East-side small plates emporium Nosh & Swig has routinely tweaked its lively menu since opening 18 months ago, but this summer brought the biggest change. About 80 percent of chef/owner Steve Piamchuntar’s menu is brand new, sticking with the equation of small portions and big, global flavors so everyone can taste a bit of everything.
Don’t worry: Favorites like the Sticky Bun Tacos and Tiger Cry Thai beef haven’t gone anywhere. But make room for Artichoken Ur Chicken—a panini on naan bread—the Pad Thai Wrap and the green tea Tokyo Crepe with wild mushrooms and cilantro glaze. Start your new Nosh exploration with these dishes and don’t be afraid to come back for more.
Nosh & Swig 3620 E. Flamingo Road #5, 702-456-6674. Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
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Peas & Carrots
Piamchuntar riffs on creamy, crispy crab Rangoon with this ode to your childhood unfavorite veggie side. A sweet carrot and cream cheese puree fills each munchable wonton wrapper, with a warm pea purée underneath awaiting dippage. Careful: These are way too easy to eat. ($6)
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Rice Crispy
Nosh & Swig’s new fried arancini balls are decadently cheesy yet still light enough to eat an entire trio without a second thought. They come equipped with a dusting of parmesan and a pesto-ish dipping sauce that points out the basil hiding in each ball. ($7)
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Coq Au Vin Adobo
Piamchuntar takes two of his favorite chicken dishes and smashes them into one. Meaty wings sit in Filipino adobo for a day, soaking in all the vinegar-soy-garlic goodness, then they’re braised in red wine for luxurious tenderness and flash-fried for crisp caramelization. You’ll get two orders. ($8)
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Mini Mi’s
Nosh & Swig’s Asian capabilities know no boundaries, as demonstrated by this pair of pint-sized garlic shrimp banh mi sandwiches. A super-soft roll, sharp pickled veggies and a crisp slaw in sriracha cream make this a memorable bite, er, series of bites. ($8)
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Seoul Tacos
If you’ve had flat-flavored fusion tacos, here’s where this trendy dish is revived. Corn tortillas get the quesadilla treatment for maximum staycrispness before folding around sour and spicy marinated beef, a rowdy kimchi salad, fresh micro-cilantro and a crowning of spicy feta crème. Every part of this taco is aggressive. ($11)
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Shave Ice
Lorie Piamchuntar demanded a dessert like halo-halo without the “weird stuff,” so her hubby-chef came through with this refreshing shaved ice topped with cornflakes, coconut, popping boba pearls, condensed milk and a killer purple yam ice cream. Full from small plates, you’ll find room for this sweet treat. ($10)