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| - Nonna's could easily have slipped to three stars in my estimation but for the especially good server, who managed our numerous questions and requests with humor and evident good will. Nice job! The ambiance is okay, reminding me of a typical restaurant in Italy, which is what I think Nonna's is trying to be. In addition, the prices are reasonable, especially for the entrees. The small plates are a bit high for the quantity given, but since each dish is made to order, the labor involved is substantial. Their half-price wine deal, in effect the day we went, is a great value.
The problem is the food, which is not bad, but rather "ordinary". The posole had heat but no other spicing. In fact, you had better keep the salt handy when you dine here. The bronzino special was done perfectly but needed salt and lemon. The two pastas we tried - bolognese and pesto - were a bit disappointing. The fresh home-made pasta was probably overcooked unless there was something strange in the recipe, but in any case it was mushy. The sauces were plentiful but uninspired. For example, a really good bolognese like you would get in almost any decent eatery in Italy, is made with wine, often burgundy, which gives it it's distinctive flavor. Nonna's was just a meat sauce.
Even on a weekday in summer, Nonna's was nearly full, so I suggest reservations. Problem is, you can only get them for large parties. I have a problem with this policy because on a crowded night, you wait longer solely because you are eating with 2 or 4 people.
I think you should give Nonna's a try, order a few different things, and see if you can discover dishes that move you. For the most part, we didn't but I would try again.
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