Nook

11628 Santa Monica Boulevard
(between Barrington and Federal)

Nook is one of those places I'm hesitant to blog about, because it's such a delightfully hidden gem that if too many people find out about it, I won't be able to claim that it's my "secret" dining destination anymore. It's tucked in a "nook" of a strip mall off of Santa Monica Boulevard and you will seriously be expecting a dingy hole in the wall when, BAM!, you step through the door and enter a chic, yet unpretentious, dining space. It's intimate, with just a ring of booths surrounding an elevated communal table, and a small bar area, cozy enough to make you feel like you're eating in someone's dining room. The menu is equally cozy, with all the comfort classics, from PULLED PORK SANDWICHES to MAC & CHEESE. As I was coming off of an uninhibited day fueded by 2 earlier barbecues and plenty of pre-Memorial Day beer and whisky, I decided not to just spring for the mac & cheese but also the SHIITAKE AND GRUYERE BREAD PUDDING. The mac & cheese was great, but the bread pudding was to die for. It's so smooth and creamy and cheesy that you could be dying right then and there of a heart attack but you will keep on eating it until all the crumbs and sauce are scraped off of the platter. Yum. Guys, this is a good date restaurant. Take your ladies here!

May 30, 2010