A great thing about being an adult – we can make a choice to have dessert for dinner, and Nicosi provides an exceptional reason to do so. Part of Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group’s 40,000 square-foot Pullman Market located at Pearl in San Antonio, Nicosi is led by award-winning Executive Chef and Partner Tavel Bristol-Joseph – and don’t expect cupcakes and ice cream – not in a traditional sense at least. Each seating 20 guests are situated in a square around an open kitchen for a multi-course
dessert-tasting menu that challenges guests’ expectations of dessert by embracing acid, sweet, bitter and savory all while extracting the nuances that truly make them unique.
“It has been a dream of mine since I was 17 to be in a space that celebrates desserts and the artistry behind it. I am excited to finally see Nicosi come to life,” says Tavel. “Nicosi is a space that will
allow chefs like our chef de cuisine, Karla Espinosa, and guests to explore what desserts are and how different they can be to each of us. Nicosi will be a dessert bar unlike any of its kind as we explore and push the boundaries on the thresholds of acid, umami, bitter and sweet in desserts.”
At Nicosi, you’re guaranteed to try something, likely many things, you have never even pondered trying before. And, while not every course is necessary sweet, you may want to have a savory snack a couple of hours before if you’re the late seating or a few hours after if you’re the early seating. Whatever do, walk in with an open mind and prepare to be wowed by this one-of-a kind journey that’s part of Tavel’s genius come to life.
Nicosi is located at 221 Newell Ave., San Antonio, TX 78215. Reservations are available on OpenTable and each seating is $100 for the experience with N/A pairings and $120 for alcohol pairings. For more information, visit www.nicosisatx.com.
Facts & Anecdotes
-Nicosi is Tavel Bristol-Joseph’s middle name.
-There’s a ‘no photos/no phones’ policy so that people stay present (and surprised) during the experience.
-Nicosi is one of four distinct restaurants at Pullman Market, The others are Mezquite, Fife & Farro and Isidore.
-Nicosi’s dessert-tasting menu features four bites and four dishes with a corresponding beverage pairing. It will change every three months.
-The open kitchen is designed to foster one-on-one dialogue with the chefs.
-There are two experiences a night at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday.
-If staying overnight, Hotel Emma is a favorite steps away or Plaza San Antonio is great choice less than 2 miles away and closer to The Riverwalk and The Alamo.