A Moroccan Wine Bar In Cincinnati
Jose Salazar to open Safi in the summer of 2024
After traveling in Morocco with Modern Adventure, James Beard Award Winning Chef, Jose Salazar was blown away by Moroccan hospitality, especially when it was paired with wine. Fast forward two years, and he’s literally crafted an ode to that experience in the form of a wine bar, Safi. It’s slated to open in the former spot of Jose’s beloved restaurant Mita’s (Don’t worry, Mita’s is still around and serving the best food in the midwest; it just moved to a new, larger location).
We sat down with him and asked him to dive a little deeper into the origin story of a Moroccan wine bar in Cincinnati.
So most people wouldn’t readily associate Morocco with wine. Tell us more about Safi and the idea behind it.
You’re right. I honestly did not know that Morocco produced much wine at all until I visited last year with Modern Adventure. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of wines we tried. Unfortunately, much of their wine is not available in U.S. They are still a young wine making country and produce very small quantities. Our list will be made up of wines from the Mediterranean region. We will serve a few wines from Morocco as well as bottles from Greece, Italy, Spain Croatia and even Lebanon (another hidden gem for wine making).
Was there a particular moment on your trip to Morocco when you realized you wanted to share this experience with the world? Or did this idea sort of take hold organically once you got back to the states?
While in Morocco I remember just saying to myself and to others on the trip over and over again how hospitable and kind the people are. But, the idea to open Safi did sort of just come about slowly after we got back to the states and did our post travel reflections.
Tell us more about your trip to Morocco with Modern Adventure. Would you be willing to share a few moments that really articulate the power of shared experience?
Being in the Atlas mountains was so mesmerizing . The beauty of the landscape and of the Berber people we got to know and learn from is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. They were so kind and patient with us. The idea that they literally had a group of strangers in their homes, yet made us feel like old friends, actually gets me a bit emotional just thinking back. The bread, Tagine, couscous and mint tea we learned to make there will all be served at Safi. I really hope we can do it justice.
Back to Safi. How will it differ than a standard wine bar. Is it just the vintages and the menu? Is it the aesthetic? Is it an altogether different experience?
I think it will differ quite a bit. The biggest distinction will be the aesthetic. The buildout is nearly complete, and I can’t begin to express how excited I am about the way it’s going to look. I think in the U.S. we have a very “home goods-y” idea of what Moroccan design looks like. Our vibe is going to honor the old-world materials with a more sophisticated and modern approach. What we also want to focus heavily on is giving people that welcoming and warm feeling that I felt while in Morocco. I think so many wine bars are focused on retail sales and so there’s a bit of disconnect between the guests and the service team. With A.I. and a multitude of technology available to us, I’ve seen us losing some of those very important touch points in our concepts. Making those special connections, getting to know our guests and treating them like they’re special will be a big part of our ethos. An of course, the idea of a Moroccan wine bar with small plates highlighting the cuisine itself, is so unique. People seem really stoked to see us bringing a fresh perspective on the wine bar.
6. Tell us more about the menu and the inspiration behind the dishes.
The menu will be a take all that I learned about the cuisine, brought to life with a bit more refinement. I love the flavors, the ingredients and in particular the spices of Morocco, but if I had one complaint; it’s that many of the dishes are cooked over long periods of time and in one pot. That long slow cook while bringing rich, deep flavors, causes the freshness and brightness of the vegetables, herbs and spices to be masked. I intend to deconstruct those dishes just enough to highlight the specific ingredients, but certainly not so much that the soulfulness is lost. The menu will be small but well rounded and will give those unfamiliar with the cuisine a good idea of its allure and yumminess.
What’s a caviar bump? And what do we have to do to get one?
Ha! The caviar bump is something that has been popularized in Chef circles, behind the scenes. Essentially a generous dollop of caviar is put on that meaty part of your hand between the thumb and index finger and eaten in one bite. Get it? You all can come visit us in Cincinnati sometime starting this summer and enjoy the bump and everything else!
![](https://modernadventure.com/app/themes/entrada-child/dist/images/logo-mark-moad-stylized.png"){kind=logo}
