Nonno's

In a word: Non-zero.

The specs: #00988   
704 S Whitney Way, 53711
Details at Yelp, official web site, Facebook

Latest Nonno's news and reviews at pinboard

JM ate the ravioli formaggi with a soda.
Marijka ate the cannelloni.
Nichole ate the spaghetti bolognese with a coffee.
Ryan ate the panino maiale.
The bill was $44, or $11ish/person, plus tip.
JM gave Nonno's a B+; Nichole and Ryan gave Nonno's a B; Marijka gave Nonno's a C (see our grading rubric).

Despite its Greenbush heritage, Madison only has a couple of great Italian places that aren't really just pizza places. And on its own terms, Nonno's is pretty good. But it isn't that good and it doesn't really fit in any better than Cancun, the Laredo's competition that preceded it.

The menu offerings are pretty diverse and include several pasta dishes and sandwiches.  There were also many apps to choose from, though we didn't partake (the freebie bread and olive oil/balsamic starter was good). Instead, we saved room to tuck into the pasta, which is the point of an Italian restaurant.

The cannelloni were a good choice. The sheets of pasta were tenderly rolled around a bright and light sauce with basil and cheese for extra flavor.

The panino maiale was a pressed sandwich with pork and garnishes, including a lettuce leaf that remained unscathed by the pressing process. A cup of vegetable soup featured corn, onions and big chunks of squash, all in a herbed tomato broth.

The spaghetti bolognese was satisfying, with a mellow sauce of mostly meat, and a generous sprinkle of parsley on top. 

The ravioli was certainly well prepared, but the flavors ranged from above average (the sauce) to middling (the noodles). The dish also never quite came together the way JM hopes a ravioli will, with the filling adsorbing just enough sauce to keep the flavors balanced. But, looking at the menu, it is still most likely what he'd order on a return visit.

The space is huge and we were one of only two occupied tables in the place this weekend lunch hour.  If you have a large party (or are self-conscious about noisy kids), Nonno's might be a good place to take them for pasta.  Everything was fine, but nothing necessarily blew us away.