Mazi DC - New American Cuisine — Restaurant in Washington

I don't normally take the time to write reviews, but I have to give credit where credit is due. You need to try this place if you are in DC.

Our group had the pleasure of eating at Mazi last night. In short, it was outstanding. The service was fantastic and the owner, originally from Cyprus, came by to talk with us and answer our questions. He told us where he sources the vegetables and fish fresh daily and where the meats comes from. (FYI, not the standard restaurant delivery guys) I consider myself somewhat a foodie and love to cook and try new things, and our experience at Mazi may have been one of the best meals that I have had in quite a while.

Starters: Halloumi Bruschetta- very fresh toppings and the cheese was very nice. Crispy Pork Belly- crisp outer shell with a soft interior. If you like bacon, this was good. Fried Calamari- cooked just right and very tasty. Kefte- perfectly cooked with a crisp exterior and very tasty with the dipping sauce Eggplant w/Cheese- This was my favorite. Although the eggplant was great, it was the saganaki sauce and the melted cheese that hit my palate differently. I could eat this all day, every day.

Mains: (And yes we tasted each other's food) Lamb Chops- Double boned and perfectly cooked. Incredibly tasty and moist. Great portion size. A+ NY Strip- Cooked perfectly medium-rare, very good taste and tender. Even the vegetables were perfect with just a little bit of bite which is perfect. Hard to do unless your are a professional. Pork Chop- A+++ This is what blew my taste buds. Mazi brings in entire sides of pork from a specialty farm in the Midwest and fresh cuts the chops. They are large bone-in tomahawk chops served with mashed potatoes and crispy brussels sprouts. The brussels were very good with a slight crispness and a hint of something that made them special. Now on the the chop. Very simply grilled with salt, pepper, and olive oil. It was incredibly tender and the taste was out of this world. The best pork chops I've ever tasted. PSA, make sure you eat the meat on the bone for an even more mouth-watering experience. Making a chop this size as tender and tasty as it was was is difficult. The combination of the quality of meat and the grilling was off the chart.

We had desserts as well and they were very good.

I cannot wait to be back in DC and enjoy Mazi...

Quiet restaurant, nice seating, and we had the best server ever!

They serve what tasted like home baked bread and the fluffiest salted butter. So good!

The lamb cube appetizer is the best so definitely get that. And get the seafood pasta. Trust me! And if you order nothing else get the galaktoboureko!! You won’t be disappointed.

The chicken in the Alfredo pasta was grilled, had that yummy texture on the outside, and was still tender and moist on the inside. I could eat that chicken for days. The Alfredo pasta itself (and the sauce) was delish, as well. I was worried about ordering it because Alfredo is seen as “less than” by a lot of people. But, hey, if it’s delicious who cares! And Mazi DC knows how to elevate it to new heights!

The seafood pasta was my absolute favorite! Yum! The sauce was so flavorful and infused by the seafood. The scallops were perfection.

And the mushroom pappardelle stood out, too, but the competition was stiff.

The Chilean sea bass is incredible. Flaky, savory, and delicious. Recommend that.

The galaktoboureko was my favorite dessert. It is a must, muuust. I am craving it as I type this! We had a Greek companion at the table, so the fact that this blew her mind is saying something!

Second favorite was the chocolate lava cake. Nostalgic, classic, yummy, fun. The peanut butter chocolate mousse cake was a great dessert, too. Again, stiff competition.

George is the best waiter, ever, okay? I mean I can be indecisive, but today was a whole other level for — not just me — the entire table. The atmosphere is quiet, relaxing, mild, warm, and sets a calming tone. Support staff were also very quick and...

Restaurants like Mazi remind DC how tough the food industry is in this city. To survive, something exceptional must be baked into your strategy. At Mazi, it’s not obvious what their game is. After happy hour here, I can’t find something that’s worthy of 5 stars. Here’s why:

1. Food: The happy hour menu is decent, but the food wasn’t exceptional. My honey feta was good at first, but after 3-4 bites, it was all a little too much. My friend ordered the meatballs and found them dry and lacking flavor.

2. Drinks: Overpriced and mediocre. My margarita was $8 on happy hour prices and watered down. Every other sip, I wasn’t sure if I was sipping water or alcohol. My friends were charged $13 for Baileys on the rocks (it should be $7-$9) and $12.50 for vodka and club soda. If it was the best in that city, maybe, but overpriced for meh drinks.

There were a few good points:

1. Space: It’s not gorgeous, but the space layout and design are not bad. It’s simple yet a little more elegant than the average restaurant.

2. Service: Our server was attentive, kind, and gave us her honest recommendations.

I will say we went at 4pm on a Wednesday for happy hour and we had the entire place to ourselves. We stayed 1.5 hours and no one else came in. Time will tell if...