photo: Christina Mitchell
Co-owners Tim Carlon and Sarah Nasgovitz started Stella Nonna in 1997 as a catering company that occasionally had special events like the Milwaukee Fish Fry I went to a few years ago. After a successful soft opening, Stella Nonna Restaurant and Bar’s Grand Opening is scheduled for Wednesday, 5/29. The name is Italian for “star grandmother” and although the food is not all Italian, comfort food is definitely the focus. I wasn’t very hungry when I stopped by so I just ordered an appetizer. The Korean Fried Chicken Wings ($9.50) were sweet, spicy, salty, sour and also gooey and crispy at the same time. I also ordered The Stella (Espolon Reposado Tequila, Cointreau, Meyer Lemon Juice, Berkeley Honey, Citrus and Herb Muddle, $9), which was sweet and herbaceous. It was one of those deadly cocktails that hides the flavor of the booze. Let’s just say it would be really easy to have one too many. Anyway, after I finished eating, pastry chef Mitchell Hughes happened to sit next to me at the bar and we had a chance to catch up. I took some baking classes at Spun Sugar, where he had been teaching until a few weeks ago when he started full time at the restaurant. Of course, I had to order a dessert. The Almond Torte ($7) was silky smooth in the center, crunchy on the edges, studded with berries and crowned with almond slivers. Stella Nonna will open for dinner on Wednesday and lunch will be added in the next few weeks. I will definitely be back.
1407 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley
Christina Mitchell
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