The Italians are very good at promoting their food and culture, very proud – something we can surely learn from. So it is that the owner of Mezzaluna, a retired banker, offers a very warm, very confident welcome to this casual but very neat inner city breakfast and lunch spot. He explains the menu – both a buffet selection and a la carte – as changing daily and weekly respectively; and he talks with pride of the home-made pastas (made by family in the back, as his gestures explain). And based on a first visit recently, he has all right to be proud.
For Cape Town locals, it’s also a great opportunity to eat in the Italian style – as opposed to the SA-Italian. SA-Italian means over-cooked pasta and complicated sauces, pizza with ten toppings and plastic cheese. These are Italian restaurants that have modulated their offering, over time, to suit the SA palate and have moved away from the seasonal and the less complicated. The many Italian chains are testament to the popularity of this type of food, as well as the malleability of Italian cooking, but as everyone who eats original Italian will attest, it should be quite different. And when it comes to ethnic cuisine, there is an argument for roots, that food that is closer to the original intent of the cuisine is worth paying attention to. Whether it tastes better is a question of preference, and of what we are used to. And about what value you place on authenticity.
Italian cuisine is primarily about seasonal and simple: Mezzaluna’s buffet features items as “unglamourous” as slices of grilled zucchini and marrow, pieces of chicken. Here, in Italian style, the food is “what it is” and flavours are direct and often single-minded. Like gnocchi with burnt sage butter. Or a veal ragu tagliatelle. Or bone marrow risotto with saffron. The house-made pastas are really excellent, while the overly dry veal Milanese was complemented (and balanced) by a spicy tomato sauce. Good tiramisu, and a “true” espresso shot, very short. I look forward to returning.
Recommended. 16 Loop Street. Mon-Fri 7.30am-4pm. 021 421 6391
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11 Comments
Had a laid-back and delicious dinner last night at Posticino in Sea Point. It’s far from glamorous but the place was packed inside and out by 8pm (and by locals I might add). Service was friendly, efficient and genuine and the food simple and tasty. Crispy pizza with well-balanced toppings and tailor-made linguine was mouthwatering. You really can’t beat authentic Italian food served with enthusiasm.
JPR’s description of what real Italian food is is spot-on. Having lived in Italy for 7 years Mezzaluna probably seves the most authentic Italian food in SA. It was with great excitement that I discovered this no-frills trattoria with an Italian patron-chef that is intent on not adapting the food to local palates. It will be very interesting to see whether Cape Town foodies embrace this gem. Highly recommended.
Two places spring to mind when thinking of Authentic Italian in SA.
Cafe Del Soul (Randburg)- superb food and probably the best Risotto in SA.
La Lampara (Natal Midlands) – simply the best quail I have ever eaten. Also tried the rabbit on last visit and it was superb. Its got a very authentic Tuscany countryside vibe.
Cant wait to try Mezzaluna! Fantastic that its so close to home.
I did return for a pasta lunch yesterday, and was very happy indeed. Superb Italian sausage tagliatelle, just coated in cream and redolent with flavour. Very good spinach and ricotta ravioli too – proper, pure fresh flavours. And his flavoured grappas are dangerously good.
Mezzaluna was a fantastic discovery for me. Not everyone would like authentic Italian food, but if you are use to it, you cannot go without it. A fantastic real Italian buffet (I used it as an antipaste exploration) and then I had to do the ultimate test: Tagliatelle Ragu. I have had bad SA experiences when it comes to this dish but Mezzaluna is right up there. Almost as good as the ragu at A Tavola (southern suburbs). Tiramisu was ferm and light and fantastic Coffee (lavazza ricco). A “Morbida” (soft) grappa to end it all off. I will be back to do more tests and I cannot wait for another chance. I would have liked an option for real parmigiano with the pasta, but in fairness to Mezzaluna, all italian places use the grated stuff. The two things in mezzaluna that are South African are the good waiters and the fact that they offer a cappucino after 11h00 in the morning (and the car card at my parking spot)
Went back to Mezzaluna for quick bite and it didn’t disappoint. We had spinach and ricotta ravioli and a bowl of the mussel pasta — both were delicious. The pasta was perfect al dente, the flavours of the ravioli perfectly balanced by a light tomato sauce. My mussel pasta was super fresh — I could actually smell the sea. Subtly flavoured without overpowering the mussels. A Perfect Friday lunch. I could see this becoming a regular…
Half way between Bizerca and Mezzaluna, I’m spoilt for choice.
Went back to make sure the first time was not just my lucky day. Pleasantly surprised again with hands on approach, real customer care and good authentic Italian food. Pastas of the day were really good, but the Osso Buco was exceptional. Wow. Real gems on the buffet style antipasta table. Coffee and grappa with home style dolce makes this an extra special ristorante.
Finally got to mezzaluna for the first time for a most enjoyable lunch. Also first time I ate sea urchin (from Langebaan) spaghetti outside Italy. The pasta was excellent and the spaghetti were as we had in Naples, rather more thicker and firmer than one usually gets here.
Just opened the Argus and read that Conrad Gallagher (Geisha Wok and Noodle bar) seems to be in serious trouble. They write about mounting debts and labour law infringements (would not be surprised if that damned tap water has something to do with it again).
Good honest fresh food with no pretentions – a real taste of Italy! In fact other than the waiters I was almost the only non-Italian present although by the time I left I felt like one of the family! The very hands-on owner kept things running smoothly in ‘a famiglia’ sort of way and customer care was noteworthy. I asked if there was a newspaper I could read, and the waiter quickly went down the street a bought one!
Flavourful caprese, al dente ravioli with great fresh tomato sauce, wickedly rich tiramisu and good espresso. Wines are limited to 4 white and 4 red and a Pecan Stream by the glass. This restaurant could become addictive!
On Jurgens recommendation I tried the Sea Urchin pasta yesterday. First visit to Mezzaluna and I was completely blown away. Just a bummer its not open on the weekend (some of us are stuck in offices more often than not). Also tried the Panna Cotta which smacked of fresh vanilla. This place knocks the crap into Magica Roma.
oh I so agree! On my second visit I had the bone marrow risotto with saffron – fantastic! But it is not just the food it is the whole experience!
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[...] tender, the flavours sound, and the gnocchi perfect – better than the recent plate I sampled at Mezzaluna. The Hungry Man tried some “sheppard’s” pie, accompanied by a salad which he [...]