MADISON & FIFTH - fine Italian in Palo Alto

So we had planned to revisit a place we had really enjoyed the first time we went, just over a year ago. Madison & Fifth in Palo Alto. It took us two tries. The first time we went, we had no sooner ordered our drinks, than the firetrucks pulled up in front. After twenty minutes of climbing around the roof, they (the-brave-men-of-the-putting-out-of-the-fires) decided that maybe they should close the place down after all, just in case.

We never got our prosciutto & melon. Sad. We were so hungry (and we loved the food here so much on our previous visit) that we were actually weighing how crispy we'd let ourselves get before giving up the ghost. The PAFD decided for us. Curses!

But we were not to be deterred, so we made arrangements to reconvene our little party (with two additions) about a week later, giving Mad & Fifth time to regroup. We met last Tuesday and ordered to make up for lost time. We began the meal with more of their delicious cocktails. I have to say I am a huge fan of the new trend towards cocktail "mixology." When one's drinks are as thoughtfully prepared as the entrees, it can really enhance the dining experience. I had a repeat of the Peaches & Cream I had ordered on my previous visit. As chance would have it, our waitress was the drink's inventor. She whipped me up another serving of her delicious concoction, which tastes not so much like peaces, but a happy dose of citrusy sunshine in a glass. It's light and so drinkable I had another not so long after. She offered us an off-menu strawberry version, also her creation, which my sister-in-law enjoyed a great deal. My husband had the Midsummer Night's Dream. This is a dark fruity concoction that he found just to his liking.

Their house bread is this really delicious pizza-shaped bread that reminds me a bit of a cross between a biscuit and a scone. These breads are accompanied by a cheese and garlic spread that is so creamy it is easier to apply than room temperature butter. I find it absolutely delicious.

For starters, we all shared the Gnocchi Bettola, (pictured above left) which was buttery and delicious. I like my gnocchi a bit chewier (this was a very soft consistency) but the sauce was really good. We also had a prosciutto and melon. Unfortunately, while the melon was ripe and summery sweet, the prosciutto was as tough as shoe-leather. It looked appetizing, but was almost inedible. I probably should have spoken up, because they sincerely seem to care about food and service here, but after the fire I just felt bad for them and we were with a large boisterious group, so I didn't let on. My advice to others is to politely point these things out so that establishments have the opportunity to rectify the situation. They can't fix what they don't know about and it's possible they just got a bad slab of ham. It happens.

We raced through our apps, as we were all starving, and were promptly served with our main dishes. My daughter had ordered the Pizza Prosciutto and the Spinach Ravioli w/goat cheese fondue (pictured above right). While the pizza suffered somewhat from the lack of decent prosciutto, the spinach ravioli was world class. The sauce may have been the best cheese sauce I've ever tasted. Creamy, melted and a perfect balance of spices, this was heaven in my mouth. Seriously. The kind of experience one has trouble forgetting --- in a good way!!

I had a lovely raw ahi dish, but I was so blown away by the ravioli, I found the flavors a bit of a let down. Like my mouth was too excited to appreciate anything else.

We ended with coffee and a nice triple chocolate cake, and the meal went much smoother than on our previous visit. I have to say that although most of the patrons got excited (and many were somewhat hostile to the management) there was never any danger. It was a garbage can fire in the back courtyard, and the restaurant's design is such that it would be all but impossible to evacuate everyone to safety with the fire behind us and open space in front. The firemen were completely unphased, so there was no reason to panic, but some seemed to want to use the event as an excuse to leave without paying. People can be so tacky these days.

Although this meal was a little uneven, the food here is usually consistently first rate. They do italian and sauces better than most, so if you're in doubt, order a pasta dish. Hopefully they'll have fresh prosciutto before we return.

Bon Appetit!

Madison & Fifth

367 University Avenue

Palo Alto, CA 94301

(650) 323-3900

http://www.madandfifth.com/

Price: Moderately Expensive

Dining Time: Leisurely (have not had lunch here, but imagine they could get one out in an hour)

Table size: More than adequate