The Nomad At The Osbunn — Restaurant in Hillsborough

A relative newcomer to the Hillsborough dining scene, The Nomad is the latest establishment from the team behind the Viceroy in Durham and the TanDurm food truck. As the name suggests, it features foods that tend to wander from one cuisine to the next (i.e. Indian meets Latin). It’s an ambitious concept, but the folks here have the chops to make it work.

They also happen to be friendly and welcoming people. We happened to wander by shortly before lunchtime opening on a Saturday just to check out a menu, and one of the owners offered a warm greeting. Our server was attentive and provided several helpful food and drink suggestions.

At a place like this, those suggestions can come in handy as the vast majority of The Nomad’s offerings sound appealing. Though the menu isn’t large, it offers a little bit of everything, including vegan and gluten free options. You can embrace the familiarity of a classic chicken pakora or masala or battered fish taco branch out into one of the fusion dishes like Thai chimichurri steak or paneer pimento.

We opted for a few small plates for our first time out, and though it was a tough decision, we settled on sweet potato-stuffed kolaches, fried yuca poutine, and Korean esquites. Food came out quickly and did not disappoint. The kolaches were thick and pleasantly doughy with a warm, curried filling. Yuca sticks made for an excellent potato substitute in the poutine, and the mushroom gravy was rich and savory even if the mushrooms were a bit chewy. The esquites (de-cobbed Mexican street corn) brought heat from its Gochujang sauce and dusting of chili lime, but the refreshing crema kept it from overwhelming the palate. While Korean tacos/burritos are nothing new, this particular Korean-Mexican combination was like nothing I’ve seen elsewhere. My wife also enjoyed the Salted Fig cocktail.

Hillsborough being Hillsborough, The Nomad isn’t exactly cheap, but it also is worth the money spent. You’re looking at $8-$10 for small plates, and three were enough to feed two hungry adults. Entrée-sized rice bowls run in the teens.

Opening amid the COVID pandemic has undoubtedly been a brutal experience for many restaurants, but from innovation to food quality to service, The Nomad has all the looks of a keeper. I look forward to returning the next time I’m in...

(Attached picture is of takeout, they plate things much better) This is a place to keep an eye on. I've been here twice in the past two weeks, once for sit down dinner for four people, and once for takeout tonight. The first time our party of four ordered two dishes each, and every single one was excellent. Though the menu may say "small plates", the servings are very generous, which was a nice surprise. The Red Thai cauliflower was a hit even with one of us who "didn't like cauliflower". The samosas were fragrant and just spicy enough. I had a holiday special shepherd's pie with Indian seasoned lamb which honestly they should put on the regular menu. My takeout tonight was more of the cauliflower plus a samosa chaat dish that was delicious, with a nice side serving of pickled vegetables. The service both in-house and for takeout was courteous and warm, and the COVID-19 precautions are thorough, including temperature checks at the door. Very happy to have this innovative new restaurant in Hillsborough, and I look forward to becoming a regular customer.

Added October 2022: Enjoyed a very nice meal at the bar last night. I gathered the bartender/server was new, but he was attentive and personable and familiar with the menu. If anything, the pork belly bao buns were better than they were before: very crispy and flavorful. I enjoyed the green curry fish as well -- my only note would be to provide about twice the rice or else some naan on the side so you can enjoy all...

Nestled away in Downtown Hillsborough sits Nomad...a gem for wanderers and locals alike! It was their first day opening their dine-in option, so we took a glimpse inside to check under the hood. The interior is eclectic and polished with a long bar nestled near the entrance, distanced tables with the hovering glow of pendant lights, natural brick walls, and a second floor with more private group dining experience.

We decided to utilize their outdoor seating in front of the restaurant. The menu was on their website so we took a peek and faced several conundrums as it seemed everyone in my party wanted to order half the menu lol. Naturally, we ordered half the menu :) For starters we chowed down on Korean Elotes, Chicken Pakora, Korean Beef Kolache, and Paneer Pimento Cheese. While all were great, I think the crowd winner was that Paneer Pimento Cheese.

Drinks had preceded our starters, and they had some creative craft cocktails of which the Pineapple Sage Jalapeño struck some fancy. For the main course we had Chicken Tikka Masala, Korean Fried Chicken Bowl, and the Nomadic Tacos. Again, the food was splendid, but the Korean Fried Chicken took the prize. Surprisingly, we made room for dessert...that Red Velvet Cake was a delight!

Needless to say, STUFFED about sums up my feelings at that point. We wrapped up and crawled to our car parked across the street haha. My recommendation is you run to Nomad because you will likely be crawling out! Enjoy fellow...