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| Ivonne
and Rolando Verdacia were getting tired of driving to West L.A. and Hollywood
for their fine dining fix. So, after decades of combined experience in
the food service industry, the Valencia couple struck out on their own,
opening Mojito Caribbean Cuisine on September 29, 2004. Fusing the classic home cooking of Rolando’s Cuban heritage with explosively flavorful ingredients from the Caribbean, Mojito quickly became a culinary hotspot in the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond, even attracting a visit from KABC-TV’s Elmer Dills. It’s not just the food that keeps them coming back to Mojito. The restaurant itself is stunning, an architectural journey back to the glamour days of Havana. Customers enter through ornate wood and iron doors leading to the hand-carved mahogany bar where the namesake libation, a potent concoction of rum, sugar syrup, and crushed lime over ice, is lovingly crafted. Illuminated glass walls, custom tile work, and colorful murals depicting a bygone era of decadence add to the ambience, while high-backed booths, complete with heavy velvet privacy curtains, ratchet up the romance quotient. Engagements are a common occurrence here, according to the Verdacias, who are happy to act as proposal accomplices. Of course, despite the other elements competing for your attention, food still takes center stage at Mojito. The menu continues to evolve, according to Ivonne. "We’ve added more traditional flavors to the plates, using recipes from Rolando’s mother, who’s an amazing Cuban cook. It’s just been extremely fine tuned." They’ve also added lunch service, including reasonably priced salads, such as the gorgeous grilled chicken mango salad ($9) and hearty sandwiches like Pan con Bistec—pan-seared sirloin steak on toasted Cuban bread ($10). Weather permitting, diners can enjoy their meal al fresco in the enclosed patio area. At night, the menu really shines. Among the standout starters are refreshing ceviches, including diced Ahi tuna tossed with orange truffle oil and sandwiched between sweet fried plantains (Maduro Tuna Tartar), sugar-cane-skewered, rum glazed shrimp (Camarones Y Ron), and hearty empanadas stuffed with wild mushrooms, mojo and truffle oil (de Hongo), or home-style ground beef (de Piccadillo). The kitchen consistently turns out world-class Paella, a Spanish-style, saffron-hued rice dish laden with clams, mussels, scallops, shrimp, whitefish, chicken, and chorizo, topped with half a lobster, as well as Ivonne’s favorite entrée, the stellar Cordero: grilled lamb chops over lamb-stewed sun-dried tomatoes, served with garbanzo mash and topped with chimichurri and fresh mint salad. "I’m the owner, but I have to say, our food is exceptionally delicious," Ivonne said. Mojito staff, many onboard since the restaurant’s opening, are personally trained by the Verdacias. Clad in black and burgundy, the servers are a gracious lot, balancing knowledge and attention to detail with a beguiling lack of pretension. "We want our customers to have a pleasurable experience from the time they enter our doors, from the service to the food and wine to the ambience," Ivonna said. The Verdacias mission is working. Today, almost two years after they opened Mojito’s doors, foodies from their former haunts make a special trip to Santa Clarita. "We notice people are coming in from Pasadena and Orange County, they usually tell us when they’re from out of town," Ivonne said with a smile. "I love that." |
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 Verdacia in a private Mojito booth with roasted tomato lobster and shrimp ceviche, Lechon Asado, and Mahi Mahi con Ron 
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