Osteria da Nino replaced a favorite restaurant of mine, but there are no hard feelings here. I had been looking forward to visiting, and recently got the opportunity. The hostess was warm and welcoming, and the space follows suit. It’s a big space, with room for groups and a bar in the middle. Service was fantastic, as was the food.

The complimentary bread basket, always appreciated, is huge and delicious, and the basil dipping oil is a nice pairing. We shared appetizers of warm olives and a lightly dressed salad of greens, tomato, and watermelon radish. The salad was super fresh and I’m slightly addicted to the dressing. I love warm olives, so they were a nice start to the meal.

I ordered the cavatelli with lamb ragu and pecorino as my entrée. The cavatelli is cooked just al dente, so do note that if you plan to order it. The dish was great, but I think a bit more seasoning would have made it pop more. My companions had the eggplant parmigiana and veal marsala. The eggplant was perfectly cooked and covered in cheese. The marsala with thick and a bit sweet, but the roasted carrots and fingerling potatoes were great accompaniments. To complement my meal, I ordered the Limoncello Martini, and if you like limoncello, you’ll really enjoy this one this. It was tart, sweet, and strong. There was no room for dessert, but I’ll try some next time, as I’m looking forward to returning.

When you’re looking for great Italian cuisine, Osteria da Nino should be on your list.

-LEM