While the weather holds up, it’s a nice drive along Route 9A in Westchester to Croton-on-Hudson. The foliage is beautiful with the trees turning golden-red. When you arrive at Casa de Nicola, you will be warmly greeted by the affable chef/owner Nicola Grbic and his wife, Maria, who guarantee you gracious, leisurely and delicious dining amid a country-rustic atmosphere.
Northern Italian dishes are the specialty here. For an appetizer, my companion and I tried a small portion (beware: Nicola’s portions are bountiful) of tri-colore pasta with arugula and sun-dried tomatoes in a light tomato base. Sprinkled liberally with parmesan cheese, it was delightful.
The insalata caprese, consisting of freshly sliced tomatoes layered with fresh buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil in a house vinaigrette with prosciutto, was a delectable appetizer.
For an entrée, we tried a combination chicken-veal dish—two medallions of chicken francese sautéed in a light egg batter with a splash of white wine and lemon juice and delicately seasoned. With this came a veal medallion delicately flavored in a butter, lemon and white wine sauce accompanied by golden-brown potatoes.
For dessert, opt for the Italian ricotta cheesecake, a specialty of the house, that has a crust baked to perfection. The moist creamy flavor of the ricotta is a perfect ending to a wonderful dinner with a cup of espresso. Other dessert specialties include chocolate mousse cake, cannoli cake and hot zabaglione for two. Ask for it with fresh strawberries.
CASA DE NICOLA
441 Albany Post Road, Croton-on-Hudson
(914) 271-2920
