The Nook: Restaurant Review

When I started this Vocal account, I didn't quite know what I wanted to write about. I knew that I wanted to critique films and video games, and eventually music and art, but outside those mediums I had very little I wanted to explore in my writing. However, since then, it turns out I have a lot of things I want to write about, and a lot of regrets.

Now, I'll never be a classically trained chef, that ship has since sailed. And I'll never be one of those "I think I could run a restaurant" guys because come on, being in the culinary biz is hard.

But this got me thinking, and has lead to this first article in what I hope is a long line of restaurant reviews. In leu of Anthony Bourdain and his rather straightforward and sometimes very frank descriptions of restaurants and life. I won't write as whimsically and my prose won't dance off the page as well, but dammit I'm going to try. This one's for Bourdain.

But I digress. What I want to write about is something close to my heart: the culinary traditions of the world, traditions that I feel are often overlooked when trying to bring each other together.

And what better place to kick off this series than a neighborhood dive bar.

The Nook is an establishment, damn near an institution, that can be found in the Hamline Neighborhood of Saint Paul, MN, a city that has good food and great places to eat, but isn't really known for it. Sure, the Twin Cities has restaurants that probably deserve the Michelin Star, but the food scene is up and coming and not quite there yet. Places like Owamni and the Spoon and Stable two great examples I can think of that are on the cusp.

But The Nook is something different. Driving by the place and entering, it doesn't seem like a whole hell of a lot. It's a miniscule bar that is crammed into the building, and I mean it, it might be 10ft wall to wall, and stretches to the whole back of the building.

However, the space isn't an issue, this is a neighborhood bar. It's a welcoming place. You find regulars, newcomers, and tourists who have heard about the burgers that The Nook slings from it's kitchen.

The burgers, a Twin Cities specialty, is done Jucy Lucy style; American cheese smashed in-between two beef patties, served piping hot, these little geysers will spray cheese all over you and your plate if you don't wait before diving in. It's what the fries are for, munch on those a little before going after the burger.

The menu of course features ordinary burgers, and sides, ranging from typical fried bar fare, to twists on the Jucy Lucy, and even a salad or two. A hidden treat here is actually the wings, which I have only had when others have ordered them. If the burgers were not the staple, this would be a wing bar.

However, underneath, and I mean quite literally underneath this charm of a neighborhood bar is the secret of what makes The Nook special; the bowling alley. When you enter, just ask if you can go straight to the basement, and after walking down a questionable set of stairs (hard to manage a few in) is a full bowling alley. I believe there are 4 or 5 lanes crammed into this space. There's a bar and a little seating area, and for the gents that are a little shy, use the upstairs restroom because the basement one has a trough.

For decoration, dollar bills are pinned all over the ceiling and walls of the basement bar. Just ask, and you can do the same. Most messages read good tidings, or love/hate for the Vikings, probably depending on how well they were doing that season when the dollar was pinned. I would suggest leaving something similar.

And that's the charm of this place. It's a comforting bar, everyone feels welcome and it's one of the few places you can go and just have a good night out. Pair that with a burger and a good draft, and you're set.

It's not a gimmick bar. It's not a college bar. It's just the nook in the neighborhood.

And that's all it needs to be.