I don’t tend to go out for Italian food with any regularity. A childhood in an Italian-American family – and surrounded by fantastic NYC pizza places – has led to my both loving Italian food and generally believing I can do it better myself. Hubris aside, however, Norma is worth a visit.
This restaurant wasn’t really on my radar until recently, when, on the lookout for a spot known for phenomenal house-made pasta, I stumbled upon it again and again and again. It’s not far from my usual haunts, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it doted with a massive terrace, a seven-day-a-week opening policy, and, most importantly, a long menu of house-made pastas. Thusly sold, I attempted to book a table, only to be told that two-tops were not reservable. Luckily, the size of the restaurant (and the eagerness with which I turned up promptly at 7:30pm) meant that there was no wait at all.
While certainly famed for its house-made pasta, Norma is also known for a creation dubbed the egg alla milanese: a soft-boiled egg situation prepared much like a Scotch egg, albeit with anchovy in place of sausage.
Presented atop a bed of cauliflower mash, it was an excellent way to start the meal.
The pastas are of course the main event, and while the Norma is certainly eponymous for a reason, it will have to be a selection for another day. On this particular visit, the fresh, filled pastas were too tantalizing, so our table was soon laden with two from this section.
The first was a ricotta and spinach-stuffed ravioli with Syracuse anchovy butter and lemon pangratto. The lovely marriage of textures both soft and crisp counterbalanced the richness of this pasta, making it ultra moreish.
That said, it’s always hard for me to find anything I love more than a tomato sauce, and this mezzaluna filled with buffalo mozzarella and almonds and tossed in a tomato sauce with a fresh, estival lightness was impossible to beat. (And look at that giant basil leaf on top!)
Deciding between profiteroles and tiramisu proved an almost insurmountable task, but, too full for both, we opted for the former, if only because they were filled, not with vanilla ice cream, but pistachio. Rich and nutty and decadent, they were the perfect way to finish the meal.
While there’s a fairly consequential list of sustainable and natural Italian bottles, we went for selections by the glass, which allowed us to try quite a few different offerings. The red sparklings were particularly refreshing and lovely. This restaurant is a great option if ever you’re traveling with vegetarians, looking for somewhere to eat on a Monday, or have just had enough French food! I’ll definitely be back – the pasta alla Norma and bucatini all’amatriciana definitely have my name on them.
Norma – 75, rue Turbigo, 75003