Mezzevino

What’s not to like about the best of Mediterranean-inspired food? You can almost taste the sunshine ripening the olives and lemons as you picture a landscape of white columns by an azure sea. Though the “Mediterranean Diet” is rich in olive oil and cheeses, I’ve seen enough articles on its virtues to hope its benefits outweigh the demerits.

Mainstreet Ventures’ Mezzevino, at the corner of Liberty and Fourth Ave., delivers much of the cuisine’s heralded flavor and flair right out of the gate. The offerings–especially in the small plates category–are vast. An older couple seated nearby observed that Mezzevino takes a “nouveau” approach with some dishes–the lightly dressed raw kale salad wouldn’t rank as traditional Mediterranean fare–but most are slightly updated spins on old favorites. Some of the most successful are spicy/cool combos, like an especially wonderful Lebanese flat bread with seasoned ground lamb complemented by mild goat cheese, tabbouleh, and garlicky rich yogurt sauce. After a few bites, people at our table who had never been particularly fond of lamb or goat cheese were saying they might need to reconsider their position.

I really enjoyed the fried calamari doused in sweet chili oil, served with salty pickled vegetables and aioli dipping sauce. The Greek gyro sliders, the very unusual deep-fried eggplant “chips,” and the grilled radicchio salad with Parmesan crackers were also captivating small plates. But the real standout was the “Marrakesh” three-tier tower of light couscous salad, dense apricot compote, and moist lamb stew–delightful both visually and flavorfully. It also seemed a better value than two more expensive entrees we tried. The bouillabaisse was disappointing, with stingy portions of shellfish in an unappealing sweet saffron broth. Brandy-braised beef on a bed of thick hummus was tasty at first but seemed blander with every bite; this is one entree I’d be glad to share rather than trying to polish off solo. Our most successful entree was Greek grilled chicken, cut into small pieces and dusted with a bright-spiced rub that turned into an irresistible crispy coating at high heat.

Staff was attentive and did a good job of filling water glasses during the steady stream of brined and spicy food. Our large pitcher of white sangria, kept cold by a space-age dry ice insert, was refreshingly crisp and paired well with the bold mix of flavors in the food. Also much appreciated was the bottomless basket of little floury pitas aromatic with rosemary and thyme. They repeatedly appeared hot from the oven, perfect for scooping everything from warm olives in citrusy-strong North African spiced oil to hot meats cooled by rich tangy yogurt or raita.

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The kitchen excels at desserts–three of the five offered are outstanding. Our unanimous favorite was a deceptively simple-looking but inspired-tasting cool yogurt panna cotta topped with apricots and pistachios and bathed in a lovely honey wine sauce; its refreshing blend of flavors produced a smooth taste without being overly sweet. The lightly browned pine nut tart was quite nice with its lavender cream, and the Moroccan creme caramel was also fine (though based on the menu photo I expected a more exciting chocolate cookie).

I have a few gripes. Our servers left the tablet menus on the table through several rounds of ordering, and, after a couple of visits, I wonder if digital menus at a tapas-like small plates restaurant are the happiest of marriages. They were bulky to pass plates over, and I found it hard to resist checking what we were served against the electronic “before” photos. And food that has so much going for it in quality ingredients, spices, and preparation doesn’t need to rely so much on the crutch of added salt.

Mezzevino’s ambitious pan-Mediterranean concept can also create cultural mishmash. A native Spanish speaker laughed at the menu heading for small plates, “Poquito Placas,” explaining it translates literally as “a little bit license plates.” Who needs the confusing “noise” of many half-languages on the menu in a room that’s already plenty noisy, even when it’s only half full?

Which brings me to one exasperating experience at Mezzevino: arriving at 6:40 on a Sunday night to a restaurant barely two-thirds full, we were told our party of five would have a twenty-minute wait. I asked about the half-dozen empty tables I could see from the hostess station. They had to be saved at least a half-hour for reservations was the reply. I asked to see the manager, who was politely serene and seated us by 6:48. Some of those reserved tables were still not occupied an hour later. In a later phone call, co-manager Guillermo Fleurquin told me Mezzevino usually has no problems with both call-in and online reservations; he believed mine must have been an isolated experience.

These are quibbles, but the landscape at this price point is crowded, and missteps could cause patrons to head elsewhere. That would be a shame, because Mezzevino mostly hits the mark for a casual but tasty dining experience inspired by some of the world’s most lauded cuisines.

Mezzevino

mezzevino.com

Starters $1.95-$4.95, salads and soup $5.95-$7.95, small plates $2.95-$12.95, entrees $12.95-$24.95, desserts $2.95-$6.95

Mon.-Thurs. 4-11 p.m., Fri. & Sat. 4 p.m.-midnight, Sun. 4-10 p.m.

Wheelchair accessible