Mosaic’s pieces

By Dr. Ink

The one thing that hits you as you walk into Mosaic is this: “Wow, this place is HUGE!”

I said it the first time I entered the North Park wine bar, and I heard it from companions on two visits.

The well-designed, contemporary space includes a main seating area, long bar, low bar tables, plus two secluded areas that could serve as party rooms or VIP lounges with their flat screen TVs and comfortable sofa seating. And a back patio.

All of which scared me initially. Why? Because the setting screamed velvet rope, which spoke to me of snooty service and high prices presented to the tune of club music.

Fortunately I didn’t let that scare me off, for I was wrong. Completely.

During my first visit on a warm evening, my friend and I sat at the bar, where a few different bartenders helped us sip and swirl some glasses of red. They were friendly enough — but it was Alessandro, on my second stop at Mosaic, who really stood out.

This time my companion ordered a glass of pinot noir, which he found palatable but unremarkable. He explained this to Alessandro, and added that he prefers a more elegant pinot with limited tannins. Our server’s eyes lit up and he quickly returned with another glass of pinot, pronouncing it his favorite. My friend tasted, agreed and asked what it was — I was certain it would be twice the price as the other. Oops, wrong again: it was a Happy Hour special, less expensive than the first glass.

Alessandro continued to make us feel as if we were his only patrons, returning to our table frequently (but not obtrusively) to see if we needed water or more wine. When my companion said he wanted to order a pizza to take home, Alessandro timed the delivery perfectly, just as we were signing the check.

Mosaic offers Happy Hour Tuesday through Sunday — the bar is closed on Mondays — from 4-7 p.m. Selected glasses of wine are $4, premium draft beers are $3 and selected bottled beers are $2. Pizza and flatbreads get a $2 discount, while each evening offers an additional special, such as complimentary pizza on Wednesdays or half-off all pizzas and flatbreads on Sundays. Mosaic does not offer liquor.

Somehow in two visits I managed not to order any food, but I often find that the case at wine bars, where I am overwhelmed with reading the wine list and asking for tastes of this or that. A wine bar’s entertainment really is that treasure hunt for the one glass that knocks your socks off. I rarely seem to find those gems in wine bar Happy Hour choices — in fact, the best value and satisfaction usually comes from buying a bottle, which wouldn’t have been difficult to do at Mosaic’s large wall of wine. I price-checked a few I recognized and found them to have small markups (about 20 percent on average, compared to most restaurants that increase at 100-300 percent). Add on the $5 corkage fee to enjoy the bottle in-house, and you have a much more enjoyable wine for a decent price that’s comparable to the Happy Hour glasses. Bottled wine is discounted further for carry out.

But for those who do like to munch while they sip, Mosaic’s kitchen serves up several types of flatbread (I will return for the pear, blue cheese and balsamic) and pizza, in addition to paninis, salads, baked brie and chocolate truffles. A burger with fries and a premium draft beer on Thursdays only is $12.

Mosaic, which opened about a year ago, joined Bluefoot Bar and Lounge as anchor of an up-and-coming group of restaurants at the corner of 30th and Upas streets (no, I am not including Jack in the Box!), including The Smoking Goat, a French bistro set to open soon. Just across the street are Cardamom Bakery, Zensei Sushi, Alexander’s on 30th and Sea Rocket Bistro. So although the spots near the University Avenue and 30th Street intersection have been getting a lot of press these days — including The New York Times last month — this interesting convergence of wine, coq au vin, muffins, sushi, lasagna and sardines in a one-block area gives Uptown locals just one more reason to skip the Gaslamp and consume locally.

And, oh, did I mention Mosaic has a large, free parking lot? And no velvet rope.

Mosaic Wine Bar

3422 30th St.

San Diego, CA 92104

(619) 906-4747

Happy Hour: Tuesday-Sunday, 4-7 p.m.

Ratings:

Drinks: 4

No cocktails, but who goes to a wine bar for a mixed drink? Affordable wine list including some boutique wineries, and a decent array of craft beers too.

Food: NR

I’ll report back on the food if I can ever get away from poring over the wine list.

Value: 5

It might not be the best Napa or France has to offer, but at $4 a glass, it’s more than drinkable.

Service: 5

Alessandro and company were terrific. And not hard on the eyes either.

Duration: 5

Everyone can be happy ’til 7, which is especially generous for Fridays and Saturdays.

Note about the ratings: Each category is based on 1-5 glasses, with 5 being best. Drinks and food are rated as to quantity and quality, while duration is based on the number of days and hours Happy Hour is offered. Value and service are self-explanatory.

Want to make me happy? E-mail Dr. Ink about your favorite Happy Hour and I’ll drop by with my stethoscope: [email protected].