Find us on Facebook          Follow us on Twitter                         December 16, 2011

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UPCOMING
EVENTS

TAPAS MADNESS WEDNESDAY 12/21/11
$5 Tapas and by-the-glass wines.
5:00 - 9:00 PM
 
FILET MIGNON NIGHT
THURSDAY 12/22/11
Appetizer, 6 oz Filet Mignon, taste of creme br�l�e - all for $18!
Open seating from 5:00 to 9:00 PM
 
Reserva
ENTERTAINMENT

THIS WEEK

 

KARENNA LEE

Friday 12/16

7 to 10 PM

Kareena Lee 

Karenna moves easily between jazz, blues, cabaret and pop. Her versatile style and extensive repertoire includes romantic ballads to latin favorites and broadway tunes. Her very entertaining and dynamic style are a welcome treat to a relaxing dinner on a Friday night. She is a must see!!

 

LISA WHITLEY

Saturday 12/17

7 to 10 PM

Lisa 

Lisa is the 2004 winner of KPRC TV's Houston's Gimme the Mike. Lisa was selected out of 1600 contestants. Scoring a perfect 40 with a soul grabbing delivery of "Over the Rainbow", Lisa won the competition. She has also performed live on the Jerry Lewis Telethon and sang the national anthem for the televised game of the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

 
 
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13215 Grant Rd.

Suite 1200

Cypress, TX 77429

(832) 717-7870

www.mezzanotte.tv

Piqueo  
13215 Grant Rd.
Suite 1800
Cypress, TX 77429
(281) 404-4190
CHECK OUR BLOG
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THE INNER CIRCLE

We have an "Inner Circle" card for you. Please ask your server, or Adriana or me to give you your "Inner Circle" card. If you have been a member of the program your points are still there. Just remember to register your card so that you can follow your points. Registration of the card is very simple by going to our website or the following link:

 

INNER CIRCLE

 

NOTE: the Inner Circle card works at both restaurants!

HOW TO BUILD A RESTAURANT
This coming Monday December 19 Mezzanotte is turning 6 years old!!
It is hard to believe that we have been around for that long already. Back in May of 2005 I remember signing the lease agreement for our space with a very vague idea of what we wanted to do. Of course we wanted good quality food and superb service - but neither one of us had ever worked at a restaurant in our lives!! Having eaten at many world class restaurants during my corporate career seemed, at the time, as enough qualifications to own a restaurant. Well...we didn't have a clue of what we were getting into. Adriana was 3 months pregnant with our son Diego when we signed the lease contract on that memorable day of May '05. (Our naivet� led us to believe that we could finish construction and be open by mid September - and we didn't open until December 19!)
 
By mid 2006 (barely 6 to 7 months into our adventure) we were pretty much tired of continuing pouring money into a business that was about to join the restaurant statistics. By the end of 2006 our partner had disappeared into the oblivion and we were left holding the bag of debt. Fortunately (and that is how life works) our chef had left three months earlier and I decided that I had to figure out how to cook professionally!! Of course cooking for friends at home is VERY different. But as soon as I grabbed that knife and those pans I realized that this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life!! It was like falling in love with a person you knew you would spend your life with (and I did that too)!!
 
To make a very long story short: we are still around - we are extremely busy but also extremely happy with our lives as they turned out. We wouldn't change a thing!
 
Sometimes people say "I could write a book" but in my case I think I could really write a book. The journey from corporate executive to cook/restaurateur/janitor/sommelier/server is a journey filled with experiences that sometimes are hard to believe. If I find the time I will probably write that book. In the mean time I will stick to the restaurant work.
 
In celebration of our 6th anniversary I decided to make a compilation of pictures from those 2005 days, when Mezzanotte was built, and share them with you in this short video. I hope you enjoy it:
HOW TO BUILD A RESTAURANT
HOW TO BUILD A RESTAURANT
AND, OF COURSE, COME ON OVER TO MEZZANOTTE THIS WEEKEND FOR A MANDATORY CELEBRATORY GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE!
NEW WINES AT MEZZANOTTE
We have two Italian "jewel" wines that we are introducing to our ever expanding wine menu at Mezzanotte:
 
ROSSO DI MONTALCINO DOCG - VALDICAVA '09                 Bottle $58

No reviews yet for the 2009 vintage but it may very well be the most consistently outstanding wine in vintages 2006-2010 in all of Montalcino. The aromas are complex and generous, redolent of spiced cherry and strawberry, new leather, and a hint of purple flowers. In the mouth, very focused and bright at first but then mouthcoating with flavors of sweet red fruit, tangy cherry, leather, tar, and violets. Then, just glorious on the long, lingering, finish as the flavors mingle and dance over silky fine tannins and just a touch of juicy acidity.

  

BAROLO DOCG - PIRA '07                                                     Bottle $62

91 points Robert Parker - hugely promising with fabulous inner perfume and tons of vintage character. The fruit is wonderfully open and expressive, and there is plenty of the houses trademark richness, but it all comes together in what appears to be an approachable, totally delicious Barolo.


NEW WINES AT PIQUEO

As of this writing Piqueo is only 4 days old. But we are already having fun choosing new wines for our small initial wine list (already 45 labels big). Here are the additions of the week:

 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON - BISHOP'S PEAK                       Bottle $32

Paso Robles, California - 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec. This wine shows complex aromas of cassis, blackberry, pencil shavings, and sage. The mid-palate is medium bodied with flavors of spicy cranberry, and pistachios finishing with balanced delicate tannins and refreshing acidity.

 

CABERNET FRANC BROADBENT BARBOURSVILLE          Bottle $38

Virginia - 100% Bordeaux and Loire Cabernet Franc Clones

Virginia?? you say! no kidding - this is a hard to believe outstanding wine (selected by the British Embassy in Washington DC to celebrate the royal wedding). Dark garnet core, brilliant clarity in the glass. Intense, effusively luscious flavors of ripe red berries with caramelised notes of fig, cherry, and plum, elegantly woven together in barrel. Long-finishing and tannically vivid, yet with a remarkably soft palate

 

PRIORAT - ALVARO PALACIOS CAMINS                            Bottle $42

94 points Robert Parker; 90 points IWC - Pungent aromas of cassis, plum, licorice and woodsmoke. Sappy and broad but focused, with lively acidity lifting the spicy dark fruit flavors. Finishes sweet and long, with fine-grained tannins adding grip.

 

CUVEE BUONCRISTIANI OPC                                              Bottle $56

Napa Valley - 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Syrah, 17% Merlot, 10% Malbec. 90 points Robert Parker: It possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as abundant aromas of charcoal and camphor intermixed with background oak and spice. Medium to full-bodied with excellent purity, texture and length.

 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON - MELKA CJ                                   Bottle $62

Napa Valley - 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot. 90 points Robert Parker: It exhibits aromas of blueberry, anise and black currants along with subtle hints of Asian spices. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated - packed with rich fruit flavors. It possesses a velvety texture with a mouth feel full of layers. The best expression of some of the great hillside vineyards in southern Napa Valley. 

SPECIALS OF THE WEEK AT MEZZANOTTE

 

ZUPPA DI FREGOLA CON LE VONGOLE - $7

This Sardinian soup uses fregola -which is similar to couscous- to give texture to a wonderful saffron and tomato broth. Clams and pancetta complete the dish.

 

PIADINA CON TALEGGIO - $8

5" flat focaccia bread toped with imported Taleggio cheese and hot cappicola ham. Paper thin slices of apple complete this fantastic "pizzetta".

 

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI - $8

Try this new appetizer: a ravioli filled with deliciously creamy butternut squash. Complemented wonderfully with our butter sage sauce

 

WINTER CAPRESE SALAD - $8

You cant miss this! Creamy imported burrata toped with our fabulous pesto and roasted cherry tomatoes. Beautiful presentation and better taste!

 

LINGUINI PESCATORE - $26

Combines a great variety of seafood (clams, mussels, shrimp, fish, calamari). Slowly cooked with onions, tomatoes and basil. Served over linguini pasta.


BISTECCA CON PORCINI

FILET MIGNON - $32

RIB EYE - $29

Our "secret" rub mix includes the earthy and fabulous porcini mushroom. Overnight rest with the rub on ensures a unique flavor and tenderness. We recommend medium-rare but you can have it any way you'd like.

 

LIMONCELLO CAKE - $7

We added some Italian Limoncello to our pound cake and covered with a mascarpone cheese frosting. Very light and delicious!