Does Naples really need another Italian restaurant? Ritz-Carlton's hits, misfires reviewed

Why is it so quiet on a Friday night?

That’s the question I kept asking on a recent outing to Nolita, a new Italian restaurant The Ritz-Carlton, Naples.

Has season officially ended?

Could it be that hotel guests were out and about exploring other parts of town?

If they were venturing to other Italian joints in town, I guesstimate 80% would have been just as happy staying on property.

Nolita is comparable in quality and price to what you’ll find a few blocks north and in downtown’s more touristy neighborhoods. The restaurant takes its name from the iconic New York City neighborhood, a syllabic abbreviation for “North of Little Italy.”

An oasis of civility, even if just for a few hours, it’s one of the few new spots where I didn’t strain my vocal cords carrying a conversation.

And despite its glam location, most guests were dressed quite casually. We even spotted two gals in what looked like swimwear coverups passing through the dining room to their covered patio table.

Unlike its glitzy upstairs neighbor Dusk, the space doesn’t feel fussy or overwrought. A simple shingle outside the beach-level entrance announces its turf.

What to eat

While Nolita isn’t breaking new ground on Italian cuisine, its menu offers several delicious finds.

Oh ― about that menu ― it’s not online; frustrating because it’s hard to budget in advance or know if there’s anything you want to eat.

But JLB is here to provide direction, believing your best bet may be making a meal of substantially-sized appetizers, pizzas and desserts, the tastiest things our foursome tried.

Fried squash blossoms filled with creamy ricotta were terrific and served piping hot.

A vibrant panzanella with cubes of airy focaccia boasted a lovely, well-balanced dressing, which made the ample heirloom tomatoes zing.

Can a salad be toothsome? In this case, yes; piselli (Italian for peas) with layered local lettuce varieties and prosciutto earns a spot among my top five salads in town.

I’ve never seen such a ginormous portion of fried calamari. This one stood out with a poppy-seed-topped aioli, charred lemon for easier squeezing, and bits of fiery fried peppers in the mix.

What’s better than my professed death row meal of eggplant Parm?

Dedicated pizza chef Gabriele Candela’s beautifully presented eggplant Parm pizza with drizzled balsamic, that's what.

When the hotel announced Nolita's opening, it cited that Candela is "a third-generation pizza chef who honed his skills in his grandfather’s Palermo, Sicily pizzeria." He's also worked at the world-renowned L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele in that other Naples (Italy!)

His experience is evident in each bite.

Though I don't profess to be Dave Portnoy of One Bite fame, I loved the charred crust. There's a slight fold, possibly because of the weighty eggplant. As an appetizer, it easily serves four, but consider making it a main because you might be reluctant to share it.

Meh main courses

Entrees were somewhat less successful.

Cioppino’s seafood mix had a nice broth and a clever, albeit temporary, touch: a medium stone crab claw (whose season ends May 1) tops the dish. However, of the four clams included, one didn’t open.

A verdant but soupy asparagus risotto lacked pizazz.

When asking where the linguine’s clams were from, our server asked the kitchen, yet we didn’t get an answer. Eight clams adorned an oversized pasta serving, but some people might like that.

Save room for dessert

It would be a shame to skip a sweet ending, especially the signature “Little Italy Nights” if you love pistachio. Though almost too pretty to eat, it didn’t deter me from finishing every spoonful.

Also quite nice: a dark chocolate tart with orangey ricotta. The playful garnish evoked a fun Fruit Roll Ups vintage candy vibe.

Potent potables

Specialty cocktails ($18 to $24) are fantastic and go down a bit too easily. The only way a refreshing gin-centric "Cetriolo Cooler" could be better? Served poolside by a handsome young man a la "Palm Royale," Apple TV's fun new show where our sister newspaper the Palm Beach Daily News ― still known as the "Shiny Sheet"― gets star treatment. There is no discernable alcohol taste, making it a dangerously delish pick.

I was surprised that Negronis didn’t receive top billing as it’s my go-to sipper at every Italian restaurant.

Willy nilly, Nolita aims to please. Mine was powerful. Though I wanted another, my philosophy: One is not enough but two is too many ― it was that strong.

Naturalmente, the wine list leans heavily toward Italy. By-the-glass selections are priced $16 to $28, and nearly 20 bottles are less than $100.

Nostalgic food, elevated experience

When I was driving to the hotel’s gate, the friendly guard asked about my plans for the evening. I replied, "Dinner at Nolita, what do you recommend?”

He said veal Parmesan, the priciest menu item at $54. Alas, no one in our group ordered it.

A recurring pet peeve at many restaurants in town is the utensil situation: My main course has been delivered, yet I have no fork to eat it.

But this is the Ritz baby, where everything needed is promptly replaced after every course. Our enthusiastic and attentive server, Natoy, made us feel like we were flying first class.

While waiting for the valet, I remembered the last time I was so enthusiastic about pizza, cake and ice cream in one tidy meal. It was my fifth-grade birthday party at a bowling alley, but this night at Nolita was a classy step up with adult beverages to boot.

I'd still invite the same 20 pals, knowing there's ample space to seat us all.

What to know & what you'll spend

Address: 280 Vanderbilt Beach Road (the beach resort)

Call: 239-598-3300

Website: nolitanaples.com

Pricing: First courses range from $14 for ribolitta (Tuscan bean stewy soup) to $26 for chichetti, a charcuterie-cheese plate with grilled veggies. Pizzas offer six tempting selections from $29 to $31. Five pasta selections are $22 to $28. Entrees: Five choices, from $34 risotto to $54 for that veal Parmesan. Desserts: Six shareable choices from $12 to $22. Bring cash for the valet.

Daily hours: Lunch is from noon to 2:30 p.m., and dinner is from 5 to 9 p.m. In the morning, the dining room hosts an American-style breakfast.

Diana Biederman is NDN's food & restaurant writer. Connect via dbiederman@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: New Nolita restaurant at Ritz-Carlton serves up Italian: What to know