Nosh on High set up shop in the former home of MoJoe Lounge just outside the Columbus Commons in September. As the noshing name suggests, the newbie specializes in smaller plate options in an environment that marries a little modern glitz with gracious hospitality.
Deviled Eggs seem to be an official thing in Columbus. Perhaps it’s their compatibleness with low-carb dining trends. Perhaps it’s their comfort classic angle. Nosh will give you the opportunity to appreciate both aspects in the What Came First ($7). Of course, the fact that the eggs are ruthlessly topped off with crispy fried chicken skin is potentially intellectually non-comforting. You’ll be effectively consuming both the mother and child in one fell bite. Brutal. Intellectual PETA concerns aside, the crackling nature of the fried skin offers an unexpectedly harmonious crunch to the mix of rich yolk and silky white, spiked with a spot of hot sauce to break things up. The eggs are hard to eat slow, but then again, it’s a shame to see them disappear so very quickly.
Alternately, there is a good house Hummus ($9). Just as Nosh has added a little interest to a classic deviled egg, it also ventures slightly off the beaten path towards a hummus with a defined smoky accent. The chickpeas carry smoke more successfully than other plant foods. And it makes for an especially winning option.
A pattern starts to emerge; Nosh takes approachable items, and puts a tiny, thoughtful twist to give them a new sort of freshness. The sensibilities are at work again in its shaved Ribeye ($15). Served in eclairs – not the sort with sweet creme filling, but rather that same pastry with the distinctively crispy crusty shell – here, it gives way to dewy, soft, beefy ribeye. The accents are simple: pepper, onion and “whiz,” a cheese sauce that tastes too natural and complex to pass as a Philly classic.
There are some attentive salads on the menu, too: well constructed and balanced. For example, consider the Casa ($7), a combo of greens, onion, honey dijon, toasted oats, and the immortal combo of dried cherry and goat cheese. The cheese, a good-quality one, fills the palate with all its goatiness, and then the cherry cuts right through it. It’s a one-two punch that’s great for people who like goat cheese and sensory adventures. For those with a finite appreciation for goat, another choice is most certainly in order. The Casa will not be a comforting option.
So perhaps back to the Popper Mac ($8)? Built on rotini and cream cheese, it has a luxe-ness and a signature, cream-cheese twang that distinguishes it from traditional versions. Its jalapeño crown settles in to provide a little extra interest with its texture and spike.
To wash down Nosh’s noshes, there’s beer from the likes of North High and BrewDog, and a cocktail list that includes one named for its neighboring Columbus Commons. The Common’s Cosmo ($11) teams pineapple-spiked Buckeye vodka with cointreau, cranberry and lime for a heady holiday-ish mix.
Nosh is closed on Sundays, but open the other days of the week at 149 S. High St.
For more information, visit noshonhigh.com.
All photos by Susan Post
