208 E. 58th St.
Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Cuisine: Italian
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Cross Street: Between 2nd and 3rd Avenues
Entree Price: $21 to $34 (Pasta from $16)
Phone: (212) 750-7766 (212) 750-7766
Hours of Operation:
Lunch: Monday – Friday: 11:45am – 4:00pm
Dinner: Monday – Thursday: 5:00pm – 10:30pm, Friday: 5:00pm – 11:00pm, Saturday: 5:00pm – 12:00am, Sunday: 4:00pm – 9:30pm
Payment Options:
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code: Smart Casual
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Public Transit: N, R, W, 4, 5, & 6 trains to 59th Street/Lexington Avenue.
Parking: No
Bargains: Prix Fixe Lunch $18. Prix Fixe Dinner $35.
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Review by Nancy Walman
Seven is His Lucky NumberClick Here to Play Podcast
NY ICON NINO SELIMAJ OPENS SEVENTH RESTAURANT, NINO’S 208
Iconic and lively New York restaurateur Nino Selimaj, (Above) is proudly announcing the official opening of his seventh restaurant, Nino’s 208. Located at 208 East 58th Street, Nino’s 208 is on the same block as the first restaurant Nino worked in as a dish washer when he arrived in America.
Nino’s 208 sports a new, contemporary interior design, as well as a modern menu. Housed in the former premises of Ada, the fancified Indian nouvelle restaurant, Nino’s 208 brings the stamp of this excellent restaurant group to East 58th Street at affordable prices. The bi-level design is easy on the eye with its black and white color scheme, which extends to double cloths on the comfortable tables, banquettes and booths. A dramatic winding staircase leads to the second level, which is ideal for private parties.
Service is solicitous and excellent. The host is a seasoned pro, who will guide you through the menu and a vast array of specials. There is an excellent bar and the wine list is well chosen and priced with 19 wines by the glass, starting at just $8 and several pleasant bottles priced under $30. The ever dependable Michele Chiarlo Barbera d’Asti, 2004 is bargain priced at $29 It is loaded with spice and good acidity and opens up in 15 minutes. Heavily weighted in California and Italian options, there are some excellent bottles listed in the “Special Selection” pages for folks willing to spend over $200.
Executive Chef Merlin Tlapa, honed his skills alongside Tyler lorence and Bill Telepan, and brings a fresh spin to rustic cooking. Says Tlapa: “Our Philosophy at Nino’s 208 is to incorporate exotic ingredients not traditionally found in Italian cooking and use them to compliment authentic tastes.”
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In the food department, there is a value oriented $35 prix fixe dinner, including appetizer, main course, dessert and coffee. A la carte is also easy on the pocket and the food fresh, light and carefully prepared. A good beginning is a shared Buffalo Mozzarella, Wrapped In Bresaola with sliced beefsteak tomatoes, roasted yellow sweet beets and arugula pesto (Above), Roman Artichokes polenta crouton, chicken liver pâté and shaved parmesan cheese.
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Other Other options include Sea Bass Carpaccio on potato blini, accompanied by asparagus, horseradish and sour cream, Chicken Meat Balls in Tomato-Cream Sauce and the best Duck Confit imaginable. A special, it should be a leading player.
Pasta is al dente and well sauced, if a tad over-salted for our taste: Two unusual selections offer Pappardelle with braised short ribs of beef bolognese and Spaghetti with lamb meatballs, mint pesto, Tuscan kale and alio olio. Even the traditional Linguini with White Clam Sauce, gets a lift from Cockles and Broccoli Rabe.
Entree suggestions include Grilled Organic Salmon (Pictured Above), braised greens, white beans and garlic confit or Braised Pork Osso Buco, barley risotto, exotic mushrooms, rosemary and lemon zest. Check out daily specials. We chose a Porterhouse Special for 2, which arrived cut and sizzling as it finished cooking on the platter. The meat was first rate and the grilling superb. Don’t miss the terrific roasted Brussels Sprouts. A huge Veal Chop, braised in Barolo was also wonderful.
All desserts are stylish, including a puckery lemon tart, apricot tart, panna cotta (Above), and chocolate mousse cake. Nino’s 208 is is a very upmarket product, offering surprisingly gentle prices and waiting to be discovered. Go soon and you can be the lucky winner.
The Lovely Bi-Level Dining Room
Perfect For Private Groups
About the owner
Nino Selimaj arrived in New York 30 years ago. He initially began his foray into the restaurant world as a dishwasher. Nino then quickly rose through the ranks, leaving behind dishes to become a cook, then a server and eventually opening his own restaurant. Thirty years later, Nino returns to the same block where he began his career to open his seventh restaurant.
Eighteen years ago, Nino Selimaj opened the original Nino’s at 1354 1st Avenue. With unparalleled, uncompromised taste, a personable wait staff, affordable pricing and a willingness to venture into the unknown, he has captured the hearts and stomachs of New York. Following the success of his first restaurant, he subsequently opened Nino’s Tuscany, Osso Bucco, Nino’s Positano, Osso Bucco Uptown, Nino’s Bellisima Pizza (home of the $1000 pizza with four different kinds of Petrossian caviar),and now, Nino’s 208. Regis Philbin, George Pataki, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter and Barbara Walters are just a few celebrities New Yorkers may catch a glimpse of when they visit one of Nino’s locations
Of his decision to return to the same block where his career began, Selimaj says “The neighborhood is great, with its proximity to Bloomingdales. I truly believe that midtown needs a restaurant like Nino’s 208. It’s affordable, but still on the pulse of the city.”
About the Chef
Chef Merlin Tlapa (Centolire) oversees the kitchen at Nino Selimaj’s (Nino’s Tuscany, Osso Bucco) seventh Italian eatery
Merlin Tlapa honed learned his craft from legendary chefs like Tyler Florence and Bill Telepan. As one of New York City’s most promising young chefs, Merlin’s philosophy in cooking is to incorporate ingredients not traditionally found in Italian cuisine in order to keep menus fresh, exciting and inimitable.
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Sample Dinner Menu
Antipasti
Chef’s Soup Of The Day 9.00
Autumn Salad mizuna greens, pecorino cheese, walnuts, pears and roasted butternut squash 11.00
Bianco Salad hearts of palm, baby artichokes, belgium endive, pecorino cheese, white mushrooms and truffle oil 13.00
Crispy Roman Artichokes polenta crouton, chicken liver paté and shaved parmesan cheese 14.00
Classic Caesar Salad prepared table side for two 22.00
N.Y. Strip Steak Salad sliced ny. sirloin, baby arugula, endive, lemon olive oil and sliced parmesan cheese 16.00
Chicken Meatballs ricotta cheese, rosemary, tomato cream sauce and zucchini salad 12.00
Buffalo Mozzarella Wrapped In Bresaola sliced beefsteak tomatoes, roasted yellow sweet beets and arugula pesto 15.00
Sea Bass Carpaccio potato blini, asparagus, horseradish- sour cream 14.00
Pasta
Pappardelle braised short ribs of beef bolognese 17.00
Paglia E Fieno maine lobster, roasted grape tomatoes, lobster cream sauce 28.00
Tagliatelle Ragu braciola stuffed with pine nuts, pecorino cheese, raisins and filetto di pomodoro sauce 16.00
Spaghetti lamb meatballs, mint pesto, tuscan kale, aglio olio 19.00
Linguini White Clam Sauce cockles, broccoli rabe, spicy flakes, 19.00
Paccheri italian sausage, peas, light tomato cream sauce 16.00
Ricotta Gnocchi shrimp, sautéed cauliflower, oven dried tomato sauce & italian bread crumbs 24.00
Main Course
Crispy Striped Bass asparagus, shallots, peas, herb caper oil 24.00
Grilled Organic Salmon braised greens, white beans, garlic confit 23.00
Poached Halibut lobster cream, chervil, baby carrots and potato puree 29.00
Grilled Filet Mignon butternut squash-risotto, short rib of beef sauce 34.00
Braised Pork Osso Buco barley risotto, exotic mushrooms, rosemary and lemon zest 25.00
Seared Duck Breast sweet potato mashed, dried cranberries, vin santo reduction 32.00
Pan Roasted Chicken Breast wilted spinach, garlic potato purée, oxtail sauce 21.00
Roasted Veal Tenderloin sautéed swiss chard, parsnip puree, sweet onion sauce 29.00
Porchetta Romana roasted tender pork filled with fennel seeds, mustard, rosemary and sautéed brussels sprouts
Side Dishes
Broccoli Di Rape with roasted grape tomatoes and garlic confit 10.00
Steamed String Beans with swiss chard and shallots 8.00
Roasted Brussels Sprouts 8.00
Baby Spinach sautéed in garlic and light oil 7.00
Garlic Mashed Potato 7.00
Prix Fixe Dinner Menu $35
Appetizers
Soup Of The Day
Misto Di Campo house greens and grape tomatoes
Fritto Misto calamari, asparagus, shrimp and mushrooms
Main Courses
Veal Scaloppini caper berries, lemon and shitake mushrooms
Gnocchi Genovese Pesto asparagus, oven dried tomatoes and grilled shrimp
Pappardelle Funghi mix mushrooms, truffle oil and cream sauce
Chicken Paillard olive tapenade, fennel arugula salad and gaeta olives
Organic Grilled Atlantic Salmon with tuscan beans, braised greens and garlic confit
Grilled Idaho Trout string beans & steamed potato salad with mustard dressing
Desserts
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Warm Pear Tart
Butternut Squash Panna Cotta
America Coffee Or Hot
Recommended Dishes: The classic Osso Bucco, which has become a signature of all of Nino’s restaurants, as well as the Crispy Striped Bass, which is presented as a carpaccio, with the thin slices of fish served over a potato pancake with asparagus and dressed in herb caper oil. Spaghetti with meatballs made of lamb, alongside mint pesto and Tuscan kale. As in all of Nino’s restaurants, customers at Nino’s 208 are delighted by the Classic Caesar Salad, prepared tableside with much flourish – both delicious and entertaining
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Copyright 2009 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2010 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved
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