Nook Phoenix –  A Trendy Italian Hideaway In Arcadia

By Laura Pich

Today, my friend and I fell into a common dilemma… “so where should we go?”

We decided to try a place highly spoken of in Phoenix, AZ – Nook Phoenix . Located in the heart of Arcadia in the Gaslight Square plaza. Nook Phoenix is quite the hot spot- and word is, they have an amazing happy hour. As we arrived, we were greeted by the sounds of Drake’s latest single in a casual yet trendy atmosphere. The name ‘Nook’ seemed fitting, as the restaurant is narrower in depth and space.

 

Although we arrived in the middle of their amazing happy hour, we were pleased at the brief wait time between orders. The first of which was at the top of their menu – Arancini. Bite size croquettes filled with risotto, house-pulled mozzarella and served with a pomodoro sauce and balsamic reduction. Not too rich to have one after another and the crispness of the exterior seemed to bring a smile to my face as I looked upon each bite!

We chose the short rib bruschetta as our second dish. Another bite size yet hearty dish that included mushroom duxelle, port demi reduction, and sprinkles of cotija cheese. Now if you like braised short rib like myself, this one is surely a winner. It came with so much that we almost got full after a couple! The short rib was plentiful, tender and had an excellent flavor. Top that on pieces of flaky warm bread and you’ve just met pure satisfaction. It started to become very clear why this place is the reputation of having an amazing happy hour! They not only have plenty of bites, salads and bruschetta to choose from but a variety of wines and beer ranging from $2.00-6.00.

Going beyond that amazing happy hour and into the dinner menu, one entrée I knew I had to try was the Chicken Marsala.

A dish that has been noted to be the best some have ever had…

The dish consists of fresh made linguine, sherry mushrooms, and grand marnier. The reduction of the marsala wine and marnier gave the dish it’s rich, mellow yet earthy taste. The smoky flavor from the amber wine gave it a bit of an Asian flare – which I certainly didn’t mind. The linguini was cooked perfectly and the herb garnish was a nice touch to balance the sweetness of the dish. So what’s the verdict? A must try. I think you’ll appreciate Nook’s approach to this classic Italian dish.

As we briefly waited for our fourth and final entree, we stopped to acknowledge how easy it was to relax here. FYI – great first date spot for anyone looking for something laid-back!

We topped off the night with a pizza from their “rosso” selection – Porco e Funghi. A 12” pizza for two made of house-pulled mozzarella, parmesan, sweet sausage, mushrooms, extra virgin olive oil, and basil. The sweet sausage had a hint of spiciness to it and boy was it tasty! I can never get enough of fresh ingredients and you can immediately taste the quality in every bite. Every slice seemed to have just the right amount of ingredients and the crust fired to a light and airy perfection.

From start to finish we enjoyed everything Nook Phoenix had to offer.

Another great local place with quality food!

So here’s what you should do next time you find yourself asking, “so where should we go?”

Go to Nook Phoenix. Check out the amazing happy hour for yourself. Enjoy it. Odds are – I’ll see you there.

Click the Pastrami Sandwich Below for a Review on the Best Deli in Phoenix!