mercato italiano trattoria

close, but not there yet. ok, i am very picky; but i love good food and a good experience, and this fell short. good; but a long way from great. very limited beer selection, my beverage of choice this night. oo for dipping herbed, but in a deep dish; herbs all at bottom! no cracked pepper offered, i got up and got it myself. bread very good, but already very soggy pre-dipping, odd. risotto al funghi; good flavor, but not finished. al dente is good, crunchy is not. almost no prosciutto (generous with varied mushrooms!), and while piping hot when served, was in a cold dish and cooled quickly; cold by thetimei finished. waiter did not check on my drink until near the end of the meal, cost the restaurant an extra beer. shaved parmesan on risotto, but no extra offered. in basement, no phone service or internet; my friend was late and couldn't get text. ambience very nice, but very loud; music was up loud, making it worse; and acoustics very poor. smoking right outside door. might go back; lady next to me raved about the carbonara (and believe me, i heard every word!), nothing like a second chance.

this was the best restaurant experience my wife and i had on our trip to louisville. not only was the food delicious but, the way the staff accommodated us was above and beyond anything we could've hoped for. from the hostess to the owner everyone stopped by and ensured we were having the best possible dinning experience. i look forward to going back to louisville in part of my desire to go here again.
a special mention go to the owner/chef peter pagano and the hostess hannah. chef pagano took thetimeto talk with us in depth eventhough it was the end of the evening and he was heading home. hannah did everything a person in her position could do to make sure my wife enjoyed her birthday experience.

firsttimevisit on jan. 5, attracted by the fact that they have a squid ink pasta dish (a favorite). what a hidden gem! nick our server was personable and attentive but not overly so. i sat near the bar so was able to watch the careful creation of my manhattan, which was spot on. even the complementary bread with two dipping oils (one chili infused) was remarkable. goat cheese fritto and caesar salad were both very good, but not as extraordinary as everything else i had. the orecchiette (made with shell-shaped, homemade pasta) was outstanding and a perfect choice of entree' on such a cold night.

i have read other reviews which commented on the decor. i'm no expert, but this place is tucked away in a diverse but carefully planned community, and off the beaten path for most louisville-area diners. my guess is that in order to survive (sorry, corbett's fans), it must primarily appeal to the people who live in norton commons (including many families, of which there were several during my visit) while also providing a level of dining experience that will be worth the drive for people living elsewhere. it must also be versatile in a way that allows it to take advantage of our contrasting seasons. it seems to have been designed with that in mind, featuring large glass-paned retractable garage-style panels which presumably will be open during warmer temperatures, and al fresco seating available on the sidewalks. seems to me that they have struck a nice balance between high quality food and service and broad appeal. this place is now on my short list of louisville favorites and i will definitely return soon. well done!!

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this is my secondtimehere. got the shareable pork chops. simply amazing. perfectly done, very tender, and great flavor.

had the shareable steak last time, and it was equally amazing. the bread is mouthwatering, and i'll surely be back.

incredible dining experience!. we travel to louisville occasionally and love trying new restaurants. i had been to the m&b bar upstairs and loved it, but this was our firsttimeto cena. it will definitely not be our last! it was one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. the atmosphere was nice and intimate, but still very comfortable. rick and the entire staff at cena were warm and attentive, but not too smothering. the salumi & formaggio appetizer was awesome! and the oxtail ravioli was one of the best things either my wife or i have ever eaten! like i said, we will definitely be back!!!

i like what they're aiming for, but ultimately it missed the mark.. food- starter course great (octopus), pasta course disappointing (diavolo overwhelmingly olive flavored), main course (whole bass) alright.
atmosphere - modern , fine-dining vibe.
service - not so fine-dining. our server was friendly, but overly so. his shtick wore thin. he had way too many tables to properly give each one the attention it needed, and the waittimebetween courses got longer and longer. dishes sat on the table too long because there seems to be no intentional bus staff. he ended our meal by bringing us a dessert when we hadn't even ordered yet, and pretending he read our mind and knew what we wanted. no. he gave it to us in a to-go container even though we didn't ask for it, and while pretty in its glass, tiramisu in a to-go box looks like something you try to avoid stepping in.
plenty of nice dining options closer to home and not really worth another drive across town for me.