Meet me at Nikki C's

We’re East Pasadenans and we’re old. Well, not exactly decrepit, but celebrating yet another birthday this week and 22 years of “togetherness” in March. So, naturally, we tend to frequent close-to-home, non-trendy Italian restaurants with free parking where we can get our (not-so-much-of-late) money’s worth, dress down and hear our own but not the next table’s conversation.

Oh, and there has to be traditional pasta. My husband’s a spaghetti freak, and he tends to sulk if meat sauce is missing from the menu. Dino’s used to be his favorite pasta haunt. Comfy booths, fake leather and fake plants, red-and-white-checked tablecloths and more food than even he could consume at a sitting: soup and salad included, hot olive oil-scented breadsticks and mountains of noodles with meatballs the size of muffins.

Another of our regular hangouts was Sunny Italy, especially on weekends when the dining room was graced with Travis Warren, a wonderful pianist who knew all the old jazz tunes my husband and I loved, even in our younger days. Again, there were piles of pasta, hot garlic-scented focaccia and magnificent martinis with colossal olives. What a way to spend an evening!

Alas, both Dino’s and Sunny Italy have gone the way of the dinosaurs. Prior to its demise, Dino’s went through a brief, painful “under-new-management” period as Scarantino’s before crashing and burning last year. Sunny Italy, however, was fortunate enough to find a new proprietor a few years back with a different vision that seems to have caught on with the locals.
As its Web site states: “Nikki C’s is a modern Italian steakhouse and bar that embraces the flavor of traditional Italy as well as perfectly prepared steaks. With a romantic dining room and a chic sports bar, Nikki C’s offers a dual dining experience. Nikki C’s provides the tastes, the vibe and the service to leave you entirely satisfied …Whether it’s a birthday bash, simple dinner for two or just a drink, Nikki C’s is a destination point for groups of all sizes. Filet mignon, mojito martinis and sexy lighting lead to one thing ...  This is Nikki C’s.”

Well, actually, last week we weren’t really looking for filet mignon, mojito martinis, vibe or the “one thing” that Nikki C’s alluded would follow our repast. We were more in the mood for a cheap midday meal on our way to Aaron Brothers for their frame sale. But we’d noticed a $5-off lunch coupon on the Web site and thought we’d grab the offer.

Well, lordy-me! There’s no way I would have recognized Sunny Italy under Nikki C’s makeover. The old restaurant was decked out in puce and silver with a brightly lit open dining room. Once our middle-aged eyes got used to Nikki C’s “sexy” lighting, we could see that this restaurant is definitely for adults: perfect for tête-à-têtes and/or focusing on the three flat-screen TVs.

Tucked into a cozy booth, one of several flanking the dining area (separated by partition walls from the bar), we settled comfortably into semi-darkness, noting dark wood tables, black ceiling, black and brown upholstery, black leather banquettes, dark wood wainscoting and muted carpets. A tile-roofed overhang on two walls created a “courtyard” effect.  
Nikki C’s lunch offerings aren’t as elaborate as those on the evening menu. But they do have pasta, so my mate was a happy camper. He immediately fixated on eggplant Parmesan, served with a side of capellini marinara ($9). At dinnertime, with soup or salad, the dish costs $15. I decided to try a grilled turkey club sandwich ($9) with Gruyere, arugula, tomato, bacon and pesto-herb mayo.

The sandwich comes with potato chips or pasta salad. Ordinarily, I avoid cold noodles like the plague, and if the choice had been fries instead of chips, I would never have found out what a gem (with chunks of tomato, slices of black olive, chopped spinach and plenty of garlic and Parmesan to spice up the rotelli) this dish is. The sandwich, a grilled tiger-striped beauty, had minor flaws — its bacon was underdone and it could have used a bit more mayo — but, oh, that pasta salad!
Our eggplant (yes, OUR, since it looked so good I had to impose a trade) was a delicate version compared to most. Layered vertically, like lasagna, its ratio of tangy tomato sauce, cheese and lightly-battered veggie was perfect.

We got a look at the dessert list before we left. For $5.95, there’s crème brulée with fresh berries, or tiramisu, cheesecake, etc. A warm chocolate fudge brownie with vanilla bean ice cream sang sweetly to my husband.

We also checked out the dinner menu for our next visit (when we’re in the mood for — well, you know). Ahi sashimi with feta cheese, chives, wasabi mayo on toasted baguette ($10) and lobster-crab cakes with roasted red-pepper remoulade and diced avocado ($10) sound like sexy starters.

Next, a peppered New York steak with béarnaise and matchstick potatoes ($23) for him; linguini with clam sauce, lots of fresh garlic and white sauce ($18) for me, or perhaps the cioppino “pasadino” ($23): seafood drenched in a sauce of tomato,
white wine, garlic, red pepper and olive oil. As I mentioned, we’ve got an anniversary next month.

Meanwhile, if you, like us, occasionally miss the brighter, more casual, family oriented ambiance that characterized Dino’s and Sunny Italy, there’s always Bella Italia, just down the street from Nikki C’s. Take the kids there and save Nikki C’s for the grown-ups.