Nino's Italian Restaurant - Review - Morningside - Atlanta - The Infatuation
"When you want a big bowl of tasty spaghetti and meatballs in an old-school, Italian-American restaurant, the only right answer is Nino’s off Cheshire Bridge. Yes, there’s a cute bar area up front (a new addition to the 1968-built restaurant) with bright yellow booths and blue tiles, and it's just fine to start here with a limoncello spritz. But long-time fans of Nino’s (that’s us too) have a nostalgic attachment to the original dining room where giant corner booths, white tablecloths, Frank Sinatra tunes, and pictures of Italian landmarks make us feel like we’re in 1970s Hoboken. Much of the menu is unchanged from when it first opened, with comforting, respectably good classics like lasagna al forno and creamy fettuccine with shrimp and buttery scallops. Food Rundown Bruschetta This toast snack comes to your table automatically as part of their free bread service. The tomatoes are fresh and the hint of garlic adds a little kick of extra flavor. It’s free, but we would pay for it if it wasn’t. Calamari You'll see calamari on the menu of nearly every Italian restaurant in Atlanta. And while these little squid rings might not be our favorite, they're good and make a nice warm-up for your meal. So get them. The breading is light and the marinara sauce to dip them in has a nice spice that makes things more interesting. Spaghetti & Meatballs You might feel cliche ordering this, but fight past that feeling because this is one of Nino’s best dishes. The plump, tender meatballs are the star of the show. You only get three, but we’d gladly eat 13. Fettuccine Alla Michela They aren’t pulling any punches here. This saffron cream sauce is standard but tasty and pairs well with the scallops and shrimp hidden beneath thick, al dente fettuccine noodles. Pollo Villa D’este Skip this. The white wine mushroom sauce has a nice thick consistency but it doesn’t taste like much." - Juli Horsford
