Unknown Food Critic

Marvelous "Mosca's"

Mosca's is located at 4137 US Highway 90 West in Avondale, 436-9942.

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How do you critique a legend? There are so many preconceived notions, so many stories you've heard about its greatness that it's nearly impossible not to get caught up in the hype. And the thing is, you want to believe it's true. Legends are few and far between nowadays, and in a town so steeped in food folklore, the giants stand alone; so to take one of them down would be a culinary sin beyond comprehension. This week I decided to visit one of these landmarks, Mosca's.

Everyone's got a story about this place. Just ask your cousin, or your auntie, or your paw-paw, and you'll see the look in their eyes change as they slip back in their memories to describe the dining event that is Mosca's. I gotta admit, I was chomping at the bit as we rode over the Huey P. headed towards Avondale.

But was I a little too excited? Shouldn't I be a little more neutral heading into a review?

So I took a minute to consider what I was getting into, and ultimately I came to this conclusion: you gotta enjoy the hype. It's part of the allure, part of the legend. And when it comes true, it makes the experience that much more memorable.

But anyway, that's enough philosophizing. Let me tell y'all about what could be the best meal I've ever come across.

Atmosphere:
Mosca's is a small, two-room restaurant that sits right off of Highway 90 in a nebulous region between Avondale and Waggaman. (Here's a helpful hint. If you don't know your way around the Westbank, get a map or call and get directions. We took several wrong turns and I was riding with someone who supposedly "knew the way.") When you finally make your way inside, you step into a dining room/bar area that has an opening in the rear leading into the kitchen. Sit in here if you get the chance. There's another dining room off to the right, but if you eat in there you'll miss out on the whole "dining in your Italian maw-maw's kitchen" vibe that resonates throughout this section. Plus, if you sidle up to bar, you could get lucky and have owner Johnny Mosca bend your ear with his musings on the New Orleans dining scene.

Service:
The service at Mosca's is an extension of its family-style atmosphere. We were welcomed warmly and our table seemed to be waiting just for us. Once we sat down, our waitress deftly guided us through the ordering process. It may not seem like it, but this is a crucial step in your meal at Mosca's. Every dish is served family-style, meaning everyone at the table grabs food off of one platter for their own plate. So if its your first time there, you'll need a little assistance in deciding how many of each entrée to order (i.e. do you want two orders of Oysters Mosca or three? In my opinion y'all should always err on the side of caution and go with three, but hey, not everyone's as careful as I am.)

Now there was only one drawback to service at Mosca's, and really the only downside of the whole trip. During certain stretches of the meal, it seemed like our waitress left us a little high and dry when it came to drink refills. Now y'all know this is a big pet peeve of mine, but to be honest, my podna had to point this out to me 'cause I was enjoying the food so much I didn't even notice. Still it should be noted as a minor flaw in a masterpiece.

Appetizers:
Appetizers at Mosca's are a necessity because you'll need something to hold you over while the entrees are being prepared (expect at least a 20 to 30 minute wait depending on your order). My running partner, who is a Mosca's vet, steered our seven-person crew to a double order of the crab salad. At first glance it appears to be a simple iceberg lettuce Italian salad with olives and tomato. But once you get a closer look you uncover the hidden treasures scattered liberally among the leaves: luscious lump crabmeat. And when I say there was a boatload of crabmeat, I'm not kidding. Every bite was packed with morsels of the sweet meat and because it was covered with the tangy Italian dressing, the sweetness was further accentuated and lingered after every bite.

Entrees:
To truly convey the deliciousness of the next five or six dishes I would have to invent a new language strictly designed for describing food. The words in our vocabulary don't simply exist. The thing is, these are all dishes you've had in some way shape or form before, but not with this gusto, this expertise.

The first two plates to make their way to the table were the place's namesake dishes, the Shrimp Mosca and the Oysters Mosca. The latter was a casserole type dish that had a rich breaded topping baked to a toasted perfection. Underneath this layer were around two-dozen plump, juicy oysters that exploded into a flavor cloudburst with each bite. As good as that was, the shrimp Mosca was a step better. These oversized shrimp were barbecued in olive oil and crushed garlic. Now all the barbecued shrimp I'd ever had were always covered in a spicy sauce, and while they were good, I am now a convert in the house of Shrimp Mosca. The heady olive oil and garlic mixture was intoxicating, yet laidback enough to let the natural grilled flavors of the shrimp shine through.

(Here's a second caveat: Make sure you love the taste of garlic before you head out to Mosca's. And I mean looove it. Nearly every dish has a generous dose mixed with their delicious olive oil, so if you're worried about your breath, fear not, because everyone else at the table is eating the same thing you are.)

The next two dishes to hit the table were the pasta Bordelaise and Mosca's Italian sausage and potatoes. The best way to enjoy these two dishes is to pull off a little trick my running partner came up with during his last visit. Take a big heaping helping of the garlic and olive oil-riddled noodles and mix in a couple of chunks of the spicy, fennel-laced sausage. The oil and garlic adds volumes of flavor to the already zesty sausage and each mouthful makes you realize how great it is to live in this city.

The final two dishes, the chicken La Grande and the chicken Cacciatore, are fraternal twins that belong in the Pantheon. Both dishes have knockout power, but at the same time if you pause during each bite (which I know is extremely hard to do) you get the whole gamut of flavors in each of its subtle splendor.

Both dishes are whole fryer chickens cut up and panned fried in that outstanding olive oil and garlic mixture, but this time rosemary joins the trinity and adds a distinctive kick to the whole operation. The meat is so incredibly tender it slides off the bone, although I'm sure the olive oil helps that cause considerably.

Like I said, rosemary plays a significant part in both the La Grande and the Cacciatore. In the former it's the driving force that gives the whole dish its herb-crusted identity. In the Cacciatore, the rosemary is the trusty sidekick to succulently rich and sweet red gravy. The sauce marries wonderfully with the potent herb to provide a nice alternative for those a tad overwhelmed by the La Grande.

Dessert:
No one should have any need for dessert after a meal at Mosca's. Not only are the portions big enough to feed a small army, but the food is so sensational, you just don't want the flavors to disappear from your palate. But once again, Mosca's knows best.

The sublime creations that make up the dessert menu are the perfect closure to the perfect meal. The first was a small square of homemade cheesecake. The piece was light and fluffy as compared to the compact pre-prepared version. It had a tart undertone that was offset by the sweet topping and crumbly crust.

The bigger surprise was the second dessert, the pineapple fluff. Now being the chocolate lover that I am, the combination of pineapples and whipped cream wasn't appealing to me at all. Man was I wrong. Once the delicately sweet fruit and cream combination dances across your taste buds, you'll be hard pressed to not become a fan.

Price:
The bill at Mosca's will be a bit shocking upon first review, especially if you're there with a party of six or seven. The entrees run around $23 apiece and a couple of orders of Oysters Mosca will seem a bit pricey. But when you consider the fact that the bill is split between everyone, because y'all are all eating the same dishes, it works out to an above average night on the town for a couple (about $80 to $100 depending on what you drink). In my opinion, a small price to pay for such a memorable meal.

(Two last hints for enjoying Mosca's: A party of at least five or six is needed to enjoy all of the delicacies they have to offer and make sure you bring cash.)

Overall:
There's really no reason for me to tell y'all again how much I loved this place. I think it's pretty obvious how I feel. But I'll leave you with this gem that sums up the entire night.

About three quarters of the way through our meal, Johnny Mosca strolls by our table as the seven of us are reveling in mounds of delicious food and general revelry. As he watched over us, listening to our loud jokes and even louder laughter, he said with certainty, "You're enjoying yourselves." Now at first I thought it was a question, but it wasn't. It was simply an astute observation, probably one he has made on many occasions, as he watches friends and families enjoy his special slice of New Orleans history.

Mosca's gets a 4 out of 4 on the belt scale.

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