Nonni's Bistro: Great place to go!

Lunch date # 41 Friday June 28, 2013

On a nice warm day, after some fun tennis, I was looking forward to a refreshing lunch with Mom at a place where we could sit outside and enjoy the afternoon. I also wanted to treat her to a special lunch as a thank you for all of the house/pet sitting she did for us already this summer! We elected to give Nonni's Bistro, (425 Main Street www.nonnisbistro.net/) another try. We had lunch there about two years ago, before starting our project, and all we could remember about the place was our wet laps after a staff member actually watered hanging plants next to us-while we were dining! Not the best memory for a restaurant, so we hoped to erase that thought and give it another go! Seems like this location has trouble keeping a business going-but I've liked all of the establishments that have cycled through this troubled location.

Location 5 points: In the heart of restaurant row in the middle of downtown.

 Ambiance 5 points: Very cute in and out: nice linens on the tables, even on the sidewalk tables. Big open windows separate the dining room from the al fresco seating, creating an open and airy continuous space. The interior is decorated nicely and speaks of a European café. We were fortunate to find a perfect outdoor table and were promptly served citrus flavored (floating oranges) water, creating a welcome atmosphere.

Menu selection 4.5 points: As I was in the mood for salad, I found a perfect choice in the mixed greens topped with grilled salmon. Mom went for the Cobb. We both felt that the other lunch-menu selections, such as the sandwiches, soups and entrees, looked very interesting as well. They even offer burgers!

Service 3.5 points: Our server was prompt, friendly, knew the menu, and was helpful with our meal selections.  I did have to ask for a bread basket while waiting for our salads, but was informed the bread was baking! It was served hot from the oven just a few minutes later. The food was served promptly, but I then realized my salad was missing the dressing. It was brought out a few minutes later with profuse apologies. Unfortunately, we waited quite a while for drink refills, after flagging someone to find our server.

Food 4.5 points: My salad was excellent and contained capers and hardboiled egg in addition to the perfectly grilled, generous-sized salmon fillet. Mom liked her Cobb salad well enough, but it was not superior to others she has had elsewhere. The fresh bread rolls were delicious and it was hard to stop inhaling them.

Value 3 points: Great location, ambiance and food, but the prices are fairly steep for lunch. My salad was $17 and Mom's Cobb was $16. The ice-tea at $3.00 was too high also.

Overall score for Nonni's Bistro 4.25 points.  Excellent choice for a delicious lunch downtown. The relatively high price makes it a place we would more consider for a special occasion, rather than a routine lunch, but we had a lovely time and hope this place stays around for awhile.