Mixx: Comfortable and Trendy

In the movie "Date Night" Tina Fey and Steve Carrell steal a coveted reservation at the super trendy restaurant Claw by claiming to be the Tripplehorns. They are pleased as punch at their quick thinking and savor the risotto and celebrity spotting until their lives are put in danger. Mixx in Villanova may not be as much a hot spot as Claw but it definitely oozes a trendy vibe--even in the day time. The website claims the restaurant offers "comfortable food at a comfortable price" and that is true but it's not what comes to mind initially when entering the space.

My friend and I arrived for a later lunch and were seated right by the enormous bar. Mixx is a warehouse sized restaurant composed of many large rooms. We looked over the extensive cocktail list and ordered a Ruby Slipper and Lavender Lemonade. The Ruby Slipper (ruby red vodka, rube red grapefruit juice, triple sec and grenadine syrup) was sweet, tart and faintly tasted of alcohol. It was a perfect refresher for a sunny day. The Lavender Lemonade was also tasty, but then again all the components of the drink (vodka, Lillet Blanc, lavender syrup and lemonade) are delicious on their own.

Completely happy with our drinks we ordered coconut shrimp, macaroni and cheese and the Nova burger. The coconut shrimp were fried nicely with a delicate crisp crust on the outside. There wasn't too much coconut so they were not overly sweet. In fact they had a nice balance of sweet and savory in each bite. The rich and creamy aioli had a hint of heat which paired well with the shrimp. My friend doesn't even like coconut shrimp and she loved these.

The macaroni and cheese was straight from heaven. The decadently cheesy elbow macaroni were seasoned and cooked well. The individual sized ramekin had buttered bread crumbs on top that were toasted a wonderful golden brown color. The perfect bite had some crunch from the breadcrumbs, some macaroni and a big burst of cheese flavor. I loved this dish.

We split the Nova burger which came with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion and a healthy scoop of fresh guacamole. It was cooked medium rare and was quite juicy. I had never had guacamole on my burger but it worked really well. I was impressed with how delicious it all was. The battered fries were super crisp on the outside and didn't even need a dip in ketchup although it did make them better. I especially appreciated the cornichons on the side. These highly acidic French pickles are among my favorite things to eat.

We were stuffed from all of the heavy food so we opted for a scoop of mango sorbet. The bright orange orb of sorbet was perfectly formed and sat atop an elongated dark green leaf making for a striking contrast. The sorbet was incredibly smooth and bursting with fresh mango flavor. It was such a large scoop that we couldn't even finish it but it was a perfect ending to our meal.

The service at Mixx is professional and courteous. We were seated immediately, our questions were answered in a timely manner and our server took extra steps to make sure we were ok and that everything was to our liking. At least three people took care of our table which was nice. 

The decor is trendy. Lots of bright colors and patterns with black and white furniture in some rooms and exposed brick and beams for an industrial chic feel in other areas. There are many black and white photographs throughout the restaurant which lend a sort of gallery feel to the walls. There are numerous large flat screen TVs throughout the restaurant for prime game watching. I would imagine the place gets packed during big sporting events or on weekend nights. The large bar area make it ideal for drinks after work or a night out with the girls/guys. Mixx does offer comfortable food at comfortable prices but there's much more to it than that.