Restaurant Week Review: Nove Italiano

This one was risky. I’ve heard so-so things about Nove but thought I’d skip the usual suspects (Fearing’s, The Mansion, etc.) and give the fledgling Victory Park some of my money for Restaurant Week. Good call. Yes, the decor is kind of Vegas tacky: lots of sparkling lights, ridiculously high ceilings making the dining room overly cavernous, and a trio of framed famous Italian paintings in LCD that rotate. Kind of like an Italian Disneyworld. But the food was good: rigatoni bolognese (with beef, pork and lamb – nice!), Kobe flat iron steak, a refreshing chilled tomato and cucumber soup, and chocolate torta with pistachios and creme fraiche. Not great but really good. Best of all, Jay Stalnaker — our waiter — made the night a complete joy, explaining the food without overdoing it, steering us through Nove’s Italian wine list (by the way, Tuesday nights all bottles are half-price — sweet), and making the night a complete joy. Often times during Restaurant Week, many eateries rush their patrons out the door to seat the next table. Jay and Nove took their time with us. The extra attention was appreciated.