There’s a new Italian restaurant on 124 street in the space formerly occupied by Dovetail Deli. The sign on the awning, Nuovo, is the Italian word for ‘new’. That word may apply to the fresh look given to the space, but not so much the food, a style of Italian cuisine that hearkens back to the days when a platter of heavily sauced noodles was the way to a diner’s heart.
The server, sprightly and pleasant as she was, was woefully unprepared—a fault not of her own, but that of the management—and a shame since a good, confident server can ease the pain of a mediocre dining experience.
Certain menu items were eye-catching: Penne Fra Diavola had me hoping the devilish aspect would be akin to a fiery arrabbiata sauce, instead, the description pertains to the creole chicken in the mix—a surprising ingredient in an Italian dish. Instalata (extra ‘t’) Mediterranean has tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, Kalamata olives, oregano and feta: that’s pretty much all Greek to me. The Peroni beer that appears on the drink list is commendable, but gets lost amidst the Kokanee, the Heinekin, and the Corona. Conflicting information between server and management didn’t leave us with much confidence.
The food looks great on Facebook and Instagram, but needs some work in real life.
For details, listen to my review on CBC here.
Caesar Salad
Arancini stuffed with fontina cheese, basil, mushroom parmigiano cream.
Front: Strozzapreti Polpo – braised octopus, basil, bone marrow, crispy bread crumbs, tomato sauce. Back: Tagliatelle Napoletano – braised beef short ribs, pork ribs, veal, “herb cream fraiche”, tomato sauce.
Creme Brûlée – a little more time under the broiler, or torch, would’ve helped this dish go a long way.
Nuovo is located at 10721 – 124 Street.