It’s always a pleasure to talk about a new restaurant in an area of town that sorely needs one. Welcome to mood and Food at 10601 FM 2222 near River Place. This is a very cool, owner operated spot started by Dan and Olga Gilchrist, the co-founders of La Traviata. It has excellent food without the higher downtown price tags.

I have many favorite appetizers. The Polenta Fries are outstanding. Imagine crispy polenta in thin rectangular strips (easy for dipping) in an ethereal gorgonzola cream sauce. You must try this. On the last visit we ordered a second serving and I had to be restrained from ordering a third. Also very good is the Vodka Cured Salmon. With arugula and capers, the flavor is robust without being over the top. Great for grazing with a nice glass of chardonnay. And being the smoked meat lover that I am, I cannot resist the Salami, Prosciutto, and Pate de Crostini platter. Served with marinated olives and Dijon mustard, this is a flawless dish with smoky, intriguing flavors. The pate has a base of chicken livers and duck confit and it is marvelous. And while many restaurants offer a caprese salad, Mood and Food does a nice version of this classic, substituting sautéed bell peppers for the tomatoes. The magic of the mozzarella and the balsamic vinegar does the rest.

The entrees have some of the same sensibilities (as you might expect) as La Traviata. But there is a singular feel about Mood and Food that results in blending of the two restaurant cultures. Take for example, the Duck Confit. A wonderful dish that takes 2-3 days to prepare. The style is in the classic French cassoulet with the fat being cooked out of the duck yet preserved in the same. Finished off in the oven, it imparts a crispy delicacy to the meat that is incomparable. I also love the Penne with Sausage. Done in a light garlic cream sauce, this dish is simple yet amazingly effective. The mushrooms are a nice touch and the parmesan rounds out the flavors. Try it.

And you will really like the Shrimp Scampi. It’s not tricked up with garlic as can often happen with this dish. The buttery sauce blends perfectly with the Israeli cous cous. It’s hard not to order this dish every time one dines there. And the Veal Picatta is another recommendation. The veal is pounded into thin cutlets until it is exquisitely tender and the sauce is delicate with just a hint of wine. I love the flavor and the tenderness and I suspect you will as well.

Mood and Food is a neighborhood restaurant with a team of professionals at the helm who are passionate about what they do. The prices are most reasonable. Come see Dan and Olga and let them put you in THE MOOD. Actually, all it takes to get me in THE MOOD is one glance at their innovative menu. Check this one our as soon as you can.

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