Ristorante Mezza Luna
A short walk from The Bella Vista B&B, you will find Ristorante Mezza Luna (Half Moon.) Opened in August of 1998, this Italian restaurant overflows with 
dinners. Ristorante Mezza Luna offers a wine list favoring Italian wines, with a few
Ristorante Mezza Luna is owned by Canio Pascale and Pietro D’Abbraccio. Canio, a gentleman in every sense of the word, is of a dying breed. From the moment that he meets you at the door to the moment that he sees you off, you feel welcomed and embraced. Indeed, Canio makes you feel as though you are a part of his family. He sees to your every need as he checks to your satisfaction with your meal. This is a man who cares about his customers and knows that a happy customer is a repeat customer.
I had the opportunity to speak with Canio recently.
Born in
I am aware that there are almost as many Italian cuisines as there are towns in
Noting how creative the menu seems, I ask if any of the recipes are traditional family recipes. “No, no family recipes. Maybe a soup here and there, but no family recipes. It’s important to keep things exciting and different. The cooks come up with the specials and sometimes don’t really have a recipe. They just know how much to put in.”
Is there anything on the menu that Canio would consider to be a house specialty? “Our house specialties are
our ricotta cheese gnocchi. We are known for our fresh fish and our bronzino. And our veal chops and lamb chops are very well known and popular. We prepare them in a many ways,” Canio points out. “Also, people like to come in to try our daily specials since they are always exciting and delicious.”
I ask Canio about his high level of involvement. “As owner, I want to make sure everything goes correctly. I go around and make sure food is okay, drinks are full, make friends. I make casual conversation to make guests comfortable. It creates repeat customers,” he says.
The Experience
Almost immediately, a waiter appears and takes our water orders. Canio reappears and details for us today’s exciting specials. These include Asparagus Involtino for an appetizer, Veal Involtino, Lamb Chops, and Bronzino filleted tableside, to name but a few. The two Involtinos catch my attention due to the mixtures of flavors involved. As 
described, the Asparagus Involtino is “asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and provolone with a little butter, prepared in the oven.” The Veal Involtino is described as “veal medallions stuffed with prosciutto, provolone, and wild mushrooms in a demi glace with a little marinara.” I love good prosciutto and provolone, so I decide on these two dishes immediately.
When Canio returns to take our orders, I ask him about wines, having noticed that all of the wines on the wine list are available by the bottle only. He points out that there are three house wines available by the glass: a Chardonnay, a Merlot, and a Primitivo. I select the Primitivo knowing that it is the Italian cousin to Zinfandel and that this jammy wine will accompany the veal and demi glace nicely. We ask that the wine not be served until the entrees arrive.
My girlfriend and I observe Canio as we wait for our appetizers. He works the room masterfully, stopping at each table to make sure that each diner has enough to drink and is satisfied with his or her food. He makes friendly conversation, not just small talk. His mannerisms and
Canio serves the appetizers with a small flourish. My Asparagus Involtino is beautiful. There are eight long asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto ham and provolone. The plate has been decorated with kalamata olives and thinly sliced roasted red peppers. Such eye appeal for such a simple dish.
I slice a piece of the involtino. The combination of flavors is fabulous! The salt of the prosciutto mixes with the sharp provolone in predictable fashion; however, when melded with the very versatile, mild and earthy flavor of asparagus, these two Italian staples create a taste sensation. The asparagus is firm, not having been overcooked. This provides texture to the dish, as well. I believe I can recreate this dish in my own kitchen. (It is certainly worth a try.)
The roasted red peppers are sweet. The olives are contrastingly tart. Both are delicious garnishes to the dish.
A waiter clears our plates and refills our water glasses just as Canio arrives to check on us. We compliment him on the chef’s creations. He lets us know that we have not seen anything yet. He asks us how long we have been together, and we answer. A brief conversation develops, and suddenly we have a new friend.
Canio leaves us briefly to get our wines. I ask Canio about the Primitivo he has served me. He tells me that it is a Casa
Vitivinicola Tinazzi SRL, Sole di Puglia, Negro Amaro-Primitivo, 2005. It has a rich red color that becomes bright garnet at the rim. The nose is pleasant and vinous, full of big black fruit. It fills the mouth with blackberry and mulberry and a hint of spice. There is a bitterish back taste. You can taste the youth in this wine, but it makes a very nice quaff now. I would like to age this wine for two or three years to see how the berry flavors develop.
Shortly, my entrée arrives. The Veal Involtino is beautifully presented in 5 rolled medallions, surrounded by wild mushrooms—shitakes, buttons, and others I cannot identify--and topped with a splash of the demi glace-marinara sauce. The aroma is of the veal, tomato and mushrooms, and is fantastic! The provolone cheese has melted and oozes from the rolled veal, while the prosciutto juts wildly from the roulades.
I cut a piece, making sure to get mushrooms on the fork as well. The first bite overwhelms my taste buds with a flavor combination that I have never imagined possible. The veal has been breaded ever so lightly. The prosciutto’s saltiness has disappeared in the cooking with the other ingredients, but the characteristic flavor of the ham remains. The sharp provolone is bold and engaging. Each mushroom provides its separate flavor to the mix, adding texture as well. The demi glace-marinara, however, completes the dish. It adds a touch of sweet tomato and an additional depth of flavor that only a veal demi could provide. Each bite is rapturous. It seems so simple, though the flavors are so complex. I must ask Canio for the recipe.
I try the Primitivo with the dish. The berries in the wine mellow with the veal and then bitterish back taste disappears 
completely. The veal gains a new dimension, too, with the spice of the wine picking up the veal’s more delicate flavors and bringing them to light from beneath the demi-marinara sauce. Not a bad pairing. I am certain that the Merlot would have been too bold for the veal.
After our plates have been cleared, Canio returns to our table to offer us dessert with a pastry tray. On the tray are ricotta canoli, tiramisu, Italian rum cake, Italian wild strawberry cheesecake, and an Italian chocolate cream cake. He also informs us that the restaurant offers a variety of Italian sorbets and Italian ice creams. All of the Italian desserts are imported, he notes. My girlfriend and I ask for a moment to confer, and quickly decide to split a tiramisu, served in a large snifter. Before Canio departs, I ask if the restaurant has any Port. Canio looks at me as though I must be crazy to ask such a thing, and answers, “Of course. Will that be one or two?” We respond that we would both like one, and Canio leaves to place the order for us.
Shortly, Canio returns with two very large glasses of Port for us to try:
The tiramisu soon arrives. The large snifter has been sporadically lined with plain lady fingers and filled with a sweet mascarpone cheese. The top of the dessert is covered in cocoa powder. I take my first spoonful. The cocoa and mascarpone mix together seamlessly. The lady fingers provide a sweet texture all of their own. This reminds me of the tiramisu my father makes. I know I am smiling greedily because my girlfriend is giggling. I have a feeling we shall be fighting over the last spoonful.
I taste the Port with the tiramisu. Ecstasy! I have a feeling that the Croft Vintage would go with absolutely anything in the world. But the tiramisu is a particularly excellent match given that the mascarpone’s creaminess and the chocolate of the cocoa pair well with the Port’s nuttiness.
Having been brought up as a gentleman, I insist my girlfriend eat the last spoonful.
Atmosphere: 10 The dining room is very intimate. The décor is understated but charming. The wine racks speak of class. Canio adds to the atmosphere with his sparkling personality and his friendly conversation. Without him, Ristorante Mezza Luna would not have its character.
Service: 10 Canio has a very qualified, very attentive staff of waiters at the diners’ beck and call. They anticipate your every need and assist Canio in creating a fabulous dining experience. Canio, however, takes center stage as host, waiter, and friend. He makes you feel like you are at home with family. Rarely do I feel this welcome when dining out. I’d like to give Canio a 30.
Presentation: 10 The food was beautifully presented. Everything had magnificent eye appeal and had obviously been given great attention prior to being served. The chefs deserve 20’s for their efforts.
Taste: 10 Here, a 10 just does not do justice to the food. The dishes are both creative and delicious. I would go so far as to say that I have not eaten Italian food this remarkable since my grandmother passed away. Bravo!
Value: 10 Ristorante Mezza Luna is a phenomenal restaurant. Canio creates more than a dining experience, he creates friendships. He welcomes you to his restaurant, and invites you back. That is not an invitation you are likely to refuse. I know I will be seeing much of my new friend.
BUSINESS HOURS
Summer Hours
Tuesday through Thursday
5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Friday and Saturday
5:00 PM to 10:30 PM
Sunday
4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Reservations suggested during the weekend.
As of September, Ristorante Mezza Luna will also serve Lunch Tuesday through Friday.
RISTORANTE MEZZA LUNA
PH 215-627-4705
01 July 2007