Bites Nearby: Nicolinni’s Takes Up Residence at Former Montrose Bennigan’s

at 85 W. Montrose Ave. (the former Bennigan’s) has been open for three months, and still has a few kinks to work out. Having said that, I recommend you stop by and try some decades-old family Italian recipes and some fare that you won’t find at the average chain restaurant.

The lunch crowd had begun emptying out on a recent visit, so seating was readily available when I stopped by. The decor has an understated Old World feel. The most striking change was at the bar: Gone are the hanging lamps. A partial wall drops down from the ceiling with recessed lights illuminating the bar. There is a new bartop.

Adding an unexpected touch of authenticity was a foursome at the next booth chatting amiably in Italian. The TV at the bar with talking heads chatting about the NFL draft, not so much. At least it wasn’t the royal wedding.

Nicolinni’s has separate lunch and dinner menus. The dinner menu replaces lunch sandwiches with pasta dishes and the entrees are broken into groups of “Pollo” (poultry), “Frutte del Mare” (seafood) and “Griglia” (the grill).

Owner Nicky Laventy has decades of experience in family restaurants from the Youngstown area, and he brought in executive chef Robert Tsai to launch the “Montrose” location. The menu at the Montrose Avenue restaurant is similar, but not identical, to the Boardman and Austintown locations.

The bartender/waitress was attentive and enthusiastic, offering suggestions and volunteering her favorite dishes.

Lunch started with bread, warm but a tad underbaked. A little kink to work out. It comes with soft butter and a “pesto” of escarole, olive oil, garlic and a hint of basil. It’s a subtle, understated sauce with a light olive oil. The greens tend to sink to the bottom, so use a fork to get some greens unless you prefer just oil on your bread.  

I ordered Italian greens ($7) as an appetizer (“Primi”), but it arrived about 30 seconds after the entree. Another kink to work out. The greens were mostly braised and sauteed escarole, and what I thought was spinach, swimming in olive oil and a nice hint of garlic. The chef likes his olive oil. It’s topped with a hot Hungarian pepper and a dusting of grated cheese. Yes, the pepper has some kick even though it’s thoroughly cooked. The bartender recommended the stuffed hot peppers for those who like a little heat. Maybe next time.

For the main course I ordered Chicken Francaise ($9), billed as Nicolinni’s signature dish. The bartender/waitress suggested the Tuscan mashed potatoes as the side, and I went along with her recommendation. The chicken breast came out lightly breaded as advertised, and smothered with what’s described on the menu as a “light lemon butter” but looked and tasted more like a bearnaise sauce.

Delicious. I’ll worry about the calories tomorrow.

My helpful bartender/waitress enthusiastically informed me that this is her favorite dish, and that she orders extra sauce to slather on the mashed potatoes. Hmm, more calories. But she’s right, the sauce does enhance the potatoes.

My main beef with the mashed potatoes is that they were scarcely warmer than room temperature. Ah, another kink.

Nicolinni’s has a fairly extensive wine list, including wines from Italy (of course), California and other spots around the globe. The crisp pino grigio ($5) seemed a good match for the chicken and its creamy sauce, and the portion (about 6 ounces) is more generous than many places.

A visit to some of the websites that post consumer reviews found uneven results, ranging from “the best ever” to “the worst ever” or words to that effect. A few reviewers even mentioned the need to work out some kinks.  

Duly noted. Just the same, with the moderate prices (dinner entrees get more expensive, into the mid-20s) and my mostly positive experience, I wouldn’t be afraid to go back to Nicolinni’s. I think I’ll try the stuffed hot peppers.

Hold the kinks.