Little Nonna’s
This restaurant serves dishes that your little Italian grandmother a.k.a. Little Nonna would make. They are all absolutely delicious.
Most people know of the hip mediterranean restaurant, Barbuzzo, but very few know that Little Nonna’s, along with Jamonera (Spanish wine bar) and Lolita (Mexican) are sister branches of it. With the great buzz established at Barbuzzo, there’s no risk in trying out these other eateries, especially Little Nonna’s.
Like that of your Italian grandmother’s house, Little Nonna’s is relatively small but quaint and homey – go for dinner and it’ll become the perfect romantic spot. It’s busy with all the customers yearning for its food, but service is never sacrificed. Everyone is extremely friendly and makes your meal that much yummier.
My friend and I ordered from their Restaurant Week menu.
Appetizers:
B+V+P MEATBALL with soft polenta, san marzano gravy, fontina
WILD MUSHROOM ARANCINI with crispy risotto, buffalo mozzarella, truffle aioli
Both are absolutely to die for. Little Nonna’s is well known for their spaghetti and meatballs, so we got a small glimpse of the glorious dish. The arancinis were super crispy on the outside with hot, oozing cheese on the inside.
Entrees:
RIGATONI with fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, pecorino, chile
ITALIAN MIXED GRILLED grilled swordfish & fiorellas sweet fennel sausage spiedini, roasted peppers, white beans
Broccoli rabe needs to be used more. The leafy part of the vegetable cut the saltiness of the meat and cheese. The swordfish was cooked perfectly and well seasoned, atop a bed of nicely cooked beans.
Desserts:
We decided that since we came to eat Italian food, we’d choose the two desserts on the menu that were Italian!
PISTACHIO CANNOLI pistachio ricotta filling, caramelized cacao nibs
TIRAMISU espresso soaked lady fingers, marsala zabaglione, pizzelle crumble
I usually don’t like desserts with a lot of cream, but the pistachio cannoli filling was addictive, and all the different textures put into one spoonful became two, three, four more spoonfuls. The presentation of the tiramisu was adorable in its teacup, which made it fun digging for the different layers of flavor.
This meal was one of the most successful Restaurant Week experiences I’ve had. I’ll definitely be going back for more – the spaghetti and meatballs are calling!
— Carolyn Koh
[Ed. note: Check out Penn Appétit’s thoughts during our original visit to Little Nonna’s here.]
Little Nonna’s
Website: http://littlenonnas.com/
Phone: (215) 546-2100
Address: 1234 Locust Walk
Hours:
Lunch – Mon-Sat (11:30 am – 3 pm)
Dinner – Mon-Thu, Sun (5 pm – 10 pm), Fri-Sat (5 pm – 11 pm)