Jennifer Sportsman: Mescolanza Pasta - Pizzetta Dolce

It has long been a passion of mine to check out neighborhood restaurants in all areas of San Francisco, especially in the Richmond District, where I live. I have been a serious cook for more than 20 years and have been fortunate to have the opportunity to eat at great restaurants all over the United States. Recently I decided to return to one of my old favorites on Clement Street, Mescolanza. I haven't eaten there for several years and thought I'd like to revisit and review it.

For several years this small Italian eatery was a once-a-week addiction of close friends and mine. Back in the mid-'90s it was almost impossible to get a table. This small restaurant was definitely an "in" place to go. The ambiance was warm and waiters were attentive and full of information about the specials of the day. While the space is a little tight (maximum occupancy: 49) and a little too noisy, it served wonderful Italian food, at an affordable price.

The management also often offered inexpensive house Chiantis to accompany dinner, complimentary bites of a daily special and, on occasion, a dessert to share for the table.

With all these wonderful past dinners in mind, a friend and I returned to Mescolanza for a dinner of some old familiar dishes, namely the Pasta Carbonara and Scampi Mescolanza.

The food is still fabulous. My pasta was perfectly done, hot, creamy and richly decadent. I happily ate every bite. If I had any complaints it would be that the dish had no color (no parsley, or other garnish) and perhaps had a tiny bit too much nutmeg - but I'm not a big fan of nutmeg in anything.

My dinner partner had the Scampi, which is a house specialty. My brother ate it every week for years, barely trying anything else on the menu. The shrimp were generous, very fresh and done just right. The Scampi was served with the classic lemon/garlic sauce and accompanied by lightly sauteed thin sliced zucchini, fresh carrots and pan-roasted new potatoes. Everything was hot and perfectly done. No wonder it is the house specialty. The meal was served with fresh-baked bread, warm from the oven.

I was pleasantly surprised at the quieter atmosphere. It used to be difficult to carry on a conversation with the noise level. During a busy night, no waiting room or bar meant standing outside in the wind and fog. This time we walked right in and sat at a nice, quiet, warm spot.

While we were served right away, there was a slight difference in the service. Our waiter didn't explain the specials or offer a wine list. To my dismay, there was no inexpensive house Chianti served with dinner and the prices had gone up. Again, the food was fabulous, but after splitting a house salad and ordering only one glass of wine each, plus our entrees, (no appetizers, other drinks or desserts) our bill was $50, which I consider slightly high for a neighborhood restaurant.

Other little things that struck me as odd was that there was no takeout menu and they served butter in foil packets. I don't know if economy is the reason some of the nice personal touches have been dropped but it makes such a difference in the dining experience.

I recommend Mescolanza for a great special night out, when price isn't such an object. I've had most everything on the menu and the food is really wonderful.

Mescolanza Pasta - Pizzetta Dolce
2221 Clement St. (between 23rd and 24th avenues)
(415) 668-2221
Open seven days a week, from   5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Catering and private lunch parties available
Opened: 1987