Last weekend we drove up to Nino’s Italian Restaurant (formerly Pastaria) at 720 Mississippi Ave. on Signal Mountain. It had been several years since we had been there – in fact, it was still Pastaria (same owner) at that time. The aroma upon entering this restaurant is always wonderful with the overwhelming smell of garlic. I love that.
When we first arrived, they weren’t very busy, but it only took about 20 minutes and the place was filled to the max, and with people waiting. We certainly had good timing!
Neither of us saw anything on the appetizer menu that just reached out and grabbed us, so we decided to go with the salad that is served with the meal. Appetizers include Antipasto, White Mussels or Clams, and Red Pepper Dip with Sausage or Crostini (prices $6.25 to $13.95).
Wayne decided to order the 12” Salsiccia Pizza ($8.95) and I ordered the Polpetta Di Carne (spaghetti and meatballs) because the server couldn’t praise the homemade meatballs enough. Each was served with a house salad and fresh bread with homemade butter. I’m not sure how they make the butter, but in my head I am imagining someone sitting out back with a churn. I know, it makes me smile too.
The salads were not impressive. It is strictly a bowl of lettuce with Romano cheese sprinkled over the top (ground, not the fresh-grated) – not an olive or onion in sight. The bread is good, but nothing more than average.
Wayne was OK with his pizza, but felt it was a bit dry. I thought the sausage (their own fresh ground Italian) on the pizza was really good. He said he probably wouldn’t order that particular one again, but I’m sure with the others on the menu he could find one to satisfy his taste buds – Pizza Margharita, Capricciosa, or maybe a build-your-own ($6.95 to $9.25). Of course, the build-your-own might be more depending on how many toppings you select.
My spaghetti and meatballs was very good. The meatballs are huge! There were three meatballs, along with small pieces throughout the spaghetti – I would definitely order this dish again ($7.99). The menu describes this as a “traditional Sicilian recipe” with “hand-made meatballs cooked slowly in a pureed version of our tomato sauce”. Yep, really good.
Other pasta dishes include Pasta Al Pomodoro (tomato sauce with fresh basil, onion, garlic and tomatoes over Rigatoni), Funghi Bianchi (cream and butter sauce with fresh mushrooms and sautéed onions over penne), White Tuna (imported tuna marinated in olive oil, tossed with sautéed onions and lemon juice, over linguini), and Matriciana (pancetta slowly cooked in tomato sauce with a bit of cream served over linguini). Pasta dish prices range from $6.75 to $9.95.
I just realized the menu I received was for lunch, so these prices may be slightly higher at dinner. They also have desserts, espresso, cappuccino, lattes, and beer. The price for our dinner wasn’t bad at all – the spaghetti, one pizza, and one diet coke - $20.53 including tax. Sounds like a bargain to me.
Nino’s is open Monday through Saturday serving lunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., and dinner from 4-9 p.m. They are closed on Sunday.
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