Nōksu – NYC (*)

Nōksu is an intimate chefs counter restaurant serving a seafood-heavy menu nestled in the heart of the subway system (near 32nd street). It was just awarded its first star so I decided to check it out.

The space is cozy and definitely small, but its lack of size is hardly felt during the dining experience. From the moment we stepped into restaurant the service was tight and kind – no issues there.

The food, unfortunately, left me a bit disappointed. Particularly I was sad to have missed out on the Squab — a dish that had seemed almost synonymous with Nōksu in all the media I had seen.

I probably wouldn’t return to Nōksu, but am glad to have at least tried it.

Notes on the food:

Albacore Tuna – Surprisingly had a BBQ like flavor to it, not bad. 7/10

Sardines – Plated beautifully with a nice punchy flavor. 8/10

Blood Clam – Delicate broth but nothing memorable. 7/10

Horse Mackerel – Surprisingly very deep, almost spicy flavor. Enjoyed this. 8.5/10

Surf Clam – This went really well with the custard and caviar. 9/10

Squid – The squid itself didn’t taste like much but you could tell it was cooked well. 5/10

Tilefish – Good citrusy broth with this one. Didn’t enjoy the liver the fish was lying on. 6/10

Broken Rice – The supposed hearty course left me very disappointed. Didn’t really get any flavor from this. 3/10

Monkfish – Solid, but perhaps I was a bit disappointed since I was expecting a meat course. Not a huge fan of the sauces. 7/10.

Barley Sorbet – Paired with Yuzu and Champagne Ice was a very nice palate cleanser. 8/10

Shiitake Mushroom Macaron – Didn’t taste the mushroom but was a very nice macaron. 8.5/10

Anniversary Dessert – Can’t remember what was in this one. It was surprisingly doughy in texture but in a positive sense. 7/10

Makgeolli and Coconut – Another good dessert. The pistachio and raspberry was quite good. 8.5/10

Though most dishes were solid, the few disappointing ones and a lack of any real mind-blowing courses left me wanting more.