07/06/2007

Mangia — and enjoy every bite — at Nonna's

New chef is true to Italian cooking and its heritage

By MATT SUTHERLAND

Special to the Record-Eagle

From pizza to bruschetta, pasta to antipasta and insalata, the cuisine of Italy is thoroughly enmeshed in the culinary culture of the United States.

Yet few Americans give much thought to the regional and historical circumstances serving to inspire these dishes. Nor do we seem to care that what we consume under the guise of Italian food is often only a well-intentioned approximation.

Ingredients differ, cooking techniques differ, and, in most cases, the chef takes liberties with the flavor profile. A small matter, you might say, unless you're turned on by the opportunity to taste classic dishes as they were intended to taste.

That would be me. All of which explains my excitement upon hearing Nonna's Ristorante, flagship eatery of the Homestead in Glen Arbor, recently hired a native son of Sardinia and veteran of several acclaimed Italian restaurants in Milan, New York, Orlando and Grand Rapids. Executive chef Mario Deruda also arrives with a reputation for refusing to mess with or improvise on the dishes of his homeland — a fact cited by the James Beard Foundation when they asked him to demonstrate authentic Italian cooking at two different events.

With clay tennis courts, golf, downhill and cross country skiing, upscale lodging and a peerless Beach Club situated at the mouth of the Crystal River, there is never a bad time to visit The Homestead, and a Thursday night in mid-June proved to be no exception. Six of us arrived at the rough-hewn, tree-shrouded restaurant in the resort's Village, situated up the hill behind the reception center. We started with a sprightly Drylands Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and three antipasti to share including tuna carpaccio, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes and a Mediterranean salad. Raw tuna is not something you order casually in northern Michigan, but Deruda's was beautifully presented and delicious, though the actual plate was warm to the touch.

We then divided up an exquisite bowl of penne with house-smoked salmon, asparagus and cream sauce lightly flavored with tomato, chased by another refreshing white, this one Campogrande Orvieto Classico. The slivers of salmon were intensely smoky but not overly so.

Deruda's disciplined approach to Italian cuisine was readily apparent in his primary plate offerings. Our table went completely silent over dishes like pan-roasted veal chop with olives, fresh tomato and mushrooms, an ultra-classic preparation of veal scaloppini with fresh sage, beef tenderloin sauced in asparagus and gorgonzola, and my own plate of sautéed walleye perfectly complemented with a fresh orange-thyme glaze. One tablemate ordered Fettuccine alla Bischera (fettuccine tossed with bacon, onion and fresh herbs, dressed in a delicate marinara sauce), and rated it a "nine-plus” when pressed. To be sure, the dishwasher was left with little work when the plates returned to the kitchen.

We chose a bottle of Borgo Scopetto Chianti Classico, which disappeared in short order. Not to worry, our waiter, Kris, quickly replaced it. In fact, he managed our white-clothed table with deft skill — accessible without hovering — and even rounded up Deruda for a quick visit so that we might complement the food and ask a few questions about his cooking philosophy.

We finished with poached pears, tiramisu, crème brule and even a sip of limoncello thanks to our designated driver.

Nonna's deserves attention primarily because Deruda is so sure-handed. From first glance at the menu to the look of confidence on the faces of his servers, I sensed an unmistakable level of competence emanating from the kitchen. A nice feeling, indeed.

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Late last month, Traverse City's restaurant community lost a vital, irreplaceable member in Joe Matyskella, long known for his saute and saucier expertise at Amical. Chef/owner Dave Denison described Joe as "master of the culinary obscure ... and Amical's go-to guy for recipe research, menu planning and implementation.” Staff and friends of Amical will never forget his steady, friendly, ultra-competent presence at the stove.

Matt Sutherland is co-founder of the Traverse Epicurean Classic and author of the newly released "Savor Michigan Cookbook: Michigan's Finest Restaurants, Their Recipes & Their Histories.” He can be reached at mfsutherland@yahoo.com or care of the Record-Eagle.