Jeremy J.
Yelp
I find Noto's a weird combination of old-school restaurant and banquet center. On one end of the building, a dining room filled with standard-issue wooden tables and chairs; on the other, a series of convention-like rooms that often host wedding receptions. We are greeted warmly by the hostess and she shows us quickly to a table that is not too near other diners. The light is dim, the conversation subdued, and the decor is low-key, simple. Our water glasses are filled promptly while we peruse the menu and wine list. Wendy, our server, tells us about the specials. She is efficient and friendly, making me feel like we're in good hands for the evening.
To begin, we order the antipasti platter and a bottle of 2006 Dolcetto d'Alba. The wine is dry, fruity but not sweet...decent table wine. At first, I am unexcited by the antipasti platter (it's difficult, in my opinion, to match the quality of Bistro Bella Vita's antipasti). After digging through the sheer variety of items, however, I realize I'd jumped the gun. Proscuitto, salami, and cured sausage match nicely with big chunks of smooth blue cheese, shavings of puckery parmesan, giant salty green olives, marinated peppers, and artichoke hearts.
Although the risotto special (curried chicken and peas) sounds good, I decide to try the featured chef entree: two medium-rare beef tournedos, topped with creamy gorgonzola, and a fig reduction sauce. Fig and steak? Yes! The sweet fig pairs heavenly with the unseasoned, earthly beef while the gorgonzola spread spikes each bite with the sharp tang of mold-tinged cheese. Our second bottle of wine, a 2003 Barolo, is much more complex and fun to drink, evoking shades of pinot noir but with backbone enough to stand up to the steak and cheese.
Jo opts for a salad and Ivan gets the seafood linguine. Juliet orders the hazelnut-crusted walleye. The delivery of our courses is leisurely; our entire meal takes nearly two and a half hours...not unusual for a lunch in Rome, but a dinner in Grand Rapids doesn't usually take quite this long. Luckily, we are having a good time talking and taking the pace slow.
At the end, Wendy presents us with eight dessert selections, making three trips to the center table where all the dessert "models" are displayed. I feel bad for her, particularly since three-quarters of our table is too full for anything more. Curiously, I am still a bit hungry! I order the cannoli, which turns out to be nearly tasteless. Disappointing, perhaps, but I'm still buzzing from the success of the fig/beef combo to really care that much.
Finally it is time to go. A gentleman meets us at the front door to explain the earlier sprinkles have erupted into steady downpour, and offers us a loaner umbrella to our car. It is the final nice touch on an evening of great service at a restaurant where we'd expected much less. While some of the dishes weren't a rousing success, there were enough memorable moments to put Noto's back on my radar when we're considering local Italian cuisine.
