Down and dirty

What’s Cracking Good — Un-fussy meals

I’m a little tired of the big white plate.

You know what I’m talking about? When gourmet-ish restaurants artfully arrange food on an enormous white plate, as if you’re paying by square-inch of bare porcelain.

I generally prefer my meals saucy…even a little messy.

Despite my culinary inclinations,  I’d heard a bunch of good things about Noca, so I made reservations for a special-occasion dinner.

As soon as my husband and I arrived, the staff was tripping over themselves to accommodate us: Did we want water, some wine, an appetizer? A bit of service is nice…even special.

We got our food: a Wagyu pastrami and sauerkraut over pumpernickel with dijon cream sauce, a pasta made from house-made sausage, and cobia with squash blossoms and fingerling potatoes.

It was good. The sauerkraut was delicious, the pasta had a welcome bit of bite, and I’d never had a squash blossom.

But is it “over $20 for a ramekin-sized bowl of pasta” good?

I’m not so sure.

A whole host of people (including Republic food critic Howard Seftel) think Noca is one of the best new spots around, but I can’t get over the feeling that a little of the fuss has to do with the big white plate.