THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2010
16
DinnerDeals Here, waffles reign supreme by Justin Rude
At a glance: Behind a modest storefront in a Rockville Pike strip mall lies an unexpected treasure: an 85-seat temple to the waffle. The comfortable suburban dining room gets its heaviest traffic for brunch, when crowds gather for perfectly made waffles topped with fruit, sugar, chocolate and even smoked salmon. But even lunch, dinner and dessert embrace the waf- fle in some form, with waffle sandwiches and a selection of waffled confections. The restaurant is the brainchild of Thierry
Jugnet, a French-born and -trained chef with se- rious culinary chops. Jugnet apprenticed with Paul Bocuse and Alain Chapel in Lyon before crossing the Atlantic to work with Yannick Cam, and soon popped up at Ridgewells Caterers in Bethesda. In 2003 Jugnet opened his own res- taurant, and waffles were a focus from the get- go. “I was shocked when I came to this country to see how the waffles were made. I didn’t like what I saw. I wanted waffles from home,” Jugnet says. “So first it was desire. Then it became a pas- sion. Then it became an obsession.”
On the menu: Mosaic Cuisine and Cafe’s menu can best be described as comfort food with a French accent. The brunch menu, served every day until 2 p.m., is extensive, with omelets, fa- vorites such as eggs Benedict, and some intrigu- ing options — such as Mont St. Michel ground sirloin with scrambled eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Eggs are cooked with finesse across the board, and the smooth, tangy Hollandaise be- trays its maker’s classical training. But it’s the menu section labeled Wafflessimo that draws the eye. Here you can find an array of those waf- fle preparations: waffles as the “toast” in French toast and served with scrambled eggs; waffles served with fruit and caramel cream; egg, bacon and waffle sandwiches; and waffles topped with chocolate sauce and whipped cream. With such a singular focus one expects the execution to be perfect, and Jugnet does not disappoint. The slightly sweet batter cooks for only 45 seconds in the restaurant’s custom-built and imported Eu- ropean waffle irons, creating a light, fluffy cloud of cake inside a thin, crisp shell. The result ap- proaches the Platonic ideal of wafflehood. The lunch menu features serviceable salads, a classic Caesar, a green and red lettuce salad, as well as more interesting entries such as a goat- cheese souffle salad with grilled pesto eggplant. But lunch also falls under the long shadow of the waffle: Any of the restaurant’s sandwiches can be ordered on your choice of wheat, rye, white or . . . waffle. The utility of the waffle, split down the middle, as sandwich bread is a surprise. The delicacy of Jugnet’s batter makes for an airy sandwich shell, and what at first seems deca- dent, a ham croque with swiss cheese sauce for example, ends up feeling less heavy than its counterpart on bread. The croque works espe- cially well with the waffle’s lightness and slight sweetness, as did the French dip and paprika parmesan chicken piccata.
At dinner the full influence of the waffle final- ly wanes a bit (though you can still order from a small selection of waffle sandwiches). Starters include brie quesadillas and Peking duck rolls, but the highlight is something called the flam-
Meals under $15
MOSAIC CUISINE AND CAFE 186 Halpine Rd., Rockville. Contact: 301-468-0682 or
www.mosaiccuisine. com. Hours: Sunday- Thursday 8 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Prices: Appetizers $6- $10, entrees $13-$18, sandwiches $8-$10, desserts $2.50-$7. Breakfast $4.50-$11.95. Wheelchair access: Yes Kid-friendly: There are kids’ menus and high- chairs. Plus, around that many waffles everyone acts like a kid.
PHOTOS BY EVY MAGES FOR THE WASHINGTON POST
At Rockville’s Mosaic Cuisine and Cafe, you can order waffles for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. And they’re not the only dishes on the menu with a French accent.
ing torte, a thin-crust French-style pizza that pops with smokey bacon and sweet onion and is brought together with a thin layer of creme fraiche. My table of three practically fought over the last slice. The main courses are made up of simply presented favorites such as boeuf bour- guignon, pork medallions with roasted apples, pecan-crusted trout and a flatiron steak rubbed with BBQ spices. Nothing is fussy, fancy or par- ticularly progressive, but it is all well seasoned and the cooking is skilled and consistent. This is not an accident; simplicity and consistency are
at the center of the chef ’s philosophy. “My back- ground is very upscale,” says Jugnet, “but what I like to cook is uncomplicated, true food. It is very simple, very honest cuisine.” For dessert, the waffle makes a triumphant, if
expected, return. There is brandy-soaked waffle pudding, waffles served simply with straw- berries and whipped cream, and, my favorite, a flourless chocolate waffle with ice cream. Look past the waffle and be rewarded with a wonder- fully traditional version of crepes suzette. Of course, if you are dazzled by the selection
of waffles, it might help to know how the chef himself likes his: “Ah, that’s easy. It’s the way we have it in Europe when you go to a fair or to the beach,” he says with an audible, French-accented hint of nostalgia. “Hot from the iron with a bit of powdered sugar. That’s it.”
At your service: Service is quick and friendly, and takeout is available all day.
What to avoid: A side of vegetables at dinner was overcooked. The creme brulee wasn’t nearly firm enough, a shame because it was rich and flavorful.
Wet your whistle: There is a nice selection of beer, wine and champagne. On Mondays bottles of wine are half-off, and on Tuesdays get a glass of champagne with each entree.
If you haven’t had your fill of waffles, top off the meal with flourless chocolate waffles with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.
Bottom line: A suburban surprise, with a strong emphasis on the waffle, that features pleasing surprises elsewhere on the menu.
rudej@washpost.com
Waffles give the ham croque, below, a tasty spin on the traditional dish. The menu also offers Parmesan pork tenderloin, bottom.
WORTH A TRY
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