Nizza is an upbeat restaurant on a busy stretch of 9th Ave. that features simple yet hearty Italian food. The restaurant is usually packed during prime hours and seating is tight, but the atmosphere is both romantic and festive, with dim candlelight and a packed, hopping bar area. There are plenty of loud boisterous groups dining there as well as couples on dates. But more importantly, the food is well prepared and tasty.

We liked the food so much that we were there twice in one week. The first time was with a group of Josh’s coworkers, and the second time was a big Sunday night dinner with the extended family. There were some dishes that we had both times, and some that were different, but I figured it was easier to combine the meals into one big post.

Both meals started off with fluffy pieces of focaccia bread, served with a soft ricotta cheese and olive oil spread. Simple, but very tasty.

Focaccia bread with a soft ricotta and olive oil spread

On both nights, we shared a bunch of different appetizers with everyone at the table so that we could all try a wider variety of dishes. We enjoyed the prosciutto crostini so much the first night that we had to order it the second night as well. The soft prosciutto was served on top of a piece of crunchy crostini that was covered in creamy sheeps milk ricotta and a sweet balsamic syrup. The different flavors and textures were just a great combination.

Prosciutto crostini with sheeps milk ricotta and balsamic syrup

We also had the socca on both nights. The socca is a crispy chickpea pancake topped with sage and pecorino cheese. It’s both sweet and salty at the same time and has a nice crispy/crumbly texture. Think of a huge flattened falafel ball, with an Italian twist.

Socca (crispy chickpea pancake)

On the first night, we shared a selection of three salumi. We got some more of the delicious prosciutto, as well as some fatty slices of speck (smoked prosciutto), and bresaola (air dried beef). The meats were all of pretty high quality and the portions were pretty generous. They were served together on a big platter with some pickled vegetables and olives.

Prosciutto, bresaola, and speck platter

On the second night, we all shared a margherita pizza with tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, and basil. It was simple and classic, though the crust was bit too puffy and not browned enough so that it was still soft and pale. I think it would have worked better with a thinner, crispier crust.

Margherita pizza

Josh and I also shared a caesar salad on the second night, which had a tasty dressing heavy on pecorino cheese. But the salad itself was really hard to eat because they kept the leaves long and whole, so that we had to cut it ourselves with a knife and fork. That was tough to do because the plate was so small and the leaves were piled high, and it ended up being quite messy.

Caesar salad

For his entree on both nights, Josh went with the chicken milanese, which is quite possibly the best version that either of us have ever had. The chicken is pounded down but not too thin, coated with seasoned breadcrumbs, and fried to a golden brown perfection. The chicken is topped with baby arugula, a variety of red, orange, and yellow tomatoes, and cubes of fresh mozzarella. The toppings are lightly dressed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and all it needs is a squeeze of lemon over the top. The dish is light, fresh, and really tasty.

The best chicken milanese

On the first night, I had the lamb rack, which was three chops coated in mustard and herbed breadcrumbs. The lamb was cooked rare, as requested, and very well seasoned. It was served with creamy polenta, roasted asparagus, and a small onion cooked in balsamic vinegar. All of the different components on the plate worked really well together, and I thoroughly enjoyed this dish.

Rack of lamb crusted with herbed breadcrumbs

On the second night, I went with the bistecca grigliata, which was a huge grilled NY strip steak covered in roasted red and green peppers. The steak was more medium rare than my requested rare, but it was still tender and well seasoned. It came with a side of roasted potatoes, which were crispy on the outside and potato-y on the inside. The dish was well prepared and tasty, but it’s pretty standard. Unless you’re really craving steak and potatoes, the flavor combinations of some of the other dishes people had were much more interesting.

Grilled strip steak with roasted peppers

Overall Josh and I really like the food at Nizza. It’s not the standard red sauce Italian joint, although they do have a few pastas and red sauce dishes available. The food is a bit more upscale, clean, and always well seasoned and well prepared. It’s a great place to get a drink and nibble on some salumi or appetizers, and it’s great for full meals as well. It does tend to get crowded, especially during pre-theater hours, so reservations are recommended if you have a large group. We’ll definitely be back here.

Nizza
630 9th Ave. between 44th and 55th St.
New York, NY