DISH OF THE WEEK: Tagliatelle at THE NOMAD

Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City

SADLY, THE NOMAD IS NOW CLOSED.

The obvious choice for a Dish of the Week at the critically acclaimed hotel restaurant The Nomad would be their now iconic Roasted Chicken for $79. An entire bird is presented to the table bronzed and stuffed (with rosemary, foie gras, and truffle brioche), then it disappears back to the kitchen where it is composed into two plates of moist breast and dark meat tossed in a lemony butter sauce. It’s quite good, but it has been raved about so much over the last two years that my expectations were unattainable.

More impressive to me on my recent splurge of a dinner were some of the appetizers on Daniel Humm’s solid menu. We languished over the slow-cooked egg with earthy mushrooms, rich barley risotto, and a leaf of the crispiest kale ever. And we devoured the impeccable sweetbreads with a tender bite and deep sweet notes from a quine glaze and caramelized sunchokes. But I still yearn for the tagliatelle. Ah, that magical tagliatelle!

Available in both appetizer and entrée portions, this tagliatelle is a simple and luxurious combination of pasta, seafood, butter, and lemon.  Soft delicate bites of king crab meat play off the al dente texture of homemade egg noddles, which are both bathed in a bright, acidic sauce of meyer lemon, cracked black pepper, and a whole lot of butter. It has all the rich and balanced components of a perfect dish and it succeeds.

While that over-hyped chicken is just fine for those with deep pockets or interested in elegant plating, I’d say use that extra money for a second helping of this superior pasta.