The flavor came in the loops of pesto on the plate and in the cloud-tender mozzarella.
Although there are plenty of standard bar menu favorites, like the Viking Platter combo of chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and buffalo wings ($16), the appetizers steer into Asian fusion territory with a tower of orange-ginger fried calamari, tossed with hearts of palm, bananas and toasted peanuts ($12), and a hearty Philly cheese steak egg roll ($9).
More to my liking was a lovely treatment of tender buffalo mozzarella paired with roasted red peppers, tomato pesto, caramelized red onions and lemon zest.
The salad is noteworthy for the contrast between its warm, plump shrimp and cool to room temperature, tender greens, diced mozzarella, tomatoes, onions and bruschetta points.
Based on soft, tender pita, the slices oozed mozzarella, which bound a topping of fresh tomato and sweet basil.
Vitello Siciliano united tender veal scaloppine with eggplant, mozzarella and fresh tomatoes, while grilled veal chop (nodino alla salvia) was meaty and well married to a sharp sage sauce.
The antipasto was not the usual soggy mismatched suspects but four yummy partners: two warm grilled shrimp, tender crispy calamari rings, fried mozzarella enlivened with sun-dried tomatoes, and basil and eggplant rollatine, which was extremely light with more spinach than cheese in the filling.
The warm, crusty bread envelops a pocket of melty, gooey mozzarella cheese and tender shredded chicken that's got just enough of a kick to make you aware of it but not enough to render your taste buds useless.
A mix of house-made mozzarella cheese and tender-ripe champagne mango in a pink peppercorn and cilantro dressing ($12) did not sound promising.
