PLATTSBURGH — With the assist of relatives guiding her, Lisa McDonald adopted her goals and opened the doors to her pretty personal Italian restaurant, NonnaLisa’s, at the close of March.
Her sisters Jeanine Sawyer, Rachael Sawyer and Greta Sawyer have been operating at the cafe considering that the opening, and although McDonald is the head cook dinner and owner, her sisters aid get ready food and enable operate the restaurant.
MOTHER’S INSPIRATION
McDonald, a former nurse, stated their mom was the inspiration guiding NonnaLisa’s.
“Each of us had our have skilled backgrounds, then my mother lately died, so we variety of bought again collectively and weren’t certain what to do with ourselves, so we made the decision to open up this,” she claimed.
Former IRONS Locale
NonnaLisa’s, situated at 20 Plattsburgh Plaza, now occupies the place the place Irons restaurant applied to be.
McDonald stated a few neighborhood places to eat experienced began in this article right before they moved on to greater areas.
“My mother, essentially, as a result of the decades, experienced taken me to this correct spot a few times and preferred me to open up an Italian restaurant,” she said.
“It’s odd that it had come to be open up when it did…and all the things just fell so nicely into place.”
Future Options
Considering that getting the place, McDonald has place her have style into the restaurant by painting the walls and adding an Italian aptitude to everything.
If organization proceeds to do effectively, she will keep making renovations.
“We’re hoping to broaden into the other side…and utilize for our liquor license, so we can have some wine,” she stated.
“We’re likely to broaden the dine-in, make it a lot more intimate, make it a lot more Italian, which is the system. A very compact, personal Italian wine and liquor (bar)…that is the approach at the instant.”
ITALIAN Choices
NonnaLisa’s current menu has the regular Italian pasta dishes like baked ziti, lasagna, chicken parmesan, fettuccine alfredo and spaghetti and meatballs, but salads, sandwiches, Italian coffees and even home made sweets like Italian ice, and cannolis with cannoli dip are supplied also.
“There’s a couple sandwiches here that no one has heard of that are just to die for,” McDonald said, pointing to the potato & cheese sandwich, consisting of deep fried potatoes and American cheese melted on Italian Bread, in specific.
“Our cannoli dip: it’s pure cheese, real cheese.”
MOTHER’S RECIPES
Prospects are also encouraged to inquire about the weekly specials, which have showcased eggplant parmesan and fried pizza most lately.
McDonald explained just about every dish at NonnaLisa’s is an previous recipe she discovered from her mother developing up, and all of the food stuff is geared up with fresh, regionally-purchased ingredients.
“We grate our very own cheese, we grind our personal meats, we filet our individual meats, with just a couple easy ingredients,” she explained.
“This is previous-school cooking. We have been cooking this way for 50 years…that’s what is definitely selling it.
“A neighborhood couple came in from Rome and claimed this is the very same food items that is more than there. It felt like they were being back in Italy.”
Choose OUT AND DINE IN
Clients have the choice to dine in, choose out or purchase their food for supply through DoorDash and UberEats.
NonnaLisa’s is open Wednesday through Saturday with various hours.
At present, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, hrs run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. On Fridays, hrs run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and on Saturdays, hrs run from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
McDonald mentioned the hrs, as effectively as the menu are topic to modify in the long term as they continue to figure factors out.
HOW IT IS AT Dwelling
One particular issue she appreciates for particular while, is that her “job” does not experience like a task.
“This is precisely how it is at residence: the actual very same ecosystem, the exact same style and design, it’s just staying dwelling. Simply because we’re family-owned and family members-operated, family members is right here all the time,” McDonald claimed.
“It doesn’t feel like do the job, due to the fact we would be undertaking this at house. I would be cooking at property.
“I just built a bigger pot.”
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