Villa Nuova: Outdoor Dining In Historic Penns Park

Sitting outside on a warm evening, enjoying a glass of wine and good food, is one of the simple pleasures of life. Finding a place that does the cooking, washes the dishes, lets you bring your own wine, and does not charge an arm and a leg, though, can be a challenge.

Villa Nuova is helping in my quest, serving delicious, European-influenced food on a large terrace and patio. Located in Penns Park, the small 1700s-era village in Wrightstown Township on Second Street Pike, the restaurant occupies the space that used to be The Summer Kitchen. A new owner and a Moroccan-born chef ––who has had stints in Bordeaux and New York City––have reworked the menu and service but kept the relaxed atmosphere that attracted a crowd in the space’s prior life.

Diners have a choice of seating: a large cupola with benches and room for larger parties, smaller tables with umbrellas, and a patio that draws shade from the main building and kitchen. Climate-controlled seating is available for hotter nights – and colder months– but the attraction right now is the outdoor dining.

The night we were there, our server Jackie suggested a table with an umbrella; the sun was setting, so the ability to move the shade was a great idea. Two bottles of chilled white wine – a sauvignon blanc and a chardonnay – were uncorked, menus handed out, and a basket of bread and creamy butter delivered. The scene was set.

The first thing I noticed on the updated menu was the reasonable prices. Appetizers are under $10, entrees in the $15 to $20 price range. Jackie read a list of specials, almost tempting us with a pesto crusted rack of lamb ($25), red snapper with crab ($22), a New York strip steak ($22) and a woodland pork dish with wild boar ($14.95).

The weather was the deciding factor, with the three of us going for lighter food: steamed mussels ($8.95), cockles ($8.95) and coconut shrimp ($8.50) that came with a heart of palm salad. The perfect evening and a glass of wine were the deciding factors in adding a crab cake and a lobster bisque.

It was a quiet night; there were many empty tables. I think word had yet to get out that the space had reopened. One server who seemed to be void of customers was distracted by an incoming phone call, which she answered in the full view of the rest of the customers.

Mussels and clams were first out, cooked perfectly and with a delicious white wine and garlic broth, tender, cleaned correctly and nicely seasoned. The heart of palm salad was quickly eaten and the shrimp shared; they could have done with a little more coconut flavor but were large and cooked right.

The crab cake was mixed with a heavy hand, rendering the claw meat undistinguishable from its binder. I kept a menu during dinner and decided on a cup of lobster bisque to finish off the appetizer sampling. The color was right, but what tasted like a roux-thickened, reconstituted lobster base was left untouched apart from the three spoonfuls used in reaching our shared opinion.

“La Tonna” chicken ($14.95) named after the chef was the highlight of the entrees: two large pieces of chicken with tomato and garlic, served with mashed potatoes and broccoli. Stuffed eggplant ($12.50) was good and a bargain for the portion size. The bride was hoping that the chef’s French influence would have been perfect to order a salad Nicoise; she was wrong. The tuna was good, but the lack of green beans (and flair) rendered it quite boring. The $12.50 price tag helped in forgiving the chef and his misstep on the classic salad.

The food had highlights and low points, but the experience is one I would recommend. The BYO status, combined with the price tag and atmosphere of the large outside seating area, makes Villa Nuova a great addition to the local dining scene. Jackie enhanced the experience, giving us the right amount of attention and the right attitude. I think the chef will find his feet and rework his menu, updating and refining to reach the right menu mix. I will return.

Villa Nuova is located at 2310 Second Street Pike (Rt. 232), Penns Park. 215-598-9210