Skopos Hospitality—the team behind Cowan’s, Barrow House, Gus’ Last Word and more—is back with their newest spot, and it might be their most ambitious to date.
Nómada is a Mexican cantina-style restaurant offering custom margaritas, an agave-focused cocktail list, tacos, Mexican plates and more. It marks a sharp change in direction from the usual Skopos restaurant. It’s a welcome addition to the Bloomfield Avenue neighborhood in Verona, neighboring sister restaurant The Parkside Social.
Inside of the strikingly colorful eatery—complete with neon trim, pattern-rich accents and plenty of foliage—the Nómada team looks to combine an impressive cocktail list with a menu rife with authentic Mexican dishes. Fancy a strawberry margarita with house-made watermelon salt? No problem. Or, spring for something a bit more curious, like the Desert Water, which includes Sotol (a distilled spirit made from the desert plant, dasylirion), aloe, prickly pear, lime and Lo-Fi Spirits Gentian Amaro. It’s a crushable cocktail that packs a floral punch.
In addition to the usuals, Nómada is dishing out frozen margaritas, a list of wines (with organic options), Mexican cervezas and, of course, non-alcoholic options like house-made agua frescas and horchata.
For starters, you’d be remiss to pass up a basket of chips and salsa—go for the salsa trio, which includes fresh-fried tortilla chips, salsa verde, smoky ancho chile salsa and guacamole. You are at a Cantina after all…
Crispy, bite-sized pieces of fried pork belly, AKA chicharrones, are addicting with their crunchy exterior and luscious, fatty meat. They come piled high on a plate with salsa on the side and plenty of lime to anoint over top. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself dipping bites of it in guacamole too.
Other appetizers, like the Birria y Masa Fritta bring a platter of masa fries, loaded with Oaxaca cheese, stewed short rib, cilantro lime crema, pickled onion and a carafe of birria soup for dipping on the side. And if you want to just dump the entire thing on top to create a Masa disco fry of sorts, then I’m certainly not going to stop you.
For entrees, Nómada puts out a diverse list, filled with plenty of options. Burritos or quesadillas come with your choice of steak, chicken, shrimp, pork or mushroom and are generously loaded with whatever you may choose. Tacos present a choice between the classics, like chicken in salsa verde or Al Pastor.
Beyond the convenience of tortilla-wrapped foods is a list of traditional, fork-and-knife Mexican plates, too. Half chickens come drenched in rich mole and marinated flank steak is cooked to temp, served alongside masa fries, jalapeno and chimichurri. But, it’s the Mojarra Fritta that is, in my opinion, a must order. A whole snapper is breaded and fried to a golden crisp, served with a zingy mojo aioli and cabbage slaw. The fish is crunchy and well-seasoned, with beautifully moist and flaky meat, peeling away from the carcass with ease. Weary of whole fish? I think you should give it a try.
If you’re like me, you’ll finish your meal with both the tres leches cake and the churro bites, maybe washing it down with a tequila flight, a pour of Mexican whiskey or a Mexican amaro, such as the Pajarote Clavo y Cardamomo Licor.
Nómada is open late daily for dinner, brunch on the weekends, and lunch Monday through
Friday. It’s the perfect spot to grab a nice dinner and then transition to the bar for a night cap. In the realm of Skopos’ restaurants, it presents a welcome change of pace and structure for the brand.
It’s a winner, and I’ll certainly be back.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
