By FRED WEINBERG Editor and Publisher
PHOENIX, Az—We don’t run a lot of restaurant reviews here because we’re pretty well aware that most people know what they’re going to get at places like Burger King where most of our readers (and this writer) eat when we’re in a hurry.
That said, I had a business meeting with my partner in our broadcasting company last week and he took me to dinner at a place he had invested in last summer.
All I can tell you about the conflict of interest is that if I didn’t think the place was great, you wouldn’t even be reading this.
But if you have business or pleasure in Phoenix, make a point of eating at NOCA, 3118 E Camelback Rd.
You might think that with a four letter name and a shopping center location, NOCA is some sort of a fancy cult restaurant and you would be about half right. It is rapidly developing a cult following but is anything but fancy. NOCA stands for North Of Camelback, and is located in a traditional strip center anchored by a Safeway store.
But it was driven by restaurateur Eliot Wexler and the Chicago native knows his food.
Friday night, the space was packed with a wide variety of Phoenix diners in the middle of a recession and they were there for the food.
In a word, it’s very, very good.
I had what was perhaps the best filet I ever tasted—and my work as a journalist has had me eat is many places around the world.
Turns out the meat came from a purveyor located in Calumet City, Illinois and this particular item wasn’t even on the menu but is available on order.
NOCA has an array of salads, all of which are not only presented well but taste as good as they look.
I didn’t see a frown on anybody’s face for the entire two hours I was there and when something doesn’t go right at a restaurant, believe me, you can see it in an environment like that.
The service was attentive but not obnoxious and it’s obvious that Wexler has put together a team which enjoys the work. That sort of thing shows.
My only criticism is that his deserts offered nothing for the one third of us who are diabetic and cannot eat sugar, but I’m not sure that anything which is sugar-free is available to meet his standards.
Price-wise NOCA is slightly more expensive than, say, the Capitol Grill but the value is clearly in the food and the experience.
If you’re in Phoenix, make reservations at (602) 956-6622.
There are plenty of nice places to eat in Phoenix, but you should not miss this one.
Comments