Last night our friends Mike and Jen spontaneously phoned us and asked if we wanted to go out to dinner. I said, “Hell yeah!” It had been a crazy-busy week filled with appointments, running around and feeling uninspired when I got home. Nothing revs up the foodie spirit more than going out to dinner with good friends. Getting someone to cook and bake for me while catching up? What a fantastic treat!
We went out to Moxie’s at Dartmouth Crossing for a Saturday night dinner out. It is a perfect location for us since we do not have to go all the way downtown and there is more than enough parking. What I love about Moxie’s is that it is a little upscale without being pretentious. If you want to wear something nice without the pressure to dress fancy and still have a really hip dining-out experience, this is the restaurant to go to.
I ordered the seafood linguini for dinner. Prawns, mussels and calamari in a lobster-based rosé sauce with linguini pasta, I must admit the dinner was just OK. It was a tad under seasoned and I really did not taste lobster in the “lobster sauce” but the mussels were out of this world. For a $17.99 dinner I expected a little more but I was having such a good night out with my husband and friends that I forgave the meal. I have eaten here before and know that the food is good quality so I happily moved on to ordering dessert.
At Moxie’s you can order mini versions of some of their dessert items. For someone like me who just wants a nibble of sweetness after a big dinner, I was so happy with my mini chocolate mousse. It came with a giant strawberry and two mini slices of biscotti. Our server Lorne was fantastic. He was very entertaining and helpful and promised as a fellow non-caffeine drinker he would not poison me with caffeinated coffee. I could enjoy my dessert without fear and sure enough, no caffeine migraine followed.
My husband ordered the Blackberry Apple Crisp on Puffy Pastry and loved it! He said it was soft and warm and the restaurant makes it to order, unlike a lot of desserts. He had also been blown away by his Chicken with Pineapple salsa, said the chicken was grilled to perfection. My husband is rarely impressed by a restaurant and this was his first time going here and so I am happy to report it gets his personal approval which excites me so much, it means we are definitely going back! Any restaurant that makes my husband’s tummy happy is one that makes me happy.
Next time, I think I will get the hamburger. That is what my friend Jen ordered last night and I was so tempted to steal it from her, it looked that good, but it was gone in a flash! A very good sign. I will also be tempted to get Mike’s Chicken Oscar with Jumbo Prawns just for the Béarnaise sauce, it is one of my favourites sauces of all time. There will be no shortage of items to consider on the menu, it is huge and I look forward to doing more foodie exploring next time I go to Moxie’s.
Modern, hip and fun, Moxie’s is a great place to go for dinner when you want to put on that new shirt and eat some trendy west coast food. This restaurant reminded me of The Cactus Club in Victoria, a place we used to go regularly with Mike and Jen when we lived out west. For the first night out in ages, I felt like home at Moxie’s. I can’t wait to go back.
leel says
nice review! I haven’t been to Moxie’s in a dogs age. Years ago i had roomies who ALL worked for Moxie’s here in Ottawa; we hung out there a LOT. They have great food – and the service is usually great. And the yummy peach Bellinis … I also love the idea of min-desserts. Sounds like my kinda fun 🙂 yay you!
Debra She Who Seeks says
Moxie’s does a nice brunch, too.
Kim says
Moxies has always been one of my favorite places to eat, and am missing it desperately now that I’ve read your review. For me though, I think immediately of their heavenly broccoli cheese soup, chicken tenders with plum sauce, and of course, a white chocolate brownie bite for dessert. Many a happy memory associated with that exact meal. Thanks, Suzie! 🙂