Tart up them tater tots
March 24th, 2009 by Cliff Bostock in Gossip, Restaurants
Now, for your eyes only … totchos! That’s tater tots impersonating nachos (above). Actually, in this case, they are Cajun in flavor, with shrimp, andouille sausage, grilled onions and peppers all welded to the tater tots with “cheese sauce.”
They are featured at the Nook (1144 Piemont Ave., 404-745-9222). The new pub replaces the Prince of Wales and the owners have done a great job with the space, particularly with the way the inside flows outside to the roomy patio where there’s a view of Piedmont Park across the street.
The totchos were surprisingly edible. I bet if you drank a few beers, while you eat these, you’d start craving them regularly. There are three other versions.
Our food generally was good, although the place had been hit so hard over its opening weekend that about a third of the menu wasn’t available. Still, it’s great to see them do so well out of the gate.
This dish (above, right) of peanut-crusted scallops over a red-curry sauce, served with green beans, is the most expensive dish on the menu at $16.99. At first, we were told they were out of rice, which I found absurd. And they did indeed produce a bowl of white rice studded with green peas a few minutes after the plate arrived.
I’ll have more to say in my next Grazing column. But here’s something to think about in the meantime: sweet-tea ice cream. It’s creamy, soft-serve ice cream and it beats the hell out of the usual crumbly green-tea variety.
(Photos by Cliff Bostock)
March 24th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Philly cheese totchos – some of the worst food i have ever seen and tasted. you do understand that a philly is chopped up meat, not big chunks of bad rubbery meat… and the shrimp n andouille toast was the most pathetic display of taste, presentation and portion. sausage slice paper thin and consisted of 4 slices and 5 medium size bland shrimp, dumped in there with craptastic onions and a couple pieces of burnt toast. the food is so mediocre that you need to drink at least 6 beers or 4 shots just to be passable… not just palate but the digestive system. this is truly food for the masses b/c they don’t know any better. so terrible… but its fine just to grab a drink and move on…
March 24th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Thanks, Cliff, for proving my earlier trepidation at “totchos” correct. Those look horrible.
That being said, I’m glad they get the crowds, but seriously, “totchos” are neither cutesy nor appealing.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:16 am
I’m ready for Sweat Tea Ice Cream to go with my Sweat Tea vodka. Nom nom nom
March 24th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
We hit up the Nook on Saturday afternoon, and while I won’t go into a lengthy review… let’s just say that we DEFINITELY caught them on their 2nd day of being open to the public.
The space did look nice, and a noticeable updating of the former pub.
Service was suspect. The food was (mostly) edible, but unremarkable. We tried the nacho totchos (since when do nachos NOT have cheese on them??), a chicken salad sandwich – which was decent, the angus burger was decent, the onion rings were inedible, the mac & cheese was okay but not great.
The “deconstructed” bloody mary looked great on paper, but turned out to be one of the worst cocktails I’ve ever had. It was expensive ($10-12, I think) served in a small rocks glass (which was too small for the tomato juice ice cubes to melt in time to do anything for the drink).
Oh well, at least they still have a great patio & “location” (even though parking is still limited).
March 24th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
I’m so curious to try these. The tommenator at Fox Bros BBQ is amazing – that’s tots with brunswick stew and cheese, so I know it’s possible to make some awfully tasty, albeit low brow, tater tot variations. I don’t expect this place to be a culinary masterpiece – it’s a place to get some fairly tasty grub and a cold beer on a pretty spring day!
March 24th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
I actually quite like the Tominator (sp?) at Fox Bros.
March 25th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Wow, totally different experience. While the wait was a bit long, it was slammed Friday night (and again Sunday afternoon when I returned). My experience was delicious. Friday, I had the Hoisen Tot Crusted Mahi with green beans. I also shared a Nacho Totcho with the table…it had a bunch of yummy cheese on itn so not sure what happened with djinc’s experience. I also had dessert – fried twinkies…sounded curious but I’m hooked. Again, I agree that the wait was too long but a manager and an owner came by to check on our table and to say hello and apologize for any wait. They are really trying and I’m sure they’ll get it right. Great location, great food, the drinks were delicious, and the management/owners were very nice…I can’t hold it against them that they opened the nicest weekend of the year and got crushed. I wish everyone who opens a new business such luck. Kali…I hope you find happiness…sounds like you need some.
March 30th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Totchos = YUM! The NOOK = Fantastic new neighborhood restaurant!! I’m just hoping for a veggie version of the totchos but, until then, tots with cheese sauce on the side for my vegitarian other half did the trick.
May 14th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
We were less than impressed. The food is all gimick and no delivery AND expensive. Basically dropped $40 for a terrible mahi sandwich and a pathetically small salad and two beers. (hefeweizen served with no lemon).
The place looks great but how about some real food at a reasonable price in this town for a change. If I want tater tots and beer i’ll go to the highlander and save $20.