Dining at M, a Cameron Mitchell Restaurant, is definitely a feast for the senses. From the enchanting ambience, to the colorful lighting, eclectic interior, and extraordinary views, M is the perfect place for a romantic dinner. Tastecasters recently sampled some dishes from its new menu, featuring fresh, seasonal ingredients, rich flavors; and all artistically presented.
Overlooking the Scioto River
Overlooking the Scioto River at 2 Miranova Place, M is an elite Four Diamond property, as designated by AAA, and one of only two restaurants in Columbus and 756 nationwide to receive this prestigious rating.
Promotions at M
Kristen Luff, general manager, welcomed our group and briefed us on their latest promotions. Listen to her here.
Wine enthusiast Thursday – for a limited time M is featuring half off all bottles of wine priced at $100 or less.
Happy hour – Starting in October, M offers $5.00 after 5; $5 selected wines by the glass and $5 martinis, Monday-Friday. On Fridays, happy hour includes half- priced sushi.
Now that we’ve penciled these in our calendars, it’s time to review the food…
The fare at M
Wasabi Roll
Executive Chef Erin Chittum created a wonderful variety of dishes for us to sample. We started with a Wasabi Roll consisting of tuna, salmon, avocado, cucumber, and wasabi peas. Besides the usual wasabi, it was also served with wasabi mayo; a lighter-tasting wasabi that didn’t sting going through your nose.
The Tuna Tartare was very mild, but flavorful. Arranged artistically on a long plate, this appetizer consisted of Hawaiian Big Island tuna, pickled cucumber, Yuzu vinaigrette, and wasabi tobiko. The shitake mushroom added a crunchy texture, and the white miso aioli was a perfect complement.
Maryland Blue Crabcake
The Maryland Blue Crabcake was a big hit with the group. A generous size crabcake served on a bed of avocado, and finished with a plum tomato gazpacho. Personally, it was the tastiest crabcake I’ve ever eaten.
Next we tried the green salad of organic gem lettuce – a hybrid of Boston and Romaine lettuce. The creamy bleu cheese dressing did not overpower; and the candied pistachios sprinkled throughout added great flavor and texture.
On to the main course! The White Tuna entrée truly was a work of art. A generous wedge of thick tuna, dusted with porcini mushrooms, spring peas, and wild mushrooms was finished with a lobster emulsion. This may have been the group favorite, and proved to be very filling.
Steak - N - Eggs
The other entrée we tried was the Steak-N-Eggs. M’s version of steak and eggs was a 7 oz. filet served on a bed of goat cheese hashbrowns, topped with a dippy quail egg and caviar, and complemented with a béarnaise sauce. Once again, artistically arranged, and the filet was cooked to perfection!
We tasted four side dishes: Truffle Mac and Cheese, Lobster Mashed Potatoes, Tater Tots, and Chophouse Corn. The Truffle Mac and Cheese was a creamy delight! The truffle oil gave this dish a rich flavor. The lobster mashed potatoes were really too good to be relegated to side dish status. Maine Lobster chunks were predominant throughout the mashed potatoes. The Tater Tots are nothing like you remember from your childhood. M’s Tater Tots had a smooth texture inside, and were served with horseradish sauce, which kicked the flavor up a notch. The Chophouse Corn was to die for – corn fried in bacon – a definite must-try.
Dessert was a real treat – Chilled apricot Moscato soup, fresh berries, and organic yogurt sorbet, garnished with a mint sprig. This was a perfect light ending to a great meal. If you are typically too full to eat dessert, you can easily make room for this one.
Executive Chef Chittum is a graduate of Columbus State, and has worked her way up through several of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, including Marcellas and Mitchell’s Ocean Club. Erin introduces her creations to Tastecasting here.
Most romantic table in the city
M features the most romantic table in the city for a special occasion – a canopy surrounding a private circular booth underneath a chandelier. Although not open for lunch, M will be open for luncheon parties during December.
“Great people delivering genuine hospitality” is what M, and the entire family of Cameron Mitchell Restaurants is all about. Make your reservations at www.matmiranova.com, for a great dining experience.
Thank you Kristen and Erin, for a phenomenal Tastecasting experience!
Faye E. Oney
Photos by Lisa Foster
Organic Little Gem Lettuce Salad
White Tuna
Lobster Mashed Potatoes
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The TasteCasting Team Members are not professional food critics. TasteCasting combines socially networked people and the social media platforms and applications they use to help establishments build awareness, announce grand openings, introduce new menu items, distribute special offers and encourage people to visit the establishment.
M is simply divine! Can’t wait to go back with friends & family. My daughter is liking the look of the Lobster Mashed Potatoes. I was so taken with the elegant, comfortable decor. I had a Pineapple Mojito that was exquisite with vodka soaked pineapple & fresh mint leaves. Everything is created with outstanding skill and the best ingredients.
Wow – your review and photos definitely had me drooling. This is top of my list for the next time I have a special occasion to celebrate!
What a wonderful evening! The food looks amazing. I have to say that the Lobster mashed potatoes will probably be in my dreams tonight
This looks wonderful!! Yummy
Thanks for a terific post. You have discribed what I thought words could not. Great photos also Lisa
Faye,
Great job capturing a wonderful night. I’m already dropping hints about the most romantic table in Columbus to my husband for our next anniversary. And in the meanwhile, I’ll be tasting those lobster mashed potatoes, bacon infused corn, and incredible tater tots in my dreams. Why is it always about the starch for me????
I watched just about every bite of this tasting from a far. If the presentation of the food is any reflection of the taste it will be incredible. My wife and I are working this into our date night schedule. Thanks for the amazing coverage of the event and I look forward to tweeting during date night real soon.
You make is sound so wonderful, I’m going to add “M” to our date night list! We’ve been going to other Mitchell restaurants, but haven’t had M yet. That will end soon.
You make is sound so wonderful, I’m going to add “M” to our date night list! We’ve been going to other Mitchell restaurants, but haven’t had M yet. That will end soon.
M is a resturant in its own class. The food was execellant and the serice was next to none. Atmosphere was elegant but not over done. If you haven’t tried it you are really missing quite an evening of pure pleasure for the senses.
My photos are available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/31006922@N08/sets/72157622227139027/
My blog post with all of my pictures here – http://bettyb.wordpress.com/2009/09/14/fine-dining-at-m-with-the-tastecasters/
Awesome stuff!!