Nua Restaurant & Wine Bar

Now that this place is closed I feel more comfortable reviewing it. I had a fabulous meal here. I mean it was terrific. Even the house made spicy cheeto things were great.
There was one thing though that made me do a double take… I ordered a $ 60 bottle of Shiraz. When it came out it was shown to myself and my date and then… the server TWISTED THE CAP OFF and poured me a bit to taste.
I paid $ 60 for a twist top bottle of Shiraz. Here I was thinking that I normally buy $ 8 bottles of Shiraz that I really like at BevMo, and therefore believed that this would be the most orgasm inducing Shiraz on the planet… and it was packaged like Mad Dog ²⁰⁄₂₀. Don’t get me wrong, packing a bowl and drinking some of the Olé Dirt Dog is not below me, but the split would be $ 50 for ¹⁄₈ of OG Kush, $ 5 for the MD 20/​20, and $ 5 for a single condom that has probably been sitting on the condom rack for 2 ½ years. That is VALUE… a $ 60 bottle of twist top Shiraz is not.
And what is the deal with pouring me some to try. It wasn’t going to be corked. If this was my opportunity to scuttle the twist top wine and not look like a boner in front of my date I wasn’t falling for it. How about a note next to the wine list entry that says «comes with a dime bag and some cheetos,» Really!

WOW. We had the most amazing meal here tonight. The company was pretty amazing too.
We hit it up early for the blue hair special. OK, no such thing at NUA, but we were the first people in the door and were taken care of like we were family. The service, the food, the wine — all top notch. The gnochi was some of the best I have ever had. The beef, mouth-​watering. The cod, and its sides — perfect. I even enjoyed the sardines — AND I don’t like sardines!
I expressed my love for Italian wines and with course, had a perfect wine to go with it.
Cannot wait to go back!

Hands down the best restaurant in North Beach. And rumor has it, Nua is probably going to make the SF Gate Top 100 this year.
We went on a quiet Wednesday night the with jazz duet playing for most of the time we were there. It’s totally cute inside and definitely unsuspecting for the location (sorta sandwiched between a few bars, an alley and the Lobster Shack).
For a casual joint the service was overwhelmingly good. I say overwhelming because they showed me the way to the bathroom the three times I went and the waitress basically wanted to tell us about every single thing on the menu. I’m not complaining though.
Food was deeelicious. From the bone marrow to the stuffed peppers to the beef I had for my main course, I didn’t taste a single thing I didn’t like. I first had bone marrow last year in Australia and while it still creeps me out, I’m a huge fan because it is damn tastey… Oh and the bread they give you… so good — I couldn’t stop asking for more.
Three of us did three apps, three main courses, two desserts and two bottles of wine… $ 70+tax each… not bad!
Keep the good restaurants coming to North Beach!

Nua (not to be confused with Dell’Uva, right across the street)… The atmosphere here is great. Lots of people, all ready to try the excellent dishes and the large wine menu.
Drinks: Since I am not a wine-​expert (and never claimed to be) this menu is a bit daunting. What is it? Eight pages long or something? But, the staff couldn’t be more helpful. You tell them the taste you are looking for and both times I have gone here I have been impressed by what they pick for me. My most recent visit was with a group celebrating, so we tried to $ 24 bottle of champagne. We were all a little worried cause it was one of the cheapest. It was, however, very good. We even got another bottle to follow the first. :)
On the menu: Two words, Bone Marrow. I was reaaaalllly concerned when my sis suggested this. But, never one to turn down food, I tried it and loved it. It is so rich. Balance it with the arugala salad. We also got the fries with a wonderful dipping sauce. This place is great to share lots of little dishes. That was you get to sample tons of different flavors.
The staff is really attentive and always ready to fill your glass or offer another wine menu. Some of the best service I’ve had in a while.

My sis is moving from the City to the ‘burbs, so last night we gathered in her hood for a going-​away dinner at Nua. We showed up without reservations AND half of our party was 30 minutes late, but the owner and his servers were nothing but lovely.
They actually managed to pull together a table for five pretty quickly, right by the mellow jazz band. We only ordered small plates and champagne, but the bone marrow crostini with braised pork shoulder was out of this world… and the $ 24 bottle of champagne was near perfection.
The last time I was at Nua I was just there for the wine, and was really impressed by the sommelier’s ability to select exciting glasses based on what we were in the mood for. Next time I go back I’ll try the entrees and desserts for sure and hopefully knock this baby up to five stars!

Oh my frickin LORD!!!
The bone marrow dish… I MUST have it AGAIN… two more orders of that puh-​leeze. Oh, and can you stop by with more bread?
And no the boyfriend doesn’t need anymore wine… THANKS… I swear if he wasn’t so cute I would’ve walked right out of the restaurant cuz he gets embarrassing when he gets tipsy… cute, but embarrassing.
Service was awesome, so friendly, professional and I felt completely at ease in there. yes it’s in North Beach and parking is hell on earth, but if you can cab it here (or better yet take the bus!) you’re in for a fun treat.
Nua’s is a medium size trendy space with a modern twist on old Mediterranean staples, yummy wine selection (they’ll let you taste before committing to a glass), and enthusiastic service by folks who take pride in their work.

I went here last night with co-​workers and we lucked out that their live music now changed to Tuesday nights. I was the only one who partook in the DAT menu. So, I had the salad with manchego cheese and fish for first and mains. My dessert was a pot de crème, which by the end of the meal, I could not finish. My friends both ordered the gnocchi with duck (which was really good and tasty!) and quail. The salad had good portions of sliced manchego cheese and slices of pear — yummy. My fish was also cooked perfectly. We ordered a cauliflower side which we thought was the best caulifower we have ever eaten. It had sort of a burned/​buttery flavor and a definite must-​have.
The only hard thing is parking in North Beach!!! Go early and avoid weekends. Our waiter was also very attentive and funny.

Wine bars freak me out. Usually the food is compromised because of the focus on wine.
NUA threw all my caution to the wind tonight.
Opted out of the DAT menu and did our own thing: 2 appetizers, 3 entrees, 2 sides & 2 desserts.
A1: Duck hash gnocchi, incredible. The little pillows of pasta were perfectly cooked and the hash was generous and bursting w/​flavor.
A2: Salad, wow again, thick fresh shavings of parmesan, a light citrus dressing, candied toasted hazelnuts & sliced pears.
E1: Rib eye steak, this was the size of my head. Seasoned well, and cooked medium. Well prepared and kept the integrity of beef flavor.
E2: Seared artic char, loved the crisp skin, gotta love that they undercook their fish, served w/​a pomegranate sauce & on a bed of lentils.
E3: Quail, lovely presentation and flavor. The meat was tender. Very enjoyable.
S1: Fries w/​some sort of aioli, fries were a bit small, & over seasoned for my taste, serving was large, but everyone else enjoyed this one.
S2: Wilted Swiss chard, nicely cooked and seasoned. Yum.
D1: Churros & hot chocolate, I would prefer chocolate sauce and a more Mexican churro, okay, I need more cinnamon!
D2: Chocolate soufflé, oh heaven, crème anglaise poured LIVE.
If the food tastes THIS good SOBER, imagine the possibilities w/​VINO?!

I hate small, delicious portions. I want to like them, but I can’t. I LOVE them — and that’s the problem. It makes me hangry (hungry + angry) because they’re gone. Woe is me, and «Whoa!» is Nua.
Had a great experience here last night with a buddy after a horrific wine served by an Italian meathead bartender at our previous restaurant, which we eventually walked out on. When I remember the name, I will warn you.
Nua was a complete 180 from the nightmare before. We sat at the bar because the place was packed, and for good reason. The bartender was an attentive, knowledgable man I’d like to think was named Chip. Chip made sure that we were well stocked with all the house-​made focaccia and olive oil we could eat, which turned out to be a lot. This was what filled the majority of my digestive system, as the portions were extremely modest.
Great atmosphere (brought us placemats at the bar as well as real coasters for the water). I had a Portuguese wine which was delicious… my friend loved his Spanish wine. Chip helped us chose both.
We started with a pear and walnut salad with very fresh and interesting flavors. Followed this with the duck gnocci, which really left me wanting more. Finally, we shared the stuffed quail with tomatoes and baby bok choi. SO FUCKING GOOD.
We were very pleased with the entire experience and left satisfied and happy. The only reason I’m only giving it 4 stars is because I’m not into expensive places with small portions. Our two starter plates, main course, and three glasses of wine ended up being almost $ 90 before tip (and Chip got a big one)!

Spreadsheet Analysis of Nua:
A B C
1 Roasted Squab Excellent 1
2 Housemade Chorizo Excellent 1
3 Wine Selection Excellent 1
4 Service Excellent 1
5 Ambiance Excellent 1
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​

=SUMIF (B1:B5,“Excellent”, C1: C5)
Total: 5 (Stars)

All the reviews rave about the service and I have to agree… from the moment we walked in to the moment we left, it was exceptional. Although it bordered on creepy when the waitress offered to escort me to the bathroom, explaining that it was «far away.» Actually, no, telling me that it was straight back and on the left would have been sufficient.
Anyway, the food was clever and excellent, although the menu is somewhat limited. My pork chop was perfectly cooked and I gambled on the peppers to start, and was pleasantly surprised. Excellent wine list and the owner was quite knowledgeable about his wines. The bread was incredible and I could have kept eating it all day.
But what I noticed above everything else was how shiny the wine glasses are. I remarked to the owner that I’d eaten in a lot of restaurants in town, but had never seen such a brilliant wine glass. He thanked me – and then ten minutes later brought out the guy in the back whose job is, you guessed it, to buff the wine glasses. Nice touch.

A quail is a very small bird. I knew that before I ordered the quail at Nua, but I don’t think I realized HOW small. Now when I think of Nua, I will always think, quails really are very small birds (maybe because they are organic and not full of hormones).
My friend, Alexa B., was in town from NYC, so I wanted to take her some place nice and cute… and in quintessential SF neighborhood. I don’t typically dine in North Beach but the Unilocal reviews of Nua put it on my list of places to try.
We went with no reservation — it seems pretty extraordinary to not have to wait for a table at such a nice place. Awesome. We were seated quickly, and the people who helped us with both the wine (I don’t think he was a sommelier) and the food were super nice and, as my friend puts it, gentle in demeanor.
We had the prawns to start; Alexa B. had the porterhouse pork chop (I’m glad that pork chops get the special cut designation!), and I had the very small bird. The prawns were in a tasty chili sauce — Alexa B. thought it was a bit spicy but it was totally fine for me. The small bird was quite tasty, and it sat on a very nice bread salad. As much as I complain about how small the bird was, it was actually more than enough food… though I did get some niblets of the pork porterhouse, and that was DELICIOUS. The pork was deliciously moist probably because of the brining (the waiter had lots of information about how each dish was prepared). I was stuffed to the max so we passed on desserts.
The service was great — as I mentioned before, the waiter was very knowledgeable about all of the dishes and was able to give a true recommendation on his favorite dish (I’m always annoyed by the «everything on the menu is good). In fact, I don’t typically like small birds, but the waiter’s glowing recommendation influenced me to get it. Even though I’m not a small bird fan, I still thought the quail was good. One of the funny things on the service front was that they must have been going through training that night because the waitstaff had people following them around — just one step behind them the entire night. It was a bit odd until I realized they were training them…
Nua is a bit on the pricey side but otherwise great!

Wife and a bunch of her «smokin’ hot» co-​workers went out on deservingly a «Girls’ night out». She also invited «yours truly» to be one of the designated drivers. This will be a definite treat for Matt being one of the few horny dudes assisting the lovely ladies on getting home safely.
The girls were only having a few drinks at the bar. Wife loves the Bloody Mary cocktails prepared in any variety of ways. Heirloom Tomatoes are currently in season, and they used the seasonal tomato on their Bloody-​Mary drinks. The tangy cocktail contained the usual mixture of spices and other ingredients garnished with a stalk of celery. Instead of the usual tomato, they used the Heirloom Tomato. And for $ 8.00, the drink was very sole and tasty. She enjoyed it so much, that she & a couple of her friends had 2 of the potent cocktails. And to make matters worse, all the girls toasted and had a disgusting $ 25.00 shot of pricey XO cognac. (OMG, talk about a suicide in the wait).
You would say that she had fun? Indeed she did and was very bent out of shape after the night out with the rest of the girls.

Is there a better word for WOW?!?
I can not stop talking about this place. My friend picked me up and told me we were going here. Never heard of it. Let alone, wander in NB and have something other than Italian. First step into the restaurant… automatic door. Nice…
A traditional wine bar that serves food. I didnt have wine, just because I was already hung over and barely left the couch at 7pm to go to dinner. But the food should have you motivated enough to leave your house and wander here.
They had fresh Halibut in, so I had to try it. My friend and I shared the peach salad as an appetizer. Delicious. Fresh, crisp, and just enough serving.
The halibut was AMAZING! It was lightly crisp on the outside, tender, soft, flaky on the inside. Absolutely incredible. The fish itself was amazing but the tomato soup deduction made it even better.
For dessert we had the blueberry tart. Fresh blueberries. Wow. It was paired with peanut ice cream which was weird in itself. I don’t like to chew my ice cream. My friend would not stop talking about these Italian cookies that they served. Apparently they don’t always make them as they are handmade at the restaurant. They were tiny. The size of a raised quarter. They were amazing. Be sure to ask for them if you go. They are made from this paste which tasted like almond. It was basically an almond pasty cookie. MmMmMm…
Please go here. It’s a few months old… probably why its so damn good. I’m almost scared that it will get busier and the menu won’t be as good as the first.
I almost had an orgasm in my seat that night. or maybe I wet my pants. Not sure.

Did you hear that? That’s the sound of hell freezing over because I have nothing to complain about.
The hostess welcomed us and, without prompting, asked, «Shall I get you some waters?» as soon as we were seated. Our waiter, Humberto, helped us select a Pinot Nero from Italy, which, since that fateful day, has launched me on a quest to find a wine shop with this resplendent nectar.
Our starter was the Piquillo peppers stuffed with brandade, a pureed mixture of salted cod, olive oil, garlic, milk and cream. And the kitchen had conveniently divided it onto two plates for us to enjoy. The pork chop was juicy and came with dressed spinach and scrumptious fried polenta. The rib eye was perfectly medium rare with a sauce reminiscent of chimichurri. Finally, the butterscotch crème dessert came with biscotti and a chewy chocolate cookie.
Food & wine? Delicious. Service? Flawless. They wiped the table clean between every course, ensured our wine and water were always replenished, and checked in frequently but unobtrusively. More small yet appreciated touches – intuitively directing me to the ladies room without my having to ask, and graciously walking us to the door and thanking us for coming.
You know how some guys just get it – just seem to *know*? E.g., open the door, assist with your jacket, walk closest to the curb. And they do this without a, «Hey, look at me, I’m being a gentleman, and aren’t I WON-​der-​ful?» attitude. Well, if these guys know, then Nua is omniscient. Some say chivalry is dead, but here it’s alive and kicking.

I could eat here every night! Nish you seriously rock!
Thanks for the suggestion!
Everything that we ordered was savory, cooked to perfection, and still makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The wine pairing was wonderful, and the staff was very accommodating and I saved just enough room to order every single dessert on the menu! They were all good!
Love the combinations and the balance of Meat, Veggies, and Sides. I couldn’t have had a better dining experience in North Beach. Kudos to the Chef and owner!
What we ordered
Pork with turnips and kale, Steak, Cauliflower (very nice flavor just a tad bit spicy, and a tad bit salty), French Fries (also very nice but wasn’t a fan of the dipping sauce). Couldn’t make up my mind about dessert so ordered a glass of Madeira and all 5 of the desserts on the menu. Have to say the fresh blueberries on the frommage tart was my favorite. Would have loved to have had a scoop of vanilla gelato with that one (if I didn’t order everything else that they had to offer).
Definitely a Place that I will come again.
Date Rating: 10
Pick up Scale: 5 (I could see this place being a 7 if you’re sitting at the bar for dinner… it seems like they would attract interesting people)
Strong Suggestions: Bring anyone you want here they will enjoy it. Business, date, family, small group, big group it would work for anything. LOVED IT!

Have you ever worked with someone at his or her job for only several months?
‘Yes sir!’
‘Sure, I would love to take on that project!‘
A year later, they are normally not as enthusiastic about their job.
Well, I hope people at Nua continue to be enthusiastic about their excellent service and delicious food for a longtime, because when I went to this three month-​old restaurant/​wine bar in North Beach that opened their door in March 2007, I really loved it. Solid 5 Stars.
SERVICE: I was impressed. Our waiter, Humby, had this calm but friendly approach, taking the time to highlight some nice dishes on their menu. He even provided a quick blind taste test on the two wines so we could choose the one we liked. He knew which dishes should be served first, and even split the appetizer and served it on two plates. They also seemed to be children friendly as I saw a family next to me with two young children accommodated well.
ATMOSPHERE: Very nice. Casual and lively but neat and new. With large windows on two sides, there was plenty of light.
SEATS: One of those places with a row of tables where they could put together tables to accommodate large groups. A good size bar counter with about 8 seats.
FOOD: Much like CAV, food was tasty and interesting.
DESSERT: I’m sure Nua’s desserts are good, but I must point out that Naia Gelato is about 50 yards away.
PRICE: Average for this type of restaurant/​wine bar. Small dishes around $ 10, large dishes around $ 25, a glass of wine around $ 10, sides around $ 5.
A sample light dinner for two:
$ 12.50 Piquillo Pepper
$ 22 Duck confit
$ 5 French fries
$ 10 Glass of wine
$ 12 Glass of wine
$ 15.50 Tip and taxes
— — — — — — — — -
$ 77 for two people
PARKING: Offers valet parking at a charge. Finding free parking in this North Beach area is pretty tough, although not impossible.

After taking advantage of the convenient valet service ($ 12), we were welcomed in without a reservation by the maitre d, whom I’m guessing was also the proprietor. Service was great, both the waiter and maitre d frequently stopped by to make sure we were ok.
Based on the photo of the place (above) I figured I would love the styling of Nua. The clean lines of the chairs and the warmth of the wood seemed like a great combination, but I after taking in the room it didn’t quite work for me. It was a little confused, heading towards stylish but not fully committed to pulling it off. It reminded me of Scott Howard, perfectly nice, but your parents will probably think it’s cooler than you do.
What did it for me was what matters most: the cuisine. I started with the gambas al ajillo, fiery prawns that really delivered. The sauce was delicious reminding me of the tanginess of a bouillabaisse. Next up was the niman ranch rib eye, one of the best servings of red meat I’ve had in a long time. It was bright red, soft and juicy — protein perfection!
After all that meaty goodness, I had no room for dessert — ahh maybe next time.

I had been hearing about Nua for a few months now, and finally had the chance to make it up to North Beach this Friday evening to try it out their Mediterranean-​influence cuisine.
From the get-​go our experience was fantastic. I mean, even the woman who called to confirm my reservation was fun to speak with! We arrived around 7:30 for our table and the restaurant was busy but not packed; as our night continued, howvever, the place truly came to life.
There is a small bar that makes for a nice place to meet a friend for a glass of wine afterwork, or to wait for your table perhaps. The space itself has a modern rustic charm to it, with sleek wood surrounding.
Once seated, our waiter was quick with bread and water, and to take our wine order. He actually defferred to owner David White, who suggested a great red to go with our meal, and when I go again I’ll be sure to look for his next recommendation.
We had four in our party so decided to go big and each order a starter to share. It’s an easy pleasure for me to recommend all four — the prawns, the little gem salad, the housemade sausage and our favorite the pork meatballs — but have fun and explore the menu yourself.
Same goes for the entrees — we all loved the Rack of Lamb, the Gnocchi and the Salmon — but the easy winner if we had to pick one was the Duck Confit. My goodness, I could have died right there.
Desserts are also good, and here again ask David or your server for some good recommendations on pairing a dessert wine or port, they’re more than happy to offer their thoughts.
We talked to a lot of the people who sat near us — a mixture of locals (one couple lived 2 blocks away) and tourists — all clearly bonding over the commonality of great food.

Horray a wine bar in north beach! We went on a Friday night and were seated right away though there was only one table open throughout the night. The staff was very friendly and (whew) knew their wine. The space is really nice, and the décor is bright and pleasant, I can’t wait till April when they are open for lunch.
I do think it’s funny they give you new silverware and plates after every course, which is often, even if you haven’t used it. I think they can just swap the plates and used things and call it a day.
I had some excellent wines, and the food was awesome! We shared a very tasty blood orange salad, and some delicious ham and duck croquettes. The mussels were a bit on the fishy side, but the saffron broth was amazing.
I give them lots of props for using the focaccia from Liguria.
Can’t wait to go back!