Authenticity clearly isn’t a priority at Moxie’s, and those dishes aren’t intended for purists like me. Not being a glutton for disappointment, I didn’t try them, but that said, this franchise operation does have a few attractions, not least among them, for shoppers, their locations within these monster malls, a more comfortable alternative to those nailed-down tables and chairs in the food courts.

Another plus would be three of the four sampled appetizers — crab cakes, for instance, that weren’t deadened by filler but were moist and crabby tasting ($8.99). Or sesame-seasoned ahi tuna perched on wafer-thin rice crackers — delicious, even though they were missing the “ginger shitaki salad” or the “crispy wontons” promised by the menu ($7.99). Or shrimp — not huge, but firm and tasty and swimming in garlicky butter, with slices of garlic toast to mop it up ($7.49).

Lower on the satisfaction scale were calamari with a tzatziki dip — tiny and tender, but heavily breaded, and with an overdose of salt that left me thirsty well into the night ($8.99). Even less satisfying, the “dry ribs,” which were simply crusted with salt and cracked pepper but which were also, well, very, very dry ($7.99).

Only one entree lived up to the level of the good appetizers — meaty barbecued ribs, with a tender but firm texture and a glaze that wasn’t too gloppy ($16.99 for half a slab, $22.99 for the full one-and-a-half pounds).

A 10-ounce New York steak was also tender but tasteless — an unadorned, unspiced version goes for $24.99 but for a dollar more we had ours with a peppercorn sauce which, apart from the moderate bite of the peppercorns, had no discernible flavour whatever. (Alternately, that extra dollar will buy a red pepper Burgundy rub, or a blend of Cajun spices.) There are, as well, the inevitable pastas, but the cannelloni I tried were stodgy, with a dry filling of chicken, spinach, ricotta and asiago ($12.99).

Veggies such as carrot slices and baby bok choy were waterlogged, but both mashed and stuffed baked potatoes were good. Apart from garlic toast with the shrimp appetizer and the cannelloni, there was no bread with anything.

Moxie’s theme is “whatever you’re in the mood for,” but if you’re in the mood for a sandwich, you can only have most of them, including quesadillas, until 4 p.m. — an odd policy for a shopping centre restaurant, especially given the prices ($8.99 to $11.99 with fries or choice of salad). A club sandwich contained, along with flavourless shaved turkey breast, dessicated strips of bacon and off-white tomatoes. However a baguette filled with portobello mushrooms, Swiss cheese and roasted red peppers was good, and, also, one of the few sandwiches available after 4 p.m.

A mini-sized white and dark chocolate brownie with ice cream and whipped cream was pleasant — just a few bites for $2.99. But $6.99 seemed excessive for flabby puff pastry topped by canned-tasting apples and mushy berries, even with ice cream.

The room at the entrance of the Polo Park Moxie’s is grim and institutional looking. The inside room, although still rather sombre, is nicer, with oak panelling and blue and green upholstery in the booths — possibly both areas will be spruced up once construction is finished. The St. Vital restaurant is much more attractive, but the noise level is high enough to kill conversation. Service in both restaurants was amiable but only intermittently attentive. Other Moxie’s operations are at MTS Centre and Kildonan Crossing.

Don’t make the same mistake I did — going to the Polo Park Moxie’s for dinner on a Saturday night. There is construction going on at the south end of the complex, and no direct access to the mall. Knowing that Sears (the store closest to the restaurant) would be closed at six, I parked near a side door that led directly into the mall, only to discover when we left that the entire mall area had been roped off. The only way we could get out was by a seemingly endless trek through Kafka-esque tunnels that finally opened up in a part of the parking lot that was almost half a mile from my car.

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Moxie’s Classic Grill
1485 Portage, Polo Park Shopping Centre, 783-1840
49 St. Mary’s Rd, St. Vital Shopping Centre, 257-1152
Licensed
Wheelchair access