Prima donna

Chef Emma Cardarelli turns casual Italian fare into a knock-out meal at Nora Gray

I drag my parents to a lot of mediocre restaurants and as a result they’ve become pretty jaded. They’ve heard me say so many times “People said this place is great!” that they now keep their expecta­tions low. When I invited them to Nora Gray and only told them that I’d heard amazing things, they simply asked for the address and time.

Nora Gray, located southwest of the downtown core, is the highly anticipated offshoot from Liverpool House’s former chef, Emma Cardarelli, and sommelier/manager Ryan Gray. Before open­ing Nora Gray (named after Cardarelli’s grandmother and, uh, Gray), Cardarelli spent some time in Italy, as well as a stint cooking at Roberta’s in Brooklyn, to perfect her authentic Italian. Meanwhile in Montreal, Gray and the restaurant’s third partner, Lisa McConnell, were creating their new sleek space.

With only a tastefully hand-painted “Nora Gray” on the front window, the restaurant looks very non-descript. Inside, however, the space is modern and polished with marble floors, leather banquettes and dark wooden tables. To one side of the room is the bar where Gray is at his best, concocting drinks, recommending wines and entertaining customers. On the opposite side, the banquet runs the length of the wall, with two big, inviting booths in the centre. The set-up is a smart use of the space and makes customers feel comfortable without feeling cramped. The dim lighting and well-chosen playlist add to the cool aesthetic.

The menu comes off as casual, comfort Italian, but Cardarelli’s food is so much more. We started with the fried porcini risotto ($11), the rabbit liver pate ($9) and the salt and pepper grilled shrimp ($14). The trio of risotto balls came fried to a golden hue, giving way to a creamy mixture of porcini mingling with firm Arborio rice. Add some basil leaves and a heavenly fontina cheese sauce and you’ve got one great dish.

The rabbit liver pate was smooth and silky, with a wonderful earthy flavour that married brilliantly with the accompanied prune jam. The salt and pepper shrimp were charcoal grilled and mixed with oven-dried cherry tomatoes, braised escarole and pickled cauliflower florets. The combination of sweet, salty, smoky and tart flavours was extremely successful. As the empty plates were taken away, my parents’ spirits were looking up.

The pasta course was next. Available in half- and full-size portions, we went for two halves, cavatelli and wild boar ragu ($11) and pumpkin ravioli with sage ($10). The al dente cavatelli was incredible. The braised boar pulled and scattered throughout was rich and nutty, mixed with peas, confit roma tomatoes and the braising jus—this was quite the dish!

The ravioli were palm-sized and filled with a thin layer of pureed pumpkin. The brown butter sauce, however, was a bit too rich/sweet for my liking, but the fried pumpkin seeds and scatted sage added dimension.

For mains, we tried quails and hunter sauce ($23), pistachio-stuffed leg of lamb ($31), baked cod ($22) and grilled striped bass ($23). The butterflied quails came on top of a slice of polenta and were covered in a mushroom, red wine and shallot sauce that had a nice tang to it. They were perfectly cooked, plump, juicy and meaty with just a hint of spice. The polenta, although a bit salty, was a great starch to mop up the sauce.

The pistachio-stuffed lamb was next level. Served with peas, mint and gnocchi-like nubs of kale and ricotta cheese, the flavours blended together to make a super star combination that really blew my mind.

In my mom’s words the baked cod “was like a soft cloud of fish.” It came served in a casserole with a bright, vivid tomato sauce, roasted red peppers and cardoons (looks like celery, tastes like artichokes).

Last but not least the sea bass, which arrived perfectly seasoned with crispy skin, and came with a medley of crunchy greens including rapini, peas and green beans, was refreshing and light.

My parents were in full agreement: this meal was one of the best we’ve had all year. From the attentive service to the wine list (starting at about $40), the incredible food and the warm atmosphere, Nora Gray nailed it.

A warning, though. If boisterous is not your thing, opt for the 7 p.m. seating to avoid the excessive noise. ■

Short URL: http://www.montrealmirror.com/wp/?p=26933