Small but cozy, Nosh is most suitable for lunch or an early dinner
By Ljudmila Petrovic
Photos by Dream Wall Designs
Newly-opened Nosh is a casual nook in Kitsilano focusing on rotisserie, and it provides both sit-down and take-out options. Their opening coincided with Dine Out Vancouver, so we tried out their $18 three-course Dine Out Menu.
For appetizers, the options are the roasted parsnip and apple soup — a definite winner — and the root and gourd salad with caramelized butternut squash, salt roasted beets, toasted walnuts, greens, and citrus dressing. The latter sounds decadent, but be warned: all you really get is a tiny plate of semi-wilted greens with some cubes of beets that were a little too crunchy for my liking.
The entree provided three options: winter ragu-braised short rib pappardelle with crispy kale (a solid and filling pasta dish), lemon and herb white bean fritter with braised winter greens, cauliflower and truffle puree (which I did not try and thus cannot comment on), and — my favorite — the rotisserie pork shoulder with apricots, sage, pine nuts, root vegetable, and mustard jus. The last option wins the seal of approval hands-down, with perfectly tender meat and a decadent arrangement.
Of course, what is a multicourse meal without dessert? The dessert choices were cinnamon orange rice pudding and spiced apple hand pie. I have never been a fan of the former, but as far as rice puddings go, this multi-layered number was quite refreshing and tasty. The apple pie was solid, though if you want to get really technical about it, I would label it more of an apple turnover than anything else — but I digress.
The first two courses were filling enough that a rich dessert would not have been stomached well. The regular menu provides a variety of sandwiches and slow cooked meals — not to mention their signature whole rotisserie chickens. They have a variety of soups and salads, including a gold quinoa salad, a butternut squash soup, and a country rotisserie chicken soup — all of which range from $4–$10, depending on what size you get. Their sandwiches all fall under the $10 mark, and include short rib, grilled vegetable, and, of course, a rotisserie chicken club. Other meats include the duck confit, braised short rib, and rotisserie pork shoulder which, if the Dine Out menu was any indication, is a solid choice. Of course, they also have a variety of sides, mostly potato-based, and some desserts (including their chocolate praline brownies, which come at $2 each). They also have wine and beer on tap, but no bar.
The hours are 11:30–9 Monday to Saturday, and 4–8 p.m. on Sundays, so it’s more of a take-out or early dinner kind of place than anything else.
The environment, should you choose to sit down, is intimate and relaxed; the owner often brings drinks and meals to the tables himself, but there is nothing particularly special that would draw a crowd. The food, too, is filling and of good quality, but not exceptional. Considering that it’s on the way to UBC — and thus quite a ways away for the majority of SFU students — it’s not worth the trek; but if you happen to be in the area and craving some rotisserie, I would recommend popping in for a visit.
