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Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch
Neighborhoods: Theater District, Hell's Kitchen8th Ave-42nd St (A, C, E, 1, 2, 3, S, 7, N, Q, R, W)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:30 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Mention Yelp and receive a free Limoncello (after dinner drink).
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Came here for my friday night tradition of dinner with me, myself and I. It had been a long week, I wasn't looking to socialize, and just wanted a glass of wine and something meaty. Passed by here and decided to give it a shot, and overall I am pleased with the experience.
I sat at the bar and received prompt and attentive service. The wine was a solid choice and not too pricey. The decor was simple, but classy with the ceiling and walls lined with wine bottles.
I had the sunday pasta, which is basically spaghetti with meatballs and italian sausage. It was pretty good and very filling. For an italian restaurant, I felt that their menu was kind of limited. I mean you can make a billion different pasta dishes with the same set of ingredients, so I was expecting more.
But, overall I will be back. A very good choice for having a casual dinner with a friend, or a casual date (as in not trying to impress) with the bf or gf, or, if you are brave like me, treating yourself to dinner.
Outdoor seating, ricotta and olive oil with bread brought to the table were positives, but the service was mediocre while the Pansoti (fresh pasta filled with greens, herbs & ricotta with butter, parmesan & walnut pesto) was less inspired Italian and more the flavor of a dish I'd eat at an Olive Garden.
Would not recommend.
A solid 4.5 stars. I love everything about Nizza. On their website it states Nizza is what the Italians call Nice, France which explains why they have socca, a Nice specialty. There are a bunch of mixed reviews on here so I guess you really need to stick with what you like since it seems some things are a hit or a miss. Nizza has outdoor seating and the atmosphere is chic with cute wine bottles along the walls. Their cocktails are delicious and strong, their free bread with olive oil and ricotta is delicious-that's saying a lot for someone who isn't a big fan of cheese.
My friend has a gluten intolerance and when asked, she was given a special gluten free menu. We split the socca which is a thin chickpea pizza/crepe like appetizer that is crispy. It's topped with basil and some parmesan cheese. It was excellent and is now my new favorite food obsession.
My other friend ordered the pansoti ravioli stuffed with spiniach, riocotta served in a parmesan walnut pesto sauce. Although it's something I would not really like, it had a really good nutty flavor and unique. My gluten free friend ordered Ziti Al Forno-oven roasted ziti with tomato sauce, burrata & parmesan. It was served in a cute oven dish and the top layer was nice and cheesy and crispy. I ordered the spaghettini which is angel hair pasta with baby shrimp, garlic and in a light pesto sauce. There was a generous amount of shimp and the sauce and pasta was soooo delicious with lots of garlic. I also ordered a side of creamy polenta which I could of done without. There wasn't much flavor and it reminded me of mashed potatoes.
Nizza is more on the pricey side but well worth it. I highly recommend this restaurant and you must order the socca! Enjoy.
Solid "what you see is what you get". Decent bread, OK cocktails. Good service. Can't complain.
An entire gluten-free menu? Delicious gluten-free breadsticks brought to your table when you order off the gf menu? Corn pasta that tastes like the real thing? Delicious italian sausage?
This place is great. I love that I have some quality gf food in my neighborhood. I have yet to try the socca, but I will definitely get some on my next visit.
This restaurant is in a great area for foodies but certainly wasn't good at all.
The menu: BIBB & GORGONZOLA salad. The vinaigrette completely overwhelmed the entire salad and the whole thing was definitely NOT worth $10. Way too much for a few thin slices of apples, a couple of walnuts and A LOT of vinaigrette.
My order was the SALSICCIA Y RAPINI pizza which had tomato, sweet Italian sausage, broccoli rape, chili flakes & pecorino. Now I know this kind of broccoli is not supposed to be sweet but the broccoli was SO bitter it completely killed my taste buds. I had to completely take it off the pizza and then there was nothing left on it but dough. The pizza dough itself was actually very good, perfectly crisp and delicious but I didn't come to the restaurant to eat plain bread.
My BF had GNOCCHI AL FORNO and it was very, very bland. I've never had to salt anything in an Italian restaurant but these gnocchi were screaming for some salt.
Overall, I've definitely had better Italian food and I hope that this was just an off-day for them because I'm still left with the bitter taste in my mouth.
if you're in the area, this is an okay place to eat. Usually no line and the food is decent. However, there are many more great Italian joints in NYC, so I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The calamari was decent and I got the pesto pasta which was decent as well. I would give it 3 and a half stars if I could!
Order the Picante Pizza (tomato, spicy Italian sausage,
roasted hot peppers & smoked mozzarella) with an ice cold Peroni--trust me, you won't be disappointed. Ther service here is great: the manager has come over all three times I've been here and is so charming and welcoming. Definitely a great place to go on a date, or even for just dessert--their espresso is truly authentic and never fails to remind me of the espressos I would order during vacation in Northern Italy.
The service here has become a lot more attentive and friendly. The soca with olive tapenade has remained a treat. You've done it guys...you made me a fan.
Good food especially the socca. Try it with the olive tapinade. Amazing combination of flavors. The… Read more »
Props to Nizza for awesome gluten free pizza and cute decor. Staff was attentive and not in your face.
Much love.
I will be back
Decided to try Nizza because they had a gluten free menu for my friend and her daughter. Went there for brunch/lunch. One of my friends and I both had the Artichoke Frittata. It came with chickpea fries (good and different) The frittata was okay but nothing special. Also ordered buttermilk-cranberry scones. What we got seemed to be one scone with poppyseeds, no cranberry. Again, it was okay.
My gluten free friends ordered Pesto Pasta and Quattro Formago Socca (crispy chickpea pancake cooked in the brick oven). They thought they were okay but nothing outstanding. They were really happy to be able to order off a gluten free menu so I do give the restaurant credit for that.
The service was okay but not super attentive. It wasn't busy when we were there so it seemed like they should have been more on top of things. My friend ran out of iced tea and had to ask for more.
Probably wouldn't eat here again based on all of the other great restaurants options in New York but glad that we tried it.
I came here before a Broadway show over the summer with a friend and it was a very cute place. They have outdoor seating on the sidewalk right out front and the front walls/windows are open so it's good when it's nice out. My friend is on a gluten-free diet so it was especially appealing to her because they have a separate gluten-free menu that lists everything she can safely eat. The service here was very good and the food was tasty and comes in perfect portions at decent prices.
I went here for dinner before a show and it's very conveniently located near many Broadway shows in… Read more »
Went here for dinner, the service was pretty fast. The bread was good, the food was ok, I got the lasagna, nothing too amazing. The house wine was decent, but not super cheap.
Ohhh 3.5 stars, but since I love ricotta cheese & olive oil I bumped it up to a 4.
Okay so a few friends and I went out to Nizza for Bastille Day (we needed a reason to go out..and Bastille Day was the next holiday on the calendar!) I got there somewhat late so I missed the first app of calamari, but I heard it was excellent. We ordered a few more apps (clams and articoke hearts)...both were quite yummy. They served bread with not only olive oil, but olive oil and ricotta cheese which in my opinon was the best part of the meal. I ordered the pansoti, which was triangular ravioli with some sort of pesto and ricotta (did i mention i love ricotta??). Anyways I also got to sample my friends meals - some ravioli with fava beans, pesto pasta, and the chicken milanese. All were excellent.
Two issues that made this only a 3.5 meal...one the dishes were on the small side and a bit on the expensive side (we paid $60 each after tax and tip..some apps, drinks, a meal and dessert...but still..expensive). And since our silverwear was taken away after our apps, none were brought when our main meals came, so we had to flag someone down. Otherwise the serivce was good and everything I tasted was delicious.
I must've forgotten my original review b/c I returned two weeks ago for dinner. The pizza here was pretty decent. I will return to try their pasta.
Had brunch here yesterday at 1pm and it was pretty packed. The breakfast pizza (Pizza Uova) did not… Read more »
The Caesar Salad was not that great. The pizza was alright. The Gnocchi tasted like bland mac and cheese. So why is this place ok? The Peach Bellini was excellent. One drink and I was set. What a lovely summer August night.
Came by here for a late Saturday brunch (4pm!) when Marseille was closed. Suprisingly, the decor is very nice inside, with the high ceilings lined with various wine bottles all over. The place has just the perfect amount of lighting where it's needed, so it still has a cozy dimly lit ambiance. The bar is also very nice - I could see myself coming here on a late Friday night for a lax night. The wine selection is pretty large from what I saw on the menu, and the bottles are around $25-40... not bad at all!
Onto our brunch... we ordered the pizza uova & socca and eggs. Yum. I wanted to order something I've never had before (versus the traditional omelettes or egg's benedicts). The socca & eggs reminded me of the Chinese onion pancake, except, thank god, the menu says that it's baked and not fried. Good sign. It was a chickpea pancake baked with swiss chard, onions, fontina, and egg whites (we requested without yolk).
The pizza was very fulfilling as well - hearty with tomato sauce, peppers, mozarella, prosciutto cotto, eggs, and pesto. There's something about the eggy-ness of both dishes which I LOVED. I once had a pizza in Rome with a runny egg in the middle and it was freaking delicious.
Anyway, we finished both dishes with no problem. The price points are decent as well. I will definitely come back here again to try the WILD BOAR LASAGNA... damn that sounds good. (And they open up the front windows in the summer... what a cute spot! I'll come here when the weather is nicer so I can pretend like I'm in Italy).
Nizza's alright in my book! I can afford the menu, the space has a good energy, waiters are nice, and the food is dependable. There can be a wait to get a table during the warmer summer months but I've never waited more than 20 minutes. And in the colder months, something about the orange seats and warm glow makes me want to dine a la fuzzy turtleneck sweater at midnight.
My favorites are the pappardelle al pesto (wide pasta noodles with pesto) and the wild boar lasagna. Both are different from usual Italian dishes and surprisingly filling. Though, one time my roommate's sister got the lasagna which she found tasted too much of wine (maybe the alcohol hadn't been cooked off?). We told our waiter who was really nice about it, offered to bring something else in its place, told the chef about it (who agreed there was too much wine) and took it off our check.
I also like that the kitchen is open late and the chairs are pretty comfy; you get that perfect butt hug that benches can't provide.
I was only in NYC for a couple days and noticed this place nearby, so I thought I'd give it a try, and was not at all disappointed. I was by myself, so I grabbed a seat at the bar, and the friendly barista had a martini ready for me in seconds.
I started with the mushroom crocchettes (delicious) and then moved on to the veal scallopini, and topped it off with a superb biscotti and cream dessert that I forget the name of. The main course gets 5 stars for presentation, and the veal itself was great, but the accompanying greens were way oversalted. I was more impressed with the appetizer and dessert than with the meal itself, but overall I would definitely come here again.
My wife & I went on July 4, 2009. Made reservations earlier in the day on Open Table. Got there a few minutes earlier and got seated right away.
We were given cocktail/winelist immediately and menus, but surprisingly not asked about a drink order. To me, somewhat minor but most places will ask you about drinks as soon as you're at the table.
The bread they brought to the table was very fresh and tasty-slight hint of garlic, not overpowering.
My wife started with a well-made Cosmo.
For appetizers, my wife had the fried ravioli- 4 very large crispy ones filled with cheese (2 well filled, 1 so-so and 1 slightly.). She said cheese was tasty but pasta part was bland. Also, no marinara or any other sauce with it (and we didn't bother to ask.)
I had the often recommended socca- a flatbread made from chickpea flour that has sage leaves and other seasoning. Very tasty without being overpowering.
We then shared the Bib lettuce salad with Gorgonzola, apples and walnuts. It came served already on two separate plates piled high (good thing we shared!). All was fresh and tasty with slivers of the apple, not-too-big pieces of walnut and a generous amount of the Gorgonzola. Quite refreshing.
For the main dish, we each had the Chicken Milanese which we each enjoyed immensely. A generous sized breaded chicken cutlet, paper-thin, lightly fried to absolute perfection. (This is definitely a skill!). The cutlet was topped with a salad of extremely fresh heirloom tomato chunks, diced fresh mozzarella and not-too-peppery arugula. My only nitpick was that I may have preferred the tomatoes to be diced a little smaller, but they were tasty. We definitely did not miss not ordering any sides and were too full for dessert. With the meal, we each enjoyed a glass of wine- both brought to the table in a mini-carafe and poured to the glass in front of us- a nice little touch. My wife enjoyed the lighter Côtes du Rhone while I fell in love with the full-flavored Nero D'Avola.
Service was friendly and attentive.
The total with tax was just under $90.
The restroom situation is a little weird. There are 2 rooms which are basically just a toilet in a closet (they are clean.)
However, the sink is right outside blocking one of them and is technically in the dining room, save for a slight piece of wall.
Since we sat outside right at the entrance, I heard various conversations of people showing up without reservations. The hostess definitely seemed to be attentive to those with theater times in mind.
There really was nothing to not like, food was great and generous and very reasonable for good Italian in Manhattan. Definitely a place to return to- maybe to try the pizza next time.
Ciao!
A few of my girlfriends and I decided to try this place because it was in the best cheap eats of the NYTimes, but it wasn't as great as I was expecting it to be. I think the best part of the meal was the garlic bread and hummus spread. I probably could've had my entire meal on just that.
Everyone ate their food without complaint, but no one seemed to be in love with their food either. I was quite frankly very disappointed by my dish. I had the seafood risotto and although it wasn't bad, it wasn't anything special. I would advise against it.
I don't plan on going back.
A solid choice on this once familiar strip of 9th Avenue. You'd think a sexy little spot like this would be a no-brainer home run, but alas, no. Don't get me wrong - it's got a lot going for it, mostly in the decor realm: great lighting, good use of space, cozy but not cramped. It's also got that Interesting French-cum-Italian menu (appropriate for anyone who knows their European history) and a very good wine list.
But first and foremost, the food is just OK. We ordered lots of little things to split - a pizza here, a crostini there, that chick-pea thing and even a lasagna and nothing really wowed me. The pizza in particular was pretty underwhelming.
Secondly, our server combined just the right amount of attitude and inattentiveness to get on my nerves. He kept inexplicably and very visibly judging everyone's drink orders, sneering as if to say "the bellini? really?" to my friend or "fine, order the cheaper white" to me. Then, when god-forbid we wanted a refill, he was nowhere to be found.
A good setting and great company can overwhelm even these shortcomings, but there's better food and service to be had all along 9th Ave.
After the hip hop dance experience we wanted some wine and some food. Our party of five was seated quickly and we mulled over the wine list.
I opted for the Bibb salad and a side of polenta; I was craving something warm.
I feel like my selections were not enough to really judge-I liked the atmosphere a lot-would be a nice place to go on a 2nd date.
The service was pretty good-willbe back for more investigation.
Awesome Italian... can't go wrong here!
This restaurant has been getting a lot of buzz over the past few months and has been written up everywhere. Time Out New York has recommended it week after week.
To that I will say that there are MUCH better dining options in Hell's Kitchen.
Nizza has a nice atmosphere and brings a bit of panache that the neighborhood lacks. I enjoy seeing the people eating there and at 5 Napkin Burger everyday on my way home. The outdoor seating/open windows are nice as is the kitschy Vespa parked in front of the place. Major points for nice design/aura brought to the neighborhood.
The service was mediocre. While we were seated pretty quickly (It was a Tuesday afterall) our server was rushing us to order our drinks and food as soon as we got the menu. I'd be a little more understanding if there were a wait, but the restaurant was maybe at half capacity. We ordered our drinks and they came pretty quickly. The server did not allow me to sample the wine first - he just poured my little mini decanter into my glass and walked off.
We ordered the chickpea fries as an appetizer. They were good but a little too salty - as we would soon find out the rest of the food we ordered was also oversalted. I am a lady and I cannot be consuming all of this sodium - WATER WEIGHT HELLO! But seriously, I do hate overly salted food. My stuff chicken breast arrived soon after, which was stuffed generously with a rich filling. Unfortunately the nice flavors of the chicken/stuffing were overshadowed by SALT again.
All in all, Nizza was just OK. The prices are pretty reasonable and I'd maybe be willing to give it another chance further down the line. Five Napkin Burger is next door though and it's hard to pass that up for the mediocrity neighboring it!
Came here for Valentines Day 2009 and had a great meal. I ordered the veal and it was incredibly moist and full of flavor. Excellent service and the crowd seemed to be mostly locals which made me feel good for a Jersey guy who wants to avoid the touristy spots.
This is a solid place. Really close to my apartment and perfect for a nice Italian/bistro feel for dinner. Reasonably priced. Good wine. Decent service. (I say decent because the waiter gave my friend back the wrong credit card.)
Definitely a good date spot or pre-theater dinner place to hang out with a few girlfriends over a good meal. Everyone loved their food and I'd recommend it to anyone else in the neighborhood.
Oh nizza. what can I say about you? You're like a good work acquaintance. I would never go to long island to see you, but as long as you're in the neighborhood, why shouldn't we get together?
True I don't love the socca you make and the grilled zucchini salad wasn't so grilled or quite as delicious as I imagined it to be, but with you I know what I'm getting. And you know what? My pasta with tomato sauce and smoked mozzarella wasn't half bad. You're not a bad acquaintance to have, really, and I like you're fast with your delivery.
Thanks, Nizza, it's nice to have a neighborhood restaurant like you in my back pocket when I'm stuck on where else to go for dinner.
better than i was expecting from all these crappy reviews.
pizza was really really good when we were dining in, but only pretty good when we ordered in a week or so later.
unfortunately, service sucked really badly, so now we have the dilemma of spending an hour and a half self-consciously eating delicious pizza in a pretentious environment, or eating not-as-good pizza on our own couch.
i really wish they could get themselves together-- if they were just pleasant to the customers (no, not just the parties of 8 that walk in 20 minutes after us and keep us from ever seeing our waiter again) they would have a 4 star review and 2 huge fans... unfortunately, for now it's still a backup.
I have been to Nizza several times after writing my initial review. The socca gets better and better, and I have become amazed at the service---the best that I have encountered at any restaurant. The waiters are quick to take your order but not abrupt, and there is always a waiter around, regardless of how busy it is, to answer a question or get the check. I was also won over last night when I arrived early for dinner with a friend. The restaurant was crowded but the hostess had no problem seating me before my friend arrived. Most other restaurants would have made me wait until everyone was there before seating us. It was a small but very nice touch.
Great gluten-free menu. I tasted the classic socca (chickpea pancake) and the pomodoro socca (I… Read more »
Brunch with a punch! You won't leave looking like you were painted by Edvard Munch!
This is one of my favorite places for weekend brunch. You'll find some innovative dishes mixed in with brunch classics. Always fantastic is the very unique chickpea pancake, aka "Socca", either solo or with sunny side eggs on top (I prefer it with the eggs, it adds a nice eggy moisture). The brunch pizza with green eggs and ham is also one of my favorite picks. And I cannot remember a time that I haven't ordered the fried ravioli! Delicious.
It's safe to say that people definitely seem to like Nizza, there are always people there, but I have never once had to wait to be seated, which is fabulous. Although I love sitting outdoors, I usually opt to sit indoors near an open window because I am in love with Nizza's orange chairs. They strangely lure my body to them. I cannot resist. I love the chairs. I want them in teal.
Plus, Nizza often has a very good soundtrack playing in the background, which can be better heard indoors, and makes the entire food experience music to my body- ears, tummy and bum combined!
Got to get my hands on those chairs...
I had high expectations for the place as I've heard and read some very positive reviews. I left a little disappointed. Their socca is indeed excellent and the best thing we ordered. Eggplant involtini was pretty good. Didn't care for fried ravioli even though it should've been good (it has cheese inside, it's fried, it's simple.) The roast artichoke pizza was so-so as was the grilled shrimp salad. Strictly average. Socca is the only thing I would order again, maybe eggplant involtini. With so many fantastic Italian places in the city, I don't know if I'd come back for those two items. Both service and ambiance were satisfactory though and everyone did have a pleasant meal so I'm still giving it three stars.
Alas, my run of awesome meals from dining out has come to a sad and stomach-churning end. My girlfriend and I were on our way to Basilica (a much better option down the street) when the TimeOut Cheap Eats write-up in the window caught her eye and she exclaimed, "Hey, let's try this place instead!" We should have gone to Basilica.
First of all, the place wasn't remotely crowded when we entered and instead of the toothpick-sized table the host wanted to seat us at, I asked him if we could have a booth. "Not poss-eee-buhl" (insert dismissive finger-waving). After all, "booths are only for groups of three or more"...but wait, weren't there only two guys sharing nothing but a glass of wine at the very next booth? Oh, I get it now...they were friends of the host.
As for the food, I did like the Moonlit goat cheese appetizer, but seriously, only five almonds with it? I felt like a mouse.
And for the entrees, let's see, would you like a little food with that big glop of pesto? And not fresh pesto either - rather, the jarred kind I could buy by the truckload at Costco. Yikes. The waitress was nice, but with practically nothing on the drink menu less than $10 a glass - TimeOut should consider a little re-branding "Cheap Pesto - Pricey Drinks - No Booth for You!"
Socca and eggs for brunch. No line. No music, thankfully. Able to catch up with long-not-seen companion.
Very limited dessert menu, but who cares, in this neighborhood?
Maybe it was because I was still hungover from the night before, but the prices here seemed incredibly reasonable. I don't think anything (besides wine) was over $16.
Came here post-theatre on a Friday night, and although the place was full, we were seated right away. Our table of four shared two tasty bottles of red, three meats, three cheeses, two pizzas, a salad and a pasta. All were divine. I highly recommend the pesto pizza.
This place is a score in my book.
Great with specials and amazing appetizers. I had a wild boar lasagna that was very delicious. Ambience is good, with a full bar and tons of people who go after work. The portions are very suitable and not too overbearing. Pricey
I'm not sure why my experience here seems so much better than what some of the other reviewers had... maybe because I knew nothing of the place other than they served Italian and didn't cost an arm and a leg.
So, I went here with 2 other people. We had pretty prompt service. We all were very pleased with the food and service. One of us had the spaghetti with meatballs. It was excellent. The meatballs were perfect. And the sauce was good. Another had the veal scallopine. Excellent again! Cooked well. Nice and tender. And the other had the chicken milanese. Very good. Tasteful and cooked great.
We all just had Coke to drink.
Our bill came to about $22 per person plus tip. Excellent value for NYC.
On the downside, it was small, crowded, and noisy. But, that wasn't a problem to us.
They have a menu w/prices online for you to see. :)
Call it what you will, a goal or a New Year's resolution, but I've recently made (even more of) a conscious effort to live my life without any regrets. I would hate to look back at age 40 or 80 (or anywhere in between) and question why I never: Moved to France; lived and worked in Manhattan; told Mr. Handsome that I had feelings for him; traveled more often, etc. We only get one shot at this roller coaster called "life," and there's no way I'm going to my grave with any "what if's."
In addition to major life-altering decisions, I've also made an effort to be more willing and adventurous with food. When I was in France last winter, I was confident that I would return to New York having sampled local delicacies/specialties from each unique region I visited. Upon my return home, I reviewed my list:
Escargot? Check.
Frog legs? Check.
Double gras? Check (ugh, unfortunately).
Saucisson? Check.
Foie gras? Check.
Quenelle? Check.
Socca? ... Um, can I get a sound check on socca, please? Anybody?
"Oh no!" I cried, "I went all the way to Nice and didn't try socca (click here for definition)?! When the hell will I be back in the French Riviera? Damn it!"
Though I was pretty regretful and bummed, I was elated to learn of a newly opened restaurant in Manhattan called "Nizza" (which is the Italian word for Nice), whose signature item is (you guessed it) socca. So when I was put in charge of making last minute brunch reservations for Sunday, I chose Nizza on a whim and booked a table for 3.
Overlooking bustling 9th Avenue, patrons can choose to dine street-side or opt for a table indoors. While tempted to enjoy brunch al fresco, I ultimately chose to sit inside due to Sunday's gale force winds. After being seated, I was pleased to note that Nizza had more arm, leg and purse room than most restaurants in NYC. Naturally illuminated by large store-front windows, the interior space was of generous size and finished with warm Mediterranean colors and accents (salmon, lime, cherry wood, wine bottles). By 12:15pm, the restaurant was quickly filling up with families celebrating Mother's Day and local residents hoping to cure their hangovers with some nourishment.
There's nothing more charming than a European accent, so I was delighted when a friendly Italian server approached and asked if I wanted something to drink. By the time he brought my glass of moscato d'asti, Cathryn and Colorado-Clint arrived (Yes, this meant that I *was* seated without my entire party. Note to self: Add bonus points for this.).
After trading weekend stories and strategizing how we could sneak beer in to Central Park, our server returned to take our food orders. Being that I didn't have a French version to compare it to (and to relieve *some* of my guilt/regret), I chose Nizza's signature Socca and Eggs. Shortly after the server left our table en route to the kitchen, another employee presented us with a plate of fresh focaccia and olive oil. Liberally topped with parmigiano-reggiano, sea salt and rosemary, the bread was warm to the touch, yet ever-so-slightly dried out; however, this didn't hinder me from indulging in more than one piece.
I wasn't sure what to think when my Socca and Eggs was placed in front of me, but my assumption of how this dish would look was dead wrong. Taking up the entire circumference of a dinner plate, the golden brown (and inch thick!) socca had been visibly cooked with deep green Swiss chard "leaves" and chopped white onion. Melted fontina cheese topped the middle of the crepe like a bull's eye, though slightly disguised by two sunny-side-up eggs. I followed Colorado-Clint's lead (who also ordered the Socca and Eggs) and used the side of my fork to shatter each egg's yolk. Finally, I took my first bite: The eggs were perfectly cooked and their runny, bright yellow yolks proved to be an ideal accompaniment to the socca (similar to how I love the way that dry pancakes become instantly moist and mushy when drenched in way-too-much-to-be-healthy maple syrup). The socca's crispy exterior gave way to a flavorful interior that had a texture something like a cross between corn bread and a traditional pancake. The trinity of combined ingredients (sharp fontina cheese, expertly cooked eggs and dredge of yolk) made quite the impression on my palate.
Had I not ended my meal with two more glasses of moscato (priced at $10/glass), my bill/check would have been considerably less expensive. However, I walked out of Nizza with a full stomach and a smile on my face. I hope to return for dinner in the near future. Oh, and until I return to the French Riviera, I'll take my socca at Nizza!
I've eaten at Nizza three times now and each time has been consistent, consistently average, but consistent nonetheless.
I have nothing particularly bad to say about the food but it is nothing spectacular in the slightest. The prices are good but not great. I would hardly classify it as "Cheap Eats" like TONY has done. It's not expensive by any means but it's not cheap either.
In terms of the service, I must say, I've had pretty lousy experiences. Two times the service was slow. Another time the service was absolutely horrible, to the point that I had to complain after, among other things, we waited 20 minutes for our check after we'd asked for it and once the check arrived, an $80 bottle of wine we hadn't consumed was on it.
I want to like Nizza--I like the concept, the prices are good, and it's in my neighborhood--but it just keeps being utterly average.
So I forgot my credit card at the place where I had brunch, and that trumped our plans for dinner on Gramercy/Union Square, having no choice but to settle for Hell's Kitchen once and again.
Upon returning to Marseille to fetch up the great gold one, we decided; "why not? we might as well have dinner here while we are at it" -Not a chance. Marseille's reservations where full for the next hour or so.
"Where shall we go?" -we asked.
"Why to Marseilles little sister of course; Nizza!" -the maitre'd said.
And so we went. Standing three store fronts away was Nizza, sister restaurant of Marseille from an extended family (we learned) of 8 (Pigalle "The smallest in the family", Charolais, Le Monde, Maison, Cafe D'Alsace, French Roast, Nice Matin, and L'Express), this nice french family stretched in the midst of Manhattan, reminded us that the season was ripe for fertility and that the mating season is alive and well; procreate!
Nizza was indeed younger; swank and modern, clean cut lines and aesthetics. We saw a mixture of families (possibly after/pre theater crowds) and some older couples here and there. I don't think I'll be mistaken if I say we were the youngest in the room besides the waitstaff. Nevertheless it was cozy. We decided to go for a full course dinner and so we ordered:
Prosciutto antipasti which had a touch of delicious ricotta cheese.
Crab meat ravioles for main, which were also great but scant, which prompted us to order a Kobe Beef panini under the recommendation of our waitress; this one I found to be slightly dissappointing, but everything else was so tasty and so fine that I'll let it slide.
The Pistacho pudding sealed the bloated stomach and a wonderful day.
Kudos to the waitstaff and the maitre'd for their charming and courteous service; and to the parents of these remarkable French children; Marseille and Nizza, I must also congratulate, for supple manners, taste and loins. I'll be sure to go and meet the rest of your offsprings.
Free coffee or tea!
Neighborhood: Fashion District
Lunch or Dinner & a movie $28
Neighborhood: Upper West Side
Neighborhood: Hell's Kitchen
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Theater District
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: Theater District
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Theater District
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Theater District
Category: Italian
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