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Editorial Review

Reviewed in Mar/Apr '05 Issue of WHERE

Nick Zifarelli is a foodie from way back. The amiable owner of Nicolino’s grew up surrounded by restaurateurs, including his parents and several uncles and cousins, all of whom operated classic Italian restaurants. But when he followed suit in the 90s and opened Sorrento’s near the University of Manitoba on Pembina Hwy, it still wasn’t enough to satisfy his entrepreneurial appetite. In 1999 Zifarelli decided to remodel his operation into a contemporary urban dining experience, although he kept the thriving Sorrento’s delivery business humming, using a separate kitchen staff to prepare the pizzas.

Five years later Nicolino’s has firmly established itself as both a neighbourhood favourite and a top dining destination for local foodies. The dining room is warm and contemporary, a mix of booths for two and larger group tables. The pleasantly efficient servers are dressed in black, and the adjacent Orbit Lounge buzzes with music, talk and laughter.

Nick Zifarelli dines out at other restaurants on a regular basis. The result is one of the most diner-friendly menus in town. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are highlighted in several forms. Regional ingredients are celebrated in creative ways. Low-carb and health concerns are satisfied with Sorrento’s signature salad, plus seven others. And Zifarelli’s Italian heritage is not forsaken as two pages are devoted to pizza and pasta.

There are a couple of appetizers of note, one being golden crab cakes with chunky pieces of crab meat, served with a mild ancho chile aioli; some of the best crab cakes in town. Bison spring rolls cleverly present this regional ingredient in a creative light. The deep-fried wrapping adds pleasing richness to the lean meat, and a bold blackberry-habañero dip accents it nicely. Also of merit is the quesadilla, which is jammed full of bits of chorizo, sun-dried tomato, bell pepper and three cheeses.

A few of the pastas have become signatures through several menu changes, and they include rich linguine with chile cream prawns; pesto penne chicken with olives, artichokes, tangy crumbles of feta and sun-dried tomatoes; and the brilliantly conceived sweet potato and provolone perogies with pecans and sweet peppers (listed under pasta). Scallop and squash ravioli is an interesting marriage of two mild stuffings, but it needs a bolder sauce than the lemongrass butter that it is given. Moroccan spiced lamb over fettucine is another intriguing combination, marrying North African and Italian flavours and textures. The fork-tender spicy lamb would be fantastic on its own without the pasta.

Entrées include salad and a choice of potato, rice or pasta as a side dish. Tossed salad with basil vinaigrette and pasta al olio would be our recommended choices; both simply accented to draw out the flavour of your chosen entreé.

Typical desserts include the classic tiramisu which is light in texture and artfully presented.

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