i'm posting this day after and it just so happens to be april 1st, but rest assured nooch. is no joke.
i've been wanting to try this place since covid, but i'd only been to canada once since then prior to yesterday and they were closed. we got there (four of us) at about 5:30pm on a friday and they were pretty busy (that changed by the time we left at 7ish), but we were able to be seated right away. the aesthetic is sleek and modern with an upscale-but-casual feel.
i ordered "the dude" seasonal cocktail to start off and it was daaaangerously good. a kahlua-esque cold coffee drink with some whiskey and it went down waaay too easy. excellent start!
for appetizers we opted for the poutine and bites... again, fantastic. the breading on the bites was crispy and well-seasoned, plus the seitan wasn't super thick or chewy like it often can be (more on that later). of course it helped that the sauces were tasty as well. i especially like the 3rd degree -- as someone who is obsessed with spicy foods, this was a nice light-to-mid heat that hit just right. the blue cheese it comes with i was excited to try, and it is pretty great, but absolutely falls more on the ranch side than it does blue cheese. the poutine? what's there to say. the gravy is exactly like its non-vegan variety, and the hand cut fries are a 10. their cheese curds are also some of the best vegan curds i've had.. just an absolute must-order when you visit nooch.
for my entree i went back and forth on what i wanted to order, but ultimately settled on the cheesesteak (to compare to ones i've personally made prior), and the supreme fries. the fries were excellent. i was mum on the idea of lentil chili (it turns to mush -- it is what it is), but it's flavored perfectly with a strong kick of cumin. somehow the pico may be the most important part of these fries, imparting some much-needed acid. i prefer and recommend the poutine over these, but you can't go wrong ordering either. honestly, they should offer a "fry flight" appetizer -- i'd've loved to try the buffalo fries!
my cheesesteak wound up being the worst thing of all that i tried. not to say it was bad, but the seitan seemed a bit thick and a little too chewy to remind me of a cheesesteak. the flavor itself was good (it nailed the grill flavor on it and the veggies), and the bread was perfect, but the seitan wasn't quite there. enjoyed it, but would certainly try something else on visit number two.
the bite i had of the jackfruit sandwich (not pictured) that was ordered was probably the best bite of jackfruit i've had. it is definitely inherently a bit soft (since that's how jackfruit feels), but the texture of it and flavor of the sauce is pretty spot on.
their cheesy pasta comes highly recommended, but i thought it was just... fine. granted i had a small bite and it was a strong hit of green onion in that bite, but it just didn't seem all that, well... cheesy. i admittedly didn't eat enough to offer a great take on it, but my girlfriend (who ordered it) said something similar -- "it's good, but not as good as the one i make." 100% agreed. i will say if you have celiac or are gluten intolerant, they take it seriously here. my girlfriend has celiac, and so ordered this pasta with their gluten free pasta (which by the way was not unlike traditional pasta), and didn't have a flare up afterwards. score.
not pictured or tried was their big mock. having had CMO's (RIP) and odd burger's, i damn near ordered this for comparison's sake. i was told it's the best fake big mac between the three -- so now i'm thinking i need to order it myself next time to see for myself.
that segways me into their specials: they have specials every week that tend to look unbelievable. i was a little underwhelmed by them for our visit, but check out their page on facebook or instagram and you'll know what i'm talking about!
anyway.. this is getting exhausting -- one last note: the service. as said, by the time we were leaving, they were pretty effing packed. yet, they only had two waiters. the service was good at first, but it took awhile to get our bill when we were done, and finding time to ask for a water refill (or another boozy bevvy) seemed impossible -- a second drink that was ordered was forgot about, but we just let it go. if you're obsessive over having good service, maybe don't expect that here.. and pace yourself when you're drinking just in case they're shorthanded. personally, so long as my waiter doesn't physically assault me, i have no real complaints -- so i thought it was fine. bonus points: our waiter was helpful in offering food and drink suggestions on the menu when we sat down.
okay i think i'm about done.
TL;DR -- get your pud ass to nooch. read more