My voice is starting to strain from singing the praises of
Matthew Porco! This 2010 Chef of the
Year is ensuring that Mezzo, the newly opened second floor eatery of Sienna
Mercato, is sending delectable food to your table without the usual new-opening
indigestion. And he’s not just leading
his culinary team behind those swinging kitchen doors either. He’s the bearded fellow who has been manning
the wood-fired pizza/prep station since opening day. If you’re lucky enough to sit at the bar, you
can watch him perform the dance of the pizzas while he rotates gourmet pies
among the flames, as this seating area has no obstructed viewing.
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| Chef Porco |
Although my favorite seat in practically any eatery I patron
is that of a barstool, I want to give Mezzo’s dining area some much-deserved
love, too. The sleek table settings and hardwood floors are softly illuminated
with cascading Edison bulbs.
And
Sienna’s staple of open-air dining is maintained with retractable garage-style
windows that let you take in the views on Penn Avenue when the weather
cooperates.
What I’m trying to say here
is that Mezzo is stylish…romantic…teetering on sexy even.
The only thing more appealing than how Mezzo looks, is what
you get to put in your mouth while you ogle the place.
Yes, the pizza is downright superb as I
alluded to earlier.
Chef Porco has taken
the idea of gourmet pizzas to an even higher level.
We have had the pleasure of trying a few
pies.
The Picante Salami and Peppers had
a hearty, robust tomato sauce that was kicked up a notch with the addition of
chili flakes and banana peppers.
The one
that I will be comparing all other pies to from now until further notice,
however, is the Pistachio and Porchetta.
I literally just stopped writing because I was trying to relive the
consumption of that pie in my mind.
In
place of tomato sauce, a foundation of pistachio pesto was generously applied
and then blanketed with tender slices of porchetta (pork roast) dusted with
fennel pollen.
This would be a party in
your mouth as it is, but then they top the piping hot mozzarella with fresh
arugula dressed in a citrus-based vinaigrette.
There are no words left to say…just go get one.
Okay, enough pizza chitchat…on to other
eats.
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| Enjoying the pizza show. |
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| Pistachio and Porchetta Pizza |
So when combining everything we’ve ordered in our visits
since Mezzo’s very recent opening, I’ve had the privilege of trying maybe ten
different menu items.
(Jeeealous!)
Literally, everything I’ve tried has been
pleasing to the eyes and palate.
Starting
with drinks, my Manhattans have been expertly crafted.
You may also want to try some vino from their
growing wine list.
You really can’t go
wrong either way.
While you imbibe, you
need to order up some appetizers.
I
equally loved the Grilled Octopus and the Greens and Beans.
The medley of al dente white beans and
roasted red peppers made the octopus dish light, yet filling enough to appease
my growing hunger pangs.
The greens and
beans were savory to say the least.
Rich, somewhat briny broth played perfectly with the spiciness of the
crumbled sausage that enriched every bite.
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| Manhattan |
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| Grilled Octopus |
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| Greens and Beans |
Some other pre-entrée items worth ordering are the Little
Gems salad and the charcuterie board.
A
basic Caesar salad was elevated to gourmet status by using imported anchovies
to not only create a flavor-punching vinaigrette but to also adorn the baby
romaine hearts.
If you’ve written off
anchovies because you recall them being dark, bony, morsels of dankness, give
them another go.
These lil’ guys are the
real deal and will change your outlook on life…or maybe just your opinion of
tiny fish.
The chef selected charcuterie
board on the other hand…now we are getting serious.
I have a greedy, American appetite so we ordered
the large portion, which came with a dizzying amount of meats, cheeses, and a
dollop of the nightly preserves.
I
really tried to listen to our server name everything, for real!
But in the end, I really couldn’t tell you with
100% accuracy which cured meats and cheeses we tried, save a few.
The important part is that the flavors were
thoughtfully selected.
In a singular
bite you could have the saltiness of the meats, the smokiness from select
cheeses, and the sweetness of the preserves all working together to create complexity.
You can be daring and throw a pickled grape
in your mouth too!
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| Half of the Little Gems salad |
Now at this point, I probably should have been full but I
was just too excited for the next course.
The highly anticipated entrees, just as our other items, had arrived at
the perfect pacing.
While we had tried
the La Geneovese (braised beef with ziti) and the Pork Risotto previously, our
latest visit produced two new contenders for best dish: the Seafood Risotto and
the Pork “Cut of the Day.”
Unlike
seafood risotto I’ve had at other eateries, the ocean dwellers were bountiful and
cooked to perfection.
Everything from
the shrimp to the squid added tender succulence to the creamy, tomato based
sauce.
I would say that this dish was my
favorite if it weren’t for the pan-fried pork loin I savored.
That juicy, thick cut of pig was set on a
stage of starchy white bean puree and draped with braised escarole and tomatoes.
The flavors were accented further with a
velvety demi-glace.
This dish was rustic,
yet beautiful.
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| Seafood Risotto |
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| Pork "Cut of the Day" |
I was in food euphoria when I learned that I could complete
my unofficial “Chef’s Tasting” experience with a sweet treat from Mezzo’s
in-house pastry chef.
Everything sounded
decadent so I was a little worried when I “hurriedly selected”
(more like hymn and hawed for 10 min) the
Pear Tart.
From my front row seat I was
able to witness and smell the creation of a crunchy sugar topping thanks to a
trusty blowtorch.
My worries were a
distant memory after tasting the dreamy combination of delicate pears, vanilla
custard, and that crackly candy pane.
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| Pear Tart |
I never judge a new place too critically when its baby
fresh, but I’m officially chastising Mezzo…for not opening sooner.
With the popularity of Il Tetto and
Emporio, one had to speculate if Mezzo was going suffer the “middle” child
syndrome.
Well, have no fear, this
upscale eatery has been thoroughly nurtured and beautifully completes the
Sienna Mercato family trio.
I encourage
you to check my new favorite restaurant soon…just make sure to save me a seat
at the bar.
I give the Mezzo: 5/5 forks
942 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-281-2810
Tips:
Mezzo (like all of Sienna Mercato’s eateries) does not accept
reservations. Use the “No Wait” app to
snag a spot in line. Also, you need to
use the stairs, not the elevator, to get on up there.
