Photo by JOSHUA BOROUGH / Anchorage Daily News
As the new chef at Mixx Grill in the Inlet Tower Hotel, Farrokh Larijani is helping to transition the restaurant from fine dining to a more relaxed, yet cutting-edge experience.
Hit reMixx
Service doesn't fade out after namesake chef departs Inlet Tower
Published: August 2, 2006
Last Modified: August 2, 2006 at 02:33 AM
Chefs are transient by nature, which can present problems when a namesake chef decides to leave.
When chef Mick Hug of Mick's on the Inlet departed, owners were challenged to rename the in-hotel restaurant without losing their concept or market base. The new incarnation resulted in a new chef and a new name: Mixx Grill.
Tucked away near the lobby of the downtown Inlet Tower Hotel off L Street, Mixx Grill outshines your average hotel restaurant.
Pumpkin-spiced walls with oxblood accents make for a bold and sophisticated space. Cobalt blue pendant lights hang above tables, giving it a uniquely urban look. The snug bar encourages easy conversation.
"We really wanted to shift the focus away from fine dining to a restaurant that was more user-friendly," says general manager Nicki Schinners. "Our redesign resulted in a fun, cutting-edge, relaxed dining atmosphere but with the same great cuisine."
On my first visit for lunch, the indoor restaurant was vacant but the inviting outdoor patio played host to a number of lively diners. The outdoor space makes it easy to dine al fresco, though the entrance through an emergency door is uninviting. The L-shaped restaurant has cozy alcoves for privacy, but be sure to give the swinging kitchen doors a wide berth. The door's proximity to the dining room does give patrons a chance to overhear kitchen conversation. I was privy to the fact that table 23 found a caterpillar in her salad, which the cook quickly dismissed as a side effect of organic greens.
The lunch menu boasts an ample selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and specialty items. I opted for the Black and Bleu Salad ($11), a tender blackened beef filet served with a raspberry vinaigrette and tangy bleu cheese. The peppery taste of the filet had a kick, and the lightly fried onion ring garnish danced in perfect palate harmony. The soup of the day ($6) was a rich, flavorful Mediterranean seafood that came with a fresh poppy and sesame seed roll that gave my low-carb efforts amnesia.
Our dinner surpassed the lunch experience. The menu is bold with many unique flavor combinations such as tart cherry demi-glace, vegetable preserves and a cilantro-jalapeno sauce. One standout was a baked halibut with tomato jam, topped with fennel ($27). This unforgettable dish ran as a special but should be a mainstay on the menu. The delicate halibut flaked to the touch and the distinctive tomato and honey jam complemented the dish perfectly. But the proof was in the polenta - velvety with a dash of parmesan, it took priority over anything else on the plate.
The grilled wild salmon filet ($26) was simplistic in presentation but complex in flavor. The fragrant peach salsa accentuated the mildness of the salmon, bringing out its full flavor. Although the menu states it comes with creamy polenta, mine was a patty of fried polenta reminiscent of a pot scrubber. But the side of sauted vegetables was al dente with a succulent finish.
Service is often the missing variable in restaurant formulas these days, but Mixx Grill has this problem solved. Servers are eager without being obtrusive, friendly, knowledgeable and professional. We were impressed with the depth and breadth of knowledge the wait staff possessed in describing specials, menu items and the wine list. Our server expertly guided us through Mixx's budding wine list, perfectly pairing our salmon with a spicy, smoky Saintsbury Pinot Noir ($44 bottle) and our halibut with a creamy Ferrari Carano Chardonnay ($42 bottle), although several of our first selections were out of stock.
Don't bypass the appetizers in your haste to get to the main courses. The appetizers are heavy on the seafood but still have a excellent variety. The wild mushroom cheesecake ($11) was a savory version of the old dessert standby. Warm mushroom mousseline melted with bleu cheese and topped with a red wine syrup was light as air and tasted like heaven.
For dessert we tried the Triple Mousse Tower ($7), a triple-threat of white, milk, & dark chocolate Kahlua mousse topped with espresso syrup and raspberries. The sweet, supple flavors of the raspberries set off the chocolate intensity.
Chef turnover can often result in a conundrum of problems, but the Mixx Grill staff has handled it with a professional ease resulting in a mix of creative cuisine in sophisticated surroundings.
Got a restaurant tip, a new menu, a favorite dish or a chef change? Contact Daily News food reviewer Amy Green at agreen@adnmail.com. Green is an assistant professor in the Department of Culinary Arts and Hospitality at University of Alaska Anchorage.
Mixx Grill
Location: 1200 L St., Inlet Tower Hotel & Suites
Hours: Breakfast: 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily. Lunch: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lighter fare menu: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily. Dinner: 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
Phone: (907) 222-8787
Web: www.inlettower.com/anchorage_dining.html
