![\"Mozaic\u2019s](\"https:\/\/santacruzfoodie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/mozaic-watermelon-feta-walnut.jpg\")
<\/a>Mozaic\u2019s watermelon-feta salad tower with walnuts, Photo by Tara Fatemi Walker<\/p><\/div>\n
I was very excited to try Santa Cruz\u2019s newest eatery Mozaic \u2013 so excited, in fact, that I dined there at lunchtime Aug. 12\u2014just the second day it was open. It was quite wonderful, and I know it can only get better, so that bodes extremely well for Santa Cruz\u2019s future. I can\u2019t wait to go back; next time I\u2019ll go at dinnertime and try some of the meat dishes (It was a warm day so I was in a lighter mood and ended up ordering all-vegetarian).<\/p>\n
Two of Mozaic\u2019s co-owners, Ben Khader and Faisal Nimri, also run Dametra Cafe<\/a> and Yafa<\/a> in Carmel and Dametra Fresh Mediterranean in Monterey (opened in December 2014). In December, after a morning expedition to Monterey Bay Aquarium, I went to Dametra Fresh Med and enjoyed a wonderful lunch where I could taste how fresh the ingredients were. That restaurant falls under the fast-casual category; it\u2019s in Del Monte Mall and you order at the counter from a limited menu. It seems designed for affordable-yet-delicious food on the go. The variety of choices, including flavorful sauces, is impressive. Let me add that I was with my mother and my then-three-year-old daughter and it satisfied all three generations.<\/p>\n Back to my Mozaic lunch yesterday in downtown Santa Cruz. A few minutes after sitting down, fresh bread and a pesto dipping sauce were brought over (a few minutes apart\u2014but I didn\u2019t mind; it was their second day and that was the main kink in service). The bread and dip were delicious.<\/p>\n I ordered a few dishes: hearty lentil soup (comforting and satisfying without being too heavy), a vegetarian combo platter with several tasty components, and a watermelon-feta-walnut salad that turned out to be a gorgeous and refreshingly flavored tower. I would recommend all of these dishes. The vegetarian platter included\u2014among other things\u2014spanakopita, falafel, creamy hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, tzatziki, an aioli with a good kick, rice pilaf, and Greek salad.<\/p>\n I also relished the ending of the meal: flaky, moist baklava plus sweet Moroccan tea whose ingredients included fresh mint, green tea, and honey.<\/p>\n Mozaic\u2019s team welcomed my dining companion and I like old friends\u2014and we\u2019d never met. Literally from the moment we stepped foot in the doorway, the staff were incredibly gracious\u2014including our waitress, the busboys, and co-owner Nimri, who was going from table to table making sure everyone had what they needed. It\u2019s obvious that they really care about making people happy. This includes co-owner Jay Dib, who I later realized was the smiling, attentive and enthusiastic man who first greeted us. Mozaic is definitely lucky to have him on the lookout; I feel like Santa Cruz is in for some very good service, not to mention delicious food. Like I said, I can\u2019t wait to go back and try more selections. I noticed lamb shank on the menu, a grilled octopus appetizer, gyros, chicken shawarma, butternut squash ravioli\u2026Wait, what am I doing still writing? See you there!<\/p>\n Location<\/strong>: 110 Church St. off Pacific (former Louie\u2019s Cajun Grill & Clouds location\u2014in fact, a staff member mentioned that Mozaic\u2019s management kept on a bartender that\u2019s \u201cbeen at the site for 14-15 years and really knows his stuff\u201d)<\/p>\n Hours<\/strong>: Open at 11 a.m. daily, and closing time varies depending on how busy they are. For now, they\u2019re estimating 9ish for weekdays and 11 or midnight on weekends.<\/p>\n More<\/strong>: Contact Mozaic at (831) 454-8663; restaurant web site is coming soon<\/p>\n On Twitter? Follow me @santacruzfoodie<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I was very excited to try Santa Cruz\u2019s newest eatery Mozaic \u2013 so excited, in fact, that I dined there at lunchtime Aug. 12\u2014just the second day it was open. It was quite wonderful, and I know it can … Continue reading