The Nook-Hard to Find, Hard to Forget

I recently had the priviledge of dining at The Nook, a hard to find restaurant in Santa Monica, but also hard to forget after you've eaten there. It is tucked away in a strip mall on Santa Monica Blvd near Barrington Avenue in Santa Monica. Decor wise, it is minimal. Concrete floors, nothing on the walls, and simple furniture and lighting. Still, it's a friendly place with a family style table in the center of the room. A single can go in and sit at the table with other singles or with small parties that enjoy talking and dining with new people.

I went there with my mom and her friend Heinz, and we had a nice booth on the side. We ordered the Nook Burger, topped with gruyere cheese, red wine onion jam and baby arugula on grilled rustic bread. The plate was loaded with delicious fries (or greens if you want), and at $12 it's a real bargain. Heinz ordered the spicy Gulf shrimp and grits. It was wonderful. My mom ordered the slow roasted steelhead salmon with sweet potato puree, winter greens, persimmon and balsamic soy reduction. She rated it the best salmon she's ever had. That's saying alot. She's eaten a lot of salmon in her life. Other entrees include a flat iron steak with fries, braised pot roast with red onions, bacon sweet pea pesto and potato puree, and herb roasted pork chops. Main courses are generally $18-$21. I did not eat dessert, but word has it that the chocolate banana bread pudding is to die for. Also on the menu is key lime pie and chocolate pot de creme.

One of the best features of the restaurant is that on Monday and Tuesday you can bring your own wine and are NOT charged a corkage fee. That's a great deal, as many restaurants are now charging up to $15 per bottle for corkage.

Check their website at www.nookbistro.com, and next time you're in Santa Monica, give them a try. Be sure to make a reservation, as the restaurant is quite small and very popular. The Nook is also open for lunch, and you can check their lunch menu on the website. I will definitely go back, but beware. The chef likes his menu just the way it is and isn't willing to substitute on many of his dishes. I guess that's his perogative. It's his restaurant.