Pazzo - The Spirit of Fun
Mad for Mediterranean fare? Out to have a crazy good time? Then Pazzo is the place for you!
This mid-island Mediterranean Osteria is the latest venture of restaurateur Marco Coelho. Open for just a month, Pazzo (pronounced “PAHTS-tsoh”) has already become the hottest bar scene on Nantucket and is considered the best of many new island eateries. Pazzo proves once and for all that good food doesn’t stop at the edge of town!
During this past winter, Marco and his talented team spent every waking hour transforming 130 Pleasant Street (formerly Sfoglia) into a chic bar and bistro that captures the look and feel of the Mediterranean. The architectural metamorphosis (exquisite woodwork, beautiful stonework, and new layout) was accomplished by John and Josiah Newman with Michael Roper. Hand-plastered walls adorned with decorative painting and a wild joie de vivre mural are by local artist Audrey Sterk. The vision is all Marco’s! Stop by this week and toast him on his success and his birthday!
One of Marco’s most impressive accomplishments (and there are many) is the spirited ambiance he creates at Pazzo. From the warm welcome you receive at the door throughout the evening, you feel like you’re joining a party...pazzo! A zest for fine food, good drink, and great fun infuses the place.
Service is seamlessly choreographed under Marco’s direction — waitstaff is knowledgeable, relaxed, cordial, and there when you need them without hovering. Count yourself lucky if Misty is your server and resist the temptation to drop your napkin just to bring the busser back to your table.
Pazzo bartenders—Holly, Afro Tom, and Starr—are among the island’s best, making their Dining Bar a very fun perch for singles and couples. Manager Kate Amodio has compiled a wine list that demonstrates her broad knowledge and love of Italian wines and that perfectly matches the Mediterranean cuisine.
There’s serious talent in the kitchen at Pazzo, but that’s no surprise with Robert Boslow as executive chef. Chef Boslow (fondly called Boz) has collaborated with Marco on Pazzo and previously on LoLa Burger. A recent trip to the Amalfi Coast refreshed his taste for the region’s cuisine and inspired his use of seasonings and spices that characterize dishes he’s designed for Pazzo. A bonus for patrons of LoLa 41 as well, where Boz is also executive chef.
From the handcrafted pasta by Pastry Chef Jamie O’Connell (who also makes the beautiful breads and delicious desserts) to the robust sauces, house-cured meats and aged imported cheeses, Chef Boslow’s inspired preparations are full of direct, focused flavors. He uses exuberantly fresh ingredients so that even his simpler preparations shine. There's not a boring dish on the menu! We’re confident that any choice will please.
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Food is served in the lounge and in the dining room, but even if you just stop in for cocktails, we highly recommend you order a bite to share. We started one evening with the Antipasto of the Evening which turned out to be a beautiful composition of tuna poached in olive oil and served with pickled spring vegetables and roasted red peppers on frisee. It provided the ideal fresh, perky flavors to accompany our Pompelmo Cosmopolitan, Limonata Siciliano, Campari Fizz, and White Peach Bella Belini. |
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The Wild Mushroom Bruchetta with Ricotta Salata is also great for sharing. The earthy mix of moist and meaty wild mushrooms combines deliciously with the peppery arugula, pine nuts, and salty shavings of ricotta salata cheese. We like this best with a ribbon of thinly sliced serrano ham. |
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A starter of disarming simplicity is the Grilled Asparagus & Truffled Goat Cheese. Grilling gives this elegant vegetable a slight char that is enhanced by the tangy goat cheese cheese finished with truffle. Toasted bread crumbs are the final touch, and we knew this was a winner when the four of us simultaneously dove in for the last two spears. |
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Though not commonly served on Nantucket, we’ve tasted enough octopus to know when this delicacy has been handled skillfully, and Chef Boswell does it right! For his Warm Grilled Octopus & Potato Salad, he grills the octopi to just the right tenderness without drying it out. The rings and tentacles are then tossed in sherry vinegar with soft, golden wedges of roasted potato,sweet red pepper, and crunchy slices of fennel and celery heart. The textures and tastes work in delectable harmony. |
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Pazzo’s lively Roasted Littleneck Clams & Harissa is not for the timid. Tame it with a chilled brew, and you’ll love what the warm flavors of the harissa and jalapeno do for the briney clams. Somehow the heat of this dish doesn’t kill the flavor, but it will wake up your senses. |
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We heard the buzz about Pazzo’s Tagines within days of their opening. All the acclaim is justified!
Our Marseille Seafood Tagine made an impressive entrance, brought to table in a traditional terra cotta tagine complete with tall conical lid that keeps the food moist during its slow cook. Marco lifted the lid with a flourish to reveal a steaming platter laden with clams, mussels, shrimp, little octopi, and halibut with carrot, leeks, garlic and a mix of warm Moroccan spices. The aroma was tantalizing and the taste lived up to its promise. Fluffy toasted almond couscous and array of condiments is served family-style along with the tagine: authentic and fiery harissa, soothing Greek yogurt, garlicky aioli, and a refreshing salad of juicy orange sections, sweet raisins, and crunchy julienne carrot. Some brief suggestions are offered to first-timers on how to set up the plate, and you’re off on a culinary adventure that takes you far from Nantucket.
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The $52 price of the seafood tagine is surprisingly low when you realize that this entree is created for two, but will easily satisfy three (possibly four if you have a round of appetizers). We didn’t taste the Chicken Tagine, but we have it on very good authority from a neighboring table that it also deserves high praise. (Thank you, Jean and Judith.)
We must confess that this trip to Pazzo we did not order the homemade pasta, so Neal and Lili from the table nearest passed around a taste of their Cavatelli and of their Halibut (Did I mention that an evening at Pazzo is like being at a party?), and these simple entrees were superb! |
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We did try a marvelous Sweet Pea & Morel Risotto with Lobster that showcased the delicate flavors of sweet spring peas, tender lobster meat, and woodsy morels. A meyer lemon confit brightened this mellow and well-rounded dish.
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The meat lovers in our party were very impressed by the Grilled Orange Spiced Pork Porterhouse. The porterhouse is fork-tender, no mean feat with pork; its inside moist and pink, its exterior caramelized from the grill. A tasty mix of mellow white beans, salty pancetta, and slightly bitter kale is served overtop. |
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The entree that haunts our dreams is the Spit Roasted Vermont Lamb Loin. Slow roasted to utter perfection, the lamb is succulent and tender and just gamey enough to know it’s lamb. Tucked underneath the slices is a cool tabbouleh with red onion and crisp cucumber. Overtop is spiced yogurt and
pickled onions. Close your eyes, and you can imagine yourself in Morocco. |
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It pays to plan ahead and order the Fruit Crisp when you choose your entrees. We were treated to a Pear and Walnut Crisp with Honey Vanilla Gelato that was homespun delicious! The featured fruit changes seasonally, but with a talent like O’Connell doing pastry, whatever it is, it’s sure to be good. |
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Her Marscarpone Cheesecake is at once creamy and light, the caramel sauce and sliced strawberries adding just the right notes of sweetness. |
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We couldn’t choose a table favorite between the cheesecake and the Chocolate SemiFreddo, which tasted like the lightest, fluffiest ice cream you can conjure, so we’ll just give our highest recommendation to both. |
 Bravissimo Marco! You’ve done it again!
Pazzo
130 Pleasant Street •
508-325-4500, reservations highly recommended
www.PazzoNantucket.com
Favorite Table: in the front corner so we can watch the fun
Favorite Cocktail: Limonata Siciliano and Bella Belini
Open nightly from 5:30 pm to 1 am; food till 10 or so (longer in season)
Dinner entrees range from $16 to $29 with Tangines for 2 at $42 & $52
Lively Bar Scene • Beer, Wine, & Cocktails
Open Year-Round • Major Credit Cards Accepted
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