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ADDISON LEBOUTILLIER
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ADDISON LEBOUTILLIER
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ADDISON LEBOUTILLIER
In contrast to the hardships brought on by the pandemic, this year bears witness to the upside: concepts brainstormed during the lockdown now coming into being.
The idea for Noko, the Asian wood-fired restaurant newly opened in East Nashville, originated in quarantine. During that time, friends and long-time employees of Indigo Road Hospitality, Jon Murray, Wilson Brannock, and Dung “Junior” Vo would get together, taking turns cooking dinner over an open flame. While savoring the delectable likes of smoked wagyu brisket and honey-sambal spiked chicken, the trio imagined the restaurant’s menu, while formulating the kind of employee-focused culture that they, as partners, wanted to instill.
“We knew we wanted Noko to be so much more than a restaurant,” says co-founder Murray. “We wanted it to be a platform to change hospitality internally. Our intention is to create a positive culture of balance where our people feel cared for and loved.”
Indeed, the pandemic shined the light on restaurant workers’ (poor) quality of life issues. Addressing those, the partners introduced extensive changes, radical for the industry: incorporating four-day work weeks, two-week paid vacations, health, dental, and vision benefits, paid gym/yoga memberships, free access to an online mental health professional, and contributions to a yearly travel stipend into their model. That foundation enabled them to create the kind of neighborhood gathering place they envisioned. The location, the former Pomodoro East, provided the right configuration for a rustic yet modern bar, chef ’s counter, and dining room anchored by the wood-fired grill.
“Hospitality is love,” says Murray, “and to love our guests, we first have to love our people.”
In designing the menu, Executive Chef Vo draws not only on his Vietnamese heritage, but his travels throughout Southeast Asia. He also brings his mastery of sushi, as he served as executive chef of O-Ku in Charleston. Vo divided the Noko menu into four categories: Fresh & Bright, Rich & Savory, Wood Fired, and Smoked. It’s best to order a couple of plates from each and have fun sharing in tapas fashion.
And it’s working. Ask anyone who’s dined there—from neighborhood regulars to top-tier celebs—everyone is raving about the dishes at Noko. Here are a few of our favorite offerings: Deft carvings of Hamachi Crudo are bathed in citrusy yuzu ponzu, each slice topped with a circle of Fresno chili, affirming the Fresh & Bright denotation. The juxtaposition of supple and crunchy textures, and dueling sauces—spicy aioli and sweet soy—makes the Tuna Crispy Rice a pleasure to eat. The sleeper in this section is the Caesar, which will surprise you with its genius infusion of kimchi flavors in the dressing and substitute of panko for croutons.
Under the Rich & Savory heading, you’ll relish the East Side Shrimp, hot crunchy fried shrimp dabbed in gochujang aioli, served over cool salad greens. Dumplings are artfully fashioned, the plump crescents filled with beef, pooled in den dashi and chili oil. Chef Vo is especially proud of the Beef Belly Burnt Ends and the Bok Choy, both of which he feels best represent the Asian wood-fired technique. Indeed, the deeply smoked honey- glazed nuggets of meat wrapped in Bibb lettuce are luscious. His seasoning of lemongrass, garlic, and hoisin brings dimension to the Bok Choy. But don’t pass by the Gifford’s bacon, which the local company specially cures for Noko. These savory-sweet pieces come with side condiments of ssamjang and coarse-grained mustard and are absolutely delicious. If pressed to pick a favorite, Murray would choose the Wagyu Brisket. “There’s a lot of love in that dish,” he says. That love is demonstrated in Vo’s special spice rub, barbecue sauce, and slow-smoked preparation. The beef emerges tender and succulent.
Desserts are just as noteworthy. Fresh coconut cake paired with charred pineapple makes a marvelous share. We also recommend the Brookie, neighboring HiFi’s brownie/cookie combo bar, uniquely made for Noko with black sesame seeds in the cookie layer and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and miso caramel sauce.
And we would be remiss if we did not mention the sake selection and specialty cocktails. Wagyu fat-washed Angel’s Envy bourbon is the formidable base for a heady Old Fashioned. The Southeast Gin & Juice imparts distinctive notes of ginger and lime. In keeping with the positive trend of N/A offerings, Noko also offers creative mocktails, some using zero-proof liquors.
The partners are gratified by their reception in the neighborhood and are committed to constantly refining. Vo and his team are dedicated to perfecting each dish and are excited by the possibilities of their model. As Murray says: “We believe that if our people have balance between life and work, are healthy and feel well-cared for, then our guests, in turn, will feel that too.” (701 Porter Rd., 615-712-6894; nokonashville.com)