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| - Thank you Nostrano for a fabulous night out in Madison. I count this among my new favorite restaurants... if only I lived closer instead of in Chicago so I could become a more frequent patron.
For drinks: everything on the menu looked creative and enticing. I went with the rhubarb3, which didn't disappoint, and also sampled a couple others. Looked like they had a very nice wine list as well - my husband had a glass of Primitivo and was happy.
We skipped appetizers in favor of dessert, but I wish I would have stuffed myself with olives and/or the scallops in addition to the rest of our primo meal. We went straight for the entrees, and were very impressed with the chicken meatballs (just a little spicy kick) and the lamb ragu pasta. The lamb was perfectly spiced with something akin to cinnamon or allspice, for a rich and comforting flavor. Also had the whitefish with a side of roasted vegetables, which was definitely the healthiest of our dishes but still nicely flavored and very fresh-tasting.
For dessert we had the torta, which had a nice slightly salted taste to one of the layers (chocolate+salt = delicious). Also the salted caramel gelato with an espresso wash - I didn't like this one quite as much, but the rest of my fellow diners were in heaven. Finished up with some coffee, and lingered in the restaurant chatting for at least 40 minutes after our meal. Our servers were happy to let us linger and continued to fill our water glasses, making us feel very welcome and at ease.
Decor is subtle, with a nice blend of sophistication and country charm. I can't wait until our next Madison visit so I can run back to Nostrano!
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