54 Mint

Love this place and so glad it’s still around. While great for pre-theater, I’d recommend this restaurant for any special occasion. The food is finely crafted Italian, the tables are nicely spread out, upstairs is elegant and downstairs seating is “cool”. The wine list is unique and very Italian which is hard to find in a city that rightfully celebrates California wines. Service is attentive and a throwback to time when customer service meant something. They also occasionally have a prix fix menu that is a relatively great value.

I think I'll have some celebratory Ravioli at the 54 Mint Ristorante Italiano because I just scored a vintage Stacker Hangwoggler from a craigslist seller that called himself Kid Kool. I asked him why he's selling it, and he said he needed to part with it so he could buy a gold chain for his neck. I told him his friends are going to steal it from him, and he was okay with it as long as he knew where it was. Who doesn't love Ravioli, especially when it has the deep richness of a perfectly cooked bolognese sauce with Italian sausage and a hint of fresh fennel...WOW! ☆☆☆☆☆ 54 Mint Ristorante Italiano is the place for me when I just have to have perfect Ravioli.

We started with the Saltimbocco. Veal cutlets with prosciutto in a white wine sauce. The veal was tender. The prosciutto made it nicely chewy. It was a bit salty, which wasn’t surprising with prosciutto, and very tasty. We had Halibut in black lentils with broccolini. The halibut portion was on the large side. It was a seasoned slightly crispy on the bottom but tender and flaky. The broccolini was great in this bowl. I wished for more of it and less lentils. The dish was a bit salty but quite good. We also had the Fettuccine with oyster and crimini mushrooms. It also had Calabrian chili, unfortunately used minimally, and topped with a reggiano cheese. The pasta was made and cooked to perfection and the mushrooms were delicious and tender. It was the same white wine sauce as the appetizer but tasted less salty. Delicious and filling. We finished with the flourless chocolate cake. It lacked good chocolate flavor. Several good wine choices by the glass. Prices seemed a bit high for a 6 oz pour. The environment was comfortable if not a bit chilly inside. For some reason the hostess kept the front door open. Nighttime ambiance is nice with neat little lamps at each table.

Really great Italian spot. For appetizers we tried the bufalo and prosciutto. Excellent bufalo! The ribeye was one of the better ribeyes I’ve ever tried. The carbonara was good but pretty typical. The favorite was the short rib. For dessert we got both the panna cotta and the flourless chocolate cake. The panna cotta is well worth buying. The chocolate cake was truly disappointing. It was tasteless and seemed not just flourless but sugar-less and chocolate-less. Great service though.

This Italian restaurant exceeded all my expectations. The service was impeccable, and the staff was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, helping us select the perfect dishes. The food was nothing short of a culinary masterpiece; the flavors and presentation were outstanding. The ambiance was perfect for a quiet dinner with friends - cozy and inviting, with the soft glow of candlelight. I can't wait to return and savor more of their exquisite offerings.

Decent Italian restaurant sitting at a corner of square. We didn’t have a reservation, so got seated at the bar. Got prosciutto and Buffalo mozzarella, and bread basket for appetizer. Both pretty good. Wish the mozzarella was a bit more. The olive oil that came with the breadbasket was quite good. Had the carbonara for main. Very rich pasta (almost a little too rich), nice thick pork pieces, and pasta cooked to just right. Overall decent place, may come back if I’m in the area again.