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| - This week we had the pleasure of dining at Nora in Little Italy for the first time to celebrate my mom's birthday. What a fabulous experience! From the moment we walked in, we were treated like family. For our meal, we began with the Salumi e Formaggi - chicken liver mousse, pork pate (perfection!), Fontina and Blue Cheeses, and house pickled vegetables paired with fantastic wines. The fresh out-of-the-oven bread, oh so good! Our main courses were scrumptious! I had the Spaghetti with middleneck clams, braised baby octopus, roasted garlic, chilies. The "heat" was just right balanced by the light cream sauce; the clams and baby octopus were fresh and tender. My fiance had the braised short ribs Ravioli with spinach, cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, horseradish crema which he described as succulent; the ingredients provided a fantastic balance of taste. My dad had the Chicken Marsala which was the best he has ever had (and he orders it at any restaurant where it is available!). The airline chicken breast, wild mushrooms and caper chicken thigh were so tasty. My mom had the Pappardelle beef and pork bolognese with San Marzano tomatoes, and breadcrumbs - savory and delicious! We thankfully saved room for their unforgettable desserts: Bombolini- homemade donuts, lemon gelato, macerated blueberries and Tiramasu with cinnamon gelato, chocolate-espresso crumble, and sweet cherry. Heavenly!!
Our server was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and respectful...he did not rush us through the celebratory meal. The owner/chef Eddie Zalar provided us a convenient parking spot since street parking was not available. He knew that walking in the rain was unsafe for my parents. This was our first visit and certainly was not the last!!! If you have not been to Nora, I highly recommend you pay Eddie a visit.
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