Perfectly Paried Food and Wine at Pazza Luna

Make your reservations now for our next Wine Dinner on Thursday October 23rd at 7:00pm

The menu has been carefully crafted by Chef Gianfranco to match the distinct qualities of each wine paring. $55 per person includes all taxes & gratuities!

Octopus Salad with fennel and tomato
Paired with Falesco Vitiano Bianco
~ Vermentino/Verdicchio -delightful and fresh wine that offers a rich bouquetof fresh herbs, lime and ripe pears.

Risotto with pesto and roasted mixed mushrooms
Paired with Falesco Merlot
~ The aromas of blackberry, tobacco and vanilla linger on the long andpleasant finish.

Oven Roasted Grouper encrusted with walnuts in red pepper sauce
Paired with Falesco Ferentano
~ Ferentano presents a rich array of tropical fruit aromas that range frombanana to pineapple, with hints of fresh herbs and vanilla.

Slow Roasted Flap Tail Chuck served with spinach infused mashed potatoes
Paired with Falesco Marciliano Cabernet
~ Layers of blackberries and licorice are evident on the nose and on thepalate, while the chewy tannins frame an austere yet elegant and densestructure.

Polenta cake with vanilla gelato olive oil and salt
Paired with Falesco Pomele Aleatico
~ Dark ruby red in color, slightly sweet but clean and fresh, Pomele is theultimate dessert wine.

Call today for your reservation (410) 962-1212 or book online free at http://www.pazzaluna.us/

Have You Started Planning Your Holiday Party Yet???

Make It A Special Holiday Celebration at Pazza Luna!
Book your reservations now for on and off-site event catering.

Every year you say that next years holiday party will be different…better food…festive atmosphere…just more fun. Now is the time to start creating the event you’ve been thinking about when you book your holiday event with Pazza Luna Restaurant.

We have a variety of options to choose from when planning your event. Be it an intimate gathering for 20 in our private room, the second floor space for 50 or the entire restaurant for up to 75 people. We can even bring our delectable food to your site of choice.

Get your party started today by calling Shanna Isaac at (410) 962-1212 and she will help you throught the entire process. Let Chef Gianfranco design you a memorable custom menu to fit both your tastes and budget.

Contact us today to create the event you’ve been dreaming about all year. Dates are filling up fast!

Fall is Here...and So Is Our New Menu

Can't you almost taste it...

Capesante con Salsa Di Cioccolato ~ Pan seared scallops served with sautéed leaks & chocolate mango sauce

Ravioli di Zucca ~ Butternut squash and goat cheese stuffed ravioli tossed with cream sage and truffle butte

Scaloppine al Porto ~ Veal Medallions with port wine pomagranite demi-glaze sauce served with vegtables

These are just a few items on our new fall menu, visit our website for a complete virtual tasting (on the homepage, click on the first star to the left to view our lunch and dinner menus)

Weekly Specials Beat the Bailout Package!

The recent economy issues have been hard everyone, so what better way to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle than with one of our cost-conscious specials. Join us!

Tuesday is $15 Seafood night

Wednesday enjoy $10 pasta night

Thursday tips off the weekend with half price bottles of wine

As always, we enjoy seeing you any night of week (except Mondays when even Chef Gianfranco needs a night off...)

Other promotions and discounts are not applicable with Weekly Specials

Zagat 'Top Romantic Dining' Rating

Zagat's newest ratings gives Pazza Luna a "very good to execellent" review and ranks us as a Top Romantic spot! If you haven't seen us in a while bring your sweetie and make a top ranking of your own...

Read the Zagat Review here

Restaurant Week Extended!

We've Extended Baltimore Restaurant Week Another Week!
Ends Sunday August 10th ~ Make your reservation today

Baltimore Restaurant Week has been so popular we are extending it for onemore week! As always, you will still be able to order from our regular menuand even join us for Wednesday for $10 Pasta Night.

BRW specials this week will continue with our two-course lunch special for$20.08 or our three-course dinner offering for only $30.08. ChefGianfranco Fracassetti has created a special menu that will give you awell-studied tour of delicious, authentic Italian cuisine.

Look forward to seeing you soon!

Baltimore Restaurant Week July 26-Aug 3

Make your reservations now as they often sell out. Call us (410) 962-1212 or book your table now online at Open Table

Pazza Luna Menu. Select one item from each course.

Lunch $20.08
Course one
- Gazpacho
- Mozzarella Caprese: Fresh mozzarella served with oven dried tomatoes and pesto sauce

Course Two
- Linguini alla Vongole- Veraci Linguini tossed with little neck clams in a fresh
tomato and white wine sauce
- Spaghetti alla Norma: whole wheat spaghetti tossed with fresh tomato,mozzarella, basil and eggplant
- Pollo Caprese: Chicken Breast topped with tomato, mozzarella cheese, and basil with homemade marinara sauce
- Red Snapper grilled with lemon olive oil and served with mixed vegetables
Course ThreeCrème Brule or Cannoli

Dinner - $30.08
Course One
- Mozzarella Caprese: Fresh mozzarella served with oven dried tomatoes and pesto sauce
- Insalata Pazza Luna: Mixed field greens with red onion, orange segments, roasted beets, black olives, walnuts, raisins and goat cheese with white wine vinaigrette
- Prosciutto e Pesca Prosciutto with grilled peach topped with arugula salad &
topped with parmesan
- Gazpacho

Course Two
- Pappardelle al Gamberi: house-made pappardelle tossed with pesto, shrimp, sun dried tomato & goat cheese
- Tagliatelle del Bolognese: egg pasta tossed with our classic Bolognesemeat sauce
- Pollo Al Mattone: marinated Cornish game hen on the grill drizzled withlemon olive oil
- Rolled Branzino: stuffed with tomato and basil topped with salmoriggiosauce served with mashed potatoes
- Ricotta Pear Ravioli: tossed with butter and sage.
Veal Cheek Stew served with potato cake and broccoli

Course Three
- Pistachio Brule or Cannoli or Ameretto Semi-Freddo

We Know Wine ~ Just Ask Chris

My name is Chris Clune, and I am absolutely crazy about wine. In case you didn't know, I have been working as the sommelier for Sotto Sopra for the past five years, and have recently moved to Pazza Luna, to take over the same duties there.

I envision this blog spot to be an extension of what I do on a daily basis. When I taste a wine, I am not only thinking about the component flavors that make up the wine itself. I try to consider where the wine came from, what environmental factors contributed to make the wine what it is. More importantly, I search in my mental database for a food match - what would I want to eat while the flavors in the wine dance over my tastebuds.

I don't want to sound like a total geek here. Wine, to me, is at its absolute best when it hangs around with its two best friends: great food and great conversation.

Leave the technical consideration to me, and ask me questions. If you see me at the bar, and you have a hankering for one of Gianfranco's awesome pastas, ask me what I think will go best with it. I'll probably ask you a couple of questions too, to get an idea of what flavors or styles of wine you like. Or what kind of mood you are in that day. My recommendation will be based only on what you tell me, combined with what I know the wine will give. I also guarantee that you will enjoy the wine. If you don't, I'll pour you another, and another and another, until we hit the match.

Wine is not the only tasty thing going on at Pazza Luna's bar. Each week, I plan on inventing a new cocktail special. You can taste one for a dollar, if you pop in during happy hour. This week, I've got a vat of fresh watermelon margaritas brewing.

This blog is just the introduction. Check back often, as I'll be musing on wine tastings, or strange news in the wine world, or just announcing my special cocktail. It promises to be a fun ride.

Join us for Father's Day - this SUNDAY!

Treat Your Dad to a Special Evening at Pazza Luna!
Now taking reservations for Father's Day, Sunday June 15th

Coming up with a special treat for Dad can be tough sometimes. He seems to have all the toys, but never the time.

Spend your special evening with Dad enjoying fine Italian cuisine and wine, in a cozy and relaxing atmosphere. Catch up on old times and talk over plans for new ones.

Samples from our Trattoria Italiana dinner menu include:

Filetto Di Manzo Beef Tenderloin wrapped with bacon topped with mushroom sauce & served with sautéed vegetables & sour cream mashed potatoe

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca Classic Bergamo house-made filled pasta of pork, beef & lamb tossed with Taleggio cheese, Prosciutto di Parma & asparagus drizzled with truffle oil

Scaloppine al Limone Veal medallions in a white wine, artichoke, lemon & caper sauce

Along with these sumptuous items Chef Gianfranco Fracassetti will be preparing special dishes worthy of your favorite Dad.

We will be opening at 4:00pm on Father’s Day. Call today for your reservation 410-962-1212 or online anytime at Open Table http://www.blogger.com/www.opentable.com/rest_profile.aspx?rid=10354&ref=10018.

Gianfranco's Food and Wine Dinner

A Taste of Italy

Chef's Food and Wine Dinner

Thursday, April 24th - 7 p.m.

Course One

Marinated Beef Carpaccio

Rosemary, juniper, salt and sage are used to marinate the beef which is then topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh arugula

Paired with San Giuseppe Lambrusco del Emilia 2005

Course Two

Seafood Lasagna

House-made spinach noodles layered with assorted seafood, Parmesan and provolone cheeses
Paired with San Guiseppe Pinot Grigio Rose 2006

Course Three

Roasted Pork

Pork loin roasted with apricots and plums
Paired with Pere Alessandro Nebbiolo D’ Alba 2005

Course Four

Apple Strudel
Paired with Pere Alessandro Moscato D’ Asti 2005

Cost per person: $55.00

(tax and gratuity are included in the price)

Call Shanna at 410 962 1212 for reservations. Guaranteed reservations are required.

Cancellation Policy: Reservations can be cancelled up to 24 hours prior to the dinner without being charged.

Salt-Encrusted Branzino Recipe

Branzini, which are also known as spigole in Italy, are among the most popular Mediterranean fish, and always have been. Sea bass is a very tasty fish, with relatively few, easy-to-remove bones and firm flesh that holds its shape when cooked.

SALT-ENCRUSTED BRANZINO
Serves 2

1 Whole Branzino – cleaned and gutted (approximately 10-12 ounces)
Olive Oil
2-3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary
1 Egg White
½ cup Orange Juice
2 Cups Kosher Salt


1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. Coat your baking pan with olive oil.
3. Place the branzino in the middle of the pan and put the sprigs on fresh rosemary inside the fish.
4. In a medium bowl mix the egg white with the orange juice and then mix in the kosher salt.
5. Cover the fish with the salt mixture patting it on to encase it.
6. Place the fish in the oven for 25 minutes.
7. The salt will have harden so will crack it and remove all the salt mixture. Do not eat the salt. Your Branzino is ready to eat.

Gianfranco's Basic Polenta Recipe

Basic Polenta
4 cups and 4 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups coarse yellow corn meal

In a medium pot, bring 4 cups of water, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Lower flame to medium and SLOWLY add cornmeal to pot, stirring constantly (do not let lumps form) Take all the time you need to add cornmeal. Keep stirring and start to add from the remaining 4 cups of water slowly a little at a time. It should take 15 min to cook polenta. Be sure to add water slowly to last through out the 15 mins. Once cooked it should be smooth and lump free.The polenta is done when it peels easily off the sides of the pot.

Our Valentines Day Menu

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

INSALATE E ANTIPASTI

Asparagus soup 7

Fried oysters served with arugula salad and lemon butter sauce 11

Duck breast marinated with honey and pepper served with port reduction and pomegranate 13

Pazza Luna Salad - mixed greens with red onion, orange segments, beets, walnuts, raisins and goat cheese with white wine vinaigrette 9

PRIMI

Lobster ravioli in brandy and bisque sauce 20

Heart-shaped ravioli with fresh tomato sauce 18

House-made fettuccine tossed with shrimp, sun-dried tomato and pesto finished with crumbled goat cheese 19

Strawberry risotto served with grilled lamb chops 23

SECONDI

Beef Napoleon with portobello mushrooms and zucchini in red wine reduction 29

Grilled halibut in cream sauce with crab 28

Roasted Branzino stuffed with clams, mussels, and shrimp served with vegetables 28

DOLCI

Passion fruit soup with passion fruit ice cream 7

Chocolate cake with a mix berry sauce 6

Strawberry chocolate tart 7

Please call for Reservations

410-962-1212 or Open Table

One Year Anniversary

Join us for our
Our 1 Year Anniversary Celebration Dinner

Thursday, February 28th at 7 p.m.
The Wines of Italy Dinner

Opening Toast
Ca’Montini Prosecco

Course One
Cauliflower Soup

Paired with CA'MONTINI PINOT GRIGIO TRENTO D.O.C.G.

Course Two
Homemade Manicotti stuffed with spinach, butternut squash, and ricotta with butter and sage sauce topped with Parmigiano

Paired with VALIANO CHIANTI CLASSICO D.O.C.G. 2004

Course Three
Roast Beef stuffed with eggs, asparagus, prosciutto served with soft polenta

Paired with CA'MONTINI CABERNET UMBRIA D.O.C. 2003

Course Four
Mix Fruit Tart

Paired with UMBERTO FIORE BRACHETTO PIEMONTE D.O.C.

Cost per person:

$59 per person includes taxes and gratuity.

(10% of the proceeds go to Susan G Koman Foundation)

Please call 410-962-1212 or use Open Table for your reservations

We've Extend our Winter Restaurant Week to February 10th

We Have Extended Restaurant Week at Pazza Luna

We hope you can join us for Baltimore's Winter Restaurant Week starting Monday, January 28th and ending Sunday, February 10th. We will be serving lunch and dinner.

RESERVATIONS ARE HIGHLY SUGGESTED

Prix Fixe $30.08 Dinner

Dinner Appetizer

choice of
Butternut Squash Soup

or
Octopus Salad with Potato and Canellini beans

Dinner Entrée
choice of

ScaloppineVeal in a Port Pomegranate Sauce
or

Casoncelli alla Bergamasca
house-made filled pasta with pork, beef and lamb tossed with
Taleggio cheese and asparagus with truffle oil
or

Pappardelle with Shrimp, Tomato and Arugula

Dinner Dessert

choice of
Goat Cheese Cake
or

Cannoli

Prix Fixe $20.08 Lunch

Lunch Appetizer
choice of

Butternut Squash Soup
or

Pazza Luna Salad

Lunch Entrée
choice of

Garganelli Pazzi
garganelli pasta served with gorgonzola cheese, pears and amaretti crumbs
or

Pollo Caprese
chicken breast topped with tomato,
mozzarella cheese and basil with marinara sauce
or

Roasted Branzino with capers, fresh tomato and olives

Lunch Dessert
choice of

Cannoli
or

Panna Cotta

Call 410 962 1212 or use open table for reservations

They Love us at Black Coffee and a Donut

We just discovered a wonder post by the two Baltimore blogging sisters Xani and Erin about their dinner here at Pazza Luna just this past week. Their words speak volumes, visit their blog Black Coffee and a Donut-Click here They took some very nice pictures as well.

Thank you gals, glad you enjoyed the food!