Eaters Digest: Nonna Knows Best

When a restaurant names itself La Nonna Bella (“beautiful grandma”) I make it a point to taste the old world Italian recipes that were handed down through the generations. A year old ago, Anna Maola, who grew up in the business—her father owns Cara Mia in Queens Village—took over this bright two-story space in Garden City that previously housed Taste and honors her Nonna with an Italian menu that incorporates some of her old family recipes.

My first dinner here starts off with a bang with two of Nonna’s “famous” meatballs, (which I was planning to order) instantly appearing as a gift from the kitchen. And what a gift these meatballs are. Nicely balanced, dense but light, flavorful, infused with rich tomato sauce. They do Nonna’s 100-year-old recipe proud. I promise myself to come back for a full order. A basket of rolls and focaccia are fine for soaking up the sauce. After our success with the meatballs I resolve to order everything “Nonna.”

But Nonna’s Lentil Soup ($7), which sounds promising, isn’t. Other than the addition of mozzarella-covered Italian bread, the soup was ordinary. I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe I was drawn in by it being Nonna’s recipe and all. All soups come in impressively large bowls that can feed a family of four. Minestrone ($7), updated with chick peas instead of cannelloni beans and fresh cut carrots and broccoli, needs much more seasoning. Better but just as bland was a special soup of Butternut Squash ($7).

Fried Calamari ($10) is lightly done, the rings tasting fresh and crunchy. Both salads tasted were winners. Caesar Salad, augmented with strips of chicken ($12), has large shards of parmesan and a sharp dressing tasting of anchovies. Fresca Salad ($8) with more of that good shaved parmesan and cannelloni beans on a bed of arugula is deceptively simple but very good. Dress it yourself with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and lemon.

Flounder Oreganata ($17), lightly breaded and perfectly done, is missing any oreganata flavor. The sautéed vegetables that came with it had more zing. Chicken Marsala ($16) is a generous portion covered with plenty of mushrooms, but the wine sauce is a little too sweet. With the side of pasta that comes with all entrees the menu can be a good bargain.

Desserts shouldn’t be overlooked. Nutella Crème Brulee ($7) is warm and wonderful and house-made Cannoli ($5), just filled in the kitchen, overflows with sweet ricotta.

More ricotta is in evidence at lunch one day in creatively conceived Fusilli Melanzani ($9), made with whole wheat pasta steeped in tomato sauce over chunks of eggplant. A large dollop of fresh ricotta cheese sat in the center of the bowl, from which I snatched spoonfuls, gradually mixing it in, transforming the pasta into something special. I don’t know if this was Nonna’s recipe or not, but she would’ve been proud.

La Nonna Bella
660 Franklin Ave., Garden City
516-248-0366

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