Pazzaluna

Pazzaluna, for years one of the most popular restaurants in St. Paul, may finally be able to join the ranks of the critically acclaimed ones as well, thanks to the recent arrival of Italian master chef Rino Baglio. For years, Morrissey Hospitality has operated Pazzaluna without a formidable talent behind the stove, but Baglio, whose resumé includes stints with some impressive European restaurants, finally has Pazzaluna headed in the right direction.

No one will confuse Baglio with any of the Twin Cities’ young turks who are reinventing classic European cuisines: His style is more old-school than new, and Baglio knows how to cook. He can be seen at each shift teaching and motivating his team—a rare sight in any restaurant these days. Antipastos of all types are still on the menu, but mozzarella di bufala is now served properly at room temperature; indeed, ingredients across the board are both more meticulously sourced and handled with greater care than I ever recall here. Speck, mortadella, and prosciutto are properly sliced, pastas are cooked with a greater focus on the integrity of the dish, and many of the old recipes have been revamped by Baglio.

A half-portion of fettuccine Bolognese was still way too big to be a part of a proper meal, but the classic ragu was vastly improved. Gone was the raft of oil ringing the bowl, and the much-needed winy intensity the sauce requires is finally in full effect. Baglio’s forte is risotto, and several versions are available on the current menu. I tried a spinach risotto one evening that was deftly cooked—saucy, starchy, and wet—front-loaded with nutty and nuanced spinach and Parmesan flavors. Veal dishes at Pazzaluna have always missed the mark. While the veal stuffed with prosciutto and fontina, served with a lemon wedge and roasted new potatoes, was much nicer than others I remembered, the meat still lacked the rich, deep flavor I look for. Passion fruit mousse bavarois perched on a chocolate disk and floated in a tart passion fruit soup was not only a nice construction but smartly less than sweet, an optimal finish to the meal.

Service at Pazzaluna is attentive. While the room could use some reappointing and the lighting is still less than flattering, a restaurant experience for many is still about the food. The hardest thing to do in the restaurant business is to be relevant, especially when you are closer to your tenth birthday than your first. If Pazzaluna lets Baglio do what he does best, St. Paulites will no longer have to cross any rivers to get a superb Italian meal.

360 St. Peter St., St. Paul, 651-223-7000