Restaurant of the Month: N

Tuesday evening Kelly and I had dinner at Nosh in Maplewood.  I'd heard good things and have been wanting to try it for a while.  Nosh is a quaint little neighborhood cafe that serves up a full lunch and dinner seasonal menu that is committed to using local, seasonal organic and free range products as much as possible.  The atmosphere was cozy and Kelly and I both really liked the dark brown walls accented with colorful paintings and bright yellow tablecloths. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera to dinner so I have no pictures of the decor or the food.

When I walked into Nosh at 5:00 it was completely empty.  I was greeted by the friendly waiter who also acted as bartender and host as more people filled the restaurant.  A large party came in for a happy hour and while I imagine he was a bit overwhelmed being the only server he never neglected us.  He brought a carafe of water infused with orange slices and mint while I waited.  Very refreshing!  When Kelly arrived we ordered a glass of wine and the hummus: House made fresh hummus & balela salad platter with feta, kalamata olives, grilled veggies and toasted lavosh for dipping.  Kelly and I had both read rave reviews about the hummus and they were dead on.  It was probably the best hummus I've had.  It was very fresh, not too garlicy.  Just right.  I liked that it was served with a variety of vegetables as well like broccoli, cucumbers, and artichokes in addition to the lavosh for dipping.  We easily polished off the plate!

Kelly ordered the Mediterranean Chicken: Roasted bone in breast of chicken, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, fresh spinach, roasted red pepper, onion and feta cheese served over a bed of orzo.  She loved it.  I had the Polenta Cakes with Mediterranean Vegetables.  I enjoyed the polenta cakes, but wished they were a bit thicker.  I also thought it was a little heavy on the seasoning but overall it was very good.  Again, I enjoyed the fresh vegetables and did not leave feeling guilty for eating too much like I usually do when I go out! 

Nosh fits right in to the eclectic Maplewood neighborhood amongst the other locally owned shops and restaurants.  I'm glad I finally got to check it out!  I plan on going back and checking out the lunch menu soon!