Friday night came along, and I was getting desperate. Madame La Bouffe was out of town, and since I had no expert recommending restaurants to me, I was on my own. I thumbed through a Gambit "Out to Eat" issue without much interest, and researched a few other places. Friday night is the night lots of people go out to dinner, and spots like Superior Grill, Stanley, and other delicious eateries would probably be packed. I needed a nice, casual, quiet place with no huge hordes of hungry folks holding up the line, and suddenly, my brain snapped. Aha! Cafe Nino! I've been to Cafe Nino a few times before, and I remember being very satisfied and having a good eating experience. So I decided to stop by for a bite.
Cafe Nino is a very casual local Italian restaurant, and it serves lots of hearty food. Pizza, pasta, calzones and Philly steaks are the top items on the menu, and they make them pretty darn good! The night I went, they also had spinach lasagna, chicken Parmesan, chicken Masala, and a veal dish sitting in hot vats. I decided on a spinach calzone, and after I ordered I talked to the good natured man who was making the pizza. He let me watch him toss the thin dough and knuckle it into a large round. He explained the different things that they put on the pizzas, and we had a nice conversation. So you can count on getting treated really well by the staff!
My lovely calzone came, steaming hot, out of the pizza oven. The filling, absolutely stuffed with cheese and flavorful spinach, tasted perfect all wrapped up in a hot, golden-brown pocket of dough. The nice man gave me a plate of marinara sauce for dipping, and after I brought the first bite to my lips, I began to eat enthusiastically. The filling and dough were both very delicious, and they were the perfect marriage of crisp, chewy, creamy, and earthy. The sauce was tasty as well, and when I dunked a forkful of calzone into it, it tasted even better.
I also tasted some of the spinach lasagna, which was delectable but just not spectacular. After I thought I was done eating, the man also brought me some hot bread, shaped like bows, that tasted really fresh and had a nice yeast flavor. I'm happy to say that I did have a little room left for them.
This hearty meal only cost me $20, which is a really good price for such delicious dinner.
If you're counting on fine dining, I suggest not to come by, because this place was formerly a Steak and Egg! The kitchen and dining room share the same space, so you can watch the cooks work their magic. Also, you have to clean up your own table, so don't count on someone throwing away your plates and stuff for you! It's a bit more effort, I grant you, but I think it's still so worth it!
If you're walking about at night, hungry and tired, stop by Cafe Nino, and I'm sure you'll be satisfied, by both the food and the price!
