Rebecca H.
Yelp
I fought the urge to choose a restaurant I know and love for our farewell dinner with work friends and instead decided to sample Nuovo before our departure. Fortunately, the group was in agreement because who is disappointed at the prospect of a plate full of pasta?
I made a reservation for 7:15pm on a Wednesday and we probably didn't need one in retrospect but I like to play it safe.
Right out of the gate, the service was great. Due to the staggered nature of the party's arrivals, our poor server had to introduce himself about 3 times but he had a great attitude.
They have a solid drink menu with multiple options that speak to me. I settled on the coconut margarita and as a whore for anything coconut flavored, I really enjoyed this drink. It was definitely on the sweeter side, which I like, but if that isn't your thang I might recommend another cocktail. I subsequently ordered the grapefruit prosecco, which tastes as you would expect. Finally, I ordered an aperol spritz which was lovely and refreshing in the summer. Typically after 3 drinks I would be like bathing in an alcohol pool but on this occasion, not quite as much as I would expect after 3 drinks? Blame it on the carbs...
One of the things that I loved about our dining experience is that our server didn't rush our asses whatsoever. We really wanted to relish the evening and our server asked for our orders one course at a time, allowing us to really draw the fuck out of it and enjoy each other's company.
For our first course, we decided to share an order of arancini, coconut shrimp, and fig mascarpone. The arancini are 2 huge arancini balls, it says "stuffed green peas, deep fried, and a side of marinara sauce". This was IT. They were so crispy on the outside and tasted creamy and luscious on the inside. I would beg to differ on the peas part, as someone who is obsessed with peas my expectation may have been too high, but I didn't really notice them. Regardless, they were delicious.
I do not eat seafood so cannot personally comment on the shrimp but I heard very good things, even from GF who is not usually a shrimp bitch.
Unfortunately, we couldn't order the fig mascarpone because they were out of figs, to the big disappointment of one of my dining partners who was really looking forward to that shit.
I considered ordering a salad to keep the pipes moving but something about how similar all of the salads on the menu seem changed my mind. Instead, I added a side order of broccoli to main order penne alla giardiniera which the server kindly helped me pronounce lmao. Both the drunk ziti and eggplant parm were on back up in case they couldn't accommodate my request of NO ONIONS but, to my delight, everything is made to order. At least, that's what I took from the server's response that I can "have anything I want".
The pasta dish, penne with zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, and spinach sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and a white wine sauce, was flavored wonderfully and provided a hefty portion of pasta. The pasta had a bit of a bite, but I would have preferred a touch more al dente. The broccoli was also enjoyable.
Dining companions ordered one of their specials, pappardelle with shrimp and scallops, tortellini con funghi, and fettucine alfredo with broccoli and chicken. I heard nothing but rave reviews from those broads.
Maybe we just drink too fast but on a couple occasions I had finished my drink and placed it on the edge of the table to draw attention to the fact that I would like to order a drink, without being asked. I would also like to add that the server MADE FUN of me for ordering a side of broccoli because I was ordering too many vegetables. I hate to think about how constipated someone is if adding a side of broccoli to a dish with vegetables is thought to be "too many vegetables".
Anyways, this was a solid Italian spot on Shrewsbury St.