Nicola's Ristorante Italiano

Recommends

Pastarasta

Joined 5 years ago

Excellent North Side Italian. We have been to Nicola's a few times now and have left more than satisfied on each visit. We love the decor and the scene both inside and on the patio. The bar area is a little small but there are nice couches on the patio to hang out while you wait. We have learned to make reservations since you never know if Tuesdays will be considerably busy or steady. The food is comforting and consistent. We love the fresh pasta with the shrimp and arugala. The rest of the seafood dishes are great as well. Desserts are not that adventerous but a great tiramisu is a hard find around here. We look forward to going back.

Doesn't Recommend

goodfoodlover2000

Joined 5 years ago

dirty tables + non-attentive services + bad attitude!. We should have just left when we were first led to a dirty table that had visible food residue on it. It was cleaned up after we pointed out that to the hostess.

Then the waitress (1104 Kara J as shown on the receipt) didn't come take our order for at least 15 minutes.

When we asked for a substitute of one of sides in the entree to risoto because the waitress could not explain to us what that side was, she said there might be $1 or $2 upcharge. Well, she charged us NINE dollars ($9) for the Risoto - that would make a $120/lb Risoto! Whatever side we were substituting must have had negative value.

No wonder there were not many people eating there on a Friday night while all the surrounding restaurants were much busier!

Recommends

fashabear

Joined 5 years ago

Incredible Meal!. We made a surprising discovery last night while shopping at the Shops of Legacy in Plano, Nicola's Ristorante Italiano. We were able to get a table on the sidewalk patio which had great people watching to enjoy while we dined. We started the meal with Focaccia Siciliana a wonderful bread topped with sundried and fresh tomatoes and basil. We also enjoyed the paper thin Prosciutto with pears. They have a special Prosciutto slicer from Italy. We then had the beet and goat cheese salad, incredible sea bass and Orecchiette (little ear pasta) with fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato. The pastas are all made in house so the texture was much better than the dried pasta you get at most places. We finished the meal with espressos and Tiramisu. The weather was perfect.

Our server was very knowledgeable and friendly making great suggestions for us to consider. The restaurant was busy but every staff member remained calm and helpful through out our meal. We have dined at many Italian restaurants but we think Nicola's is the best and most authentic Italian restaurant in Dallas.

Doesn't Recommend

SDurante

Joined 8 years ago

No Service--We Gave Up. Our exposure to the Plano Nicola's was limited. We never got as far as getting water never mind any food. We knew, and liked, the Galleria restaurant that closed prior to the Plano relocation. We arrived for our reservation, and were seated promptly. We waited and waited ... and finally a brusque waiter asked if we wanted bottled or tap water. Then we waited and waited to see him again. We had no menus, no water and nobody interested. We had time to look around and saw a busy place with few people with food and even fewer wait persons in evidence. It was a Friday night (2/1/2008). Perhaps this place was just having a bad night, but it sure looked as if no-one was in charge/or managing the place. We had hoped for good northern Italian but we went down the street to Naan (Korean/Asian) where the service was prompt and courteous and the food pleasing.

Recommends

wendyyork

Joined 7 years ago

What a fantastic place!. I went there for lunch and had the Margherita pizza for a reasonable price with Tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. A perfect light yet filling lunch in a beautiful atmosphere. I can see how this would be romantic for a get away lunch or evening dining experience. The menu has an array of handmade pastas, meat dishes and seafood. The wine list is an expected nice variety. All in all a very very nice place at a fair price. You should try this Italian restaurant first on the list of too many to mention in Dallas.

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lceubanks

Joined 6 years ago

The best and ONLY homeade pasta you will find in town!. Nicola's is the perfect place for a romantic evening or just an experience you hopefully wont forget. With the authentic Italian food it just makes it a perfect treat to your evening. From the wonderful fried Calamari to the original chicken and artichoke heart "Lasagnetta," it is hard to find something that will not please you.

Recommends

davidswood

Joined 6 years ago

Wonderful Food. Nicola's was the perfect spot for my anniversary dinner. We started with the antipasto platter for two. For dinner I had the Chilean Sea Bass and it was perfectly done with tomatoes and garlic. Dessert was a big bowl of little cream puffs filled with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with rich chocolate sauce that we shared. Great ambience and friendly waiter.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Sophisticated interpretations of rustic Italian fare served in chic environs make this a top destination at Plano's Shops At Legacy.. The Scene
The space is dramatic: soaring ceilings, elegant chandeliers, rich dark woods offset by splashes of crimson. A long bar area greets guests near the entryway. Private dining nooks along the back wall add a touch of intimacy to the large airy space. Upstairs, the mezzanine is the perfect place for quieter dining while still people-watching. Service is what one would expect from a fine dining experience: attentive and knowledgeable.

The Food
The antipasti chef carefully hand slices prosciutto and assembles an assortment of Italian cheeses, fire-roasted vegetables, marinated olives and fruits for the antipasti platter. Highly recommended are the buttery Chilean sea bass--paired up with Swiss chard in a white wine butter sauce--and tender veal chop topped with crispy pancetta, Fontina cheese served on bed of polenta with a white truffle infusion. Desserts include tiramisu with just enough espresso and coffee liqueur soaked in lady's fingers and the traditional Sicilian cannoli.