Summer isn’t over yet! Even though we have been in quarantine and dealing Covid19 for most of 2020, I’m still making my way around town and finding spots that bring me a little joy, while of course, taking precautions and wearing a face mask.

A new restaurant has popped up in our Georgetown area and to tell you the truth, I was really excited for this one. It is an Italian restaurant called Mezzanotte. If you’re familiar with the neighborhood, this place is located next to Ciudad. That’s right. Right next to where Bar Ciudad used to be. It’s very rare to find a good Italian restaurant in the South Seattle area. If I was ever craving pasta, I’d have to make my way into downtown.

You won’t find your typical spaghetti or chicken alfredo here. The menu at Mezzanotte may be small but packs a bunch of flavors into each plate. I would say the cuisine is more gaged towards northern Italy. Less use of tomatoes and more butter and cheese for a creamier texture. Never fear though red sauce lovers, there are still some delicious choices for you to choose from!

This place offers a great patio currently and its fantastic for a solo date, or with a few friends. Enjoy the sun while catching some of the planes flying over you since Boeing field is close by and jam out to some Biggie Smalls.

It’s always great to kick off a summer dinner with a fun cocktail! From their wine list, to signature cocktails, there is something for everyone. If you are a Negroni fan, they have their version on tap! Every time I have had dinner there, the Negroni is my go to. But on this day, I decided to go with sometime more fruity/tart and got the II Picante Pesco, which is a tequila based drink. My friends love blended drinks and thankfully this place has you covered for that. Unfortunately, due to the heat, the icy machine wasn’t keeping the Mezza Limonata as frothy as we would’ve hoped and the waitress was kind enough to mentioned that. The drink itself was delicious over ice though!

Appetizers are always a must when I go out and I LOVE bread. This homemade focaccia bread is to die for! I normally order have to order 2! I order one to have with our starters, and then another when my pasta arrives because, who doesn’t love swiping their plate to get every bits of sauce with bread?! It’s made fresh. it’s soft and fragrant. The olive oil they provide for dipping adds a nice taste to it as well.

Another usual appetizer I get at any or every Italian restaurant is their meat board. However, I’ve had it at their soft opening and it was AMAZING. Once I find something I love, I tend to get that every time so, this time, I opted for something different. If you know me personally, you know I love pickled things and fried chicken. The Pollo de Carpione is just that! This was definitely interesting. It’s served cold with pickled onions atop of the fried chicken. It seems like the pickled juice is drizzled over the chicken which was fine! I would say this is more along the more adventurous things on their menu. I love the pickled onions and the flavors were bright. I really enjoyed this one.

Now on to the main event…PASTA. There’s a great assortment of different pastas to choose from and if you’re with a couple of friends, it’s great to pick different ones so you can try them all! Shared plates are, of course, provided :)

The rigatoni carbonara was to die for. It’s creamy texture and the taste of the bacon was delicious. I’ve never had a carbonara with a short style of a noodle, like rigatoni. I normally have it with the longer noodles like linguine or spaghetti, but this was great. I think I may ask for extra cheese next time for the top :)

Tarajin, pronounced (Tie-yah-reen), was buttery heaven. The noodles were silky smooth and light. The sausage and sage were not overpowering and complimented everything so well. I would have to say this one has been my favorite.

PASTA DEL GIORNO, Pesto with summer green beans

Pesto pasta, I think, is the summer pasta dish. This was served with green beans tossed in the pesto sauce. Probably the healthier option out of the 3 but still just as flavorful! If you’re wanting something less heavy and less butter, this is a good go to choice!

Mezzanotte offers a great menu for food and drinks and a fun atmosphere. I’m excited to have this spot so close to home. The menus is so simple and not overwhelming, which I love. It’s small enough to help me choose what I want to eat but large enough to where I can still try out something new every few times that I go, so I’m not constantly ordering the same dish every time!

Cheers to the small businesses who are still opening up during the pandemic and staying positive! We’re all in this together!

With Love,

Niki

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Georgetown Gem: Mezzanotte

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