This off-the-strip eatery has garnered many high rankings in social media circles. It's also a family-owned establishment, which has put it at the top of my must-try places on many occasions. Why did it take so long? I was very excited when I finally went to try it at a leisurely lunch with friends. The building is reminiscent of an old town part of Italy with beautiful antique mottled paint and accents on the outside. Upon entering the restaurant, I was struck by the brick walls and wood decorations, with aged barrels substituted by chandeliers over the bar. The walls were also adorned with many family photos, which added a comforting feel to the space.
We started our meal with a couple of orders of their Arancini, the deep-fried risotto balls stuffed with cheese and pleasantly slathered with a meat sauce and green peas. They were a crunchy, sumptuous experience and so good. Next, we combined our salad with our pizza course, as you can do in a place like this, and ordered their al prosciutto pizza. The pie is covered in roasted tomatoes, garlic, mozzarella, arugula (salad course), prosciutto, and parmesan cheese, all finished off with a drizzle of olive oil. The crust was perfect, with the right amount of chew to hold all the tasty ingredients. For our entrée, I ordered the one thing my husband never lets me order at an Italian restaurant: the lasagna. The dish's presentation was excellent, and that's where the compliments will have to end here. The beef, bechamel, ricotta, and mozzarella with tomato sauce all pooled into a pile of mush. It wasn't very pleasant, to say the least. My husband had to say he told me so on this one. We finished the meal with their berry panna cotta. It was light, airy, and creamy, with just a nod of approval from our table. Would we get it again? No. Would we say it was terrible? No again. Just a mediocre selection from the menu.
Our service on the eve of our visit was incredible; for that, Nora's earns another visit. Also, it bears mentioning that their unlimited basket of garlic bread for just $1 per person also earns them another visit. The crunchy, buttery garlic dough made for happy bellies the whole meal through. Nora's is another excellent reason for us locals to urge visitors to venture off the strip for a meal that will not gouge you and leave you happy that you took a tour away from the casinos, if only for a quiet meal.