The Nook

Trademarked Totcho's (tater tot nachos) - above is the Redneck variety: Mesquite smoked pork, barbecue sauce, jalapeno and cheese sauce. Very tasty, although I don't like thinking about the calorie count!

Back in January I was treated to food and drinks at The Nook, a pub near Piedmont Park. One of the owners, Adam Gajadharsingh, was there to greet us. I like the library-like feel and intimate booths as well as the bar that takes up one side of the restaurant. It was not too loud. Adam recommended the Totcho's (above) as well as the shrimp and grits. The totchos tasted great and they have five other varieties including black and blue and creole. A neat idea, and a crowd a definite crowd pleaser - who can resist the nostalgia of tater tots? And these are dressed up for adult tastes. I particularly liked the raw jalepeno slices on top. In fact, I liked them so much, I asked for more. Although my meal was complimentary, I noticed they added an additional charge on the check (I saw it even though I didn't pay it) for the extra jalepenos. This irks me. I hope they inform regular customers of this additional charge before adding it to the bill.

Crackarita and Peach Cobbler Martini with the extensive menu.

The Nook has a varied drink menu including a good beer and cocktail selection. I tried the Peach Cobbler Martini - it was the graham cracker rim that tempted me - and it was tasty. The Crackarita wasn't as good, but still a noble effort.

Calamari - the feta with this dish is a nice unique touch. I also enjoyed the chili sauce.



Shrimp & Grits: the dish Chef Michael Gogolin is known for; while the Gouda cheese cakes and spinach tasted great with the shrimp, the dish was a bit too salty for me overall.



Special of the Night: Hawaiian Burger with onion rings. This burger tasted great. It was stuffed with cheese and had a pineapple slice on top. The onion rings were supposed to be tempura style, but the batter was much too thick and they tasted like regular onion rings.



For Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake and Chocolate Lava Cake with a scoop of ice cream.

The Nook is a neat addition to the Piedmont Park landscape - definitely a great place to come have a drink and nibbles after a visit to the park.