LEO/LHB: Sophisticated Mojito goes platinum

[Robin Garr]

LEO's Eats with Louisville HotBytes.com

When Mojito Tapas Restaurant opened in the Holiday Manor center early in 2007, it almost instantly turned golden. A stylish, upscale-but-affordable eatery run by the good folks who brought us Havana Rumba, featuring small-plate Spanish tapas with a Cuban vibe: What's not to like?

And now it has gone platinum.

Chef-owner Fernando Martinez spent a couple of months in Europe last winter, taking a six-week intensive culinary program at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and traveling to Barcelona and environs in Spain to visit tapas bars. He's talking about going back for more, but in the meantime, he brought much of what he learned back home and used it to kick Mojito's menu up a notch ... or several.

The new menu rolled out in April, and ever since, Mojito has been more slammed than ever. If you care to dine without a wait, it wouldn't be a bad idea to do as we did on a recent visit: We arrived a little before 6 p.m. on a Tuesday, easily got a table, then watched the place fill up and a line form within an hour. (Other options: Come for lunch, or drop in late when the crowds finally start thinning after 9 p.m.)

"We moved to a more Spanish and Catalan influence," the Havana-born Martinez said in discussions on the LouisvilleHotBytes online forum. "We are really exited about it. ... I always have been really interested in Spanish and Catalan cooking, and my trip to Europe influenced the changes; also we visited several tapas places around the country for inspiration. Can you tell that I'm obsessed with food? I had never been in Europe so this is a dream come true."

Inspiration indeed. Mojito's tapas are firmly rooted in the tradition originally invented in Jerez, Spain, home of Sherry wine, where small plates bearing tasty snacks were used as lids to keep fruit flies out of one's glass of Sherry while dining al fresco.

Mojito's tapas are far too sizable to balance on your wine glass, and I didn't see any fruit flies around. But fired by Martinez's inspiration, they fill your table with the colorful flavors of Spain, Cuba and the Caribbean, designed and plated in artful fashion that makes them a feast for the eyes and the palate.

Mojito Tapas Restaurant
2231 Holiday Manor Center
425-0949
http://www.mojitorestaurant.com
Robin Garr's rating: 93 points

Read the complete report in LEO and on LouisvilleHotBytes.

Robin, if I may say so, your review is EXACTLY right! My wife, daughter and I went to Mojito Friday night and were blown away by the new menu. We had heard the grumblings of some about the changes, but we were not worried because we knew the new dishes would be great. The meal wasn't great, it was amazing. We had both the flatbread and the ravioli that Robin mentioned and they were unbelievably good. Our two year old really enjoyed the flatbred and the duck (chicken to her). The ravioli was fantastic and worked very well with the tomato underneath. I actually thought it had a very pleasant spiciness to it. We also had the new fries that were served with manchego cheese. The dish consisted of 5 HUGE rectangular fries, artfully stacked with the shredded manchego on top. I usually do not like thick cut fries but these were wonderful. Very crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside. I think the only holdover from the old menu we had were the serrano ham and chicken croquettes. We had not had these before and were glad we went with them this night. 4 pieces came out on a long rectangular dish each with a dollop of a red sauce underneath. Very tasty. Our last dish was a special cannelloni they were serving that evening. Two tubes filled with beef and pork under a bachemel (sp?) sauce. This dish was fantastic. The filling was so moist and tender and tasted like the best roast that you have ever had. Great dish! As for dessert, let me just say that the flan that Robin mentioned is one of the best desserts I have ever had. I can't even describe it. The dulce de leche ice cream (which is made in house) was also wonderful. My wife was also a big fan of the aforementioned chocolate creme brulee. It had a wonderful crust on top, and was nice and creamy underneath. The caramelized banana half on top was a wonderful finishing touch.
In short, go and go now. Yes some of your favs may be gone, but you will quickly forget about them. You are doing yourself a disservice if you do not go and try some of these dishes. I know you will be tempted to get the guac, but don't! Get something new and I assure you that you will not be disappointed. Thank you Fernando, Michael, and Christina for such a wonderful evening. We are so happy you all are here providing some of the best food in Louisville.

May I also chime in with some kudos...

To mirror Robin's sentiment about picking a good time to go in, I arrived at the end of lunch- about 2p last Monday. I had interactions with no less than 6 different FOH employees (a huge plus in my book.) I ordered a caprahina and was pleasantly surprised to find that the bartender who made the drink was also the very same bartender that made it when I visited last year, just after their opening (low employee turnover is one of the keys to restaurant success.) It was just as good as I remembered it, in all of its pulpy splendor. I ate:

Gazpacho: An interesting variation, it was served as a puree. Heirlooms with peppers, methinks. Pecan and (correct me if I'm wrong) cilantro oil garnish. Sesame crostini to the side.

Chicken and serrano croquettes w/ picadillo sauce: exceptionally smooth texture. Tammy or food processor?

Lamb chop with white beans: ordered 'as the chef prepares it,' it came out mr+ I couldn't agree more. The beans seemed a slight bit under al- dente, but with the quality of preparation everywhere else, I have to feel that is exactly what is intended. Kind of makes me want to reexamine my own predispositions regarding 'how to cook a bean.'

By the way, I was feeling kinda Cuban, so I went with a wife- beater on and sat at the bar. I thought this dress- code snafu might cause a problem. Nobody seemed to care, and I left feeling like they were happy to have me at the bar, at 2 o'clock, in a wife beater. Strong...

Excellent review, agree with every word!

[Robin Garr]

Excellent review, agree with every word!

Hee hee hee! I hope you don't mind if I reveal that the friends we spotted going in were you and Cristina, Adrian! Was fun dining with you both.

Great review and spot on. I live 3 blocks away and always keep an eye on the wait as I drive by, as Mojito's is always a dinner option for us. It's a gastronomic education each time you dine because you can try so many different things.