The last time that Josh and I were at Nook was in 2006, when we went with two of our friends, Shiraz and Nicole. While the food was terrific, the service was not. I went back there with Shiraz a few months after that, and it was the same thing – great food, terrible service. We’ve been avoiding it ever since, because even though it’s a BYO and a great value, I just can’t support poor service.

Now that we live in the same neighborhood as the restaurant, we pass by it often and it’s always packed inside. We figured that maybe it was time to give it another shot so a few weeks ago, when Josh and I couldn’t decide on a place for brunch, I suggested picking up a bottle of champagne and heading over to Nook. It has an interesting and reasonably priced lunch/brunch menu that I’ve been wanting to try, and I was hoping that it would have improved service-wise in the last 3.5 years.

The restaurant, as the name implies, is super tiny and seats maybe 24 people at most. Tables are basically on top of each other and there isn’t much elbowroom or space to maneuver to get in and out of your seat. It was early afternoon by the time we set out, which was late for the brunch crowd, so I wasn’t worried about not getting a table. Decor-wise, it looked pretty much the same as the last time we were there. There are nice pictures on the walls and Christmas lights were strung up, giving it a festive atmosphere. What we noticed immediately, however, was the difference in service. The waiter/host was super friendly and greeted us as soon as we walked in. He sat us immediately and brought us flutes for our champagne (cava really). The last time we were here, our waitress was surly and indifferent, leaving us to open our own wine while she chatted on the phone with her friend.

We opted to get orange juice for our champagne, which was $3 for a small pitcher that we used to make our own mimosas. The juice was very obviously freshly squeezed and not overly sweet. The pitcher was plenty of juice for our purposes, even though the waiter offered to refill it halfway through.

Mimosas with cava and freshly squeezed OJ

We were given a basket of bread while we looked over the menu. The bread had a nice crispy crust and a chewy interior, with a slight sourdough flavor. And, we were given bread plates; the last time, we had to put our bread down directly on the table. Again, another sign that things have improved.

Crusty/chewy bread

Josh and I decided to split a brunch item and a lunch item for some variety. From the brunch menu, we selected eggs benedict with smoked salmon. The eggs were perfectly poached, with runny yolks and delicate whites. The hollandaise sauce wasn’t too rich or buttery, and the smoked salmon had good flavor to it. My only complaint was that the english muffin wasn’t toasted, so that it ended up being kind of cold and mushy. My favorite part of the whole plate, however, was the house home fries, which was kind of like lumpy mashed potatoes mixed with paprika, garlic, onions, and I think red peppers. It was unusual and completely not what you would think of as home fries, but it was flavorful and delicious.

Eggs benedict with smoked salmon and house home fries

From the lunch menu, we went with the croque monsieur. Based on the description, we knew not to expect a true French version of the sandwich, since the cheese was listed as cheddar, not gruyere. It ended up being a huge ham, cheddar, and tomato sandwich on toasted thick bread. While not traditional, it was still very tasty.

Croque monsieur with rosemary fries

The slices of ham were thick and not too salty, the cheddar mild and melted, and the tomatoes helped cut through the fat of the cheese and buttery bread. I just wish that the bread had been toasted a bit more evenly, as it was a bit soggy towards the middle. The sandwich came with a side of fries that had a nice rosemary flavor but were also a bit limp and not too crispy. Lastly, both entrees came with a little side salad that was lightly dressed with a tasty vinaigrette.

Autopsy shot

Overall we both really enjoyed our brunch/lunch at Nook and I’m glad that we decided to give it another chance. I understand that because the restaurant is so small, there’s only one person to cater the entire room, but they seemed to have worked out their service issues. Many of the people who came in while we were eating were obviously regulars, as they were greeted with hugs and questions about how their trips were, if they wanted their usual orders, etc. This was exactly the kind of atmosphere I was looking for in a neighborhood restaurant, and I would happily come back here again. Prices are very reasonable to begin with, and the BYO really makes it an even better deal. Since it is so tiny, I’d definitely recommend making reservations, especially during prime dining times. Just don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine with you!

Nook
746 9th Ave. between 50th and 51st St.
New York, NY