We last visited Nook in May 2023(click here to see it) and were happy to finally get a chance to return. Fun hosts and chefs, Noah and Julie Przybylski started it in 2018 and still operate the 12 seat room with an ever changing tasting menu. This trip they now have a beautiful wood communal table where all the guests can sit together. Son Bruce still has his art on display downstairs, which you’ll see on your way to the bathroom or to peruse the many cookbooks on display. Imagine my delight to find he’d done a drawing of Frankie! Of course I bought it so you can now enjoy it on this website. The tasting is a flat fee of $150 per person and the best bargain around – you will not leave hungry. Beverage pairings are offered at $75 but there is also a list of bottles and by the glass if you prefer. Chef Noah presents each course after ringing the bell to quiet the guests. His descriptions are very much part of the fun and you can sense their enthusiasm for good food. The entire meal took about 3 hours and the time flew by. Reservations go fast so check the website on instructions for getting a seat but I strongly encourage you to do so. It’s a fabulously welcoming, fun and tasty evening. Be sure to tell them Frankie sent you (and no I don’t get a comission).
Set-up
Food
Green zebra tomatoes, chives and dill were used to make a popsicle coated with Northern Pike roe and fresh horseradish. It was cold and tasty. Less a flavor observation was how nicely it adhered to the stick and didn’t fall apart near the end.
Red shrimp were combined with salt, sugar, and watermelon to make a broth on a bowl of Alaskan red shrimp, watermelon, cucamelon, pickled rind, and jalapeno with a little chili on top. This was amazing. The broth on the very tasty melon and shrimp was an outstanding combination of flavors.
Peach soup with roasted onion, thyme and honey was topped with cream and oats. The temperature contrast was fun with the warm soup and cool cream and then the granola added more texture. A bit of spice was in there somewhere to make this delightful dish more a savory course than a dessert. Rich and bowl-licking good.
“BLT” was sliced tomatillos that had been roasted in oil and bread diced into tiny croutons. Some shredded lettuce was added as well as some Nueske’s Bacon fat, zuchini blossom and pepitas. This one was full of textures and interesting flavors. Very good.
Wild rice and maitake were mixed with a creamy, cheesy sauce, mushroom stock and chives. Some cold butter cubes were rolled in curry powder to round out the flavors and richness. This one had fantastic mushroom flavor and fun textures but the curry touch moved it to wonderful.
Hokkaido sea scallops were sliced and served raw on top of creamed fennel pollen and gelatin then topped with aerated concord verjus and fresh nasturtium. There was some tartness in the bottom layer that blended nicely with the sweet foam topping. This was a rich one and tasty.
Spanish Iberico pork was thin-sliced and as Iberico chorizo on a plate with Rico chili sauce (pepper), deviled egg and chelaca sauce (green sauce). In the middle were pork meatballs in a sauce of pickled mustard seeds, garlic and potatoe puree. This pork is always outstanding and here one plate had many variations on preparations of it. Very savory.
Redfish was served with pickled tiny okra and butter. The pickling liquid was combined with a previous course’s shrimp shells to make a sauce that was sweet and spicy. This was a fine mix for the perfectly cooked fish. The okra were so tiny they hadn’t had time to develop any slime either.
A variation of cheesecake was made with ricotta, baked passionfruit puree and corn kernels and popped corn. This surprisingly did have the flavor essence of cheesecake with a lot more texture. Yummy.
Habanero pepper were blended with sugar then spun in liquid nitrogen to make a sorbet. This was not spicy at all yet definitely had the taste of the peppers. Smooth and floral – nice.
Cucumber sorbet and yuzu custard were on top of large pearl tapioca and yuzu gellee. The cucumbers were an heirloom variety and some were dehydrated to make the smooth, intensely flavored sorbet. Mix that with a favorite of mine, tapioca and you have a winner.
Sea buckthorn gel and frozen chocolate bark infused with Earl Grey and filled with cocoa pebbles were balanced in a wire ornament. Thankfully they knew we were all getting stuffed by now and offered a bag to take you chocolate.
Sally’s Cookie was a recipe developed 17 years ago. It’s a white chocolate butter cookie, today topped with crumbles of frozen dried raspberries. Short, buttery and delicious with a perfect amount of crispness. A yummy ending.
