You have probably walked past Nadia’s Restaurant, 508 State St., a hundred times and never thought to do as much as a double take. The building looks like it would house apartments and blends in so much with the mundane street that you would never imagine it as being one of the finest restaurants in the downtown area.
I called the restaurant to inquire about the attire and was confused when the respondent said I could wear whatever I wanted, and yet I needed a reservation for Tuesday night. When I arrived, I felt underdressed in my casual attire. I guess my reservation reserved my party a prime table by the window because the restaurant was not busy.
After walking up a long flight of stairs, my taste-testing team members looked at each other in utter surprise. Who would have thought such a boring-looking building would showcase such an elegant dining room? Dimly lit by crystal chandeliers that hung from the ceiling, our table overlooked State Street, but it was strange to be in such a fancy restaurant and looking down at the street I stroll down every day on my way to class.
The open kitchen is elevated toward the back of the dining room so you can watch your meal being cooked, and for a closer view, television sets are suspended from the ceiling that alternate between shots of the chef and State Street — kind of like a security camera, and not complementary to the overall atmosphere of the restaurant.
The only drawback I found on the menu was the steep prices. It is easy to forget that campus is situated in the downtown area, where adults might come for special occasions or business executives and politicians might search for a meal. Nadia’s offers high-end meals, but I thought even for an adult clientele, the prices were unrealistic.
First courses are mostly seafood dishes such as escargots ($12), fried calamari ($10), and sashimi tuna ($12). I decided to pass on an appetizer, since my entrée included the mesculan salad. Mixed greens, caramelized walnuts, Roquefort cheese, slices of Granny Smith apples, and carrots that looked like waffle fries was a tasty combination. I had my choice of six dressings, all made in-house.
Main courses range in price from $18-$38, with the fish dishes on the higher end of the spectrum. The Baked Seafood Crepe ($27) combines roasted lobster tail, scallops, and shrimp in a soft and tender crepe. Saturated in a sherry cream sauce, the supremely-cooked seafood was draped with asparagus and surrounded by brussels sprouts. I was extremely satisfied with my meal and enjoyed every bite — on my trivial budget, it is not often that I eat seafood.
The grilled Norwegian Salmon ($26) tasted plain except for a hint of butter. The fish was flaky and light atop a heap of homemade mashed potatoes. The accompanied vegetables were cooked perfectly, not soggy, and drizzled with a lemon butter sauce. The presentation was admirable, but I thought the price was too steep for salmon.
When the Filet Mignon Au Poivre ($27) arrived at the table, I was delighted by the large cut of meat. The thick and juicy steak was well prepared and cooked to perfection. The meat was in a sweet wine sauce that also had peppercorns to give it a nice kick and a little spice.
The service was timely and accommodating, but it is hard to judge how a weekend night would compare. Our meal was completed by a plate of Russian Tea Cookies that were very sweet. The buttery tasting, round cookies were saturated in powdered sugar — a sweet ending to an exquisite meal.
Nadia’s Restaurant does not cater well to the campus scene, but its sophisticated cuisine easily identifies with its success. Until next week, happy dining!
