Jaclyn’s Pick:

Mantra Bar & Grille
6913 Maple St
Fare: American
Cost: $120 for four drinks, two appetizers, two meals and one dessert
Reservations: Not accepted.

Greetings, Eaters and Readers!

I’ve driven by the neon light-up tree sitting outside Mantra on my way to Benson many times throughout the years. I always noted the full parking lot, but never considered stopping in. And boy have I been missing out. Little did we know, we were about to have a meal that would leave us floating on a culinary cloud nine – and we couldn’t wait to tell you about it. 

I would advise any future Mantra patrons to know that the turn into their parking lot will sneak up on you as you meander down Maple looking for it. It’s a bit of a small, tight parking lot that somehow still offers a good number of parking spaces. 

Arriving before I did, Martha parked and headed inside to investigate how busy it was and if there would be a wait. She could tell the place was already buzzing with a Friday evening crowd – the full parking lot, multiple guests already leaving after their meal. Inside, Martha could see the place was nearly full – save for about a dozen open seats at the bar and one or two tables just being turned over. Feeling socially awkward and as though the whole place was looking at her, she quickly sat at the bar and told me where I could find her. The bartenders provided quick and thoughtful attention – menus, waters and asking if Martha wanted a drink while she waited.

Stoli-Doli ($10) – Pineapple infused vanilla vodka, simple syrup
Meomi Chardonnay ($9) – Citrus, apple and pineapple with smooth, sweet and slightly bitter finish

A few sips in by the time I arrived, Martha ordered the house chardonnay. A good start to the evening, she claimed, as she complimented the light chillness of the drink.

I chose the Stoli-Doli, which was quite sweet from the vanilla and simple syrup. The bite of the pineapple cut through just enough to even out the flavors and together they, too, were a good start to the evening.

Paloma ($10) – 1800 coconut, cointreau, lime juice, blood orange puree
Raspberry Lemondrop Martini ($10) – Bacardi razz, Bacardi limon, house-made sour

My second drink, the raspberry lemon drop martini, tasted like college. It was good – and I drank it all – but I remembered why I stay away from Bacardi each time I took a swig. If you’ve had Bacardi razz or limon, you know what this tastes like.

The server had warned us that the drinks are pretty strong. And with the paloma, they really weren’t kidding. Even with the warning, Martha was surprised at just how strong it was. Still enjoying it, she sipped on it slowly through the remainder of her meal. You do get your money’s worth – that much we can say for sure.

Char Buffed Wings ($15) – Dipped in BBQ sauce and charred on the grill

When I first told Martha I’d chosen Mantra for this month’s foodventure, she hopped over to their website and menu. Looking over the small plate line up, Martha was prematurely thinking she could spend her whole “meal” just enjoying lots of small plates – they all sounded delicious. Even without talking, Martha knew I would align on trying their char buff wings. 

There were only two sauce options for the wings: Buffalo and BBQ. I hate buffalo – and luckily Martha likes BBQ. Somehow, the BBQ sauce wasn’t your typical BBQ – but that’s part of why we think we enjoyed them so much. Sometimes BBQ can be overpowering or thick and sticky – qualities this sauce didn’t have. We should have asked more about the sauce – whether it was house made or where it was sourced. 

The wings were the right size, not so small that you felt cheated and not so big that you didn’t know how to navigate them. At one point, I asked Martha if they were still too hot to eat – and she replied, “Don’t ask me how, but they’re hot to the touch on the outside, but not too hot to eat once you bite into it.” I agreed and was as perplexed at how that worked out.

Pork and Vegetable Egg Rolls ($11) – Fried and served over white rice and sautéed vegetables, served with peanut and sweet chili sauce

The egg rolls were presented in what we’d call a ‘pretty’ fashion – but not too pretty to eat! They were cut in half at an extreme angle, the colorful cabbage was piled on the side and – although we anticipated the sauces being in cups – the pile of egg rolls were drizzle-covered by the peanut and sweet chili sauces. Again, the temperature and freshness of the egg rolls were perfect and had great crunch and texture.

Somewhere about half way through the appetizers is when Martha and I both realized that a Certified Good Bite rating was for Mantra to lose. And by that we mean – our excitement and drooling while just reviewing the menu the day before – partnered with how deliciously executed the apps were – we knew that if the rest of our meal continued in the same way, Mantra would easily earn our next CGB seal of approval.

B.L.T. ($15) – Brown sugar peppered bacon, balsamic glazed tomatoes, mixed greens and feta cheese on grilled focaccia with garlic mayo

Mantra’s take on the BLT is the best version I’ve ever had. Each ingredient had something different than the standard. The sweetness of the brown sugar peppered bacon and the zing from the balsamic tomatoes with the warm, toasty focaccia and garlic mayo … it was all so heavenly. Even the feta cheese that came with it – although I asked to have it without. Was I a little disappointed they forgot to remove it? Yes, but not for long. It added an under-the-tongue tartness I wasn’t expecting – I wasn’t disappointed for long. 

Stuffed Chicken Breast ($22) – Artichoke, roasted tomato, basil and mozzarella cheese-stuffed chicken breast served over linguine with romano cheese alfredo sauce

We had double the server attention at the bar – both of the employees would check in on us multiple times. After our app order was in, Martha asked the more talkative of two what her favorite entrees were. She told us that her favorite – and probably the most popular entree – was the seafood enchilada. She also pointed out the pork tenderloin and stuffed chicken on the specials menu. Martha told her just how lost and overwhelmed (in a good way) she was with so many delicious-sounding options. Bullied into ordering because I was already set on my main course option, she landed on the stuffed chicken. 

As soon as the dish was placed in front of her, Martha knew it was the right decision. Her plate held a generous portion of noodles, covered but not drowning in the Alfredo sauce, with the crown jewel of a crispy, stuffed chicken breast on top. The chicken looked a bit like a chicken cordon bleu – which is a personal favorite of hers. Every bite was more enjoyable than the last – the creamy blend of Alfredo and artichokes and cheeses that spilled out of the chicken breast – Martha says it was hard to know where to focus her attention. She only slowed down and took some home because she knew we were saving space for their bread pudding.

Nutella Pecan Croissant Bread Pudding ($9) – Served with ice cream

Along with all of the other menu items that grabbed our attention, one that we were most intrigued about was the Nutella pecan croissant bread pudding. IYKYK – amirite? It was a no brainer. The pudding maybe – just maybe – could have been a bit warmer, but it wasn’t far off so we didn’t waste any time thinking about it. This was definitely a unique, scrumptious take on our favorite dessert.

Final Bites

Our mid-appetizer prediction came to fruition. Without question, Mantra gets a Certified Good Bite. Eleven years running, they know what they’re doing here.

Between the excellent service and the fresh take on classic American food – this Friday foodventure was exceptional. The prices may be on the higher end, but we’re telling you – it’s so worth it. So whether you’ve got a special occasion to celebrate or you just want to treat yourself to exquisite cuisine, don’t wait as long as we did. 

Cheers!
The Good Bite Gals

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