Fried zucchini blossoms with mozzarella and marmalade (Kat Lucero)Written by DCist contributor Kat Lucero
If you’re hungry for Italian food news, then munch on this: Grandma’s house just got sleeker. And by this, I mean Casa Nonna (which translates to “grandmother’s house” in Italian) and its menu, which has slimmed down its portions to accommodate a minimalist downtown clientele.
Casa Nonna, located at 1250 Connecticut Avenue NW, has only been open for less than a year. It’s been quietly nesting south of Dupont Circle, while the former partners, Jimmy Haber and Chef Laurent Tourondel, of its old parent company, the BLT Restaurant Group, have been squabbling in a “culinary divorce.” But under Haber’s new company, ESquared Hospitality, the restaurant shed the large family-size portions it was originally known for — to which Casa Nonna seems to want to say, “out with the old, and in with the new, because nonna’s got a brand new ‘do.”
The release of the new menu two weeks ago coincided with the opening of Casa Nonna in Midtown New York (That’s right, a District import in the Big Apple). Both restaurants have the same menu, which was designed by D.C.-based Executive Chef Amy Brandwein. Looking over the legal-size food menu, one can easily identify the Italian classics — prosciutto, meatballs, fettucine, tortelloni, orecchiette, spaghetti — dishes an Italian grandmama would likely prepare from scratch in the warmth of her kitchen. A recent media sampling of some of these items, however, showcased an edgy culinary twist, matching the restaurant’s already chic ambiance.
The fried zucchini flower stuffed with mozzarella and marmalade appetizer was one of them. Who knew this in-season farmers market item could even be prepared this way? I surely didn’t, but the crispy and creamy textures from this dish were a delight on my palate.
Another dish that made an impression was the whole-wheat “guitar style” spaghetti, a rarity in Italian fine dining. The “guitar style” description on the menu already exuded rock ‘n roll, but the actual taste could possibly define this one as a firecracker down the road. This handmade pasta was cut from a chitarra (“guitar” in Italian) pasta cutter, a slick kitchen instrument that resembles a miniature harp. The pasta was then mixed with bits of roasted cauliflower and hot peppers. The surprise ingredient in this dish was anchovy; Chef Brandwein said she used delicate anchovies, which easily “melt” when cooked with the garlic and olive oil.
Last but not least, the cannoli. I haven’t been fond of this dessert since my days of working in an Italian kitchen in college. (I consumed so much heavy cream encased in large, hard shells during my breaks that I vowed never to return to such overwhelming fare.) But Casa Nonna broke that dry spell with its petite and dainty version. The shell delicately cracked under my fork (“a good sign” said the chef) and the vanilla and orange ricotta inside was a light, manageable cream. Quite unexpectedly, the cannoli and I are friends once again, and I have Casa Nonna to thank.
