We’ve been receiving great feedback about our new Staff Menu over the last month — a casual, creative, fun and affordable way to eat at Mezze Bistro + Bar.

The kitchen is cooking up their favorites and making it all in house. The Mezze team crafted the menu to include fun food items like East Mountain Farm Pork Pot Stickers, Croque Madame (pictured above), East Mountain Farm Pork Carnitas Tacos, Roasted Squash Cavatelli (pictured below), Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Tacos with Kimchee Slaw (pictured below) and Poutine — Steak Fries, Bacon Lardons, Maplebrook Farm Cheese Curds + Beef Gravy. Yum.

Our Staff Menu evolved from the popularity of Comfort Sunday – a three-course prix fixe menu available from November through May. Inspiration for menu selections comes from the kitchen’s collective cultural heritage and adaptations of ‘junk food’ favorites. Staff Menu selections range in price from $6 to $16.

The menu changes frequently as it reflects the whim of the kitchen and what is available in season. Come in for some casual fare and order off the Staff Menu before it shifts again!

Check out the Rogovoy Report for additional info on our new Staff Menu.

Last night’s Class of Wine was really terrific. Our front-of-house manager Caitlin Harrison was entertaining, engaging and full of beans. Oh, and, information. Lots of it. A ridiculous fount of knowledge regarding wine. She talked about vineyards she’s visited, winemakers she works with, a sense of place, outdated wine expressions, the varietals that make up the Mezze wine list and why we should not smell wine like it’s a baby’s diaper. That’s right. No holding back when sticking your nose in the glass. Get it in there and go deep.

The food was fantastic and paired perfectly with the wine selections. Following is a lineup of what we tasted:

* Housemade Fries with Garlic Aioli paired with Cremant d’Alsace | 2007 Albert Boxer | Alsace, France
* Housemade Lardo on Rye Toast paired with Clos de la Vierge | 2009 Barrere | Jura, France
* Housemade Pork Pate with Caramelized Shallots paired with Les Pierres Girard | Domaine de la Bergerie | Anjou, Loire Valley, France
* Bone Marrow with Gremolata paired with L’uva Arboisana Rouge | Domaine de la Tournelle | Jura, France
* Mini Bistro Steak with Crimini Mushroom paired with Prieler (Blaufrankisch) | Bergenland, Austria
* Housemade Beef Sausage + Potato Puree paired with Dehesa La Granja (Tempranillo) | Ribera de Duero, Spain

This event was a very fun experience and a great way to meet like-minded wine lovers. And, we’re going to do it again. As much as possible.

So… if you’re interested in A Class of Wine at Mezze Bistro + Bar, gather up 8 to 12 friends and give a holler to Caitlin to let her know some dates that might work for your group. Six wines paired with six delicious foods for $40 per person (not including tax + gratuity.) We’re hosting private wine tastings on Mondays through Thursdays. Weekend wine classes are available on a limited basis.

Call Caitlin at 413.458.0123 for more info or to book A Class of Wine with some friends.

Photo credits Angela Cardinali

Photo credit Jay Cavallaro

If you haven’t had a chance to stop in and say hello, Allium has a new chef and a new menu. Daniel Hardy, formerly Mezze Restaurant Group’s catering chef, is heading up the kitchen in Great Barrington and making delicious changes.

Dan has been in the Allium kitchen since November so the Berkshire Eagle’s Berkshire After Dark team thought it appropriate to check in and see what’s changed.

“Alium has placed its feet more and more firmly in the world of local food producers; this is further institutionalized with a menu section devoted entirely to seasonal vegetables… Most notably, the entrees now feature more “ways in” for a table of diners with mixed budgets… Hardy has introduced new entrée items that look very appealing, gastronomically as well as economically.” – Jeremy Goodwin, The Berkshire Eagle

Click here to read Jeremy Goodwin’s full article.

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Pictured below from left to right (top to bottom): Korean-style Tacos with Pork Bulgogi, Cabbage Slaw, Sriracha + Garlic Cilantro Aioli; Caramel-braised Pork Belly with Crispy Ginger Rice Cake, 60-minute Egg + Pickled Romanesco; Vietnamese-style Banh Mi Sandwich with Chicken, Vegetables, Cilantro, Mayo + Farmer Rich’s Housemade Potato Chips; Pumpkin Agnolotti wth Brown Butter, Sage + Roasted Squash; Steamed Pork Buns with Bok Choy Kimchi; Wood Oven-roasted Stuffed Chicken with Apples, Sausage, Celeriac Puree, Turnips + Parsnips.

Check out our new menu, changing daily. Reservations are recommended. Call 413.528.2118 or visit OpenTable.

Photo credits Jay Cavallaro

On Wednesday evening, January 11th, Mezze Bistro + Bar will host its first Class of Wine: A School for the Wine Enthusiast. Caitlin Harrison, our front-of-house manager and wine aficionado, will pair six wines with six flavors in food to demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between the two. Informational packets detailing the winery, grape varietal, notes on varietal tipicity, and fun facts and experiences will be shared. Walk away with a broader understanding of wine and how we drink here at Mezze.

Details follow:
Wednesday, January 11th from 6:30 – 8:30 pm
$40 per person (not including tax + gratuity)
Space is limited. RSVP by Sunday, January 8th.
Call 413.458.0123 for details.

This class is an introduction to A Class of Wine events series with private bookings available for small groups (minimum 8 people, maximum 12.) Mezze Bistro + Bar can host wine events Monday through Thursday evenings with weekend wine classes available on a limited basis. Call Caitlin at 413.458.0123 for more info or to book A Class of Wine with some friends.

Photo credit Kevin Kennefick

They’ve been talking about it, testing it and are finally ready to share it. Mezze Bistro + Bar guests can now nosh on the comfort food our kitchen and front-of-house staff loves to eat. The cooks are keeping it casual, cooking up their favorites and making it all in house, as usual. Check out our Staff Menu for fun and affordable foods that pair perfectly with a classic cocktail, a shorty or a big yeasty brew.

Please note, the Staff Menu is subject to change at the whim and mood of the kitchen. The menu posted below is probably already out of date. For the most current version of the Staff Menu, check out our website. If you have a favorite, come early and visit often. And, let us know what you love!

To see our press release about the new Staff Menu, check out this link.

If you don’t aleady know about these events, you should definitely get in on it. Every weekend, through the dark and chilly months of autumn and winter in New England, Mezze Bistro + Bar hosts Comfort Sunday. That’s when our awesome kitchen crew whips up a three-course, comfort-food meal for guests — appetizer, entree and dessert for $25. You can opt for two courses for $20, instead. Can’t beat it.

Affordable, delicious and limited in number so, if you’re up for taking part in this popular pilgrimage, make a reservation in advance or, better yet, make your reserved time closer to 5 pm so you are guaranteed to enjoy a Comfort Sunday culinary experience. Call Mezze Bistro for details at 413.458.0123.

Hand-crafted, delicious food with local ingredients delivered to your home or party venue.  Let Mezze Catering + Events help plan your holiday party this season. Give them a call for a price quote at 413.458.8745 and they’ll make it easy on you.

Green Peas TV: The Whole Berkshire Hog at James Beard Foundation 2011

On Sunday, September 11, Mezze Bistro + Bar hosted Preserving With Spirits as part of Berkshire Grown’s Preserving the Bounty workshop series. Beautiful weather provided the opportunity to host the event outside overlooking the pond, home to our resident ducks. Our group had a great time learning how to make spirit infusions, related cocktails and condiments during the two-hour workshop.

To kick off the afternoon, each participant received a fresh, fiery hot bloody mary made with chile-infused vodka and homemade tomato juice. Lauren Gotlieb, our knowledgeable leader and founder of BeeSweet, began with a brief talk about what we would learn during the workshop while guests enjoyed their cocktails in the sunshine. Our first hands-on creation was spiced vodka from Berkshire Mountain Distillers infused with habanero peppers and garlic from Mighty Food Farm, the same infusion used to create our bloody marys. We then moved on to quick pickled carrots and cherry tomatoes. Next, Lauren guided the group through Blueberry Bourbon — bourbon infused with local wild blueberries from Benson Place. We mixed the infusion with Sweet Brook Farm maple syrup to create a beautiful and delicious cocktail and then created a tipsy trifle with homemade blueberry cake, High Lawn Farm whipped cream and the remaining bourbon-infused blueberries. Yum!

As an added bonus, we each took home a jar of quick pickles, and a bottle each of infused spiced vodka and blueberry bourbon. Let’s just say there are no quick pickles left in my fridge and the blueberry bourbon is on the calendar for opening at its earliest possible date! A terrific event all around. Special thanks to Lauren Gotlieb and Caitlin Harrison for their work in making it happen.

Berkshire Grown’s Preserving the Bounty is back and Mezze Bistro and BeeSweet are participating featuring Berkshire Mountain Distillers spirits!

Committed to the resurgence of the lost art of preserving food, Berkshire Grown presents Preserving the Bounty: Canning, Pickling and Keeping the Harvest. A series of fun and educational community canning workshops have been coordinated in partnership with more than a dozen Berkshire restaurants, food purveyors and partners throughout August and September.

On Sunday, September 11th from 1 – 3 pm, Mezze Bistro + Bar and BeeSweet in Williamstown will present Preserving in Spirit(s) where you can learn about spirit infusions and related cocktails and condiments. Led by Lauren Gotlieb, founder of BeeSweet, spirits will be sourced from Berkshire Mountain Distillers, produce from Mighty Food Farm and Benson Place plus maple syrup from Sweet Brook Farm. Each participant will leave with one 250ml bottle each of infused vodka and bourbon. Must be 21 and over. The fee to participate is $40.

RSVP at mezzebistro@mezzeinc.com or call 413.458.0123. For more info on Preserving the Bounty, visit the Berkshire Grown website.

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