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Guilt-Free Eats At Nordstrom’s Ruscello

Ruscello at Nordstrom Perimeter Mall

There’s a new restaurant in town, and this one won’t have you wishing you didn’t skip the gym. Enter recently-opened Ruscello (pronounced roo-shehl’-loh), Nordstrom’s restaurant located at Perimeter Mall here in Atlanta. One of a few locations in the country, Atlanta’s Ruscello carries ingredients that are all locally sourced and organic, so you’re supporting local farmers as well as your own health. Everyone wins here!

I recently had the joy of taste-testing my way through some of the menu at Ruscello. The cuisine is inspired by traditionally Italian and Mediterranean dishes, but without the calories you’d expect from, say, a heaping plate of Fettuccine Alfredo. So if you restarted your diet, dining out at Ruscello won’t kill your calorie count.

Now, to be honest, I’m always a bit skeptical of these “calorie-conscious” eateries. Sometimes it seems every bit of flavor disappears when they cut the calories (go figure, right!). And besides, I’d never experienced Department Store dining before, so I wasn’t sure what was “in-store.” 😛 But… dare I say it… I was delightfully surprised with what I tried at Ruscello.

Ruscello at Nordstrom Perimeter Mall

So, being that I’m always up for a great meal (after a full day of shopping at Nordstrom of course)… hubby and I decided to embark on an eating adventure at Ruscello. We started with a light and fresh Grilled Shrimp and Arugula Salad with Sweet Corn. For only 609 calories, this dish blew me away! Complete with petite tomatoes, polenta croutons, Parmesan cheese crisp and creamy garlic vinaigrette, this shrimp and arugula salad was the best I have ever had! After beginning the meal on such a high note, I had a good feeling about the dishes to come.

Ruscello at Nordstrom Perimeter Mall

Next up was the Chicken Gnocchi Carbonara, and at 1127 calories, it’s probably one of the healthiest gnocchi meals you can find. A delicious combination of potato dumplings, pancetta and sweet peas, the dish was topped with creamy carbonara sauce and pecorino Romano cheese.

I really enjoyed the ambiance at Ruscello; it stayed true to the cuisine, offering an authentic yet unique Mediterranean and Italian-inspired experience. Perhaps what I like the most is that you can take a much-needed break from shopping (hey, it’s hard work!) and enjoy a guilt-free meal right on the premises. Talk about convenience!

Ruscello at Nordstrom Perimeter Mall

After the Chicken Gnocchi, we enjoyed an interesting addition to the menu: Grilled Skirt Steak Chimichurri. Chimichurri is predominantly a South American dish, but we weren’t complaining… especially once we had a taste! Grilled skirt steak, roasted asparagus, carrots, Yukon gold potatoes and cilantro lime vinaigrette all came together for a satiable flavor for only about 871 calories. It was the perfect topper for a delicious dining experience in a comfortable setting.

Ruscello at Nordstrom Perimeter Mall

Ruscello showed me that organic ingredients definitely make a difference. Not only do they execute fresh flavor, but they also help you watch your waistline. And with a savory selection of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, soups, brick-oven pizzas, pastas, entrées and housemade desserts, you can treat your taste buds to a tasting adventure and leave the guilt at the door. After my experience, I can’t wait to go back and try more of their menu. Next time I head to Nordstrom, Ruscello will definitely be on my shopping list, that’s for sure!

Hey Atlanta, if you’re in the mood for a haute-r eating experience while shopping at Perimeter Mall, skip the Food Court and scoot on over to Ruscello inside Nordstrom and enjoy more fabulously flavorful fare.

Nikka Shae The Undercover Socialite

Ruscello is located in Nordstrom at Perimeter Mall at 4390 Ashford Dunwoody Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30346.

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23 Comments

  • Reply Lauren October 9, 2015 at 11:01 am

    Great, now I’m hungry! I used to live in Macon and I would have SO drove to ATL just to try this place. I can’t believe its at a department store. What!? I shop organic for meats and dairy and I definitely notice a difference. I’m glad that more and more places are creating menus using organic produce and cuts. It’s just sad that I now live in a rural area in Florida and that kind of restaurant will not be local for…well, probably never. Okay, so maybe not in my lifetime. But, hey, I’m still young. I can dream, right?

  • Reply Jenn October 9, 2015 at 11:52 am

    How novel to have a restaurant inside a department store! The food really looks delicious, though I’d say it’s still the portion sizes of most restaurant fare that can be a detriment to the daily calorie count.

    Love that dress you’re wearing!

  • Reply Jen K October 9, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    Everything looks amazing! But that salad, OMG. Yumo!

  • Reply maria @closetohome October 9, 2015 at 2:02 pm

    What a great restaurant and who would think it was in NOrdstoms. I don’t think our store has a restaurant.

  • Reply Logan Can October 9, 2015 at 2:08 pm

    How wonderful! The food looks delicious and I love that they use organic a healthy ingredients.

  • Reply Helena October 9, 2015 at 2:18 pm

    I really like your dress! The salad sounds delicious. Very handy to have a restaurant in the department store; we often visit our local one, and they do great kids meals.

  • Reply Cynthia L October 9, 2015 at 7:50 pm

    I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed the restaurant. I think I would be skeptical of a restaurant inside a store also. These dishes look and sound too good to be low calorie. Looks like you had a wonderful meal.

  • Reply nicole October 9, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    Sounds and looks fancy. I must take my love there.

  • Reply Cynthia @craftoflaughter October 9, 2015 at 10:21 pm

    The grilled skirt steak looks so delicious, as does the salad. I’m not sure I’d have money left to eat after shopping at Nordstroms, lol

    • Reply Nikka Shae October 11, 2015 at 8:32 pm

      Welcome to my world Cynthia… 😉

  • Reply Eva at Kid Minds October 10, 2015 at 9:53 am

    Ruscello sounds like a great find! Organic ingredients definitely make a difference in my opinion.

  • Reply Erin October 10, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    That all looks so delicious! Perfect for a girls lunch after shopping!

    • Reply Nikka Shae October 11, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      Hey, I’m always up for a girls luncheon Erin. 🙂

  • Reply yanique October 10, 2015 at 8:07 pm

    I love that they use locally grown ingredients. The food looks delicious!

  • Reply Yona Williams October 10, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Not only does the Grilled Shrimp and Arugula Salad with Sweet Corn sound delicious, but it looks incredibly appetizing too!

    • Reply Nikka Shae October 11, 2015 at 8:46 pm

      It was Yona! ***fans face*** 🙂

  • Reply CourtneyLynne@gmail.com October 10, 2015 at 10:48 pm

    Omg I’m a total foodie so I’m definitely drooling over my computer over your delicious meal!!!

  • Reply lexie October 11, 2015 at 9:11 am

    wow that looks absolutely delish! I love Nordstrom and top that off with some good food= I am all in!

    • Reply Nikka Shae October 12, 2015 at 9:50 am

      Good food AND great fashion… Nordstrom nailed it!

  • Reply Trish @Almost Sexy Mommy October 11, 2015 at 3:08 pm

    If I ever visit Atlanta, I’ll definitely keep this in mind. It looks delicious!

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