Donna Marie’s Ristorante

From sauces to salad dressings, it’s home cooking at this neighborhood Italian spot, quietly tucked into Nottingham Way Square in Hamilton.

By: Antoinette Buckley
    Donna Marie’s has been quietly tucked into Nottingham Way Square in Hamilton for almost six years. When mentioned to those outside of the Hamilton area, the name often evokes a crinkled brow and far off look, suggesting that the name sounds familiar, yet they can’t quite put their finger on where or why. Further thinking usually brings them to the conclusion that they’ve never eaten there.
   Perhaps the Hamilton locals want to keep Donna Marie’s and its unpretentious food all to themselves and I can understand why. The restaurant is well suited to doing business on a smaller scale and its neighborhood feel is a big part of its appeal. Growing too popular would detract from that comfortable feeling when you sit down to a reliably good meal and walk away with money still in your pocket.

Donna Marie’s Ristorante

3681 Nottingham Way

Hamilton

(609) 890-0099



Food: Good

Service: Satisfactory

Prices: Appetizers: $1.50-$8.95; Pasta: $12.95-$13.95; Entrees: $13.95-$22.95; Desserts: $5-$6

Cuisine: Italian and more (Italian/Continental)

Atmosphere: Country kitchen

Vegetarian and Vegan Options: Some appetizers, salads, and pasta dishes

Hours: Lunch: Tues.-Fri. 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; Dinner: Tues.-Sun. 4-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 4-10 p.m.

Essentials: Accepts all major credit cards except Discover; BYO; wheelchair accessible; reservations suggested on weekends.


Directions

   The food is far better than what you would expect from the looks of the place. Neat and clean? Yes. Up-to-the-minute? No. The dated, country kitchen décor is unimpressive. Linoleum-topped tables, fake flowers filling every open area, and painted murals create the restaurant’s humdrum appearance.
   Personable and friendly servers who could get the job done with their eyes closed would fit like a glove here. I suspect that is largely the case, especially since much of the staff has been there for five years. However, the night we visited, our server was aloof and functionally careless. The three children at our table should have been the clue to bring out the children’s menu, but none came. Unfortunately, a cracked, leaky glass did find its way to our table. And when the dessert choices were presented, our server failed to disclose the full description of tartufo (vanilla ice cream with a hard chocolate shell and cherries in the center) to the children. Instead, she merely said it was ice cream. In addition to oversights involving children, our server didn’t seem to have a deep knowledge of the food. She did, however, show a hasty hand in clearing plates.
   The soft Italian bread and individually wrapped butter pats are fitting here. The menu offers an abundance of selections, most of which are traditional Italian. The rest is comprised of meat from the grill.
   As Italian menus go, this one is rather predictable. But, every so often, the unexpected sparks some excitement. It was the Baby Artichokes ($8.95) that did it for me. Tangy and tender, these baked artichokes with oil and seasoned breadcrumbs are a breath of fresh air. Mussels ($8.95) that are traditionally served with a savory white wine sauce are pumped up with a spicy kick. The sauce is a welcome variation on the classic, but the mussels themselves are oversized and chewy.
   While I don’t see fireworks, there is plenty of enjoyment to find in the food. Fettuccine Alfredo served with crumbled sausage ($13.95) is the perfect plate. From the wise words of a 10-year-old companion, "It’s not heavy, so you don’t get full after three bites. It’s just great." My sentiments exactly.
   All entrees (even the pasta) come with a house salad served generously, family style. Iceberg and romaine lettuces are mixed with a homemade, zesty balsamic dressing.
   Veal Marsala ($17.95) with mushrooms rises to the challenge of serving tender veal, but falters a bit in the overall flavor. A sweetness (probably from the Marsala wine) comes to the forefront instead of a well-rounded, appropriately seasoned dish.
   A special of the evening, Seafood Au Gratin ($27), was decadent. Plump shrimp, sizeable scallops, crabmeat and lobster ravioli, came together under an abundance of a béchamel cheese sauce. There is no skimping here. The seafood-infused sauce is creamy and rich. Thus, the three-bite capacity comment above most certainly applies here. Taking home what you cannot finish and nibbling a little at a time delivers maximum satisfaction for this hearty and loveable dish.
   Dessert choices are standard including classics like tiramisu and tartufo in addition to many others. The cannoli ($5) is just right. Chocolate confusion ($5), made up of three chocolate layers is sufficient, although it does not live up to its promising name. The coffee needs some help.
   Donna Marie’s Ristorante is owned by husband and wife team Mark and Donna Marie Gilbert. Besides the duties that come with ownership, Donna also works in the kitchen alongside Chef Bruce Havasta. The two, both self trained, have been cooking together for many years and have things running like clockwork. Most everything, apart from the desserts, is homemade. From sauces to salad dressings you are getting home cooking here.
   As evident by the large number of regulars who frequent Donna Marie’s, the restaurant’s most outstanding features are its dependability and an endearing knack for keeping things grounded.