrow with cornichon and toast as you
rarely see it on a menu and it was a treat. The Daube Braised
Lamb Cheeks with parsnip was also beautiful and it had a
great sauce.
Next,
we had the Steamed Mussels in a truly spectacular roasted
tomato broth served with fries and aioli. The Larger Plates were
just as good as the Small Plates! The Grilled Ribeye Steak
with fries and herb butter was perfectly prepared rare as ordered
and had a lovely charcoal flavor. The Blackened Catfish
with dirty rice and aioli tasted fresh, juicy and had a great
Cajun seasoning which was very similar to our favorite from New
Orleans "Slap Ya Mama". We enjoyed a bottle of the 2008
Gamble Sauvignon Blanc which was lively with hints of citrus
with our meal. This is one of our favorite Sauvignon Blancs and
we rarely see it on a menu.
The
Desserts that we tried were both were right sized portions, light
and truly extraordinary. Definitely save room for the Pineapple
Upside-Down Cake served with cocoanut gelato and the Bread
Pudding served with crème anglaise and raspberry sauce.
Espresso and Frogs Leap, Late Harvest Riesling Dessert Wine
were the perfect finish to our most enjoyable dinner.
Mua
is a truly worthy dining destination that exceeded our expectations.
The service was very personable and professional, the atmosphere
and hip vibe made it festive and fun and the affordable cuisine
was exceptional! Mua offers Lunch, Dinner, a Happy Hour and the
Bar is open until 2:00 AM on weekends. We can't wait to return
with some of our foodie friends!
Mua
Restaurant-Oakland
2442 Webster Street (at Broadway & 24th St.)
Oakland, CA. 94612
510.238.1100
www.MUAoakland.com
