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| - The more good food I eat, the more I realize that I need to adhere more strictly to the Yelp star-rating system. Three stars doesn't mean that a place is bad, it means it's "A-OK," which to me means, "Yeah, there were some minor issues, but in general everything was pretty damn good and I wouldn't complain if someone I was with insisted we eat there." So, I'm giving NOCA three stars.
I have to first say that I was psyched about the menu they had listed on their website, which included fresh, homemade pastas, yummy-looking soups, and lots of organic and seasonal ingredients. When we got there we were not greeted a very exciting menu for that day because it was their "Sunday Supper." Now, this is my fault, of course, for not knowing that on Sundays they do a kind of themed, prix-fix dinner, the menus for which are released several weeks in advance.
Our menu included a compulsory ceviche appetizer, a choice between four mains (including fish tacos with a spicy cabbage slaw and a vegetarian torta), and a dessert. I was very disappointed not to have any pasta option (though that obviously wouldn't go with the Latin theme). So, we went with the flow...
First came out a little amuse bouche, which was "a play on chips and guacamole." The flavor was excellent, but it left me feeling sad that I didn't have any actual chips and guacamole to snack on while I waited for a very long time for the next course.
The ceviche came next and was not outstanding, but not bad either. During our long wait between the ceviche and the arrival of the main course (maybe 40 minutes or so) came a tiny little cup of cold corn chowder, which I really enjoyed.
The mains finally came and I tried the vegetable torta (which would have been a let-down even as a lunch entree) and the fish tacos (which my dining companions loved, but I found to be just okay).
The meal ended on a high note with an amazing dessert: Mexican hot chocolate gelato with piping hot, homemade churros! This was outstanding and has led me to believe that they first came up with the desert and then built the rest of the meal around it. Just add the desert to your nightly menu and move on from the Mexican food...
I'd return, but not for Sunday Supper...
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