Mua--Oakland (American, with other influences, cuisine)

I've already been to Mua Bar & Restaurant twice in one month. It has such a fun and eccentric atmosphere. First, the place is huge; able to seat 500 guests. The space used to be an auto body shop and it took several years to convert it into it's current restaurant. There are many types of local artwork hung up all over the walls, including some very artful nude photography. The decor is all over the place in terms of style with a deer head in one spot and a punching bag in another. Definitely a place to come hang out with open-minded people who also appreciate amazing food.

Web site: http://www.muaoakland.com/

The name has Bar & Restaurant after it and I would put an emphasis on "Bar". There are two bars; one downstairs and one upstairs. Both are fully stocked with a wide variety of high-end locally distilled and other spirits, including my favorite, Hangar One Vodkas. They also have an awe-inspiring selection of bourbons and whiskeys, which I'm also acquiring a taste for. Over my two visits, here's what I enjoyed.

Ginger Julep (left): Bulleit bourbon, mint, ginger puree, lime, ginger beer. Tangy and sweet with the wonderful aroma and taste of mint. Their drinks are deceiving in that they come in a small glass, they taste amazing so you don't think there's much alcohol in there, but they pack quite a punch.

Billy Jean (right): Hennessy, St. Germain, lemon, sparkling wine. It's amazing how they can mix things that don't seem as though would go together, but it all works. This was very refreshing; like a grown up lemonade.

Lamb cheeks: Braised until falling apart tender and topped with tender parsnips. The sauce tasted like a very nice reduction of red wine, balsamic, sugar and other ingredients that I couldn't figure out. Very nice.

Beef Bone Marrow: Topped with garlic and herbs and served with thin, toasted slices of a very nutty, hearty bread. This was a very generous portion of marrow. Each cavernous bone was filled with the soft, creamy marrow that went excellent with the herbs and garlic. Probably an acquired taste for some, but if you want to try it, Mua is a good place to do that.

Vegetable Ragout: couscous, kale pesto, (wild rice, green lentil, kale, carrot, yellow squash, shiitake mushroom, vegetable broth). If I was a vegetarian, I would come to this restaurant a lot because their vegetarian dishes are phenomenal. Even though I am not a vegetarian, I'm more than happy to order their vegetarian dishes for this same reason. This dish was so savory, it was hard to belief there was no meat of any kind in it. Fantastic textures, everything was fresh and full of flavor.

Blackened Catfish: Served with dirty rice and aioli. I don't know what they put in their dirty rice, but I could've eaten that by itself. They must have had all kinds of little pieces of innards and broth cooked in that rice; it was so full of flavor, while also not overwhelming the taste of the fish. The fish was also expertly prepared. Cooked until just done, it was flaky and encrusted with spices that enticed me to eat the whole thing. Even though it was blackened, it had no burned taste, just a nice char flavor.

Tagine: Moroccan braised lamb shank cooked till falling off the bone and served with vegetables and couscous. This was the star of the show. It was so delicate, I have no idea how they got it out of the pot and onto a plate. I've had excellent lamb before, and this one is up there with some of the best lamb I've eaten. So tender, so moist, so succulent, so wonderful.

I was too stuffed to try dessert, but all the more reason to have to come back again. If you're in the mood for an excellent meal and you want to have the option to choose from what seems like over 12 different bourbons, brave the potential parking headache and visit Mua.