Raul Mendoza, the former executive chef of Paesanos Riverwalk, is bringing a taste of la dolce vita to San Antonio's West Side with his new takeout restaurant, Alla Nonna's. Located at 901 NW 24th St., the new spot focuses on fresh, affordable Italian-American cuisine.

After 28 years of cooking professionally and 13 years rising through the ranks of the classic downtown restaurant, Mendoza felt it was time to strike out on his own. Although he also has experience as a Mexican chef, he wanted to bring a new option to the underserved area.

"There's a Mexican restaurant on every single corner," he says.

Alla Nonna's menu doesn't stray too far from the classics, offering choices like chicken piccata, spaghetti pomodoro, caprese salad, tiramisu, and lasagna Bolognese. Still, Mendoza says h

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