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| This restaurant is just so... COOL. |
Exterior: 4/5
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| Interior exterior door |
There are two Nom Nom locations in the Lafayette area - we went to the Downtown one, which isn't immediately accessible from the street. But there's a neat sign above the sidewalk to tell you what building to walk into, and when you get in there you're greeted with a genteel-looking facade to the actual restaurant. We thought the location was really convenient since we were catching a show at the Monon Depot after we ate.
Ambience: 5/5
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| I love restaurants that decorate in three dimensions |
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| They made sure not a single surface in the place was untouched |
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| Cute little kitschy things everywhere you turn! |
The Nom Nom is immersive without being cheesy, and we were pretty hype about it. We went on Valentine's Day evening, which was not the best move on our part and when we walked in we were told that they were way overbooked. But the greeter said she'd go check and it turned out they had a two-top ready for us right away. (I don't know how she made that happen but we were incredibly grateful.) Given the day we went and the proximity of Purdue University the place was filled with couples in their early twenties going through the motions of being romantic. I'm assuming there would be a similar vibe on other days, just less crowded.
Variety: 5/5
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| Chip Trio appetizer with Red Pepper Sauce, White Habanero, and Avocado Sauce |
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| Shrimp Taco (top), Al Pastor (left), Carne Asada (right) |
It's not so much that there's a huge number of menu items here, it's that they do unique (and amazing) things with your standard Tex-Mex (and actual-Mex) fare. The dips are original - like the white habanero shown above - stuff I've never seen anywhere else. They have a taco for every taste and each of them is crafted to be its own special and unique dish. The main entree items include Mexican food you won't find at your standard American neighborhood drown-the-tortilla-in-cheese kind of place. They do tetelas. They do tlacoyo. It's a really neat menu.
Quality: 5/5
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| Nom Nom Mojito |
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| Sunset Margarita |
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| Burrito |
Absolutely everything we tried was amazing. The chips trio sauce sampler spread started with a good one, proceeded with a great one, and landed on an amazing one. The Carne Asada taco absolutely rocked my world with the first bite. The shrimp on the Shrimp Taco were gigantic and juicy. Even the burrito my partner ordered, which looked like a pretty standard burrito, was made with such high-quality ingredients that it knocked his socks off. I cannot stress enough that this place is putting love and quality into everything it does.
Kid-Friendly: 3/5
We didn't bring our kids, and if (when) we eat here in the future I'd have mixed feelings about packing them along. Like, I'm sure the waitstaff would be great with them and they'd have a great time looking at all the decor. But the entrees are expensive and unless your kid is a premature gourmand I doubt they'd appreciate the quality of the stuff in front of them. I'd be hurting inside if I put one of these amazing dishes down in front of my picky kid and they refused to eat it.
Would Eat Again?: Green Light
I'm not sure I'll ever try another Lafayette restaurant because I would feel Nom Nom tugging at me the entire time I was eating there. (No, I'll try other places, you know I will. But still.) Nom Nom was just one amazing experience after another. Now, I'll add the caveat that it did a number on our pocketbook - for the two of us getting an appetizer, two cocktails, and two entrees, the bill came out to $80ish with tip. But if you have the means or if you're celebrating a special occcasion, 100% try this place if you're within driving distance.
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