Nora

We are here to visit CWRU and staying in walking distance from all the restaurants in Little Italy and just went in the first one we came to. Excellent choice. My daughter had the duck ravioli with fiddleheads and mushrooms. I am on a detox and was worried what I could eat and the chef was very accommodating and prepared a beautiful piece of halibut lightly sautéed in olive oil and lemon all keeping within my dietary restrictions. Extremely friendly staff and wonderful service. We highly recommend this little gem.

The cuisine at Nora is really quite good. C had Fettuccini with roasted garlic-​pancetta carbonara, poached egg, cured yolk, matchstick potatoes. I ordered the Pappardelle with lamb ragu, minted ricotta, bone marrow breadcrumbs. Both dishes were divine, washed down with a nice red. This was followed by Bombolini) homemade donuts, lemon gelato, macerated blueberries), which was very good. The ambiance is very nice; nearly romantic … especially because they had a guitatist playing soft jazz. Service could have been better, but we very much enjoyed our time at Nora.
Food: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Ambiance: 4 stars+ (and thank you (!) for not having a TV at the bar)
The bad:
— Parking is impossible in this neighborhood. We pulled up to the valet spot in front, but no valet emerged, so we drove up and down the streets, but it’s resident parking only everywhere. We returned to the restaurant to ask about the valet. The server informed C that they don’t have valet on Thursdays (Grrr). No wonder the place was nearly empty. Fortunately, she told us to simply park in the valet parking area. Appreciated and free, but it sure would have been nice to know it before we arrived and wasted 15 minutes trying to park, especially since I had called to make a reservation.
— The hostess/​server/​bartender/​busser needs a wee bit of training. After we arrived, we sat for about 10 minutes (without menus) while the she attended an adjacent table and prepared a martini. (Yes, one person to perform every function; weird). I ask about one of the wines offered but ordered a different bottle. When she arrived with it, she essentially ignored me, although I was the one who ordered the wine. She ceremoniously displayed the label to my wife, but not to me, although I ordered the wine. Then she poured a tasting into my wife’s glass, without asking whether I wanted to sample the wine. .. that I had ordered. My wife indicated that it was fine. The server poured an generous amount into my wife glass and finally turned to me and asked if I would be having wine too. Grrr. This is not how it’s done. Training needed.
I hate to continue harping about the service, but there were additional blunders. We were talking, drinking our wine and slowly persuing the menu. The server kept returning, often, to ask if we were ready to order, in spite of the fact that our menus were open; we were reading them; and, not much time had passed, making us feel unnecessarily rushed. After a few minutes we made our decision and closed our menus. Rather than taking our order, she took time to buss a nearby table, including stripping it bare, unfurling a fresh tablecloth and setting out all the dinnerware, glasses and napkins (about 10 minutes), before returning to take our order. When we asked what cured yolk is (an ingredient in one of the menu items), she responded nonesensically that «it’s just cured in the kitchen.» When we pressed for a better explanation, it became evident that she had no idea. But rather than saying, let me find out, she gave an answer that was not an answer at all, she told us something that made no sense. I checked on the internet and learned about cured yolks, but it was nothing like she described.
— Above, I mentioned that the ambiance was «nearly romantic.» And I must say that it’s really close. The un-​romantic aspect was the bar. The hostess/​server/​bartender/​busser made some incredible noise behind the bar several times, seemingly throwing empty bottles into a trash can (or something like that). Everyone in the restaurant jumped at the loud crashes. She needs to recognise that this is a quiet restaurant; not a brew pub. Other than that, the place is beautiful and intimate. And the cuisine quite excellent. We would return.

My mother recently has become very ill– my family is not from Cleveland, we have been sleeping in a hotel or at her bedside in the hospital now for 3 weeks. We haven’t had time to cook or sit down in a restaurant for awhile.
My Aunts who live out of state came in and we stepped out to run errands and hit the grocery. A wrong turn took us to Little Italy and by chance my Aunt kept repeating Nora due to the reviews on Unilocal.
There arent words to describe how phenomenal the food, wine, service, and experience was. But most importantly I had the pleasure meeting the owners and I assure you– this place will not disappoint. I’m not sure when but I know I will be back and will forever recommend this place.
Thank you for such a wonderful afternoon. It was incredible to have a sense of normalcy even if it was brief. We appreciate you.

We saw the rave reviews and had to try it out. I have to say, with all the hype, I was a bit disappointed. Service was pretty good. Our waiter was just the right amount of attentive. But overall, our dinners were just above average. I think this location is just doomed to fail, so far off the beaten path. Really cool building, but I just don’t think it can survive. Very small and intimate, but so was Il Bacio when it was here. We’ll probably give this place another shot soon, when (and if) the weather improves here in C-​town. Snow in April. Really?

I shared an amazing meal with my family on Saturday evening at Nora. We called ahead to see if it was ok to bring our little one, which is typically really stressful, but we are so glad that we did.
It felt like a big night out being at such a nice restaurant (which is all relative when you’re used to eating cereal in yoga pants), so I got the St. Germain cocktail, which was sweet and bubbly — just what I was looking for.
We got the calamari and the burrata for appetizers, and they were both excellent. The burrata was large enough to share and came with crostini and an olive and caper tapenade (sp?), which was just the right amount of saltiness for such a creamy cheese. I would order that with a salad for dinner any day. The calamari were lightly-​battered and crispy. Perfect.
For my entrée I ordered the fettuccini, which was prepared with a carbonara sauce. It was such a wonderful combination of texture and had layers of flavor that kept the dish interesting in a way that most pasta dishes (for me) can’t do. I can see why it was recognized as one of the 50 best dishes.
At this point, our little guy was starting to beg for bed time, but I couldn’t leave without trying the bambolini (sp?). His cuteness had long worn off, so I scrambled to eat my light, fluffy doughnut-​style treat with the accompanying lemon sauce and ice cream/​gelato/​sorbet. Though rushed, it was fantastic.
I’ll be back. Sans baby.

Dined there last night with our daughter and we all shared ossobuco, chicken Marsala and spaghetti and everything was great. House salads were good and server John was very attentive. Tiramisu was best ever. Only bad thing is a good thing as our daughter left her credit card so we will go back to pick it up today and enjoy happy hour at the bar.

This week we had the pleasure of dining at Nora in Little Italy for the first time to celebrate my mom’s birthday. What a fabulous experience! From the moment we walked in, we were treated like family. For our meal, we began with the Salumi e Formaggi — chicken liver mousse, pork pâté (perfection!), Fontina and Blue Cheeses, and house pickled vegetables paired with fantastic wines. The fresh out-​of-​the-​oven bread, oh so good! Our main courses were scrumptious! I had the Spaghetti with middleneck clams, braised baby octopus, roasted garlic, chilies. The «heat» was just right balanced by the light cream sauce; the clams and baby octopus were fresh and tender. My fiancé had the braised short ribs Ravioli with spinach, cauliflower, fingerling potatoes, horseradish crema which he described as succulent; the ingredients provided a fantastic balance of taste. My dad had the Chicken Marsala which was the best he has ever had (and he orders it at any restaurant where it is available!). The airline chicken breast, wild mushrooms and caper chicken thigh were so tasty. My mom had the Pappardelle beef and pork bolognese with San Marzano tomatoes, and breadcrumbs — savory and delicious! We thankfully saved room for their unforgettable desserts: Bombolini– homemade donuts, lemon gelato, macerated blueberries and Tiramasu with cinnamon gelato, chocolate-​espresso crumble, and sweet cherry. Heavenly!
Our server was attentive, friendly, knowledgeable and respectful… he did not rush us through the celebratory meal. The owner/​chef Eddie Zalar provided us a convenient parking spot since street parking was not available. He knew that walking in the rain was unsafe for my parents. This was our first visit and certainly was not the last!!! If you have not been to Nora, I highly recommend you pay Eddie a visit.

Went here after purchasing a gift certificate off of
.
When we walked in around 8:45 the place was mostly empty which had me worried at first.
We sat down and ordered our drinks. They have a very nice wine selection, however I am not much of a wine drinker so I went with a Bombay and soda. After the drinks, they brought out warm bread with basil butter which was very good.
Next came time to order. We got the calamari fritti. The Agnolotti with sweet potato purée, wild mushrooms, roasted beets, and brown butter. The fettuccine with roasted garlic-​pancetta carbonara, poached egg, cured yolk, and matchstick potatoes. And a beef tenderloin special that came with spinach and deep fried chicken livers.
First the calamari. This was the only dish I was disappointed with. It came out half cold and there was very little calamari for the price and the fact that it was clearly frozen and pre breaded. I would not recommend this dish.
However after this disappointment, the entrees were all pleasant surprises. The egg yolk in the fettuccine was an awesome touch along with the potatoes and crispy, salty bits of pancetta. The tenderloin was exquisitely tender and the fried chicken livers were another pleasant suprise. And finally the Agnolotti was beautiful and tender with a creamy, smooth sweet potatoe filling.
Overall I give this place 4 stars. The food was good. not mind blowing but very good. Also the service was a little off at times however this place is new and our server was very nice and well intentioned so he gets a pass.

Nora’s is a lovely place for a quiet, delicious dinner. The wait staff is always helpful and the owner, Eddie, always appears for comments and conversation. It is a limited menu and a well-​executed one. I am happy to patronize this lovely little place in my neighborhood, and I think, you will, too.

It was nice… It was a little disappointing… I was expecting outstanding. because it had 5 star, but it was nice

I have been to Nora twice now and both times I was immensely impressed. The first time, mom and I went almost by accident because we were in the area and had wanted to try it for a little while. Eddie, the owner, actual led pulled his car forward so we could park behind him since we were the first reservations of the night! Now that’s service! Speaking of service, our waiter was AWESOME! He was extremely friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. The food came out simple, deep and complex flavours, and beautifully plated. The highlight of that evening was the tiramisu and complimentary glass of sangue di giuda. I was so in love with this little gem, I took my boyfriend for his birthday. We went when they opened and enjoyed a quiet hour by ourselves before the restaurant filled. I had the same waiter, who remembered me from the month before, and the service was tight! The food, again, amazed and left us all but silent through the meal save groans of appreciation. And of course I ended my meal with the homemade tiramisu. My boyfriend got the bread pudding and loved it as well! I can’t WAIT for my next meal at Nora (already being planned with my financial advisors)!

My husband almost licked his plate. We had the ravioli, meatballs, and calamari. All were delicious. We sat at the bar without a reservation. Be sure to make one if you can. Small and cozy, and great food and service. They have $ 5 happy hour EVERY DAY from 5 – 8, $ 5 wines and apps… and they were nice portions as well as good wines! Off the main strip in little Italy. We will go back again for sure!

The staff is very pleasant, and the food is absoultely amazing not to mention the food arrived fast as well. I will be returning very soon. I reccommend the carbonara its out of this world good! You wont be dissapointed.

I chose this restaurant because it was listed on
and I have had certificates burning a hole in my pocket for literally 3 years. The
deal was $ 25 off $ 50. I was excited to try something else in Little Italy as previously I have been pretty staunch on only liking Mia Bella & Washington Inn & Bistro, the latter of which isn’t really Italian.
I made a reservation via Nora’s website which just entails filling out an online form. I got an email reply back by the next morning confirming the reservation from Eddie.
With no valet on Thursdays (only present [and complimentary] Fri and Sat) parking is pretty much nonexistent. I recommend the Cornell hill. The interior of the space is pretty charming. It is warmly decorated and small in size both of which contribute to a cozy dining room.
Il Bacio is the name of the restaurant that previously occupied this address. By reading the last few reviews of that place, I was slightly nervous about how Nora’s food would be as there seemed to be some trouble transitioning from one restaurant to the other.
**No fear though, Nora is good!!** I love soups, and it just so happened that one of the specials the night i went was a Sweet Potato Soup ($ 7)! It was a big deep bowl and an amazing way to start my meal and a true flashback to fall when one usually finds these types of purée soups. There was a slightly spicy oil drizzled on top the soup — superb! They always have a soup of the day so check back frequently! If I lived nearby this would be a weekly takeout thing for me! The salad my friend got was of a good portion size.
For my main I ordered the Pappardelle Bolognese ($ 21). There was a San Marzano tomato based meat sauce was heavily filled with a beef and pork ragu. While it was a tomato based sauce, it was very thick, and when having eaten the entire entrée, there was no sauce worth mentioning left on the plate. The pasta noodles we were told, in all the dishes, are made in house! The menu also mentioned a savory breadcrumb component to the dish. I definitely noticed this sprinkled on top and sticking mostly to the noodles. It certainly was flavorful, if perhaps a bit too salty, but it provided a nice light crunch now and again and added a texture to the dish. The presentation of this dish was great too. Everything was neatly coiled together when it was served to me.
Desserts were we told are also all made in house, but unfortunately we were too full to sample. The waiter recommended the tiramisu. After paying we were offered free Lemoncello.
Overall I really liked this place. The server was really nice. When we first arrived he asked if we were in a hurry if we were going to a play or something after dinner.

This little gem is worth a visit. I have been to this location through several incarnations over the past 20 years, starting with the old Salvatores. It is not easy to successfully run such a small place in a busy restaurant district — with no parking.
One way to do it is to have a limited menu and execute really well. The new owner did just that. On the surface, the menu seems small and similar to anything you would expect to find in Little Italy. We ordered the meatball app, the salmon special and the chicken marsala. Each item was great. I mean really good. The salmon was perfectly cooked and the cannelini beans were more flavorful than I thought was possible. I won’t go into too much detail on the chicken marsala with the capers because I don’t want to give it away. Just get it and then you will get it.
As for the parking, its Little Italy not Olive Garden. You go there because of the authentic neighborhood vibe not the striped asphalt parking lot next to Target.

My husband and I had the pleasure of dining here on a Saturday night. We were cordially greeted upon arrival and given a nice table by the window. Our server John was knowledgeable and he took good care of us. We shared the Burata and house salad as appetizers. The Burata was rich and delicious, served with a homemade olive tapanade and garnished with house pickled baby heirloom tomatoes. The house salad was fresh and crisp, featuring a mix of baby lettuces and accented with crisp pickled carrot. For our entres, we had the veal osso bucco and the rack of lamb, both of which were of very high quality, prepared to our specifications, and accompanied by fresh and inspired side dishes. We enjoyed a bottle of Piedmont wine, and topped things off with a homemade tiramisu by the chef’s mother who was the restaurant’s pastry chef.
This restaurant is recently opened by the chef owner Eddie who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America and worked in several top New York City restaurants prior to opening this one.

Nora has absolutely delicious flavors made with all the freshest local ingredients. From the fresh bread and chive butter to the calamari and salad as starters, everything about the presentation and flavor was great. The gnocchi was delicious with amazing mushrooms and butternut squash. Steak was cooked perfectly. The ravioli has a wonderful fresh vegetable flavors and a fresh sauce. This is not your typical Italian chicken parm loaded with sauce and pasta place, but a more carefully crafted menu focused on freshness and flavors. Tiramisu for desert was also great. Also the ambiance and service was comfortable and pleasant. I will definitely return for the seasonal menu changes.

We have been to Nora recently, and the food is excellent, wine is wonderful, and the desserts are heavenly! Nora is a great place to go for that special occasion celebration. Quiet atmosphere & excellent service. Chef/​Owner Eddie Zalar has a gem here in little Italy!

So amazing this place, the food is to die for, wines that I couldn’t find anywhere else

My husband and I went here last night to celebrate our anniversary and had a wonderful time! The staff was very friendly and helpful; we really enjoyed the wine our server recommended and Head Chef/​Owner Eddie even came out to our table to check in with us. The food was delicious — a new twist incorporating seasonal flavors into our favorite Italian dishes. I really liked the way the vegetables were prepared with the chicken marsala. Eddie’s mom makes all of the dessert pastries and we enjoyed some of the best tiramisu we have ever had. We will definitely be returning!