Mezzaluna
310 Colorado, 472-6770
Mon-Thursday, 11:30am-10:30pm;
Fri, 11:30am-11pm; Sat, 5-11pm;
Sun, 6-10pm
If there is such a thing as a chef-proof restaurant in this town, it would probably be Mezzaluna.
Longtime chef Harvey Harris struck out on his own at Stelline and the crowds
kept coming. Brad Yerkes has recently moved on and there is still a full house
of downtown professionals clamoring for tables and space in the bar. After
almost a decade, this Dick Clark-designed eatery is still the chic downtown
place for “see and be seen” dining. A recent dinner visit demonstrated that
newly promoted chef Jim Anderson has some solid hits and a few misses on the
menu.
A large, hungry group of friends shared an evening at Mezzaluna to sample
items from all sections of the menu. The Antipasto Mezzaluna ($9 for two
people) featured a tasty assortment of meats, cheeses, and salads but some of
the items, particularly the stuffed mushrooms, suffered from being too cold.
The unanimous favorite opener was Carciofini al Forno ($6.50), chopped
artichoke hearts baked with Parmesan, aioli and asiago cheese
served with thick, toasted garlic crostini. The vegetable, spice, and
cheese flavors are well-balanced in this dish and the generous serving of
excellent crostini offers plenty to share around the table.
The Caesar Salad ($6, or $3 as a side salad) is one of the best renditions in
the city, with a thick, tangy dressing and croutons that use every morsel of
the Bread Alone bread to its best advantage. There’s no getting around the fact
that the pasta and rice dishes at Mezzaluna need the most attention. Risotto
Primavera ($10.50) was a big disappointment, heavy, sticky, and bland. Of
the four pasta dishes ordered at our table, all were unremarkable and one
arrived as a complete mass of stuck-together noodles. Though quickly and
cheerfully replaced, it was only marginally better the second time around. Once
the pasta cooking problem is solved, perhaps more robust flavors and more
assertive seasonings for the sauces could bring these dishes up to par.
The most satisfying portion of Anderson’s menu is by far the selection of
entr�es. Artichoke lovers will delight in the Crostaceo Spedini ($16.50). The plump shrimp and scallops perfectly grilled on aromatic rosemary
skewers and served over a bed of artichoke couscous with a light lemon butter
sauce is far too delicious to share. Another worthwhile choice is Maiale
alla Toscano ($13), thin, tender slices of roasted pork loin complimented
with a sauce of roasted garlic and Chianti. The accompanying
ratatouille, uninspired, led me to conclude that the real problem here
is that more attention needs to be paid to the component parts of many of the
dishes.
On the whole, our meal was enjoyable with pleasant, efficient service. When
only three dessert selections were available, we were assured that the dessert
menu was about to receive some consideration and revision. The kitchen seems to
be in a transitional phase, perhaps while new chef Anderson gets his feet on
the ground, so to speak. We’ll be curious to see just what personal stamp chef
Anderson will put on the Mezzaluna menu. — Virginia B. Wood
This article appears in September 27 • 1996 and September 27 • 1996 (Cover).