Nino's Restaurant » winter

La Festa di San Valentino

Elizabeth — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 21:03:07 +0000

La Festa di San Valentino was a four day affair at Nino’s, culminating yesterday in a Valentine’s Day dinner with live jazz! Our dinners per due–for two–included Parchment Heart Red Snapper with homemade gnocchi in pesto and Crab Cakes and Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp served with a tart, sweet, fennel and orange salad.

We also featured a delicious Tuscan specialty–Cinghiale–Wild Boar with rosemary ricotta polenta and red swiss chard. And of course, we celebrated the love apple with our classic Spaghetti Pomodoro. Happy Valentine’s Day!

From Our Kitchen: Antipasti

Elizabeth — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:11:46 +0000

As many of the people reading this blog probably already know, we offer two distinct menus for dinner at Nino’s. We came to these menus with the desire to offer not only classic Italian specialties, but also creative, seasonal cuisine. For over a year now, our del giorno and tradizionale menus have helped us accomplish this goal. Our tradizionale menu is offered year-round, and features our most recognized and well-loved Italian fare: Spaghetti Bolognese, Linguine con Vongole, and Eggplant Parmigiana–just to name a few. Our del giorno menu changes frequently–every day or every other day, depending on the week. This menu is all about seasonality. Still Italian-inspired, we also draw inspiration from other Mediterranean, European, and American culinary traditions. In many cases, when we use local ingredients, we pay homage to their Pennsylvania roots. In all cases, the seasonal ingredients determine the menu. Rustic dishes such as chicken pot pie are the order of the day in the winter months, and in the summer the weekend menu decisions are made at Mount Pleasant’s Farmers’ Market each Wednesday.

One of the most popular features of our seasonal menu is our antipasto cart. Each Friday and Saturday evening, we fill the antique cart in the center of our dining room with an ever-changing variety of antipasti. Antipasto before dinner is an Italian tradition, and to me, the perfect showcase for the seasons. Local salami, house marinated mushrooms, and imported olives are featured weekly, along with both hot and cold specialties for sampling before dinner. At the peak of tomato season, a highlight is our Caprese Salad with fresh mozzarella, red and yellow tomatoes, and basil. Lately, in the cold, locally-made hot Italian sausage has warmed us up!

Look for seasonal antipasto recipes forthcoming here on our blog. We’ll celebrate winter as we wait for spring.

Festive Florals

Elizabeth — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 06:25:55 +0000

Centerpieces by The Laurel Garden.

Seasonal Spirits

Elizabeth — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 02:57:54 +0000

A perfect holiday cocktail with a green accompaniment: “The Bartini” and broccolini with tahini.

The Bartini–25% Campari, 25% Limoncello, 50% Prosecco…100% Italian! Garnished with rosemary, this aperitivo (before dinner drink) is red and green not only like the Italian flag but also like Christmas!

Steamed broccolini with a lemon, tahini, and yogurt sauce is a wonderful hors d’oeuvre or side dish. We sprinkled toasted pine nuts as a finishing touch.

Buon Appetito!

Oh Christmas Tree(s)

Elizabeth — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 07:14:39 +0000

We’re decking the halls. The Monday after Thanksgiving has long been the day for Christmas decorating at Nino’s. This year, we were ambitious as we selected three Christmas trees! A special thanks to Marietta, Deric, and Cappy for all of their help. The Christmas decorations will be in full swing at our holiday open house on Sunday, December 12th from 4-7PM. Join us for live jazz and hors d’oeuvres and the scent of evergreen.

Wild Mushrooms

Elizabeth — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:57:29 +0000

Mushrooms are a wonderful seasonal ingredient in autumn and winter. We feature them in earthy dishes such as veal and porcini pappardelle, chicken portobello, and wild mushroom risotto. Plus, our house marinated mushrooms have become a staple on our weekend Antipasto Cart. For marinating, we begin with whole baby button mushrooms, heated–just barely–with extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, and herbs. They are the perfect companion to our selection of local salami; not to mention, tossed with carmelized onion and gorgonzola, they make a delicious pizzetta!