East Meets Southwest Elegant CafÈ Mozu Serves Contemporary Asian Cuisine by Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana Until recently, Southwest Washington was just an odd corner of the city with little more than a few federal office buildings and a lot of criss-crossing highways. But that has all begun to change dramatically, and although getting there by car is still a bit complicated, and foot travel is a bit hazardous, the lure of an excellent meal amid elegant surroundings and unusual views make the venture worthwhile. Perched on the edge of the Washington Channel inside the Mandarin Oriental Hotel is CafÈ Mozu. Mozuís space and dÈcor are soothingly elegant. Passing through a long hallway reminiscent of a verandah complete with rocking chairs, visitors enter an oddly shaped dining area. Very high ceilings, neutral colors and understated table settings create an airy feeling that is enhanced by the large floor-to-ceilings windows giving way to contrasting views of the marina, monuments and highways. CafÈ Mozu has provided the stage for the return of veteran chef Hidemasa Yamamoto. After years at the Jockey Club (now closed), executive chef Yamamoto is working in a culinary genre that harkens back to his youth and early training in Tokyo while incorporating elements picked up in his sojourns in Italy, France and California. Although the menu tends toward the sea, Yamamoto is equally effective with meat. Kobe beef, a specialty at CafÈ Mozu, is offered in a variety of cuts on both the main menu and a special beef menu. This domestic variety of the Japanese specialty is as tender and flavorful as its reputation claims (itís that way because of the extensive marbling, and the very high fat content may put off some diners). Yamamoto has created several interesting treatments of the beef, including a grilled rib eye served with a punchy wasabi crËme fraiche ($40) or marinated with a shinshu miso and served with a lovely citrus ($32), as well as an elaborate roast tenderloin with pureed celery root, a fois gras vinaigrette, truffles and pomme soufflÈ (tasty puffed potato slices). The beef is also available in nicely spiced carpaccio or tartar appetizers. The simple bollito misto ($13) appetizeróa souplike dish of beef, vegetables and salsa verde with an Eastern twistóis worth a try. Seafood figures prominently into Yamamotoís repertoire for CafÈ Mozu. The oyster six ways ($16) is simple in its design and execution, with each oyster nestling in an oriental ceramic spoon topped with a different accompaniment of caviar, beet juice, tomato and cucumber. The complex interplay of flavors demonstrates the deft and subtle way Yamamoto achieves his results. After the oyster, the tuna tartar ($13) appetizer was somewhat disappointing. The minimally spiced chopped tuna served on nickel-size rounds of fois gras and a warm sushi roll (which on a recent evening was rather dried out) offered only a taste, which would be fine were it not for he substantial price tag. There are several notable fish entrees from which to choose. The slow-roasted flounder ($26) is served with an unusual champagne butter sauce that features chopped sea urchins and caviar, while the sautÈed black cod ($27) is complemented with thinly sliced candied kumquats and a sweet-tart pomegranate sauce. The whole crispy fried fish (type varies with availability) is very well done, and is more substantial than the other choices. Yamamoto does some interesting things with vegetarian dishes that are worth trying even for a confirmed meat eater. The beet carpaccio ($11) red and gold varieties with goat cheese and seaweed vinaigrette is appealing. Even better, the mizuna salad ($9) is a refreshing mouthful of Japanese mustard greens, thin slices of crunchy braised lotus root, sweet cucumbers and tiny grape tomatoes bursting with flavor and all dressed very lightly in a delicious sesame vinaigrette. The porcini mushrooms and asparagus risotto ($6 or $19) was a bit gummy and blander than its description suggests, but the Chinese eggplant and goat cheese polenta gratinee ($7) was rich and delicious as a side and worked particularly well with the rib eye steak with which it was served. Desserts at CafÈ Mozu are the province of executive pastry chef James Satterwhite, a responsibility he handles nobly. In keeping with the trend for dessert shakes, Satterwhite has concocted a black-and-white martini shake (alcohol-free; $10) featuring chocolate, vanilla and caramel layered in a martini glass that goes down oh so easily. A tropical influence is evident in the light and not-too-sweet exotic refresh ($9), a little lime mousse resting in a pool of pina colada fruit soup, as well as the paradise in the Pacific ($9) a much more substantial portion of coconut cake served with sautÈed bananas, banana passion sorbet and a tropical chutney. The other apple dessert ($10)ócaramelized apples baked into brioche and served with a cream cheese ice creamówas variable, with the brioche occasionally a bit tough, and the ice cream a bit too mild. The chefís dessert of the moment ($16) may be the best choice for dessert lovers. Itís a bento box full of sweet whimsy such as passion fruit popsicles and rich chocolaty surprises. We hope that other restaurateurs take the risk and try opening their businesses in Southwest. It might start a needed trend. CafÈ Mozu is located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at 1330 Maryland Ave., SW. The phone number is (202) 787-6868. Breakfast is served Monday to Friday from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. and weekends from 7 to 11 a.m. Lunch is served daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday brunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Afternoon tea is available from 2 to 4 p.m. from Wednesday to Saturday, and light fare is served daily from 2 to 6 p.m. Dinner is served from 6 to 10:30 p.m. daily. Rachel Hunt and Stephen Qualiana are the restaurant reviewers for The Washington Diplomat.