Nōksu: A Subway Speakeasy

Nōksu is an intimate 12-seat fine dining speakeasy with a 15-course omakase tasting menu. The restaurant is located right inside the 34th Street Herald Square subway station, at the entrance on 32nd Street and Broadway. Given the subway location, I was pleasantly surprised by the elegant dining experience. If you get lost, just call or text the number listed on their website. It’s very easy to miss, but once you get down there and see a bunch of people standing around by a black door, you’ll know you’re in the right place.

Brown Crab

Fluke

Sardine

The Brown Crab dish used Japanese ingredients that were new to me, like Hakurei turnips and myoga, which is basically just ginger. The Fluke dish had some cool mushrooms called “maitake,” which means dancing mushroom in Japanese. The Sardine was one of my favorite courses, and I’d seen it for the first time on Eater. This dish used potato, grilled radicchio, and yuzu kosho, giving it kind of a spicy, citrusy flavor. I’m not an Asian food expert, so I read up on quite a few of these ingredients.

Cocktails

Growing Pines

Permission Granted

Samwise

Rippling Pond

There is an option to add the Beverage Pairing to your experience, but I opted for my own al a-carte cocktail experience. I basically tried every cocktail on the menu with the exception of one that had walnut bitters in, which I’m allergic to. I started with Growing Pines, which is a customer-favorite and soju-based cocktail. Teaching moment… “Soju” is a clear Korean distilled alcohol that is pretty similar to gin. Permission Granted was a new menu item, so of course, that was next up. The coconut foam combined with the lime flavor in the Samwise cocktail… Chef’s kiss! It’s so hard to choose a favorite, but if I had to, the Rippling Pond might be it. If you like sweet drinks, this is the drink for you.

Mid-Meal

Surf Clam

At the peak of the meal, I finally saw the dish I’d been waiting for… The iconic dish I’d seen on social media and the Resy article announcing the restaurant’s opening is called the Surf Clam. This dish features a hen egg custard with scallions and caviar, which gives it a nice salty bite with a little crunch to break up the creamy cutsard.

Oyster

Mackerel

Broken Rice

I don’t know if the flowers and greenery in the Oyster dish were edible, but I ate them, and it was fine. The Mackerel was certainly one of the most aesthetically pleasing dishes, especially given the gorgeous plate itself. The Brown Rice course features Anson Mills Carolina Golden Rice with okra and matsutake. The bubbles gave this dish a really unique texture. A little FOMO with this rice dish because I regret not treating myself to the black truffles add-on.

Coho Salmon

Squab

Millbrook Venison

The Coho Salmon was very artistic and the California yuzu was my favorite part of this creative dish. The Squab was probably the most interesting menu item, given the not-so-typical duck head and foot. Surprisingly, the head was 100% edible and pretty cripsy, but the talon (aka duck foot) was not recommended for eating. The Millbrook Venison was delish! Coincidentally, I live right up the road from where the meat for this dish was sourced. There was a limited section of non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, but I was pretty satisfied with the spirit-less Moonbeam, which is featured in the final meal images below.

Dessert

Winter Melon

Pear Sorbet

Mignardise

I loved the fact that this tasting menu featured three desserts! The seasonal fruit and rich, creamy sauces were a nice touch. Winter Melon was a new one for me, so of course, I had to Google it. The Spruce Eats explained what this fruit (also known as “ash gourd”) is, and you’d be surprised to learn that it’s actually related to cucumbers. I believe the first dessert had sort of a puree of chrysanthemum and apple. I also later realized that Pear Sorbet was paired with a black sesame cream, but I initially thought it was just chocolate. The Korean Macaroons were a delight! And in case that wasn’t enough, the team had a small cupcake with a candle in it for my birthday.

Final Thoughts

My dinner at Nōksu was such a tailored, hospitable experience. I walked away with two new friends who were also solo dining that night. I was a little put off by the assigned seating at first, but shortly after I realized I was in the company of a few other solo diners, I realized the method behind the madness. This was definitely a great way to connect with other NYC foodies. And kudos to the host, Bobby Kwak, who brought over a small cupcake with a candle to celebrate my birthday, which was a really thoughtful way to end the meal. Plus, the host gave everyone a nice postcard with the menu on it, so you can have a keepsake from the food journey. The bill came to $435, which includes the $225 cost of the 12-course menu, a “few drinks,” tax, and tip. And it was worth every penny. I’ll definitely be back for the Spring menu change next year!

*P.S. Nōksu actually opened in August. I'm not sure how I missed that. It’s probably because I don’t live in the city anymore. Either way, I’m so glad I finally made it, and the timing couldn’t be more perfect!

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