Nosh, the Spartan spawn of upstairs Silo, has always run the risk of seeming sibling lite; a year after opening, it hadn’t developed the small-but-spunky personality it needs. Yes, we still like the cheeky shrimp corn dogs with spicy mayo; they’re both fun and fulfilling. Lemongrass-habanero pork meatballs on chilled citrus noodles remain a favorite—though a recent plate proved dry. And we still think the Korean barbecue pork tacos with kimchi and cheese bomb out: the melted cheese takes over—though the cowardly kimchi and bland barbecue don’t put up much of a fight. There are bigger plates such as shrimp and grits, but they go beyond nosh to fress, so we ignore them.

The “novelty drinks” are another reason we keep returning to check on progress, but we admit that there’s only one we really like—the Basil-rita. It’s distinctive and refreshing, and the basil flavor coming through with shocking clarity, whereas the Bourbon Sweet Tea tastes mostly of black currant, the Backporch Lemonade is pallid, and the Gosling’s Dark & Stormy, though crisply carbonated, could use a little more meteorological moxie. It does appear that little bro has been sneaking out for beer behind our backs, however; the list of craft and specialty import brews is now quite impressive.