Mezza Luna - Just Another Red Sauce Italian Restaurant
 

I usually like to give a restaurant a couple of months before giving it a try so that hopefully they have gotten the kinks out. Last night we decided to give Mezza Luna in Colony Plaza a try. I had read about the lighting, but thought that they had probably worked that out....NOT. It was really dark in there, luckily they sat us next to one of the wall booths that had extra light so I borrowed their light to read the menu. The small print on the menu made reading the menu even more of a challenge.

My wife and I usually like to split an entr�e, when we go to Bonefish, we split an entr�e and a salad and the restaurant does all of it for us and serves the half entr�e and half salad on separate plates. When we decided to split an entr�e at Mezza Luna we were informed that there would be an $8.00 charge. No, I wouldn't object to a dollar or two charge because it had to be split and the extra dishes, but $8.00 insane. If you do decide you want to split, don't say anything, one of you order the dinner and one order only an appetizer, an appetizer can be purchased for less than the $8.00 split charge.

Why don't local Italian restaurants serve a variety of items? Where are the wonderful risotto's, gnocchi, osso buco, grilled fish?? If I want "red sauce" there are plenty of Italian restaurants to choose from and they won't charge me an $8.00 split fee!!

We don't have restaurants that serve those wonderful things in Ohio either. You must be used to the glorious food choices of a former home like New York City?


AND on the issue of the charge for splitting an entry, you are taking up space from someone who would be paying full price for their meal. Wait staff and the restaurant need to be making a certain amount. That is just business. Imagine if everyone would do it?


I suggest on the entry splitting issue that you do what many of us do and just ask for a box and take it home and then you can have the leftovers.

split an entree? Never. Can't make any money.

Well my two cents ...

a few weeks ago we tried ML ... I actually like the darker ambience but the food was ...sigh .. disappointing. Good portion sizes, and tasted ok but nothing special.

Most surprising ... the bread was stale ...actually not even tasty.

I may go back ... but probably not. Oh well ...

6 of us ate at the bar last night after our Parrot Head 5 O'Clock Somewhere. Everyone really liked what they got. All happy campers here.

I haven't been to Mezza Luna yet so can't really comment on the OP. However, I do wish they would launch their website (mezzalunagrill..com) complete with their menu. Every time I check out their website, I get nothing but the sounds of crickets... and that sound is generated in my own mind. Unfortunately, I can't get out to restaurants like most of you can, and frequently have meals delivered through The Villages Delivery Service. But I haven't been able to order since I don't have access to an online menu to make choices. I hope this changes soon!

BTW, I can add this about Mezza Luna... I've seen comments about ML both here and on other review sites, and have heard mostly positive comments along with some not so positive ones with one outside of TOTV being extremely negative. To me this further proves one thing, and that is that there's no substitute for finding out for yourself just how good or bad any restaurant is.

Great restaurant, food, service, the best barteners
my wife will be back

We eat there every week and are very happy with the food.

I'm originally from western NY and our Italian restaurants always carried those dishes. It was considered standard fare. Based on that I doubt one only has to be from a large metropolitan area to encounter that type of Italian food. I expect you have to be in an area that has a larger Italian population that serves authentic Italian food. I would also not pay an $8 split fee. I guess they feel they can get away with it, with all the snowbirds back and restaurants are packed. Thanks for the heads up.

I guess single diners should pay this $8 penalty too?

A single diner is not going to split an entree with anyone! The restaurant gets the full price of a meal out of a single diner without having to do twice the work and soil twice the dishes and silverware.

And the tip is reflective of the entire cost. I wonder if the entree splitters tip on the price of what it would be if they both had full meals? The waitstaff loses out here too.

I totally agree with GracieGirl (of course) that there is no reason to split the entree. Just get a box for the left-overs and have a nice lunch or dinner at home the next day. We usually have a couple of take-out boxes in our fridge at any given time.

As for quality of Italian food, I am no expert but I do like Italian food. Giovanni's at Southern Trace Plaza is always a good choice. They have large portions and we always get a lot of left-overs when we go there.

I do not understand the one poster's comment about single diners being charged an $8 penalty at MezaLuna.

$8 seems fair. Why would a restaurant want to let folks take up dining space and not get paid for it? Take your leftovers home for the next day and stay in that night.

People do have a choice of paying the split fee. Don't mind paying it, great split the meals. Don't want to pay it, have leftovers or go somewhere else.

Split an entree but use two sets of dishes, silverware and two people that get wait service. Really. I am sorry to say, but that is just bazar behavior to me. I can't believe that really happens. WOW!!!