(TV Diner) - Italian and Mediterranean influences take center stage at Nuovo - a relative newcomer to Worcester, Massachusetts' "restaurant row." It serveds an array of salads and antipasto, seafood appetizers, pastas and meat-centered mains.
Diners can choose to enjoy a football game on the two large flat screen TVs at tables or the bar in the lounge, or have a more intimate dining experience in the main restaurant. In both areas tables are adorned simply with tableware, cloth napkins, tea lights, and a single gerbera daisy.
We started with the caprese salad- thick slices of beefsteak tomatoes and mozzarella topped with julienned basil and drizzled with sweet balsamic vinegar and garlicky olive oil; quite good, especially considering we were eating winter tomatoes.
The crab cakes were thin patties of soft crab with a thick, crunchy breading smothered in a slightly spicy, tomato tartar sauce, which we would have preferred on the side. Though the filling seemed to only contain crab, it was hard to taste given the thickness of the breading.
Next we had the pollo al marsala, thin chicken cutlets sautéed with onions and mushrooms in a marsala wine sauce served over cheese ravioli. The dish was nothing spectacular and oddly reminiscent of Lipton onion soup mix.
The steak pizzaiola was a sirloin steak covered with a tomato sauce with mushrooms and onions served with red bliss potatoes fork smashed with spinach and parmesan cheese. The steak was cooked as requested, but the tomato sauce was oily and the potatoes dry and grainy.
For dessert we had espresso crème brulee, a creamy coffee flavored custard. The smoothness and the light coffee flavor were great, however I would have called it a flan as there was no crunchy topping whatsoever. Finally, we tasted the coppa raspberry- a thin slice of sponge cake covered with crushed raspberries, mascarpone cream, and chopped pistachios. A good combination, but we would have enjoyed this more had one diner not bit down a hard pistachio shell.
Local
The service was adequate; the waitress brought our dishes in a timely fashion but neglected to tell us the specials and never refilled our water.
Appetizers $4-14, entrees $16-$27, and desserts $5.50. Portions are generous, but overall slightly expensive for the food. Nuovo receives a Silver for adequate food and service.
For more information go to www.nuovoworcester.com, 92 Shrewsbury St., Worcester, Mass. or call 508-796-5915
