First time going here with my husband. (glad we left the kids at home)
Ambiance was spot on, classy, older distinguish crowd, kind of resemble and after work spot to go to for a drink to unwind with a co-worker, Â People dressing in dressy casual attire. Staff friendly, food was delivered quickly.
unlimited french bread and olive oil
ordered=
appetizer-brusschetta
I ordered- 12hour short beef ribs
husband ordered- swordfish special.
All the food was tasty and filling, kind of pricey, both our dinners together came to $59.54 (not including tip) we only had water to drink too.
all in all the food and ambiance well worth the price, but not a spot to go to everyday, because you might end up in the livin the vida broka.
fyi, if you check in on yelp, restaurant offers 50% off appetizer (score)
happy eating
I have had dinner here before with bad experience. Thought I'd give it another try.. Shame on me.. Service was again poor and my dinner took way too long.??
I ordered a salad and pasta dish. Dinner was not satisfying and cold. "Cold pasta"..NOT..
I will not return back, and I would not recommend Mezzo...
And they claim this cheff knows food??/ others at the table saying same...
boo hoo...
Mezzo was once one of my least favorite restaurants ever. Â My first meal there was a typical fancy modern disaster with inedible parts of food on my plate and a menu that had me scratching a hole on my head. Â My second involved some confusion where I realized that the salsa that came with my ceviche was actually the "creamy tomato soup." Â After a period of waiting (or actually, being out of town) I was convinced to return to give them another chance, and I must say: they've improved greatly.
THE GIST: Delicious roast lamb that melts in your mouth / Great pasta / Great focaccia bread
SERVICE AND SETTING
We went in on a Wednesday night and were seated immediately. Â Service was very pleasant. Â The only issues I had with service had to do with the kitchen: the gap between our first and second course was considerably long, probably because something had to be redone. Â The waitress was kind enough to let us know there would be a wait.
The second issue was a bit more concerning. Â One of the meatballs we ordered wasn't cooked through. Â The center of the meatball was freezer-cold. Â I didn't bring it up to the waitress because I didn't want to make a scene at our birthday dinner, but I'm sure they would have handled it professionally if I did. Â It's a serious issue, but the quality of the rest of the meal was good enough that I almost forgave them (-1 star).
FOOD AND VALUE
Some highlights of the night:
Focaccia bread with olive oil: They actually gave it to me this time! Â And I definitely missed out when they forgot it that time. Â Buttery, chewy focaccia bread with some of the best prepared olive oil I've had.
Cheese fondue: It's pretty much impossible for this not to taste good but the cheese blend they use is delicious. Â The gooey, but consistent texture of the cheese tasted excellent with the bread it comes with but even better with the focaccia - try it.
Tagliatelle: Delicious al dente pasta served in olive oil, cheese, garlic, and tomatoes. Â It's obviously not light, but it gives the impression of being so. Â Like any good pasta, I couldn't stop eating it.
Roast leg of lamb: By far the best of the three entrees we had. Â My friend that ordered this had it done medium-well and it came perfectly that way. Â I'm more of a medium-rare kind of guy, but it didn't bother me at all: that had to have been one of the most tender pieces of roast lamb I've ever had. Â I will dream of it tonight. Â Highly recommended.
We also had the meatballs appetizer (delicious if you get a cooked one), short ribs (pretty good), pork cutlets (very good), and the red velvet bread pudding (tasty). Â Aside from my issue with the meatball, I can't think of any complaints for the food I had tonight.
We ordered a ton of food this time around, and it came out to about $150 for three. Â Pricey for a Stocktonian joint, but this time around I felt pretty satisfied.
CONCLUSION
From incredible disappointment to one of the best restaurants in town. Â Hat's off to you, Mezzo, you've finally impressed me.
Went here two nights in a row on a recent business trip. Its a little out of the way and niche but I was impressed with the food. I had two of the best pasta dishes I've eaten in a long time with some classic slow cooked meat sauces.
I'd come back to this place because they are trying.
Now if only I could get them to remove the offensive and disgusting word "Sliders" from their menu...
I've been to Mezzo once every couple of months since my first review, and my initial review still stands. Â I just love everything about this place, especially the food. Â My husband and I have come here for date-night, on double-dates, and with a small group of friends (9 total), and each time was great.
Review Source:Came by for Stockton restaurant week with a friend. I was impressed, she was less than impressed. Together we average four stars!
+ Olive oil with olive tapenade! I got myself full off of this stuff. I loved it! I might seriously come back just for this. However, this is free so I'll have to order a dish or two.
+ Seafood Fra Diavolo. I liked it, friend didn't.
+ Atmosphere. Very sophisticated! I felt like I needed to sit up taller and cross my legs.
- Seating. Place is small.
- Running out of tiramisu. For cereal? And we were so excited. -1 star.
- Price. You're paying for the atmosphere, the dim lights, and the hip crowd.
The restaurant is small, the dish names are super bizarre for those of us who don't speak... Greek? Italian? Â and I can see how people have a lot to complain about. I for one, however, am impressed! I'll be back!
Mezzo's food is delicious and well-portioned, but their service needs proper training. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because the food was so good.
Restaurant week led us here - the entree of the day was salmon with spinach and fingerling potatoes. Throw in a salad and large piece of tiramisu for $25? Not bad at all considering how perfect the salmon was cooked. It was on the rare side and so deliciously buttery. Thank goodness they didn't overcook it.
Our table also had duck breast with grapes, butternut squash, and polenta - also extremely well prepared. I was hesitant about grapes paired with duck (usually it's cherries or another citrus), but it turned out really well. The polenta and butternut were quite good too. Hats off to Chef/owner Richard, who also came around to tables afterward to ask how everything was - that really showed true involvement and care, something the servers didn't show... more on that
And now to the service - they need more formal etiquette for a place serving $20+ entrees. Most of the patrons are dressed up, so is it too much to ask for a little upscale service? The servers and busboys should show a greater concern for our dining experience and be more knowledgeable about the food (ie: what salad dressing is this? it's a house made vinaigrette... end of conversation). Thank goodness the chef asked us how our meal went, because no one else seemed to care.
The thing that really got me irritated was the server reaching across our table to "drop" a plate down. The $26 plate fell about an inch onto the table, made a clunk, and then he nudged it with his hand so that it was a little more centered in front of us. We're not at IHOP dude. No apologies for reaching across a woman, just laziness to walk around a 4 foot table. I kept thinking to myself - did he just do that?! Service at Centrale (currently my top place in Stockton) blows this place out of the water.
Given the fantastic food, with some proper training they'll be in business! Still highly recommend it for a nice dining experience.
My wife and I went in for a mid-week dinner; the food and the service were great. This has been a great place to get a consistently great dinner. I see the Chef expediting every plate that leaves the kitchen. When you get it is right. My wife had the special, Pork Chops with a fig and apple sauce. Figs are in season and one of her favorites. I had the half roast chicken. We shared a order of  Brochetta and had the house made bread with olive tapanade and oil. Everything was spot on. Thanks for a great dinner.
If you have not been here give it a try
I was invited to dinner at Mezzo tonight and to my surprise, I had never heard of the place. Â Tucked in a shopping center behind what used to be the old Mallards (I'm dating myself), there was a nice little place for us to enjoy.
The weather was cooling down so we opted for patio seating. Â We were literally the only ones seated outside. Â It was a perfect setting to grab a bite to eat, enjoy a glass of wine and catch up.
The restaurant is a little swanky, decorated in a more contemporary feel. Â It wasn't overly stuffy because the bar is centrally located and the kitchen is somewhat open. Â A comfortable feel overall.
Service was really great! Â Starting from our host, to our waiter, to the cook (maybe owner) who checked on us twice while we were seated on the patio.
I started my meal with a glass of chilled Bokisch Albarino and a mixed green salad. Â For my entree I had the shrimp risotto and pesto. Â The risotto and shrimp were cooked well and the sauce had great flavor. Â My friend tried the Orrechiette, which I tried and found it to have wonderful flavor. Â The sausage of the Orrechiette is house made and it was delish!! Â
The ambiance was good, the service was great, and the company fantastic!
I look forward to coming back to try some of the other dishes.
Went to a nice birthday lunch here the other day. Â Started with focaccia bread with tapenade. Â Love those olives in olive oil. Just the right amount of saltiness. I could eat that all day. Â Ordered a delicious short rib sandwich on ciabatta bread w/onions, tomato, arugula with fries. Â Although horseradish aioli as also listed as an ingredient, I really couldn't taste it. Â It was still good anyway. Â They have numerous other sandwiches such as meatballs, grilled pesto chicken, BLT's, etc., as well as pasta dishes and soups and salads. Â Was told that the grilled pesto chicken was also delicious. Â Meals are moderately priced; $10 and $11 for sandwiches, $10 to $13 for pastas, $6 to $17 for soups and salads. Â Love the quiet atmosphere of this restaurant. Â Probably because many people still don't know about this gem. Â Hopefully soon they will get to know Mezzo.
Review Source:Another pre-Christmas meal with a bff of 20+ years. Â For some reason it seems critical to do these get-to-gethers before Christmas actually comes in order for it to count. In an effort to make sure I see everyone on my list I almost always end up virtually eating my way through the week before Christmas. Â This year has been no different, thank goodness for that! Â Mezzo came to mind as I had a memorable first experience here. Â The menu hasn't changed and I like that it's not extensive first of all because it's easier to make a decision and secondly, because you can only do so many things well. Â Unfortunately, they were out of salmon and that's my go to entree when dining out. Â A non-red-meat eater only has so many choices and I tire of boneless breast of chicken more than I'd care to admit. Â I remembered that last time I tweaked one of the pasta dishes so that it would comply with my dietary needs so rather than offing my digestive system with the many meat choices I went with the pasta. Â Not on the menu but they will make up a single batch of marinara atop your favorite style of homemade pasta. Â The marinara was a bit tomatoey and not how I'd remembered it on my last visit. Â
For the stars of the night I'd like to give the olive tapenade 5 brightly shining stars, salty with olivey wonderfulness. Â The Focaccia; excellent. Â The roasted beet, arugula, pine nut and bacon (yes, bacon) salad, to die for. Â In my defense, I skimmed the description of the dish and totally missed the part about bacon. Â Not bacon bits but fresh, no preservatives, smokey to the ends of the earth and crisply cooked bacon that added something magical to that salad and made me glad I'm not a vegetarian! Â
Dessert? Â You didn't think I'd pass up the berry cobbler did you? Â I shared it with my dinner companion and she too now loves one of Mezzo's homemade special desserts.
I'll be back.
This restaurant has so much potential but the next step to success is consistency. I love the menu and the ambiance of the restaurant. The wine list is more than adequate and the ingredients are always fresh.
Still, something went missing in my recent visit.
First, my garden salad was very fresh, however someone got a little happy with the garlic. It's true, you actually can have too much garlic! My parents ordered the salad too but they didn't complain. Since it was my birthday they probably didn't want to put up a fuss.
I ordered the Bucatini which came to the table with cheese sprinkled on top. Cold and not melted, this made me hesitate. I sent it back and they broiled it I guess and it came back fine. A small detail that really should not have taken place. The ingredients were flavorful. The sauce was rich but in good balance with the pasta. There was onion and a two very large meatballs that made the dish more hearty than expected. I didn't even finish the place which proves the amount was right on.
My mom had the steak and it was cooked perfectly. Still juicy and seared nicely on the surface. She really enjoyed the dish. My dad ordered the short ribs and said they were tender. I didn't really give him the inquisition so I'll take it that it was decent flavor. He did enjoy the polenta, which is really kinda exotic for his taste buds since he's really more of an El Rancho Steakhouse kinda guy. Tab ordered the gnocchi and it came exactly as advertised. The only downfall is the ingredients didn't really add to the dish and the parts didn't come together to make a 'dish'. I tasted the gnocchi itself and it was fresh and cooked well but the ingredients were a bit misplaced. Keep the gnocchi, find a different venue to carry the flavors please!
All things considered, I'd go back to Mezzo and I know it will continue to improve. I would love to see some of the lunch items on the dinner menu as I am a big fan of Carbonara. I challenge any place to make Carbonara better than what I make in my kitchen.
It's a throw down!
I only wish I had more room to stuff in dessert!!
I arrived to a nearly empty restaurant with the hope of enjoying their outdoor seating, but it was completely empty which didn't appear very inviting (they're tucked away off the main road and the indoor ambience was very enjoyable).
I sat inside and was offered a special wine taste from a local winery (nice touch). I had already reviewed the menu before arriving and knew exactly what I wanted ~ beet salad and asparagus risotto (I opted for the smaller entree portion because their servings are generous). The restaurant was within walking distance from my hotel which I appreciated after the wonderful meal ~ it gave me time to get a little exercise (and enjoy the pleasant evening).
I had wanted to go to Mezzo's for quite awhile. Several months ago, Mezzo's was on 50/50 Friday's, and I purchased $50 for $25. I finally got around to going last Saturday, on a whim.
We arrived without reservations as 5:00pm, probably a little under dressed. There were very few patrons, so I was worried about how good the restaurant would be, but at least we got a table right away.
Immediately, I liked the ambiance. After the hostess seated us, our waiter asked us right away if we had been to Mezzo's before. We replied we had not, he welcomed us, explained the menu, and advised us of the special. Throughout our meal, our waiter was helpful and attentive.
Between us all, we had brushetta, organic mixed lettuces, caesar salad, three cheese pasta, pollo parmegiano, veal marsala, spaghetti with meatballs, tiramasu, and a version of cannoli. We were tacky enough to all try one another's plates. All of the dishes were very good to excellent.
We ordered a bottle of wine; wine service was very good, and our waiter was very attentive to keeping our glasses from emptying.
The restaurant was most definitely NOT empty by the time we left.
I will be sure to go back--but I will make reservations this time.
Read about this restaurant in San Joaquin magazine and decided to try it out with my hubbie.
Ordered a cocktail, which was good but overpriced. Appetizer was good, but was disappointed in the salad - no flavor to the dressing. Entrees were just okay - again not much flavor (or much food).
However, the waitstaff is excellent.....
Overpriced - which wouldn't be bad if the food was better.
Won't be going back....
This place is GREAT!!!! Well, assuming you just came back from the desert without food for 40 days and 40 nights.
I went here one day with 20 dollars in my pocket, and that money was gone faster than you can say "Cheque Please!"
But I digress. Let's move onto the meal. Basically anything you get is overpriced, and everything you get is often synonymous with the word platitudinous. Yes, it is bland, boring.
According to the website, it says "Italian cuisine at its finest."
If this is at it's finest, then so is pizza hut. Oh, and pizza hut may be cheaper, just saying. The food is subpar, but I have heard the bar has a good variety, so if you want to get drunk at an elegant place, go here!
The sauces are subpar, while the pasta, bread, and all of the grain is bland. Apparently the chef is from Stockton's critically acclaimed Le Bistro. No wonder the food is not up to quality.
If this restaurant were in the bay area, it would close faster than you could say "Italian cuisine at its finest."
All in all, go here, but without any expectations. Or go there to get drunk.
Perfect Blend: No, unless if you want to spend twice the amount of money you normally need to get swashbuckle-drunk.
This was one of the local restaurants on my list to visit...I waited for a special reason to make the reservation....mothers day it was on! Well I was Highly disappointed....atmosphere was NOT what I expected, prices too high for the food and portions provided antipasto table was better than my crab dish. And to top it off the owner/chef was complaining to the table behind us about having to work Sunday. The best thing was the variety of cheeses on the antipasto table. Never going there again
Review Source:While in town for business, I found this wonderful restaurant hidden in an office park. Â The beet salad was very good, very fresh; and the brusel sprounts were amazing. Â The saffron mushroom risotto was bland unfortunately. Â But they do have some nice Italian wines by the glass. Â I will be back on my next business trip.
Review Source:We came here for our friends birthday. Since it is fancy, I expected this place to be overpriced. So we were a large group (20ish) and the restaurant is super small so we were accommodated in an awkward spot. We did'nt even fit. I could barely move and the neighboring tables were literally 1 foot away from me.
Food:
The menu was hella confusing. I couldn''t pronounce the name of the entrees and I didn't know what the ingredients were either....
So I ordered this pork thingy that was supposed to be roasted and with veggies. It wasn't even roasted but whatever. The portions were SO SMALL. They gave me one piece of pork. I can't believe I paid so much for one piece of pork. It wasn't even that good. The pork was dry and hard.
My friends ordered pasta dishes. You can either order the 1/2 portion of Full one. However, the only difference is the price and the size of the plate because you get the same freaking amount of food!!!!! Â Who the heck does this?!?!? The small portion and the full portion have the same amount of food!!!
Never coming here again. Service was horrible too btw.
Went for dinner tonight, ready to increase those stars. I started with a dirty martini and the crab cake app. WOW!! As a permanent resident of Seattle and living only 5 blocks from Tom Douglas's Dahlia Lounge where the crab cake is signature (even Giada thinks so), this crab cake is right in there. The crab was fresh, the lemon and caper sauce made it pop. It made me miss being home.
For my main course, I had the shell pasta with smoked salmon. This was outstanding. Not at all fishy, just clean and bright. The sauce was light and full of flavor.
The chef deserves big kudos. I sat at the bar and observed the kitchen. It must have been his night off. The Sous-chef was running the kitchen. As someone who is in the business world, I rate a dept manager on how well the dept runs in the managers absence. In this case, the chef has clearly directed his staff well and they in-turn understand and respect his ability.
Oh, and kudos to the bartender. She made great Absolute dirty martini's.
The place has really come together and I look forward to my next visit.
For 7 months, I have heard and read mixed reviews on Mezzo. Â The limited items, the wine list...whatever.
I am so full of myself that 'if hasn't been reviewed by me, it doesn't exist'.
This place used to be Brookside Cafe. Â Upon walking in, I noticed the ultra modern decor and all of the business lunchers. Â There may have been only 4 tables open.
Sorry folks, I hate to disappoint you, but I think rather highly of mr reviews, and apparently you do as well, since you're still reading.
The limited menu offerings may be the result of what's available in the area, fresh. Â You cannot walk into a 'true' bistro and expect a Cheesecake Factory type of menu. Â
We waited until all of the kinks were worked out to visit this place...and I regret it! Â The chef is RICHARD HYMAN. Â If you don't know who he is, then drop your computer and RUN....RUN! Â FORREST!!!
I had the beet salad, and calamari. Â Husband had a chicken pesto sandwich with freshly cooked fries. Â (TAKE THAT, STOCKTON JOE'S!!!)
I urged all of you nay sayers to give this place another chance. Â The chef is an artist! Â And the service is wonderful!
Thank goodness, our party made a reservation beforehand because they were packed! Food was great. I had the Pollo Rosmarino and it was delicious! For dessert, I had their  tiramisu. YUMMYY! Service on the other hand, not so great. Once we were seated, it took them at least 15 min for a waiter to come over to ask what beverages we would like to drink.  By that time we were already ready to order, but it took our waiter another 10 min or so to ask for our orders. People that came in after us ordered before we did. Maybe I was expecting too much because they were really busy and only had 2 (maybe 3) waiters but I was really hungry and thirsty. Plus we got handed over to another waiter. We thought that maybe his shift was done or something but he was still serving other tables and we were the only one he ditched!
Overall the food was a 4 but the service deserved 2 stars.
We went in on a Friday night about 6:00 without reservations and could not get a table so we ate at the bar. It is quie small and the bar is in the dining room so this was not such a problem.
The staff was very attentive and the food and wine menus are varied enough to be interesting.
I had a Lodi Sauvignon Blanc that was excellent. The half cesar salad was very good.
We both had sea bass over saffron risotto. The fish was cooked just right without being over cooked and it is  adelight to find a place in Stockton that does not thing fish automatically means breaded and deep fried.
Overall we had a very enjoyable meal. The place is very small and can feel alittle crowded but, I think that is not a negative.
Came here with big group for a friend's birthday and there wasn't enough space to fit the entire party. 3 people had to sit at their own table. My friend made reservations about a week beforehand and they took down her credit card information. They were afraid the party wasn't going to show so they called her multiple times if they were still planning on showing up.
I ordered the porchetta and it was a little on the dry side. I also had to heavily season it with salt. My friends who ordered pasta saw no difference in the small and large portion because the only difference was that they gave us smaller or bigger plates.
The lighting also hurt my eyes and it made me feel like i was roasting like those lights to keep the food warm.
i don't think I would ever come back to this place. Actually, I know.
Went here for a birthday party and I was not impressed. Â First of all, they are super small and offer very little space for any of the guest. Â I was literally about 10 inches from the person behind me and then the waiters walk between us bumping our chairs all of the time. Â My friend made reservations for her birthday well in advance and they were scared that we would not show. Â They literally asked for her cell number and called her numerous times asking over and over again if we were going to go. Â So much for trust in their guest.
Food wise, their food was actually pretty good. Â It was nothing special that blew me away. Â They offer half portions and full portions for their pastas. Â I ordered the Rigatoni large portion which was about $17 and the half portion was $12. Â When they brought out the meals, the only difference between the two sizes was the size of the plate. Â WHAT A RIP OFF. Â Same amount of Rigatoni in each bowl, I only had a bigger bowl. Â Do they think were stupid?
I will NEVER go back to this place again. Â Quality of the food was ok, but you can find them at any other Italian restaurant.
My family and I have been to Mezzo many times for it is close to our house. We have been waiting for a good restaurant to open nearby for ages.
When we first visited Mezzo it was a disaster. It was on the opening night and service, food and wine were terrible. It was a hot day and the A/C had malfunctioned and it was about 90 degrees inside. The wine was hot and the risotto was crunchy. Service was 'all over the place' and at best marginal. I believe I even saw one of the cooks walk out!
My wife and I returned a few weeks later to see that there had been vast improvements. We has reservations and were seated promptly. We ordered wine (wine menu is fantastic, many Italian wines that most people have never heard of!) and salads to start. My wife had the pea salad and I had the beet salad. We both ate off of each others plates and both salads were fantastic. The beet salad could be a meal in itself. The beets are fantastic and the dressing and other vegetables create a great balance (I have been back since and just had this salad on it's own for lunch. We also go the albacore tuna bruschetta and they sent us a complimentary red pepper bruschetta. Both were amazing! I have never has a tuna bruschetta and was in love with the saltiness and oily texture of the white meat albacore mixed with capers and house made olives. The red pepper bruschetta was also great, had a nice crispness and seemed very light.
My wife ordered the risotto and I had the suckling pig. Both were fantastic. The risotto was moist and flavorful and the suckling pig was amazing. The suckling pig is wrapped and cooked in it's own skin with dried cherries and those same house made olives. I didn't care to eat the skin/fat part, but they tell me that many people greatly enjoy it. The cherries offered a fantastic balance of sweetness to the olives saltiness. Fantastic dish. We also had the spinach side which was great...I think it is just seasoned and sauteed until wilted, but whatever they do it has a ton of great flavor.
The dessert was OK at best and when I said that I didn't care for what I had they brought out a house made mascarpone dish. It seemed to have vanilla and a few other ingredients mixed with mascarpone and served in a large scoop. It was fantastic...very light with some fresh berries.
There were a few hiccups in the service but over all a great experience. My wife and I have returned many times since and it just keeps getting better each time. I think that Brookside finally has something that it can be proud of. As the staff gets used to the restaurant and the cooks with the clientele it just gets better. Sometimes when it is busy, it gets a bit loud, but all in all a great time. We highly recommend it and have taken many friends here to showcase what our neighborhood finally has!
What a disappointment on my second visit. The first was loud, my chair was bumped repeatedly by staff and customers, but the food was pretty good. I kept telling my daughter about the amazing focaccia bread, so when it came time for a dinner out she asked to go there.
We arrived on a Friday night around 5:00 PM and no one was in the restaurant other than staff. We were still asked if we had a reservation. The hostess took us to a table, in the middle of the restaurant. I asked for one against the wall to save all the bumping that would soon start.
Server was fine. Order olives and they came out with a basket of bread, which I assumed was going to be the focaccia. It wasn't, it was cold Costco rolls, one of them even had Chocolate chips in it!! I asked for the focaccia bread and was told it was not done.
We ordered and split a nondescript Cesar salad. My daughter had gnocchi which was small and barely there, but very good. I had pasta, which was plentiful. We waited for the the bread....
Food came and went, we asked to see dessert menu, ordered Berry Crisp, and it turns out that was the only dessert they were out of...on a Friday night. Â We waited for the bread....
The bill arrived and the server said the bread was just out, would we like to take some home? We did - however very little was given to us and it was just an overall disappointing dinner.
Upon leaving I asked my daughter if she would go back and she said "no". She liked her food "hot" and everything was only barely warm. That and the bread never arrived.
This restaurant has a good staff that lacks training and a kitchen that really needs help.
Won't be returning.
Went here for dinner, party of 5, 8-6-10. Â Called ahead, and, they took us promptly. Â Nice atmosphere, knowledgeable wait staff. Â Wine is very well priced...had an excellent bottle of Italian Syrah blend for 19. Â Excellent, good price. Â
My date and I each had a half salad and half order of pasta. Â She the combo salad and rigattoni with sausage ragu, I the heirloom beet salad and wild mushroom risotto. Â Salads were very fresh, very local, very good.
Her pasta was a bit small for a portion, even a half, compared to mine. Â Mine was delicious, but, someone needs to learn how to grind pepper. Â Large, half peppercorns are a bit much when you bite them!
Ordered another bottle of the same wine, which never arrived. Â Would give 5 stars, but, too peppery, and forgotten wine makes that a no. Â Will certainly go again, and, you should too! Â Very promising, and, easily the best Italian in Stockton.
I ate here twice...once on what I believe was their 1st or 2nd day of operation, and once for lunch a few weeks after. My experiences were like night and day.
First, my most recent lunch experience: I ordered a sandwich and salad, both of which were acceptable. Good price, good sandwich. The menu is a little misleading, as the chef has a very creative interpretation of the word "baguette" (the bread my sandwich was supposed to be served on); it actually came on a soft sandwich roll that had been toasted.
Note to whomever wrote the menu: a sandwich roll does not become a crusty baguette just because you toast it until the outside gets crunchy. Seriously?
But other than that, the sandwich was an assortment of salumi and provolone, with a fabulous green salad alongside. I will be back for lunch.
Read on for my dinner experience. FYI the restaurant had just opened so I gave them the benefit of the doubt.
The air conditioning was not working in the restaurant. It had to be 100 degrees in there... and the people at my table were sweating throughout the meal. The staff was friendly and attentive, as they should have been, because there was probably 1 server on duty for every 3 customers. There were so many that some of them just stood against the wall waiting for something to do. But even though the service was fabulous, the food---alas---was not.
The beet salad was spot on, good flavor and assembly. But it was downhill from there. I ordered the baked chicken, and when it arrived it had been annihilated in the oven. Like it had been baked for four hours. Dry as a bone. Who doesn't know how to cook a chicken? On top of that, the chicken was bland. Near zero flavor. The spinach served alongside it was almost inedible, and tasted like a limp green salt lick. I improvised and spread a little mashed spinach onto my chicken and the salt from the spinach improved it marginally.
From my friends' plates I tasted the risotto, which was crunchy (no, not al dente; I know what al dente is, and this was CRUNCHY) and tasted as if they cooks forgot to salt it.
I also tasted the Gnocchi, which was a sort of potato mush served in broth. Nothing like the fabulous, tender pillows of pasta in flavorful sauce that I expected.
That about covers it. I rarely say nasty, but the food there, was.
Oh, and what's with all of the filtered reviews? It seems like there are a bunch of reviewers who just want to review Mezzo. Isn't that mysterious.
Yum! Just went to Mezzo for lunch. First time there and I will absolutely go back. I definitely want to try dinner and a glass of wine! I had a shell pasta with a white sauce and crab with tomatoes and capers! I forgot the name of the dish but I know its starts with a C. It was to die for!
My 3 yr old had the mac n cheese which was also DELICIOUS! Definitely something I could eat  for a meal. The cheese on the mac was so good. My 10 year old had chicken strips & she loved them. Â
The iced tea I had was iced and refills were coming my way. My daughters both had the dark chocolate gelato and loved it! I had decadent chocolate cake, it had cream & blueberry sauce. I'm not a big chocolate fan, but the sauce (made by a chef in the kitchen) was SO yummy! It was a great combo!
All their pastas are hand made in the restaurant and all produce is fresh & local. This place is great!
We won't be going back to Mezzo! Â None of the food was very good and my wife was served RAW Rosemary Chicken. Â No big deal was made over serving RAW food. Â What a disappointment, had high hopes, but was thoroughly let down. Â Another Stockton restaurant that doesn't live up to the hype.
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