The building is stucco outside, a pale mustard color, nondescript, with nice landscaping and valet parking, which isn't really necessary for a restaurant that has plenty of parking space next to and behind it.
You can pass Nanni Ristorante on busy Passaic Street in Rochelle Park a dozen times and pay it no heed. That's your misfortune. Because inside are some of the best Italian dishes in the area.
Small wonder that things are so delicious when you've got three veteran professionals running the place. Each worked for years at Archer's, the stylish, pricey Fort Lee restaurant that for decades has catered to an exclusive clientele along the Palisades. Paolo Gilberto, chef, was the first to defect from Archer's. Four years ago, he bought into Nanni when it was just getting off the ground. Two years ago, Lino Queirolo, a maitre d' at Archer's and an employee there for 16 years, came on board. At the same time, Manny Moreira, another maitre d' and an employee at Archer's for 21 years, joined his former co-workers. Today, the three of them own and run Nanni. They have brought with them professionalism, pride, and a passel of outstanding recipes.
I found Nanni a difficult rastaurant to get comfortable in. The dining room seemed gloomy, the walls pale peach, the sconces and chandeliers dull rather than dim. Instead of enhancing the deécor, the paintings displayed on all walls detract. If you can't afford to hang great artwork, go with prints of the masters. Too much else fails. That caveat aside, I enjoyed the food and found the service alert and attentive.
The seafood appetizer ($6.75) is a sparkling platter of tender ringlets of calamari, scungilli, shrimp, and octopus with a dressing of fresh lemon and oil and a sprinkling of chopped herbs. Delightfully refreshing.
Roasted red peppers with fresh anchovies ($4.75) are served with garlic and oil. I liked the fresh anchovies, which you don't get everywhere with this order. Minestrone soup ($2.95) is made daily and has good, flavorful broth and heaps of vegetables.
The antipasto is an exciting mix of Italian hors d'oeuvres: caponata, cubes of eggplant cooked in olive oil with peppers, celery, tomatoes, olives, seasoned with vinegar and sugar; two quiches, one spinach, the other with ricotta and mozzarella; fried peppers and stuffed peppers, zucchini, snow peas, olives, and crab meat. It's an interesting mix of well-prepared hors d'oeuvres, a mix that changes as different vegetables are substituted.
Invariably there are two fish and two veal specials, along with other dishes that are not regular menu items. These entrees, different each day, are often the best food in the house. A poached snapper ($18.50) was the fish special one recent Sunday night. The entree was beautiful, the fish white and flaky and aromatice with the poaching flavors of white wine and vegetables. Two littleneck clams came with the fish, and their Juices added one more fragrance and flavor to the snapper.
Calf's liver ($12.75) was better than I would have anticipated, better than most I've ever tried. The Liver was cut into bite-size pieces, sauteed with onions, served with a brown gravy and a touch of vinegar. This sharply reduced that bitter gamey flavor so common to liver.
Chicken entrees ($11.75) are far removed from the usual parmigiana, piccata, and Marsala. One dish - pollo tre amici, chicken with three friends - was a large breast gently sauteed and served with prosciutto, mushrooms, and Italian herbs. The flavors were excellent, the breast moist and tender. Another chicken entree is served with mushrooms, artichokes, and a white wine sauce.
A popular item, and for good reason, is the veal chop ($18.75) stuffed with Swiss cheese and prosciutto. This is sauteed and topped with porcini mushrooms and a light tomato sauce. Shrimp in garlic butter ($14.95), served with prosciutto and mozzarella, is another big-selling item.
The house wine is an Italian wine, Casarsa, and the red is soft and mellow. The restaurant has a good wine list, reasonably priced. Prices overall are fair. Dinner for two with a drink and tax and tip probably won't exceed $60.
A pianist plays during dinner hours Fridays and Saturdays.