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A new review of an old favorite

What once was Martini Italian Bistro is now Martini Modern Italian. It has the same owner, the folks at Cameron Mitchell’s, and, as the name states, still serves food inspired by the country shaped like a boot. But the makeover, from the menu to the décor, is significant. And for the good. In fact, we are pleased to give it a four-star rating.

Let’s start with the notable salads. The Caesar, which included arugula, was overdressed, but redeemed by a wonderful anchovy flavor. The heirloom beet salad, however, was a masterpiece. The beets were cut into angled chunks, marvelously tender yet not soft. They were laid out in a crescent on arugula and frisée, with a pool of marvelous goat cheese dressing in the center and magnificent pistachios scattered around.

The excellent fritto misto di mare, featuring calamari and asparagus, was crisp and tender. The antipasto was highly competent: fine quality meats, cheeses and marinated veggies. The dish had an addition I’d not seen before: crisp, pancetta-wrapped figs. Yum! And another item to rave about was the tuna crudo. The uncooked tuna was utterly fresh and fragrant, and the flavors, while mild, were distinct and perfectly blended.

All entrees were good and some outstanding. Salmon was fresh enough with a nice crisp. Veal Martini included three slices of sautéed veal in a tasty sauce with a nice arugula.

Two pastas stole my heart. Veal and spinach ravioli got everything right: construction, flavor, cooking, sauce. And the lasagna may be the best in town. It came as a straight-edged brick made of thick and perfect pasta fresca—tender as love—and arrived in a moat of vividly red and tasty tomato sauce. They even provided a small dish of crushed hot pepper to sprinkle. To die for.

At the top of the menu were six imaginative cocktails. I couldn’t resist “pomegranate and tarragon.” It was sweet and quite tasty. The wine selection was small, not cheap and quite interesting. I managed to sample three and was impressed with each. A Veronese was quite austere at the start, but when paired with the lasagna, it sang bass notes. The Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio was delicious. My favorite, from the Piedmont region of Italy, was the rich and complex Barbera d’Alba.

I also gobbled down the lemon meringue tart: lemony-sweet custard, real meringue in swirls and a fine berry compote.

What once was Martini Italian Bistro is now Martini Modern Italian. It has the same owner, the folks at Cameron Mitchell’s, and, as the name states,still serves food inspired by the country shaped like a boot. But the makeover, from the menu to the décor, is significant. And for the good.  In fact, we are pleased to give it a four star rating.

Let’s start with the notable salads.The Caesar, which included arugula, was overdressed, but redeemed by a wonderful anchovy flavor. The heirloom beet salad, however, was a masterpiece. The beets were cut into angled chunks, marvelously tenderyet not soft. They were laid out in a crescent on arugula and frisée, with a pool of marvelous goat cheese dressing in the center and magnificent pistachios scattered around.

Bruschetta was a bit soggy, but delicious. The excellent fritto misto dimare, featuring calamari and asparagus, was crisp and tender. The antipasto was highly competent: finequality meats, cheeses and marinated veggies. The dish had an addition I’d not seen before: crisp, pancetta wrapped figs. Yum! And another item to rave about was the tuna crudo. The uncooked tuna was utterly fresh and fragrant, and the flavors, while mild,were distinct and perfectly blended.

All entrees were good and some outstanding.  Salmon was fresh enough with a nice crisp. Veal Martini included three slices of sautéed veal in a tasty sauce with a nice arugula.

Two pastas stole my heart. Veal and spinach ravioli got everything right: construction, flavor, cooking, sauce.  And the lasagna may be the best in town. It came as a straight-edged brickmade of thick and perfect pasta fresca—tender as love—and arrived in a moat of vividly red and tasty tomato sauce.They even provided a small dish of crushed hot pepper to sprinkle. To die for.

At the top of the menu were six imaginative cocktails. I couldn’t resist “pomegranate and tarragon.” It was sweet and quite tasty. The wine selection was small, not cheap and quite interesting. I managed to sample three and was impressed with each. A Veronese was quite austere at the start, but when paired with the lasagna, it sang bass notes. The Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio was delicious. My favorite, from the Piedmont region of Italy, was the rich and complex Barbera d’Alba.

I also gobbled down the lemon meringue tart: lemony-sweet custard, real meringue in swirls and a fine berry compote.

The transformation of the Cameron Mitchell-owned Martini Italian Bistro into Mitchell's newest "concept," Martini Modern Italian, is more pronounced than the samey-sounding names might indicate. In fact, it's dramatic. And the drama comes in steady, hefty doses.

Inside the two-weeks-opened Martini Modern, lighting is also flagrantly dramatic. It pops up in profuse eye-popping modes: a self-contained rectangular structure of tiny clustered lights shining atop a long, communal front-room table; a round-cornered, deep white light box completely crowning a starkly white bar; a trio of outsized chandeliers unusually encased in sheer voluminous cylinders; and colored glass vases underlit in decorative niches.

These variegated lighting styles help define Martini's separate and surprisingly individuated spaces. So there's the (sometimes) wild and boisterous white bar, the lively main dining chamber with its open kitchen, huge curvilinear pillars and hardwood floors, and then a more subdued, carpeted back room.

Overseen by a large crew of highly efficient, white-shirt-and-tied waiters wearing black rounded-neck vests, the overall effect is upscale and, well, modern. (A note to would-be fashionistas: Martini still borders a huge hockey arena -- so expect some CBJ jerseys.)

But the food, at least what I've tried, was not all about "the modern." In fact, by and large, it was refreshingly precise classic Italian cooking. Now while the meal I shared was impressive, the prices were on the high side for what's basically a great Italian Sunday dinner. So expect some real-deal Italian cuisine, but also expect to drop a C-note on a couple of drinks, appetizers and entrees.

On the slurping front, there's the expected overpriced wines, but also ambitious cocktails. My favorite libation was probably the Apricot Sage ($9), wherein a sage leaf lightly flavored a sweet-tart highball concocted with Woodford Reserve bourbon.

Commendably, each meal here starts with a too-soft but locally baked loaf of focaccia (from Stan Evans Bakery) served with olive oil dotted by balsamico and a companion bowl holding a vibrant, genuine pesto -- a great touch!

I'd be hard-pressed to find salad elements I like better than arugula, chopped marcona almonds, intensely fruity oven-roasted tomatoes, a shower of pecorino and a light, bright dressing perfectly applied. It's available here and it's a terrific starter for $8.

Disappointingly, way too many "Bolognese sauces" in Columbus are only meaty red sauces. Not here. Martini's encouragingly authentic turn was actually potatoey-flavored good gnocchi doused in a believable Bolognese that left a telltale orange stain and bore the sweetness (from dairy and carrots) it should.

Served, yes, dramatically, it was ceremoniously dished up tableside from a shiny covered saute pan and was offered with a mini-bowl of chili flakes and a fresh grating of parmesan. It was worth every bit of its $14 -- and then some. In fact, this would've been a great deal anywhere.

I liked the tuna entree, too ($27). Four exemplary, rare slabs were layered like collapsed dominos above gnocchi and peeled and pared root vegetables that got flavored with a deeply reduced, red-wine glaze. That one was both delicate and potent.

The vivid Veal Martini ($24) was two postcard-sized, pounded-thin and lightly floured sheets of meat. Adorned with lots of wide, flat slices of sauteed garlic (maybe a bit pushy but never bullying), the tender veal was prettily pan-fried and served with prosciutto plus a top-notch lemon-and-wine-based real piccata-type pan sauce.

Modern? Yeah, maybe in drama and look. But from its great, old-fashioned table-coddling service to its golden-oldie -- if authentic -- recipes, this place also trades heavily in classic.

There should be some kind of warning about these things. Cameron Mitchell’s new Martini Modern Italian (the renovated version of the old Martini Italian Bistro) markets itself as several things.

The joint is more modern now? Fine. The food is Italian? Lovely.

But no place in that new moniker does it warn you about the guests—and they’re really something.

These days, most of Cameron Mitchell’s places seem designed for the everyman. That’s why the eateries are so darn popular.

But, for some reason, this project has attracted a crowd of guests that the average restaurateur would kill for: It’s the beautiful people. Perfectly groomed, with perfectly tailored suits and perfect Italian shoes, they’re well-heeled in every sense of the word.

Apparently, they even have enough money left after shopping to swamp the bar and form a shoulder-to-shoulder barricade of beauty that’s breathtaking when you first enter.

Once you get around the bar-side barricade, however, the dining area is less crowded (and less overwhelming).

The starters seem pretty standard: Beef Carpaccio, Tuna Tartar, Calamari. But one classic combination, asparagus and prosciutto, takes on new life in the Bruschetta offering ($9). It has the appeal of all things that combine the elements of cured meat, cheese (a not-too-aggressive Taleggio) and bread.

The salad department feels a little more interesting. First off, the Heirloom Beet Salad ($8) highlights all that is likable about beets: a bright palate (to which pistachios contribute) and a mild sweetness. More reasons to rejoice: The beet flavor trumps any barnyard accents contributed by the goat-cheese dressing.

Salads with sweet elements were popular for a while, but the Martini Salad ($7) might be signaling the demise of that trend. The team of greens, pine nuts, tomatoes and gorgonzola dressing is undeniably savory, and undeniably delicious.

There’s also something really good about Martini’s pasta. If the Gnocchi Bolognese ($14) isn’t particularly potato-y, it is particularly tender. The tuber taste was missed, but achieving tenderness in the gnocchi department is quite a feat—at most places, the little nubs make for tough chewing. The flavor in this version comes mostly from the meat sauce, a soft, homogenous combination of ground beef, veal and wild boar. Something about it feels vaguely like the famous three-meat CMR meatloaf.

The biggest source of dining fun so far has been the Chicken Carbonara ($15). The menu lists the pasta as “cresti,” and according to Google, that’s a real genre—it refers to curved tubes with big, rooster-style crests. Sure enough, that’s what’s on the plate along with shards of chicken and asparagus and bacon. It doesn’t look like there’s much sauce there, but there’s enough creamy stuff to make every blessed tube worth consuming.

The menu also makes a significant commitment to more formal meat dishes.

In the classic department would be the Osso Bucco ($27), with long-cooked meat and wintery root vegetables. With polenta, it feels like comfort cooking for the slightly ritzy eater.

On the edgier side of the meat department would be the Veal Martini ($24), which is not as odd as it sounds. It’s almost junk food, with flattened fried veal paired up with prosciutto and a little sauce/gravy.

The Martini Modern Italian is decidedly upscale in a market that’s been rewarding downscale eateries for about a year, but it seems to be catching on. Maybe Cameron knows something we don’t.

Cameron Mitchell's new take on Italian uses classics touched up with modern flair

Martini Modern Italian, Cameron Mitchell's latest concept, is replacing Martini Italian Bistro at 445 N. High St., at Vine Street.

"I want you to step into a dining experience like I've seen in Milan," Mitchell said as he prepared for its opening on Wednesday night. "For two hours, our customers can leave Columbus behind and have an experience like they can nowhere else."

The original Martini's opened in the mid-1990s and was more of the traditional rendering of Italian food in America. The space was decorated with an eye toward the eclectic.

It also represents the last of Mitchell's older concepts to undergo a makeover. Cameron's American Bistro and the Cap City Diner were given new menus this summer, also serving to mark the 15th anniversary of Mitchell's entry onto the dining scene.

With Martini Modern Italian's opening, the company has 12 restaurants representing nine concepts. Nine of the restaurants are in central Ohio.

The Martini's Italian Bistro in Louisville, Ky., will remain under the old concept and might soon be sold to the general manager, Mitchell said. Ocean Club's sisters, known outside this area as Ocean Prime, will soon give Mitchell 15 restaurants, with new spaces opening in Orlando, Fla., and Scottsdale, Ariz., in November and Tampa, Fla., after the first of the year.

The new Martini concept moves upscale and modern, with dark woods, white leather and special lighting.

The straightforward menu, which Mitchell calls "timeless Italian cookery and techniques presented in a modern style," features such classics as Osso Bucco, Vitello Milanese, Chicken Marsala and Gnocchi Bolognese, but with a lighter flair.

The menu also offers specialty cocktails and enough salads and small plates that diners can move in that direction if they choose.

Entrees run from $14 to $42, with salads and soups in the $7-to-$9 range and antipasti priced from $9 to $17. Specialty drinks are $9 and $10.

The restaurant, which seats 174 in the dining room and 46 in the bar, will be open for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The restaurant, Mitchell said, also works as a counterpoint to Marcella's Ristorante, at 615 N. High St.

"We cover both ends of the spectrum, from high-end to casual trattoria, just 500 yards from each other. Where Marcella's is an expression of Tuscany, this is an expression of big-city Italy," he said.

Employees learn the drink menu at Martini Modern Italian, which replaces Martini's Italian Bistro at 445 N. High St. It was the last of Cameron Mitchell's older concepts to undergo a makeover.

Dark woods, white leather and special lighting were chosen to help bring to mind big-city Italy. Entree prices will range from $14 to $42 when the restaurant opens Wednesday.

Urban Columbus is about to get a taste of urban Italy.

Martini Modern Italian, Cameron Mitchell's latest concept, is replacing Martini Italian Bistro at 445 N. High St., at Vine Street.

"I want you to step into a dining experience like I've seen in Milan," Mitchell said as he prepared for its opening on Wednesday night. "For two hours, our customers can leave Columbus behind and have an experience like they can nowhere else."

The original Martini's opened in the mid-1990s and was more of the traditional rendering of Italian food in America. The space was decorated with an eye toward the eclectic.

It also represents the last of Mitchell's older concepts to undergo a makeover. Cameron's American Bistro and the Cap City Diner were given new menus this summer, also serving to mark the 15th anniversary of Mitchell's entry onto the dining scene.

With Martini Modern Italian's opening, the company has 12 restaurants representing nine concepts. Nine of the restaurants are in central Ohio.

The Martini's Italian Bistro in Louisville, Ky., will remain under the old concept and might soon be sold to the general manager, Mitchell said. Ocean Club's sisters, known outside this area as Ocean Prime, will soon give Mitchell 15 restaurants, with new spaces opening in Orlando, Fla., and Scottsdale, Ariz., in November and Tampa, Fla., after the first of the year.

The new Martini concept moves upscale and modern, with dark woods, white leather and special lighting.

The straightforward menu, which Mitchell calls "timeless Italian cookery and techniques presented in a modern style," features such classics as Osso Bucco, Vitello Milanese, Chicken Marsala and Gnocchi Bolognese, but with a lighter flair.

The menu also offers specialty cocktails and enough salads and small plates that diners can move in that direction if they choose.

Entrees run from $14 to $42, with salads and soups in the $7-to-$9 range and antipasti priced from $9 to $17. Specialty drinks are $9 and $10.

The restaurant, which seats 174 in the dining room and 46 in the bar, will be open for dinner from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and until 9 p.m. on Sunday.

The restaurant, Mitchell said, also works as a counterpoint to Marcella's Ristorante, at 615 N. High St.

"We cover both ends of the spectrum, from high-end to casual trattoria, just 500 yards from each other. Where Marcella's is an expression of Tuscany, this is an expression of big-city Italy," he said.