NYC: Nonna Dora’s – Great pasta place in Kips Bay

I had been to Nonna Dora’s before for drinks (their Negronis are legen-…wait for it…dary!), but it was the first time for me to try the food. My friend Alex knows the staff, and now, when the scaffolding in front of the building is finally gone, and a bunch of nice reviews from some very reputable publications have ensured quite a hype, Alex decided that it was time to introduce the rest of the gang to Nonna Dora’s too.

We started out with a bit of cheese and charcuterie + a couple of other light dishes including the pulpo salad (a must-try if you like octopus) and calamari (cut lengthwise, so they looked like fries).

When it comes to ordering food, I suffer from some serious FOMO, and I prefer to be the last person to place my order, just in case anyone orders something that sounds better than what I had in mind. Though when my truffle & mushroom tagliatelle arrived, the food FOMO disappeared, because there was no doubt I had picked the showstopper on the menu that night. There’s something utterly satisfying about watching the truffle flakes land accompanied by the oooh-ing and aaah-ing from my friends around the table.

As for desserts, well, let’s just say we did a bit of overindulging. At Nonna Dora’s, opting out of desserts is simply not an option, and oh man, they were all scrumptious! Choosing a favorite would be like picking a favorite star in the sky, but if forced to choose one favorite, it would probably be the panna cotta.

Nonna Dora’s, 606 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10016