66 replies to this topic

[ahurwich]

Well, I have been to every themed Simple Sunday Supper except BBQ night, but I plan to be there this Sunday 12/7.

The second Fried Chicken night even surpassed the first. Friends with me that Sunday said it was the best Fried Chicken they have eaten. I don't disagree and NOCA says they can do even better next time.

Pictures of last Sunday's Home Style Italian Night. NOCA provided the comfort food I needed when the Suns lost after leading virtually the entire game.

Blue cheese foam apple butter Amuse


Antipasto - Assorted organic vegetables, Iitoi onion fritatta, Bresaola, and cheese.


Spaghetti and Meatballs (Chitarra con Polpetini) Garlic Brioche Toast (not pictured)


NOCA's take on Spumoni (Pistachio creme, walnut sable, black cherry gelato, roasted walnut foam)


And by the way. 4.5 Stars from the Arizona Republic
http://www.azcentral...081117noca.html

NOCA'S Simple Supper has evolved and it is not so "simple" anymore. The overall format is still the same with 3 courses including a choice of entree for $35 but now there are supplements to the "Simple" menu as well. I have been to a bunch of the suppers and it definitely has developed a following. On a few of the Fried Chicken Night's that I have been to, there was not a seat to be had by 7:00 pm and that is not a typical scene for Sunday night dining at least in Phoenix.


April 5 Simple Supper Menu

After watching the Suns get pasted by the Mavericks, I was down in the area and slid into NOCA for an early dinner...I started with the Simple Cocktail which was their take on the Bellini and it had peach and raspberry puree, Effen Vodka and a prosecco float...very good.


NOCA Bellini


Amuse...Bruschetta with Olive Tapenade, Oven Dried Tomatoes and Chives

The soup's at NOCA are always a favorite of mine (I miss the Roasted Chestnut)
so I started with the Organic Cheddar Cauliflower.


Organic Cheddar Cauliflower Soup


Spicy Sausage Stuffed Calamari-shaved fennel and arugula salad, balsamic vinaigrette, shaved parmigiano-reggiano and preserved lemon

The first time I had stuffed calamari was at Degustation in NY and I became a fan but I do not see this dish that often so I was psyched when it was a first course option. The texture of the calamari was just right and the spicy sausage had just the right kick so it did not over power the dish.


Organic Golden Cauliflower Florets, Shaved Garlic, White Anchovy, Chili Flakes, Meyer Lemon Zest

When burrata is on a menu somehow it finds the way to my table , this was a great dish. I was seated at the Chef's counter and watched this dish come together. The anchovy was sauteed with the golden cauliflower florets, shaved garlic and chili flakes so the anchovy just melted in to the pan so the other ingredients would absorb it's essence. The burrata was a great medium to transfer the flavors into the burrata's creamy goodness.


Polpettini en Brodo


Braised Veal Tagliatelle, Herbed Bread Crumbs, Meyer Lemon Zest

The pasta was house-made and the braised veal and the braising liquid had a deep rich flavor that was nicely popped by the lemon zest and that made this dish truly Italian comfort food. My problem was that I had ordered the polpettini supplement before this and that really filled me up so that prevented me from finishing the dish with dessert to follow.


Ricotta Zeppole's, Lemon Curd, Honey Foam, Bee Pollen

The doughnuts on NOCA's standard dessert menu are addictive but I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite between the zeppole and them. I liked the soft interior of the zeppole and smearing them thru the lemon curd and honey foam made a killer bite .

The moral of this story is: don't bet on the Suns if they are playing on a Sunday and it is Italian Simple Supper at NOCA.

[EricEatsOut]

Had another great Sunday Simple Super last night. We also opted for the egg yolk ravioli, which is a must-eat. I have attached the menu as well as a photo of the malted vanilla ice cream sundae with blood orange caramel, strawberry, candied pine nuts, cherries, chocolate and whipped cream.

[ronnie_suburban]

A big congrats to my friend Eliot, chef Curtiss and the entire Noca team, as Noca has been named Best New Restaurant by the Arizona Republic.

It's not only us - even the James Beard judges think Noca is one of America's best new restaurants of 2008.

Chef Chris Curtiss starts with top-of-the-line ingredients, and then adds imagination and technique to the mix. His contemporary seasonal fare is sophisticated enough to attract demanding gastronomes, yet accessible enough to reassure skittish mainstreamers.

Way to go, Noca!

=R=

[EricEatsOut]

It has been a while since anyone posted on noca, so I'll mention a few unique meals I had there recently:

1. The held a tasting menu featuring the seafood from Ingrid Bengis. The scallops and butter poached lobsster were the highlights for me. I've posted photos on my blog at www.ericeatsout.com

2. On Thursday nights they are starting "Bar Bites" which are tapas-sized portions of menu items, ranging from $8-$10 ea. I particularly enjoyed the Columbia River Salmon Tartar...fabulous. The bone marrow was also great, as was the BBLT - Burrata Bacon Lettuce Tomato. Again, photos on my blog.

I'm a big Noca fan because these guys continue to experiment and innovate and don't seem to be resting on their laurels.

Photos at www.ericeatsout.com

[Zeb A]

We just got back from a wonderful meal at NOCA. What a treat. I posted in the general Phoenix forum, so won't repeat myself here, but, if you have a night in Phoenix, I suggest you visit NOCA. Exceptional on all fronts.

[ronnie_suburban]

More, not entirely surprising, plaudits for Noca. They just received a glowing, 5-star review from The Arizona Republic . . .

Named for its north of Camelback location, Noca is the urban-vibed restaurant that's won the hearts and minds of hard-core foodies this year. Although there's an entire staff of polished professionals to credit for this success story, it's possible to boil it down to two talented people - owner Eliot Wexler and chef Chris Curtiss - who share the same birthday and the same philosophy about the restaurant experience: make it phenomenal on every level.

How do they do it? Let me count the ways. Curtiss builds his modern American menu around superb ingredients, using the best purveyors he can find. And his refined but playful food proves he's having as much fun as a guy who works non-stop possibly can.

Noca Sunday Simple Supper, 5 stars

Congrats again, to the entire Noca team!

=R=

[Jesikka]

On a short visit to Phoenix, I had a wonderful dinner at Noca on Saturday night. My hosts had suggested Noca based on a very positive review they had read, but it was only after I looked it up on egullet that I realized it was owned by Molto E. Our experience was positive from the moment we stepped in the door. Unbeknownst to us, we were greeted by Eliot (Molto E) at the door and then seated at a central table near the large open kitchen.

I started with the parsnip soup, which was incredible. It was served with roasted root vegetables in the bottom of the bowl and a drizzle of honey and then the parsnip soup based was poured over tableside. A truly, truly delicious example of a homey winter soup. Following the soup I had the flatiron steak, which was perfectly cooked to the medium rare I had requested. It was served over what I believe was a potato puree but tasted more complex (perhaps a turnip or two mashed in there?) and a delicious creamed spinach. The bordelaise reduction proved a bit sweet for me, but was still tasty. I had a tasty bite of a dining companion's scallop crudo, but I can't recall specific details of the dish. I did get the chance to taste an absolutely delicious cheese-filled spinach tortellini ordered by one of my hosts, which was pretty spectacular. The pasta was bright green in color- inspiring me to go home and play with my spinach pasta- and had a really nice toothsomeness to it (sometimes hard to achieve with stuffed pastas). The texture was perfect and complimented the gooey creamy interior. The skate dish also proved exceptionally delicious. The pan fried skate was reminiscent of Ssam Bar's skate, though less aggressively breaded/seasoned. It was served over a mix of corn, beans, and bacon and had a wonderful smoky flavor. I'd definitely love to have either of these courses as my main on another visit.

We drank a bottle of Friulano Bianco Scarpetta 2007, which was not as complex or unusual tasting as some friulian whites I've had. A bit cidery, but in a nice way. $48. There was a nice selection of reasonably priced wines on the menu, which was a nice change from New York.

As many of you know, I'm not usually a dessert person. In fact, we weren't even going to order dessert, but then our waiter mentioned that they have wonderful coffee. Well, I'm a sucker for wonderful coffee, especially wonderful restaurant coffee (a rarity). I suggested that I could have some coffee if someone else wanted something and then my hostess graciously offered to have some tea (although she was secretly hoping for some donuts). Tea for one turned into tea for 2 as another guest joined her. Our waiter suggested the coconut/passionfruit or cherry bombe desserts, but we originally declined, since we were already quite full. At the last minute, though, we decided that we couldn't miss the donuts (mentioned very favorably in the review that my hosts had read). Miraculously, both the donuts and the passionfruit dessert (coconut sorbet, passionfruit pudding, almond dacquoise) appeared at our table, along with our teas and coffee. To further delight us, a sample of the salted butter gelato and a mini vanilla milkshakes were also distributed around our table. Wow! Quite a bit more than a cup of coffee...Everything was delicious- and that's coming from someone who isn't a dessert person. Nothing was overly sweet. The toppings to go with the donuts (dulce de leche, strawberry and dark chocolate) complimented the cakey goodness. The passionfruit was tart and the dacquoise was broken up into crunchy pieces. The milkshake made me want to grab a cheeseburger to go with it (although I was stuffed). And the nonbelievers at the table (those would be the two who don't eat Otto olive oil gelato regularly) loved the salted butter gelato. In a word, great.

The place that this restaurant really gets it right is with the details. Beyond the wonderful food, the staff was gracious and friendly. Eliot spent at least 20 minutes talking to us at our table (one Chicago family connection, a long discussion about LA and Phoenix restaurants, and an egullet friendship). It was clear that he truly embodies the love for food and restaurants that Noca reflects. It seems to be a true expression of his (and Chris') philosophy and aesthetic. Little tastes abound: We started with a wonderful goat cheese/pear amuse, had a delicious sampling of mushroom soup between the first and second courses, and received a playful bowl of bright blue cotton candy prior to dessert.

This restaurant really gets it right, in a way that restaurants in much bigger cities often don't manage to. Kudos to Molto E for that. If you're in Phoenix, you'd be nuts not to go.