By Michael Lowe
One of downtown St. Catharines’ latest business ventures is sure to bring people to the core of the city — and I don’t mean the Meridian Centre or First Ontario Performing Arts Centre.
About a month ago a small eatery named N’ata Cosa opened its doors offering authentic wood oven pizza and homemade pastas. I first learned about it when my son sent me a text raving about the food. He’s a pretty good judge of good grub so I placed the restaurant at the top of my must visit list in the new year.
The restaurant is tastefully decorated, the red and white checkered tablecloths reminiscent of a casual Italian trattoria. We are greeted promptly and offered the table of our choice. While ordering drinks we learn the place is owned by the family that operated the Casa Leone Bakery on Hartzell Road — a place I shopped at for many years. The wine list is about an even split of domestic and imported selections and priced between $6 and $9 for a six-ounce glass. Lunchtime menu selections cover all the bases from soups, salads and appetizers ($6- $10) to pasta, panini and pizza ($10- $16). There is also a collection of main dishes, which include sausage, veal, shrimp, chicken and a vegetarian platter ($10- $18).
We begin with crispy-coated rings of tender calamari (above photo). The calamari is dredged in a well-seasoned coating and spent just enough time in the fryer to yield the desired contrast. They come with marinara sauce but I prefer a simple squeeze of lemon.
Wood oven pizza is a specialty here so that becomes my focus. The ‘Napoletana’ (above photo) is topped with house-made tomato sauce, anchovies, roasted garlic and fior di latte cheese. This pie delivers on texture and flavour thanks to a near perfect, chewy and slightly charred crust and just a few good quality toppings. House-made pastas are also a signature of the restaurant. Fusilli alla Bolognese (below photo) is also a great choice. The texture of the pasta is spot-on, with just enough resistance to the tooth, and is finished with a rich and hearty ragu of ground pork and beef.
Our dessert selections, silky panna cotta and a tiramisu ‘Martini’ (below photos) are good choices — both are homemade and represent great value at only $5 each.
Our lunch, with a glass of wine and taxes in, comes to $70. As is customary, dinner will run you a bit more. It is important to note that the restaurant also offers a children’s menu with prices in the $3- $5 range.
I have heard claims that the gnocchi at N’ata Cosa is among the best anywhere — a point I plan to verify on my next visit. Rest assured, there will be many return visits for me. During our visit the place filled up quickly so I recommend making reservations ahead of time. Due to the restaurant’s proximity to the arts centre (across the street) it is sure to become a popular pre-show destination, so factor that into your planning. The city’s Garden Park and Carlisle parking lots are just a short walk away. N’ata Cosa is a most welcome addition to the downtown core and a shining example of simple, well-executed Italian cuisine at a fair price.
N’ata Cosa
259 St. Paul Street,
St. Catharines
(905) 397-7494
Menu: online here
Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
Reservations recommended
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