North Italia is now open at The Railyard in South End. Here’s what you should order.
North Italia opens Wednesday at The Railyard.
It will occupy the front right corner of one of South End’s newest developments, just in front of where Rhino Market will open — talk about a corridor of good eats all in one place.
If you’re like us, the most difficult part about your first visit to North Italia will be deciding what to get.
And no, it’s not because it’s taken a page from the playbook of its parent company, The Cheesecake Factory. North Italia’s menu is only one page (front and back, if you count cocktails). It’s just that everything on that one page sounds enticing.
We got to taste a few menu items at a soft opening this past weekend, so we can help break down the menu for you. Pro tip: each of these dishes pair well with a glass of Chianti Classico.
Here are some of the items you should order:
(1) Crispy Calamari
Arugula and grilled lemon vinaigrette. ($14)
It’s tempura-fried, which means it’s lighter than the calamari you’re used to.
(2) White Truffle Garlic Bread
Housemade ricotta, mozzarella, grana padano, herbs. ($12)
If you’re at North Italia and you don’t order this, you did it wrong. The server told us if we didn’t order it, we would smell the truffle oil of another table’s order and experience FOMO. We decided not to risk it, ordering one for our table, as well.
(3) Seasonal Vegetable Salad
Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, radicchio, pecorino, farro, pistachio, dates, white balsamic vinaigrette. ($13)
This was a surprise favorite. A salad is a salad is a salad … oh wait, no it’s not. The way this salad is chopped, the small bursts of flavor from the tiny cubes of pecorino and the sweetness of the dates mix perfectly with the freshness from the vegetables.
(4) Chicken* Pesto
Gigli pasta, toasted pine nuts, garlic, basil, crispy capers. ($18)
We subbed chicken for *shrimp, and it was quite good. Since we had so much food, it’s worth noting that this and the Strozzapreti made for a perfect transition to a takeaway box for later.
(5) Strozzapreti
Chicken*, roasted mushroom, spinach, toasted pine nut, parmesan cream. ($19)
If you can’t pronounce it, it must be good, right? Strozzapreti are hand-rolled pasta. Here’s some history to mull over after you order this one: strozzapreti was designed in Italy in the 1600s to kill priests, and the pasta is often called “priest strangler.” On that note, chew slowly. For this dish, we subbed chicken for *salmon.
(6) Hazelnut Torta
Nutella cream, hazelnut toffee, salted caramel gelato. ($8.50)
Get this, get this, get this. The sweetness of the Nutella mixes perfectly with the saltiness of the caramel, and each bite is better than the last as the gelato melts.
(7) Tiramisu
Espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone mousse. ($8)
This was good, just not hazelnut torta good, if you’re being selective. At this point in the meal, you have to be. The chocolate pearls on top are a nice touch.
The experience
Some other things to note: Many restaurants with the large, open floor plans and high ceilings come with one major issue — sound. It can be hard to hear the person across the table, as your ears are picking up the echo from the girl with a contagious laugh across the room or the guy with a booming voice telling a captivating story. But here, the sound isn’t sacrificed for the modern restaurant vibe. You can still carry on a conversation.
Speaking of vibes, look around. Take in the murals, the lighting, the smooth feel of the tabletops, the way the wine by the glass is brought to you via carafe. The details are important to this brand. Even the sidewalk seating feels almost like the sidewalk seating you’d stumble across in Rome (just imagine the tables a little dirtier and wobblier, and instead of a clean new sidewalk, picture uneven cobblestones).
North Italia and its South End neighbor, Flower Child, were acquired in July by The Cheesecake Factory. This will be the first North Italia location in North Carolina.
North Italia
1414 S. Tryon St., Suite 140
Instagram: @eatnorthitalia
This story was originally published November 13, 2019 at 5:50 AM.
