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| - Is this the best new restaurant in Madison? Based on previous reviews, it may depend on your luck with the waitstaff. The food quality certainly puts it in the upper tier of recent attempts at locally grown fare, as Madison tries to out-Portland Portland in the area of "sustainable regionalism". Nostrano may bill itself as Italian, but don't expect heaping plates of pasta; the vibe here is more rustic . . . peasant food for the "think green" set.
My wife and I dined here before an Overture Center event. When we made that clear to our very cordial waitress, she made sure our dessert and check arrived in a timely manner . . . kudos there. They've redone the decor from the old Peppino's digs; lots of earth tones to complement the organic feel of the food. The new bar area is very nice. Started with the sea scallops; quite good, but we've had better scallops in Madison (particularly at Eno Vino). The highlight of this dish was actually the smoked oxtail that accompanied the scallops. . . delicious! My entree was the Pork Shoulder Agrodolce, as tender a piece of meat you could want, served with a cannellini sweet-and-sour broth. Difficult to find any fault here; the level of kale was perfect (unlike a recent experience at L'Etoille). My wife had the parpardelle with lamb ragu . . . interestingly, she had the exact same dish at a Portland restaurant called Clyde Common. This was comparable in taste and texture, which is saying a lot, as CC is considered one of Portland's best. Dessert was a cocoa torta with coffee mousse and a coconut gelato. I was pleased to find this only mildly sweet, in the European tradition, as opposed to the sugar-saturated fare you usually get at American restaurants.
This all added up to a very satisfying meal, and while the menu is limited, it was a good enough experience to bring us back (I'm interested in trying the short ribs and the sturgeon). It's a small place, and was only moderately busy for a Friday night. Furthermore, the exterior is very plain and not terribly inviting. I hope Madison discovers this place and keeps it around a while.
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