Situated on C Street, tucked into the corner of a small commercial plaza, sits Nado Republic, owned by Chef Gorgio Cortelli. From outside, the sectioned-off terrace gives the impression of two separate restaurants, but inside feels like someone’s living room.
In the spacious bar, stacks of wine, champagne and liquor bottles backdrop the bartender. A disco ball showers light onto velvet, Old Hollywood–style stools in patinas of teal and deep red. A retro checkered floor, faux roses and gothic-style lamps arouse a playful feeling, arguably a brilliant mess.
It’s the kind of place where you imagine yourself lingering at the bar, sipping an espresso martini and chatting with the bartender — which, aside from the espresso martini, is exactly what I did. I even discovered that one of the servers was from Naples in southern Italy, which made the experience feel all the more authentic.
The playful and homey theme continues onto the terrace, where more roses and an Italian-style stone fountain defines the patio.
The server offered recommendations and told me how the pasta is made in house. According to him, Cortelli’s acclaim has even led to supplying pasta to restaurants in Little Italy, and his opening of a second restaurant, Decore, in San Diego’s Gas Lamp Quarter.
The menu offers many options: pastas, pizzas and meat and fish dishes. The server’s recommendation — rigatoni with the pink vodka sauce – tempted me, but once I saw the truffle gnocchi stuffed with asiago cheese, the decision was easy as I had never seen such a combo. I also ordered the veal wrapped in prosciutto and paired with a sage and butter sauce.
The gnocchi came out on a chinoiserie-style plate holding the pool of creamy white sauce and round dumplings perfectly. One bite revealed strong black truffle notes complemented by buttery Asiago all bathed in a creamy white sauce. The texture, which can be tricky in gnocchi — teetering like a seesaw between mushy and chewy —was perfect: pillow-soft.
Flavors from the veal “saltinbocca,” which means “jumps in the mouth,” jumped in my mouth – a complex of sage butter with notes of tarragon and prosciutto layered around the juicy veal. It sat in tandem with a bed of broccolini which paled in comparison to the meat. It was a bit overcooked and mushy which disappointed me.
And regular readers know I don’t have inhibitions about dessert – in this case a coin toss between limoncello cake and tiramisu, I chose the limoncello. It was presented on a plate with silver antique spoons – a small slice topped by white chocolate shavings, delicate, with a subtle undertone of lemon zest. The cake was light and fluffy, paired with the silky white chocolate that added a firm texture that melts quickly in your mouth.
Nado Republic is open 4 p.m – 10:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Friday, noon to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and noon to 10:30 p.m. Sunday. It is located on 1007 C Ave, Coronado, CA 92118.
