Warren Chef Packages the Dining Experience To-Go – Complete with a Playlist

From flowers to dessert, The Mosaic Table gives you everything needed for a special dinner out at home

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Driving into the heart of Warren after a blustery day of beach walking, my partner and I met owner of The Mosaic Table chef Anat Sagi, who warmly greeted us with large paper bags of carefully packaged food and reminded us there were two mood playlists to choose from, too.

Operating out of Hope & Main, Sagi curates and hand-prepares restaurant experiences for at-home dining, whether that means a romantic dinner for two, a small gathering of friends, or even a solo date. Any resemblance to restaurant takeout stops at the box – Sagi’s method is more that of a personal chef and hostess rolled into one, with the fineries of an exquisite evening all accounted for, from the tableware and flowers to the wine pairings, and ingredients locally sourced.

My partner and I are no strangers to amateur experimenting in the kitchen, but with Sagi’s reheating instructions, even those less inclined at the stove would have no problem searing a cut of steak, pre-cooked to a rare black and blue, to medium rare with duck fat butter. Curry and soup simmered in saucepans while I plated the caesar salad, coddled just so in a vibrant radicchio leaf, the way I imagined a salad this delicate would appear served by waitstaff. I decided to warm the rolls in the oven for a few minutes while we breezed through the minor prep work with the funkier of the two playlists, a blend of retro rhythms and upbeat French crooning, in the background.

A week before, I chose each course from a monthly rotating menu to fit mine and my partner’s often conflicting culinary palates – I’m a vegetarian while his preferences are meat-forward and adventurous. This was no problem for Sagi. A few days after I put in the order, with some add-ons like a White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Cake from Ellie’s in Providence and a cheese board, Sagi called to see if I wanted to swap out my entree with a Winter Squash and Wild Mushroom Curry she was excited to introduce: I eagerly accepted.

And I’m glad I did – complemented with fragrant cardamom rice, this curry married the natural earthiness of wild mushrooms and the subtle sweetness of butternut squash with an aromatic blend of spices and a squirt of lime. Petite pieces of naan soaked up the excess sauce. Meanwhile, my partner was impressed with the re-heatability of the Seared Skirt Steak, which was pleasantly smoky and crispy on the outside from the duck fat butter and juicy on the inside, a rich entree that paired nicely with lightly salted roasted potatoes and a cold lentil salad.

Not to be overlooked, the caesar salad opened my eyes to a new context of Brussels sprouts – shredded and eaten raw with a drizzle of lemony dressing, walnuts, and grated cheese from Prica Farina in Warren. The Red Lentil and Lemon soup was bright and creamy, with a surprising tang.

Doing things a little out of order, we saved the cheese board for later to enjoy with the rest of the white wine Sagi selected for us. This came with plenty of its own surprises, including pickled green beans, pomegranate seeds, chutney, fig spread, and sweet pecans – a combination of unique flavors that brought out the richness (and a little bit of funk) in the brie, blue, and goat cheeses.

The Mosaic Table is self-described as “joyful, rustic cooking” and the warmth of being cooked for is palpable despite the distance from kitchen to table. The prix-fixe dinner comes without pretension, but the right amount of ritz to dress up a night in. Restaurant Experiences can be booked a week in advance online for pickup or delivery in Providence and East Bay locations. 

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