Mascalzone

Reviews 6

KR

Kris Stanley

***DO NOT GO!!! *** Go to the Mascalzone on Shepard; so much better! My family had dinner there 7/19/15. Ambiance Nice layout and comfortable, but on a Hot summer evening they choose not to burden the dining room with A/C; not fun perspiring through dinner. We asked for them to turn the air down and the waiter admitted that it was very warm in the restaurant and he would get it cooled off. FOOD The majority of the food was marginal. The lobster in the lobster bisque was FAKE, imitation lobster fingers from the grocery store. Large cubes of fake lobster meat floating in orange mud cream. The bonus is that the waiter took so long to bring it to the table it had a thick skin on top of it. The Caesar was not a Caesar. It was covered in either the wrong dressing or the worst Caesar dressing ever; perhaps a poured over Creamy Italian from a jug of dressing in the kitchen, but surely not a salad tossed with homemade dressing of garlic, parm and egg. The chef came to the table to ask about our food and we explained that they were missing the mark. The chef did not jump to action, rather he said he was new (2 weeks) and was learning how the old chefs did things. He did offer to "fix the Caesar", but the offer had come too late to salvage the evening. My wife had the Mussels which were good and one of my daughters had the fettuccine Alfredo, both were good. The Veal Piccata was over floured and was slimy. The Piccata sauce was more like pure lemon juice rather than a blend of butter, lemons and garlic. Maybe I am just being picky, but if you are making hose-made desserts, cant you make fresh whipped cream (cream, sugar and a mixer) and not fake redi-whip cream out of a can? Dinner would have been acceptable if these were the only discrepancies; but then there was our server.... SERVICE: If there is an award for worst waiter in Houston, I would like to nominate "Daniel #11. I believe that we were the waiters only table in his station. He spent most of the evening hanging out in the kitchen. He seemed surprised that he had a table and it seemed that we wished we would just leave. He obviously forgot about us a couple of times during the meal including after we were done eating; he had not pre-bussed the table and we sat (finished eating for 10 min). It became a joke to walk the hostess and bus boys ignore us as well. The hostess spoke with each table around us and as I tried to get her attention she strolled back to the hostess stand. Bus boys brought water once each glass was empty, but left the plates, napkins, etc. on the table. Dinner for 4: $155 and very disappointing! Shame on you owners, managers and staff!

---

V

V L

The food, drinks, service and atmosphere are amazing. I cant tell you how mad I am for not having eaten here sooner, especially after how many times Ive driven past it. The staff here are so friendly and engaging they make you want to be a regular. To start the meal, they bring you bread with olive oil and some great balsamic vinegar, as well as a spicy oil for dipping. Be careful, its the kind of spice that sneaks up on you and makes you cough, but its so good. We ordered the salmon lax, which is smoked salmon on a bed of shaved fennel, topped with a red onion marmalde so good I would go back just for that alone. I ordered the pappardelle for my entree, which was the perfect al dente, and had very tender lamb pieces. My friend ordered the tagliatelle, which Ill probably order next time, because the sauce was so rich and flavorful. I had the red sangria with my meal, which was light and not too sweet- perfect for summer. We finished with the affogato with a scoop of chocolate with chili (the kick sneaks up on you here too!) and stracciatella. The espresso was smooth, and a wonderful end to the meal. I would recommend this place for groups, a date, or just a regular dinner. I will definitely be coming back again and again.

---

LI

Lily Bakalar

Ive been a regular guest at this restaurant for some time . The service was quite good and Roberto was always helpful. The food and the choices are limited for Italian restaurant. Ive been fortunate enough to travel and experience Italian food and always appreciated it. Overlooked some issues at this particular location on Westheimer , longer wait for food, lacking of a happy hour event ( even been said they are working on it??) , limited selection of food etc.. The last visit was the last one for me and I am sad to say so. This owner already closed one of his restaurants in Houston and you would think they will change and learn how to improve. I was wrong. Being charged ridiculous $2 extra on my pizza, waited for my bread more than 30 min, overcharged for a San Pelegríno, served flank steak so full of gristle.. what else to say? I left with not saying a word, leaving a tip for a final farewell. Sad to see how once a good restaurant with a good service came to this..

---

SO

Son Ngo

Fresh ingredients, amazing service and friendly smiles. What more could you ask for? Moment of truth here. If anyone asks me what I want to eat, I never pick Italian food. Why? Carbs and the places Ive been have always disappointed and left me with heartburn. Today, was a different day. Today was the day that I was craving Italian food and stumbled upon Mascalzone. This place is amazing! The beautiful decor, friendly service and food makes me rethink Italian food again. We ordered the bruschetta trio appetizer, there was a longer name but I shortened it here, the lasagna and tortellini. The appetizer is definitely worth picking up as the combinations fit well with the toasted and not soggy bread. The lasagna was absolutely incredible! The five layers melted in my mouth and had me almost licking my plate. The tortellini was excellent as well but my girlfriend took the majority of it. Definitely recommended if you want excellent Italian food!

---

SR

Srinath Sathyamurthy

My favorite Italian restaurant in Houston. Special thanks to the manager Roberto who took such good care of us. It was our wedding anniversary and he was kind enough to accommodate us in their special wine cellar room for 2 without prior reservations (highly recommended). The food was excellent and their service was top notch (both Roberto and our waiter Juan kept checking on us to ensure that we got the food on time). Its always good to specifically mention vegetarian items on the menu as this really helps people like me who are strict vegetarians. Since its located in a fairy big sized complex, parking is not an issue at all. I highly recommend this restaurant as the food is great and they really take good care of their customers.

---

JA

Jay Francis

An almost all Italian staff lend authenticity to this location A spectacular VPN quality pizza. There are three Mascalzone restaurants in London. Now, two in Houston. Alberto Baffoni, the brilliant Italian chef, is lending his instincts and experience to the Westheimer location. The pizzaola, Ray, is Neopolitan and has over 24 years experience at his craft. To watch him stretch and throw a pizza dough is a magical thing. I only wish that I could post videos of him at work. The pizza is perfectly realized, as good as any one would have in Italy. No burned crust, no burned flour taste. Just perfect. And the entrees are excellent. This is a place that I would not hesitate to take out of town guests. Recommended.

---

---