West Pensacola street food spot building buzz for 'best in town' burgers, cheesesteaks
Green peppers, thinly sliced beefsteak, sauteed onions and ooey gooey cheese piled high onto a hoagie roll are the usual suspects for making a mouthwatering Philly Cheesesteak.
But for chef Mahdi "Mo" Muzahem – if you ask his brother and business partner, Mustafa Casey - the recipe for success isn’t just in the homemade spice blends, top shelf ingredients or the innate cooking ability he’s nurtured since he was 16.
It’s the love that goes into making each sandwich delicious.
“Some people just want to cook it real quick,” Muzahem said. “I cook it with love.”
While the brothers’ new restaurant Mojo’s at 711 N. Pace Blvd., which sits on the right half of their vape shop, Vaping Goat, isn’t just about the famous cheesesteaks – they also serve lemon pepper wings with a secret homemade seasoning blend, gyros with lamb sliced off a vertical broiler and Chicago street nachos topped with crunchy fried jalapenos - the cheesesteaks have been bringing customers in by the masses and set the phone ringing off the hook.
“I see them more than I see my mom,” Muzahem said of the repeat customers.
Some customers were lured in by raving recommendations from a friend, amazed that the hand-patted, chargrilled burgers were made to order versus being pulled out of a freezer, while other out of towners were attracted by the five-star reviews they were reading online.
"My friends got the burgers, they said they were the best in town," customer Herman McDole said of his visit Tuesday.
Casey said that the freshness is evident in the food's taste and aroma, and they won’t compromise quality for speed. They think that’s part of why people keep coming back.
“Their name is all over the west side,” one customer called out while leaving the restaurant.
When the two launched Mojo’s on Valentine’s Day, they weren’t entirely starting from scratch. Mojo's is a continuation of their legacy from their previous west side cheesesteak spot Chicago Store Market + Deli at 4914 Cerny Road.
The Chicago Store, which opened around 2015 or 2016 and operated for the better part of a decade, according to Casey, reflected the street food/convenience store combo you would find in a little corner of Chicago.
After they closed and the store changed hands, their regulars followed them to their new venture.
"I build a relationship with every customer walking in here ... they are my family,” Casey said. “Everyone who walks in here is to be treated like he’s one of us.”
The two have carried over their familiar rhythm of Muzahem making the magic happen in the kitchen and Casey making the front-of-house connections and ensuring quality control.
“He spent most of his life cooking,” Casey said of Muzahem. “He started at 16, people never doubted his food.”
The owners' active role in the business makes for little free time, as they have been averaging three hours of sleep each since opening since the store, Casey said, which operates from 10 a.m. to midnight on Sunday through Wednesday and 10-4 a.m. on Thursday through Saturday. They often open even earlier and stay open later to feed Pensacola’s night shift community.
Customers are able to call-ahead to place an order if time is tight, or order delivery through organizations like Door Dash.
Next time you go, here's what we recommend trying:
Traditional Philly with fries: Chopped steak, grilled onions, grilled green peppers, white American cheese. ($11.99)
Traditional gyro with fries: Thin sliced seasoned beef and lamb mix, pita bread, tzatziki sauce, onion and tomato. ($9.99)
Double burger: Ketchup, mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomato, onions pickles. ($9.99)
Lemon pepper wings: Chicken wings with signature lemon pepper seasoning. ($9.99-$18.99)
Chicago street nachos: Doritos, ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and jalapenos. ($7.99)
For more updates and information, Mojo’s can be reached at 850-741-2560 during hours of operation.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Mojo's west Pensacola restaurant has Philly cheesesteak, gyros
