Entertainment
The Ritz-Carlton's new Nolita restaurant serves Italian: what you need to know
Why is it so quiet on a Friday evening?
That's the question I kept asking during a recent outing to Nolita, a new Italian restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton in Naples.
Is the season officially over?
Could it be that hotel guests are exploring other parts of the city?
If they had ventured to other Italian establishments in the city, I estimate that 80% of them would have been just as happy to stay put.
Nolita is comparable in quality and price to what you'll find a few blocks north and in the more touristy areas of downtown. The restaurant takes its name from the iconic New York neighborhood, a syllabic abbreviation of North of Little Italy.
An oasis of civility, if only for a few hours, it's one of the few new places where I haven't strained my vocal cords to carry on a conversation.
And despite its glamorous location, most of the guests were dressed quite casually. We even spotted two girls dressed in what looked like swimsuits walking through the dining room to their covered patio table.
Unlike its glitzy upstairs neighbor, Dusk, the space doesn't feel fussy or overworked. A simple shingle outside the beach-level entrance announces its lawn.
What to eat
Although Nolita doesn't innovate when it comes to Italian cuisine, its menu offers several delicious finds.
Oh, about that menu, it's not online; frustrating because it's hard to budget in advance or know if there's something you want to eat.
But JLB is here to guide you, reasoning that your best bet may be to prepare a meal of substantial-sized appetizers, pizzas, and desserts, the tastiest things our foursome has tried.
The fried squash blossoms filled with creamy ricotta were terrific and served piping hot.
A vibrant panzanella with cubes of airy focaccia came with a lovely, well-balanced vinaigrette, which gave zest to the many heirloom tomatoes.
Can a salad be tasty? In this case, yes; The piselli (Italian for peas) with layered local lettuce varieties and prosciutto deserves a spot among my top five salads in town.
I have never seen such a huge portion of fried squid. This one stood out with an aioli topped with poppy seeds, charred lemon for easier squeezing, and bits of fried peppers in the mix.
What's better than my so-called death row meal of eggplant Parm?
Dedicated pizza maker Gabriele Candelas beautifully presented an eggplant and parm pizza with a balsamic drizzle, that's what.
When the hotel announced Nolita's opening, it noted that Candela was “a third-generation pizza chef who honed his skills at his grandfather's pizzeria in Palermo, Sicily.” He also worked for the famous group L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in this other Naples, Italy!)
His experience is evident in every bite.
While I don't pretend to be Dave Portnoy from One Bite, I loved the charred crust. There is a slight crease, perhaps from the weight of the eggplant. As a starter, it easily serves four people, but consider making it a main course as you might be reluctant to share it.
Meh the main dishes
The entries were a little less successful.
The Cioppinos seafood medley had a nice broth and a clever, if temporary, twist: A medium-sized crab claw (whose season ends May 1) tops the dish. However, of the four clams included, one did not open.
A verdant but soft asparagus risotto lacked spice.
Asking where the linguine clams were from, our server asked the kitchen, but we didn't get an answer. Eight clams adorned an oversized portion of pasta, but that might appeal to some people.
Save room for dessert
It would be a shame to skip a sweet ending, especially the Little Italy Nights signatures if you like pistachio. Although almost too pretty to eat, that didn't stop me from finishing each spoonful.
Very nice too: a dark chocolate tart with orange ricotta. The playful garnish evoked pleasure Fruit rolls vintage candy vibe.
Drinkable
The specialty cocktails ($18 to $24) are fantastic and go down a little too easily. The only way a refreshing gin-centric “Cetriolo Cooler” could be better? Served poolside by a handsome young man on “Palm Royale,” Apple TV's fun new show where our sister paper, the Palm Beach Daily News, still known as the “Shiny Sheet,” gets the star treatment. There's no discernible alcohol taste, making this a dangerously delicious choice.
I was surprised that Negronis didn't get the highest rating, as it's my favorite in all Italian restaurants.
Willy-nilly, Nolita aims to please. Mine was powerful. Even if I wanted another, my philosophy: one is not enough but two is too much, it was so strong.
Naturally, the wine list leans heavily towards Italy. Selections by the glass cost between $16 and $28, and nearly 20 bottles cost less than $100.
Nostalgic food, elevated experience
As I walked towards the hotel door, the friendly guard asked me what my plans were for the evening. I replied: “Dinner at Nolita, what do you recommend?”
He said veal parmesan, the most expensive menu item at $54. Alas, no one in our group ordered it.
A recurring pet peeve in many of the city's restaurants is the utensil situation: my main course was delivered, but I don't have a fork to eat it with.
But this is the Ritz baby, where everything needed is quickly replaced after each service. Our enthusiastic and attentive server, Natoy, made us feel like we were flying first class.
While waiting for the valet, I remembered the last time I had been so excited about pizza, cake, and ice cream all in one tidy meal. It was my fifth grade birthday party at a bowling alley, but this party at Nolita was an elegant stop with adult beverages to boot.
I would always invite the same 20 friends, knowing there is enough space for us all to sit.
What you need to know and what you will spend
Address: 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road (the seaside resort)
Call: 239-598-3300
Website: nolitanaples.com
Prices: Entrees range from $14 for ribolitta (Tuscan bean soup) to $26 for chichetti, a charcuterie-cheese plate with grilled vegetables. The pizzas offer six tempting selections from $29 to $31. Five pasta selections cost between $22 and $28. Starters: Five choices, from $34 for the risotto to $54 for this veal parmesan. Desserts: Six choices to share from $12 to $22. Bring cash for valet parking.
Daily schedules: Lunch is from noon to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. In the morning, the dining room hosts an American breakfast.
Diana Biederman is NDN's food and dining editor. Log in via [email protected].
Sources 2/ https://www.naplesnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2024/04/25/naples-italian-restaurant-review-ritz-carlton-nolita/73384255007/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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