Scarlet owners bring small-plate Italian bites to Taverna 750

Aviation: Very fragrant. Sweet, but not overly so and has a nice, fiery aftertaste. It almost feels like an adult version of pink lemonade with its subtle hint of lemon and puckery taste. In short, delicious.

Mozzarella all filo: The Taverna team says early these little mozzarella sticks (baked in a crunchy dough and drizzled with while truffle honey, seasoned walnuts and black sesame seeds) are an early crowd favorite. While we would’ve liked these a tad warmer, the combination of sweet and savory was a real plus.

Tavern manhattan: We’re not big Manhattan drinkers and couldn’t get on board with this one. Rye whiskey just isn’t our drink and we thought other cocktails were smoother and more flavorful.

Piatto salato: Taverna has a wonderful house bread (fresh, fluffy and with just the right hint of salt) and here’ it’s paired with an eggplant basil tapenade, a garlic mousse and an Italian red pepper salsa. We say skip the tapenade and salsa and aim straight for the mousse. It’s like a garlicky butter and it’s absolutely irresistible.

Grand Avenue: We thought this kicky little number tasted like a dressed up version of an amaretto stone sour. It’s refreshing and with a great pineapple flavor. We imagine ourselves drinking these on Taverna’s patio during hangover brunch.

Paradisi: This signature martini is created in part with a house made grapefruitcello and the grapefruit fans among us loved this one for its freshness and real fruit flavor. Said one naysayer, “it’s too acidic.”

Chilled carrot soup: Yum! This one is more summer-like than Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” The carrot flavor is subtle, the texture is lovely and the addition of shaved parmesan and garlic mousse on top was too much to resist.

Arancia: Like the paradisi before it, this one’s made from a house cello, in this case orange. We would order one after another at brunch, but might be less inclined to pair it with dinner due to its sweetness. Nevertheless, we thought this refreshing summer drink was a winner.

Arancia: Like the Paradisi before it, this one’s made from a house cello, in this case orange. We would order one after another at brunch, but might be less inclined to pair it with dinner due to its sweetness. Nevertheless, we thought this refreshing summer drink was a winner.

Cannoli martini: We like the house made pistachio liqueur in this desert libation, but thought the espresso in the drink was too overwhelming. A great drink for coffee lovers, but too strong for our taste.

Mushroom cannoli: Accustomed to sweet cannolis, this savory, mushroom-stuffed number was an unexpected treat. The hard shell coupled with the puree was a textural treat and these babies are perfect for sharing.

Chocolate martini: Nice, simple and elegant, we thought this one possessed a real earthy, chocolate flavor that other martinis around town lack.

T750: The premise sounds exciting: Taverna whips up its own version of chicken noodle soup by pouring steaming hot water tableside into a bowl with two raviolis stuffed with pulled chicken, spicy red pepper coulis and marscapone. In reality, we thought this one was a bit bland. The raviolis were not particularly flavorful and this one needed more salt and pepper or something to give it a kick.

Lattuga: No surprises here, but no regrets either. Fans of simple house salads will enjoy this combination of mixed greens, cranberries, feta, prosciutto, roasted red pepper and candied walnuts. We wished the dressing were a little more potent but were otherwise pleased.

Roasted red peppers: Kudos to a kitchen that let’s vegetables speak for themselves. These babies were vibrant, smoky, peppery and earthy.

Italian wedding cake: “Vanilla liqueur is risky,” noted one colleague, but we think this combination of pineapple and cranberry juice, white crème de cocoa, vanilla  Stoli and amaretto liqueur was totally refreshing.

Gamberetti e pasta: This very pretty dish was bursting with simple flavors. Handmade fettucine is tossed with fresh vegetables and shrimp for a simple dish that will make the pescatarian in your life smile.

Laminati: The closest thing Taveran has to a calzone, this lovely dish takes spinach, prosciutto, mozzarella and basil and rolls them into a baked parmesan crust. A lesser kitchen would’ve doused the whole thing in red sauce, but we like that the prosciutto and cherry tomatoes are given room to do all the heavy lifting flavor wise.

Mushroom duo: We’re mushroom devotees so to have any combo served sautéed is alright by us although this dish still plays second fiddle to those tasty mushroom cannolis.