Mezzanine masters the art of dining
By Mary D. Scourtes
LA MEZZANINE
BOTTOM LINE: French fusion and fabulous ambience in the heart of old Ybor
WHERE: 1619 Seventh Ave., Ybor City
HOURS: 6-10:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 6-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
CREDIT CARDS: All major
RESERVATIONS: Yes
SMOKING: Yes
CHILDREN'S MENU: No
HANDICAPPED ACCESS: Yes
CALL: (813) 241-4139
R E V I E W
YBOR CITY - A sweeping staircase, suspended art and rounded sconces turn the interior of La Mezzanine into a stylish showplace.
At least Chef Daniel Buyle doesn't throw any curves when he fuses fancy French fare with multicultural seasonings.
You'll notice Asian accents in the nori crab (seaweed and daikon) and warm spinach (with enoki mushrooms). Other melting-pot dishes include a Caesar salad with kalamata olives and tapenade wontons, and Cranberry Chicken Salad that boasts Leicester cheese.
Appetizers lift expectations.
A wonderfully crisp egg roll was a crackling combination of corn, feta cheese, scallions and spicy blackened chicken. A delicious dipping sauce combines ginger, scallions and teriyaki.
Black Forest ham complemented saucy escargots treated to a pinot noir reduction and a pair of corn tamales.
A cone-shaped fish tartare is striking. Smooth bites of salmon are a pleasant contrast to crunchy shallots, briny capers and fresh dill.
Shrimp and Skirt Sate was a well-seasoned dish. While the shrimp were moist, they were served with shells still on, which made them messy to eat.
You will feel you've traveled to distant lands by sampling some of the sushi. These fanciful wraps of salmon, halibut and other sea fare were presented on a chilled plate. There is nothing tame when kimchi, wasabi and hot chili sauce sauce are brushed across the big bites.
Pickled cabbage, sesame seeds and oysters are interesting on pizza.
And a well-seasoned dish of crisp greens cradles three squid, stuffed with rice, scallops and other seafood.
The menu features entrees you won't find elsewhere, such as cured duck (with Asian broth) and sauteed sweetbreads (with a wine reduction).
Two Mahogany Quails were served with julienned vegetables and a fragrant stuffing. Skirt steak saute gets high marks for piling tender beef on colorful add-ins - crunchy carrots, zucchini and strips of tamale.
We welcomed the restorative powers of al dente fettuccine, twirled around rings of calamari, scallions, manchego cheese and tomatoes.
A fashionable lobster ravioli was served on a bed of vibrant, vermouth-spiked spinach. The dish lost points, however, because one of the three pasta pockets was served without its tasty lobster filling.
Rich desserts - big enough to be shared by two, or even the next table - soothed the soul.
Caramel sauce, rum and a buttery-rich shortcake took a classic banana dish to new heights. And a white chocolate brownie (with ice cream and a chocolate medallion), along with a chocolate and coffee liqueur bread pudding, sent us in search of a dance floor.
Customers seem to have caught on to the look here, and management is wise to advise that proper dress is required.
And while the servers know the menu, sometimes they are rushed between tables.
Entrees range from $16 to $33; dinner for two with the works can run $80 or more.
La Mezzanine
