Moxie - Beachwood, OH (Cleveland)
Moxie was one of the restaurants that's a member of the Cleveland Independents, which is a group of local restaurants that are all locally owned and operated. Last week just so happened to be the second week of the annual Restaurant Week so I was excited to not only cross off Moxie, but to go during such a special time of year. And of all the places I've been in the past two years in Cleveland, I would have to say that this was one of the best meal I've had from beginning to end.
No dinner can really start off on the right foot without some bread and a side butter. Moxie kicked it up a notch with their assortment of breads that included the moistest corn bread I have ever had. It was soft and fluffy. I cringe when I have corn bread that isn't moist. Moxie hit it out of the park with the butter. It's whipped then topped with a mixture of oil and nuts. It was sweet and the perfect spread on the fresh and warm bread.
Our server told us about some recent additions to the menu. You should definitely make your way over if it's been a while since your last visit and try the Kung Pao Dumplings. It was glazed over with a sweet and spicy sauce. It was a perfect balance of not too sweet and not too spicy. It was fried crispy to perfection and was a great starting appetizer to the main event.
For dinner, my friend and I ordered from their special Restaurant Week menu, which was a pre fixe 3 course meal for $33 (plus tax and tip). You had a limited selection made just for the week, but some of items weren't on their regular menu. You know I had to try these "off menu" items and I was so glad I did.
The first course was this wonderful potato and corn chowder. It was creamy yet light for being a chowder. It had pieces of potatoes and corn with each bite and was topped with green onions, which gave it some freshness. It kept it's creaminess as I ate every last spoonful. Nothing ruins a chowder than when it doesn't stay together til the very end. I even commented that I could just each another bowl, or two, of just this chowder for the rest of dinner. But onward to the second course!
I ordered the duck confit for my main entree, which I had never had before. I had to ask what it was before I ordered. It's essentially taking the duck and cooking in it's own fat. If all duck confits are like this one, then sign me up for more! The skin was delightfully crispy without being greasy. The duck meat was tender and moist, which can be hard to achieve when you have such a crispy skin. It was served on top of roasted brussels sprouts and squash then drizzled with a maple glaze. The sweetness from the maple complimented the meaty earthiness of the duck. The squash was tender and still had a good bite to it. The brussels sprouts were perfectly roasted and added even more texture with it's fresh crunchiness. This was the best duck I have ever had and I would have it again and again.
And of course the last course, a hot fudge brownie sundae. I'm not a huge brownie fan, so I wasn't sure how this would turn out. It was cold out so I didn't want to order the sorbet, but it was a perfect end to dinner. The brownie had excellent crispy edges and had a good balance of sweet chocolate. The vanilla ice cream and housemade whipped cream topped it off very nicely. And I always a sucker for the cherry on top.
Moxie is a great restaurant for any special occasion. Reservations are recommended, but once you arrive the hosts are super friendly and will get you taken care of as soon as you walk in the door.
