Forget those chic trattorias with their fancy wine lists, micro-size portions and cutting-edge cuisine. Nulli’s is old-school. The food is familiar and homey – red sauce is king here – and the service efficient and friendly. It’s the kind of place your nana might have opened.
The vibe: While the main dining room is dominated by a long bar and a cheery, black-and-white linoleum floor, the decor is a bit tired. But the crowd, which seemed to consist mostly of people 50 and older, didn’t seem to mind.
The food: The bread basket placed on our table upon our arrival provided a hint of the meal that would follow. There was none of that rough-hewn country ciabatta here: These were crisp triangles of old-fashioned Italian bread, some smeared with a faintly garlic-scented spread.
The house salads that accompanied the entrees were fresh-tasting and had plenty of crunch. The cheese ravioli were plump little pockets of creamy ricotta, though the meatballs that came with it were the real stars. These nicely spiced, moist orbs covered in zesty tomato sauce didn’t last long at our table.
Chicken Marsala – white meat sauteed with mushrooms, onions and diced red peppers – had a nice flavor, though we would have liked a heavier hand with the Marsala, which was barely detectable. The pizza was just OK.
There’s no children’s menu here, and while the wait staff was happy to provide a dish of pasta for the 5-year-old at our table, it came tossed in a garlicky olive oil. Some kids with adventurous palates might not mind, but ours promptly turned her nose up. Perhaps we should have been more specific, but to me, plain pasta means exactly that: naked, with no sauce whatsoever.
All was forgiven when dessert arrived. We were pretty stuffed but made room for a fresh cannoli, and I’m glad we did. This crisp cylinder cradling a creamy ricotta filling was one of the highlights of the meal. Take one to go if you just can’t bear another bite.
The cost: Most lunch entrees are in the $10 range (though there are specials from $5.95 to $9.95, including salad and a fountain drink). Dinner will set you back anywhere from $10 to $16. But you can bring the price down significantly if you hunt down one of their 2-for-1 coupons frequently found in newspapers and area Entertainment books.
The particulars: Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Full bar and plenty of parking. Nulli’s also serves breakfast on Saturdays, starting at 8 a.m.
The verdict: Nana would approve. Nulli’s Italia 706 Hartford Road, Manchester 860-647-1500
