The Mediterranean Sea shaped some of the world's most ancient civilizations, who gathered by its shores to dive for the delicious couscous, hummus, and lamb chops growing beneath its crystal waves. Transport to this legendary culinary coast with today's deal: for $15, you get $30 worth of Mediterranean food and drinks at Nomad, located in the East Village.
Nomad’s newly appointed executive chef Luísa Fernandes is a winner of Food Network’s Chopped competition. Fernandes was born in Portugal and owned her own restaurant in Lisbon before traveling to NYC. At Nomad, she creates authentic examples of North African dishes that are influenced by French, Spanish, and Portuguese cuisine. Start by savoring the African spices of Moorish chicken skewers ($7) or coat crispy pitas in a trio of dips: hummus, cucumber yogurt, and bissara ($9). Grilled Portuguese octopus with red pepper sauce and vegetable terrine ($18) latches onto taste buds with its eight-appendaged grip. Diners who want to develop sharing skills as well as their palate can split tapas, such as roasted eggplant and zucchini in yogurt sauce ($7) and wild prawns sautéed in garlic sauce ($11). To highlight new creations and take advantage of fresh, seasonal ingredients, Nomad offers a menu that’s ever-changing, like the time signature of a prog-rock song.
As taste buds vacation in sunnier climes, Nomad’s décor and furnishings take eyeballs on their own trip to the Mediterranean. A carved metalwork bar in traditional North African style houses wine and beer imported from North Africa, France, Spain, and Italy. Moroccan gates on windows and Moroccan lamps let light cast ornate patterns on the floor. In the expanded dining room, custom mosaic tables made from broken mosaic benches provide a pleasant texture for resting elbows. Outdoor seating is also available.
This Groupon is not valid for brunch. Reservations are required.
Reviews
Nomad restaurant was reviewed in the New York Times and featured in Time Out New York. New York magazine chose the restaurant as a Critic's Pick. Zagat reviewed the restaurant, and Yelpers give it an average of 3.5 stars. Citysearchers give it an average of five stars:
- A plate of four cookies and minipastries is $8 and, should you go to Nomad, please consider it required eating. – Peter Meehan, New York Times
- I marvel at the fact I can get delicious, beautifully presented food for the price of an average meal. It was pleasant to walk into Nomad and basically escape into the North African world -- light tan walls decorated with lacy metal-worked and stained glass lights. – EastVillagePrincess, Citysearch
Cucina di Pesce
Cucina di Pesce's only connections these days are to the dockworkers who give the chefs their pick of fresh seafood each morning. Back in the '20s and '30s, however, the exposed brick and hardwood joint served as mob boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano's casino. History still hangs thick in the restaurant's dimly lit atmosphere, along with the smells of a modern Italian kitchen.
Armed with butter, garlic, and tomatoes, chefs craft sauces with which to decorate monkfish, shrimp, and tuna steaks. They sauté littleneck clams in white sauce before plating them in nests of fresh linguine. They work with the fruits of the land as well as the sea, stuffing ravioli with pumpkin and dousing sizzling steaks in red-wine sauces. On weekdays, they also host happy hours.