Pasta, Please

“Life is a combination of magic and pasta.”

Federico Fellini

The other night we met a friend at a local restaurant called Mezzaluna Pasteria and Mozzarella Bar (https://www.mezzalunapasteria.com.). Mamma mia–it was molto buono–with all the elements of a good night out.

It was a Friday night and the restaurant was packed. Everyone seemed up and definitely in a talkative mood, but what was nice was that the three of us could still hear each other. The decor had a touch of old world to it, particularly the large mirror with its ornate silver frame. Each table had a sweet small vase with a yellow rose in it.

While we were perusing the menu, we were brought a plate of warm focaccia and olive tapenade. We noticed the pastas were all “housemade” with organic California flour, and came in a variety of shapes and styles with unique sauces. I had “Mastro Ravioli di Granchio,” large and round raviolis filled with fresh Dungeness crab, topped with a butter sauce and garnished with sauteed spinach and crispy yams. John had Buccatini Al’Amatriciana, a hearty dish with a kick to it. Our friend had her favorite–Porcini Fettucini, made with wild foraged mushrooms and she even talked with the owner about how it was made. There were many other pasta possibilities and the restaurant also offered vegan and gluten-free housemade pasta and baguettes.

We decided this would be a shared meal. We ordered two different kinds of salads and three different kinds of wines. Their wine list appropriately included wines from California and Italy. It was a tasting event of sorts, with nibbles and sips of this and that. Simple and fun.

At the end of the meal, we shared two desserts, again housemade–a mixed berry sorbet and a tiramisu gelato, each creamy and subtle–a light-ending to a filling robust meal.

Mezzaluna also has an in-house Mozzarella Bar which, at some point, might be fun to try. The cocktail menu has some unique craft cocktails with catchy names like “Naked and Famous” and “Paper Plane” and many different kinds of amaro, an Italian bitter herbal digestif.

We will definitely return to Mezzaluna. The vibe was up and vibrant; the food, varied and excellent; the servers, friendly and knowledgeable AND the company, fabulous! All good. All magic.