Mescolanza

(415)668-2221
2221 Clement St.
(bet 23rd & 24th Ave's)
San Francisco, CA
(Outer Richmond district)

Open 5pm-10pm every day
Visa & MasterCard w/$10 minimum

Price: $-$$$
Rating: 8 (Rating & price key)
Last visit: 07/27/05

Great Italian food for pretty good prices in my 'hood at last! Of the several Italian places in the Richmond that I've been to thus far, Mescolanza is hands-down the best (along with Pizetta 211 for pizza).

I've dined here twice so far, once with my friend Christina, the other with my partner Sarah, and came away happy both times. Located in a small (perhaps 15 tables, max) space in the outer Clement, decor is understated, with terra-cotta-effect walls and painted columns. Sarah & I agreed that the ambience would benefit from a few well-placed pieces of art.

The wine list is small but to the point. On my first visit, a glass of Bogle Cabernet ($7) wasn't a great match for my gnocchi, but on the second visit, a bottle of Miglianico Montepulciano ($25'ish) was fruity and well-balanced.

For starters, I've had an excellent (save for the missing anchovies, which I forgot to ask for and were not offered) Caesar salad ($5.95) and fabulous Carpaccio ($6.95). The Carpaccio was particularly good, paper-thin raw beef on a pretty plate (which you could clearly see through the meat), with a dollop of aioli atop a mint leaf, and little piles of capers and red onions, sprinkled with shaved parmesan cheese - yummy! Sarah's starter of minnestrone soup ($2.95/bowl, $4.50/cup) was very much to her liking, and was much better than most according to her (it vanished before I could sneak a spoonful).

Pastas seem to be a speciality here. On visit #1 I had the house special of spinach gnocchi with prawns in garlic and butter ($14.95)! The gnocchi was soft and pillowy with just the right flavor, and the prawns were positively excellent in their butter/garlic/herb bath. On the other trip, I had a special of prawns, clams and scallops over spinach linguine with cream sauce ($19) and it was fantastic. Two generous scallops cooked to tender perfection, four succulent jumbo prawns, and a good number of clams, sauced with garlic and cream, but not too heavily. The spinach pasta was quite flavorful, and cooked just how it should be. This was everything I want a seafood pasta to be, and I would definitely order it again if it was on the special menu.

My dining partners' dishes have been a special of chicken ravioli, which was good, judging from my bite, and Tortellini al Proscuitto ($10.95), a very good rendition in a heavy cream sauce.

The two desserts I've tried were both great - particularly the tiramisu ($6.95), with heavily soaked ladyfingers unlike some of the drier renditions. The Cheesecake ($6.25), although not my favorite dessert at the best of times, was also very good, neither too firm nor too dry/crumbly.

Service on both occasions was friendly and professional, and they gave Sarah & I a free glass of port each at the end of our meal, an always-appreciated touch! Definitely worth a visit if you want Italian in the Richmond, and a nice place for a romantic evening that won't break the bank.