MezzaNotte Ristorante Creative classic Italian
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10
Service 9 • Food – 8 • Ambiance – 7 • Price – $$$
By LP Clark
The evening was getting off to a rough start for Darling Dinner Date (D3) and me. An unexpected favor for a friend had us running 20 minutes late for our 7pm reservation at the new MezzaNotte Ristorante in Albany. Not having their phone number, all I could do was hope they weren’t one of those places that makes you feel worse than you already do when you arrive late for a Saturday night reservation. We pulled up to the restaurant to be greeted by valet parking, a nice touch since the parking lot was full and it was raining, and other parking options were not readily apparent. We were pleasantly greeted by the hostess, offered coat check service, and our table was still waiting for us. We walked past the open kitchen and were seated immediately inside the dining room, leaving us a great view for the evening’s cooking show. The restaurant was extremely busy and that included our server, David. It took him a little extra time to greet us, for which he was apologetic, and from the looks of it he was doing a great job working at least four other tables who had arrived all at the same time —not an easy feat. After the delayed start, David was everything we look for when it comes to great service; friendly, able to offer suggestions and able to anticipate our needs, such as extra plates for sharing. We never once had to ask for anything we needed. The wine list is extensive if ordering by the bottle, but somewhat limited for ordering by the glass, nevertheless we each found something to suit our tastes. Warm Italian bread arrived at the table accompanied by a plate of olive oil, vinegar and olive tapenade that had hints of lemon zest, a nice twist on what has become an Italian restaurant standard.
D3 started with the Pizzetta Di Portobello: Portobello mushroom caps topped with roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella and sundried tomatoes. The mushrooms were grilled and had a great steak-like texture and were topped with the peppers and sundried tomatoes. Fresh mozzarella is laid over top and melted ever so slightly. The dish is finished with a drizzle of pesto and balsamic vinaigrette. Each bite highlighted a different combination of the fantastic flavors. I opted to start with a salad, the Vedure Di Stagione: seasonal baby greens with warm goat cheese, toasted filberts, dried figs and white balsamic vinaigrette. The many different flavors blended well together – the sweetness of the figs, the toasted hearty filberts with the creaminess of the goat cheese, all atop fresh baby greens, made for a fresh start to the meal. This salad could easily be an entrée for someone trying to dine on the lighter side.
Our table was cleared and reset with new silverware in anticipation of our entrée’s arrival. I believe this is something of note, or perhaps just a personal pet peeve, but there is nothing I hate more than having to “save” my silverware for the following course, especially when all the other points of service and presentation have been tended to. I’m glad that MezzaNotte did not overlook this detail. The Penne Alla Siciliana; eggplant and hot Italian sausage in a spicy pomodoro sauce arrived for D3, and for me, the Tortelloni Ripieni, the chef’s special tortelloni, with brown butter, sage, walnuts and parsley. D3 is a connoisseur of sausages and this one met his standards. It was hot, yet flavorful and blended well with the eggplant and tomato flavors of the dish. He said while the pasta was not al dente, it was certainly not overdone, which is probably the texture most patrons are looking for. I sampled the dish and the spiciness was excellent. Be warned: this is not a dish for people who can’t take the heat! Before even tasting the tortelloni, I noticed they appeared to be homemade, which David confirmed. The chef’s stuffing for the pasta that night was fresh spinach and peppers with ricotta cheese. The butter walnut sage sauce was rich, but not overpowering, or outrageously heavy.
Like we always do, D3 and I glanced ahead to the dessert offerings and agreed to save room, so we ate only half our meals. We enjoyed the leftovers the next evening, which seems to be standard protocol for those dining at Mezza Notte, as we did not witness a single person leave without a doggie bag.
Tiramisu is at the top of the dessert menu and always grabs my attention. However, they also offer a gelato of the day. It was pistachio and chocolate, neither of which were powerful enough to pull me away from ordering the Venetian Tiramisu. D3 was eyeing the ricotta cheesecake, but David convinced him that the Torta Di Ciocolate was a must have, a dense chocolate tort accented with almond flavor. The Tiramisu did not disappoint, and for those who order it often and are familiar with the many variations, this was a cake-like layered style as opposed to the zabaglione atop scant lady fingers style. While D3 was happy with his choice, it was quite an intense endeavor; the ricotta cheesecake would have been a lighter finish to the meal. We both decided a dessert doggie bag was also in order.
Mezza Notte is an upscale dining experience, the perfect place for a festive occasion or celebration, but it is not a romantic setting as the dining room is loud and the bustle of the restaurant is front and center with the open kitchen. Reservations are recommended. The total cost of the meal was $100.93, not including the tip or the tip for the valet. The offered tip for the coat check was kindly refused. This was a great value considering we ordered off the entire menu and had dinner for two nights.
MezzeNotte is located at 2026 Western Avenue, Albany. They open Monday-Saturday at 5pm. For more information call 689.4433 or visit www.mezzanottealbany.com.