We were lucky enough to book a trip to ITALY this past Spring. In preparation of our trip to the…read moreboot-shaped country, 260 days ago, I started to learn the language, and despite our being back in the Sleepy Pueblo for months, I am still learning their language--for, like the women of bel paise (the beautiful country), it is beautiful ...and I really like how their words roll off the tongue.
So now, I am going to attempt to summarize our dinner at Nate's Kitchen in a single Italian sentence... "Il ristorante di Nate è fantastico." (as you read that, imagine me gesturing and waiving my arms around a lot... to emphasize my words*.
*And... if the cultural stereotype of Italian people gesticulating wildly while they talk seems like a cliche', let me just say that while we were there, not a single person in the population 58.9 million souls who live in that country did anything to break that trope. I loved everything about Italy from the food and wine, to the rolling countrysides, to the way the people there live their lives. And did I mention that Italian woman are exceptionally attractive? The arm gestations they use just made me love them even more!
Back to our dinner with Nate..."My wife and I split the Chicken Saltimbocca that was offered as a nightly special. The taste and textures of this, "most-treasured" dish were wonderful and the portions served were so large, that even though we were sharing the dish together, we still had to ask for a "to go" box. It was a symphony of tastes and consistencies. I found myself slowing down to allow my palate to savor each bite. As I closed my eyes and held a morsal in my mouth, the Italian seasonings that blended so nicely with the delicate grilled chicken began a slow sexy dance in my mouth. My wife poked me and asked lovingly, "WTF are you doing! You look like an idiot?" "Dish eess rerrilry good." (That's how you say, "This is really good." if your mouth is full.
Those of you schooled in the language of Italy, probably recognize that the literal translation of, "Saltimbocca" is "Jumps in the mouth". And boy, did it. I do not have the most sophisticated palate, nor is my command of the English language anything that would cause a professional writer to become filled with envy, but I will say that my mouth truly did enjoy those tasty morsels and for some reason, just as women of Italy are 30 percent more attractive than the average non-Italian woman, the food of Italy is similar, as chefs from the area somehow find ways to elevate what they prepare to the level of extraordinary.
We also shared a side salad (before the Saltimbocca arrived). Again, portions are large at Nates, so we had more than enough to share. We very-much enjoyed the crisp variety of lettuces, and the diced tomatoes of the plate. (fun fact: "pomodoro" is the Italian word for tomato). The dressing is light and flavorful. I don't normally give much thought to a side salad, but this one stood out. Buono! (That is one of the ways that you can say, "Yum!"--in Italian)
The decorum is cute, simple and welcoming and the service staff is very friendly and caring. It is a comfortable place to sit down and relax and get some, "good eats". The staff members here work together as a team to make sure each table's needs and wants are met. They do so with a cheerful demeanor... and I think they humbly-know that Nate's offers something that transcends above the ordinary. The night we went, the room was near capacity (no surprise there!) but the servers still stopped by to chat and share a bit of their time with us. When I asked one of the waitresses to share which dish of Nate's was her favorite, she described a steak salad with a blue-cheese drizzle that sounded really good. (next time!)
I'm the kinda guy who peruses a dining room and checks out what others are having. I think I am being subtle and not staring, but I probably look like teenage boy from 1989 watching the pilot of BAYWATCH when a young Pamala Anderson first appeared on screen. Taking it further, I sometimes will even apologize to a nearby table for interrupting, and ask what they are having. I am always respectful and hope they don't mind the intrusion too much, but admittedly, I probably need Dr. Rick (from the Progressive Insurance commercials) to sit me down and explain that this is not okay. (I suffer from a touch of Parentamorphosis). Anyways, there were so many plates on display around the room that could be described as, "standing out as dishes that I just had to know what they were having" that I nearly short circuited.
Anyways, if you are in the mood for some good Italian food (and a lot of it)... in a place that makes you feel like close-family, NATES's KITCHEN is the place for you. (*imagine me putting my fingers of my right hand clustered together with the nails just barely touching my lips, then I pull them away and open them up as I make a kissing sound in the air). "Buono!!!"