New Eats in Hell's Kitchen

The streets of New York City summers are harsh, hot and not all together comforting. To escape the mean concrete jungle, I suggest walking into Casa Nonna, a midtown gem hidden not too far from the Garment District. Tucked away in Hell's Kitchen, Casa Nonna is a large space that cools you down as soon as you walk in. Airy and bright, it reminds me of a large scale Italian eatery you might find downtown. As we were shown to our seats, I noticed the comfortable bar to the right, kept busy by a few passer-by who stopped in for some of Nonna's delectable appetizers.

Not one to beat around the bush, upon first meeting our waiter, Noah Hildebrandt (who was a doll!), I quickly ordered speck wrapped around Fontina cheese and cooked to gooey, melted perfection. Brought to me quickly, I savored every bite...as speck is a personal favorite of mine. After perusing the menu a little longer, we settled on a variety apps, starting with artichokes marinated in garlic and olive oil with a smattering of red pepper flakes, followed by some moist and flavorful meatballs in marinara. We finished with zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and fried in panko; they were good, but the cheese was hot when it oozed out and I firmly suggest letting these sit for a sec. It's hard to be patient though, believe me!

While waiting for our entrees, we chatted with Noah about the various dishes on the menu, of which he was incredibly knowledgeable. He convinced me to try one of their three granitas, Casa Nonna's signature drink that masquerades as an adult Slurpee.

The meal was topped off with Bombolini, a.k.a. sugar doughnuts soaked in limoncello, lemon peel and then meringueed. Delightful to taste and fun to eat, these are not your average doughnut holes.

Take a break from the hubbub of Hell's Kitchen with an Italian siesta right on 38th Street at Casa Nonna.

— Written by Kaitlin Lipe & Sarah Polonsky

Photo credit: http://ny.eater.com

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