la.foodblogging

I’m not sure I should even be writing this review. As far as I’m concerned, Mezzomondo Trattoria, with its cosy neighborhood vibe and its fantastic fresh and simple northern Italian cuisine, is the best kept secret in Studio City. I love being able to cruise in and snag my favorite table at lunchtime (though for dinner we always make a reservation).

But I can’t really expect to keep this adorable restaurant all to myself, can I?

Maestro di CasaElio Cavallari and Russian-born Luba are possibly the most inviting hosts you will find on Ventura Boulevard. “We like to be here!” they say.

Just east of Whitsett, behind the sunny yellow awning, lies a warm, inviting atmosphere. Mezzomondo truly feels like dining in a good friend’s home, decorated with wooden wine racks and sweet paintings, with large mirrors reflecting the soft light and granting a homey feel.

The menu is also unfussy and unpretentious. Running his kitchen, Elio deftly executes a roster of some of the best Italian cuisine you will find outside of Florence, Italy.

Elio places an emphasis on simple, fresh fare and even offers several plain dishes that follow the South Beach diet regime. Almost all their salads are dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. Their seafood-and-citrus infused Insalata Four-O-Five is a hot favorite, with its hearts of palms, mango, avocado and shaved parmesan, dressed with lemon vinaigrette ($9.95). Our favorite is the warm calamari salad, with avocado and chile peppers ($10.95).

For the rest of us there are plenty of homemade pastas, with a variety of sauces to choose from. I love their ravioli in pink sauce, which is a light tomato sauce kissed with a splash of cream. Depending on the season, it may be plump pillows of pumpkin, spinach or artichoke-filled pasta ($13.95).

Right now Elio is offering black and white pasta, which is (again) homemade thick ribbons of parpadelle, some plain, and some that have been infused with squid ink. This contrasting dish is served with grilled fresh water prawns. They also offer the pungent squid ink in a Risotto Nero (black risotto) served alla pomodoro (with tomato sauce), calamari and peas.

In fact, they have the capability to dish up any risotto combination at your command. So you can have orange risotto, which is simmered rice with saffron and scallops, or red risotto, which is made with tomatoes and shrimp, or the dramatic black risotto ($15-16.95).

If you’re lucky, their fantastic lasagne won’t have sold out. They make it with a delicate meat sauce and layered with a creamy, cheesy sauce ($14.95).

Another light menu option are the tasty carpaccio selections, warm or cold ($11-14.95). The thinly sliced beef is drizzled with lemon juice and olive oil and served with either rugola and shaved pandano cheese (cold) or topped with a warm sauce of oregano, caper berries, olives and fresh tomatoes. Another warm carpaccio is topped with a portabello mushroom sauce sauteed with garlic, parsley and topped with fontina cheese. Wow!

Heavier fare includes lamb chops with spicy apple sauce ($20.95), veal scallopini ($21.95), slow-cooked beef short ribs in sauce ($20.95) as well as imported Sole fillet ($19.95) and daily fish specials.

For sunny days and balmy evenings, there’s a gorgeous outdoor patio out front that’s ringed with terracotta pots brimming with colorful flowers. Out there the foliage glimmers with pretty lights by dusk. It’s the perfect venue for their summer cocktail, Peach Bellini, where they blend summer peaches with crisp, bubbly prosecco ($9.50).

Their wine list is moderately priced, like their menu. Elio gets his wines from all over, favoring Italian regions such as Toscana and Abruzzi and northern California, especially Nichols winery in Paso Robles. Also available is imported Italian Moretti beer, either light or dark.

Many of the luxurious desserts are made on the premises, too, such as the dreamy tiramisu and the refreshing limoncello mousse, served parfait-style in an elegant flute.

Luba maintains that every single day she hears the same praise from her customers, “Your food is so good, I feel like I am home.”

Mezzomondo is the kind of place I want to call home.

Viva Italia!

Mezzomondo Trattoria
12415 Ventura Boulevard
just East of Whitsett Avenue,
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: (818) 508-1301
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-10pm
Sat 6pm-10pm

By MaxMillion (see more of her posts). Max Million is the nom de 'net of Pauline Adamek. Born in Sydney, Australia, Pauline has lived in Los Angeles for the past thirteen years and finds it agrees with her. She has been reviewing films and filing celebrity-based interview articles since 1991, and has filed stories from various international film festivals, including Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. She completed a family cookbook and has also written novels for 8-12 year olds. She is the creator and host of ArtsBeatLA.