Michael D. Tedesco
Using 100 percent organic durum semolina and bronze die cuts, Ryan and Danny Nicoletto craft pasta in the Old World tradition. Those details make all the difference: Their pastas are remarkable, yielding a depth of flavor and sauce-clinging texture not found in commercially manufactured noodles.
The brothers started small in 2015, selling their artisanal fresh and dried fettuccini, campanelle, rigatoni, and fusilli at local farmers’ markets while developing their wholesale business with area restaurants. A year later, they opened Nicoletto’s Kitchen in East Nashville, where you could not only purchase their specialty pastas, but also build your own bowls from the selection of pastas, sauces, proteins, veggies, and cheeses. There were classics, like meatballs napped in marinara over spaghetti, and contemporary dishes, including the rosemary chicken with walnut pesto over spinach fettuccini.
Now, they’ve expanded to the other side of the river, landing in Hillsboro Village last October. Nicoletto’s takes up residence in the former home of Bare Naked Bagel on Belcourt Avenue, next to Meet Noodles. You can’t miss the spacious, light-strung deck out front. Inside, original hardwood floors and a fireplace lend a homey feel. Behind the order counter, in the open kitchen, you’ll see steam billowing from pots of simmering water, ready to cook your pasta of choice. In the display case are the pastas available that day. You can count on beautiful strands of spaghetti or thick fusilli twists, but there could be porcini mushroom mafaldine or saffron gnocchetti sardi, too.
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Michael D. Tedesco
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Michael D. Tedesco
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Michael D. Tedesco
A new location, complete with a new kitchen, has opened up the possibilities for new menu items, such as the Italian-American favorite Chicken Parmesan. A generous portion of boneless chicken breast is coated in herbed breadcrumbs, fried crisp, and smothered in gutsy red sauce and a melt of mozzarella over a tangle of spaghetti—just how you like it. The kitchen finishes the entree with a welcome touch of julienned fresh basil. (Vegetarians, fear not: Eggplant Parmesan, similarly prepared, is also available.) New, too, is the Gnocchi Bolognese, handcrafted potato dumplings served in rich tomato-meat ragu. And, a spin on an American mainstay: Green Chili Mac, where delicate shells come with an assertive white cheese sauce flecked with green chile fire.
Don’t want pasta? Try one of the sandwiches, like the spicy Italian sausage, onions, and peppers packed inside a toasty Turano sub roll. Or a salad: We like the arugula with lemon basil vinaigrette. A cup of chicken noodle soup—yes, made with Nicoletto noodles—is a good choice, too.
The brothers assembled a concise but spot-on roster of beverages, highlighting Crema coffee, Lurisia Italian soda (the bitter caramel-orange Chinotto!) Italian and local craft beers, plus red and white wines. With the arrival of spring, plan on gathering friends and lingering on the deck over bowls of saucy pasta and a shared bottle of wine.
Nicoletto’s Kitchen, 2123 Belcourt Ave., 615-864-8968; nicolettos.com