Nardo's Trattoria

This restaurant is now closed.

When in New Orleans, there is no shortage of great food, and Italians have been at least as prominent in the food industry here as the French and Creoles. If you love wonderful zuppa or vitello, this little trattoria will satisfy your cravings with flourish.

Situated in the same residential neighborhood as the more famous Clancy's, Nardo's is located at 6078 Laurel Street. Although off the beaten path, this restaurant is worth the cab fare. Nardo's offers both Northern and Southern style Italian cuisine, so depending on your taste, you can enjoy the heartier four cheese lasagna, or the more delicate veal piccata.

The decor is restrained and slightly upscale, but casual attire is the norm here. The bar area (this was the location of the locally famous Norby's, well known to LSU and Tulane fans) booths that offers a somewhat cozier atmosphere. The dining room is not large, but when we were there, some tables were set up for parties of ten people, who appeared to be families and included a couple of small children.

The wait staff was friendly and accomodating, even though we did not have reservations. Happily,when we asked our waiter for a wine recommendation, he suggested an excellent choice that was perfectly suited to our meals (frutii de mare).

Nardo's offers upscale Italian dining, but is also family friendly. If you want Osso Bucco, but the kids are less sophisticated, they can build their own pizza or calzone, with toppings as traditional as pepperoni, or as uncommon as oysters and crawfish. (There's a children's menu as well with spaghetti and chicken tenders.)

There is also a "Build Your Own Pasta" menu, where you can choose your favorite pasta, the sauce of your choice, and add in meat or seafood if you prefer. Meat lovers can have a ribeye or New York strip, or go for the Veal Chop Nardo, topped with boursin, proscuitto, Pinot Noir portobello and artichokes.

We couldn't stuff dessert in after our meal, but Nardo's Death By Chocolate, which has a chocolate torte, Italian chocolate mousse, chocolate dipped strawberries, and cream, sounds like a winner, and our plan on our next visit is to have appetizers (maybe Grilled Oysters Nardo, yummy) and go straight to the Dolci menu.