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 The Mosaic Café's Slightly Altered Menu And Location Bring A Bit Of OaxacaTo The West Side. By Rebecca Cook YEARS AGO, A friend took me to breakfast at the Mosaic Café, then just a slip of a restaurant located in a modest strip mall near Grant and Silverbell roads. While I don't recall every detail of that meal, a generous helping of spicy, shredded beef machaca, a couple of over-easy eggs and a fresh flour tortilla do stand out. I also remember the warmth and hospitality of the Mosaic's owners, Teresa and Alfonso Matias, who moved fluidly from kitchen to dining room in an ongoing attempt to ensure their guests' satisfaction.
At first glance, all that remains the same from earlier days is the warm and friendly smile of Teresa Matias, who still personally greets most guests upon arrival. As far as the food goes, it's always been difficult to properly place the Mosaic within the spectrum of Tucson's available Mexican food options. Now, however, the café has settled into regional Mexican cooking, with an emphasis on the cuisine common to the southern state of Oaxaca--the place often referred to as the "Land of the Seven Moles." Here the influence of native Indian cuisine mingles with more traditional Mexican dishes. Complex sauces, vegetable side dishes and ground nuts are common.
I began my new Mosaic experience with lunch, which was impressive in all its particulars. The special of the day was an enormous platter of chicken fajitas accompanied by refried beans and calabacitas--sautéed green and yellow squash with chopped onions, green chiles, diced tomatoes, corn and a sprinkling of white cheese. The grilled chicken strips were moist and tender, and laced with the vibrant flavor of the marinade, which contained lots of garlic and fresh lime juice. The red and green bell pepper strips and the onions, which completed the fajita melange, were also done to perfection. Along with a dollop of guacamole, this filling was ideal for those hot-from-the-griddle tortillas. The squash was cooked tender, and the beans were delightfully smooth and creamy, with just a hint of smoky, salty tang. We also sampled the Mosaic's chile relleno, which, though unadorned with red sauce or copious amounts of cheese, was nonetheless tasty. Lightly battered and cooked until barely tender, the chile itself was fresh and subtly piquant. Several "big" dishes distinguish dinner: heaping platters of carne asada, mole, shredded pork or Guaymas shrimp. You can also order items a la carte, thereby ensuring that the varying appetites in your party are accommodated equally. It seemed a good idea to sample one of the designated Oaxacan specialties, so I ordered the lomo adobado, marinated and grilled pork fillets served with calabacitas and beans. The fillets, though thin, were remarkably tender and juicy, while the marinade imparted a pleasing, salty zing to the meat. My companion, however, was not as thrilled with his meal. The dinner hour was very busy and our waiter, though pleasant, virtually ignored us after taking our order--an order that took a good 40 minutes to emerge from the kitchen. Needless to say, in the interval glasses were drained of there various contents and left to languish unrequited on the table. Qué lastima. Starved, my friend dived into his meal. Imagine the disappointment when he discovered the contents of his combination platter to be quite cold. Apparently, the dish was allowed to sit while my dish was completed. I must admit, enchiladas made with congealed cheese do not an appetizing meal make. Since our waiter was nowhere in sight, we salvaged what we could of the meal, and then sat for another 30 minutes waiting for the check. Flagrant gesturing finally encouraged the reappearance of our server, only to be followed by a comedy-sketch misunderstanding about our desire to leave. After repeatedly declining the dessert menu and going directly to the cashier to pay, we were finally free to go. Whew! Despite the snags in service, Teresa's Mosaic Café is still worth a try. Generally, the food is quite good, the setting comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, and the pace leisurely, to say the least. The Mosaic also serves breakfast daily. And one day soon, I'm going back.
Teresa's Mosaic Café. 2455 N. Silverbell Road.
624-4512. Open 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday,
7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Full bar. V, MC, checks. Menu items
$2.95-$14.95.
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First opened in 1983, The Mosaic has matured and expanded over
the years. From its humble origins, the restaurant has moved to
a new hilltop location. Perched loftily above the same bustling
intersection, Teresa's Mosaic Café now sports a whole new
look. The tiny, nondescript eatery of yesterday has become an
expansive and festive spot. Brightly colored tiles in tropical
hues of purple, canary yellow and lime green, with lush overhangs
of foliage, decoratively accentuate the semi-circular and glassed-in
dining room.
Corn and flour tortillas are made by hand on the premises, a
process you can observe at a central station where the cook takes
a ball of dough, pats it into an enticing oval and tosses it onto
a hot comal to cook.
