If a late night K-town spot and a New American restaurant had a fusion restaurant baby, that baby would look something like Nowon in Bushwick.
Established in November 2019 with a location in the East Village, Nowon’s popularity allowed owner and Chef Jae Lee to open a second location in Bushwick. Constantly on a hunt for a good burger in New York, Nowon was recommended to me more times than I can count for their “legendary cheeseburger,” made with two smash patties, roasted kimchi, pickles, onion, kimchi special sauce, and American cheese ($21). Chef Jae tells me the inspiration behind it was a Big Mac.
Motivation to try the burger would be the reason I finally made it to Nowon, but the other dishes would end up standing out just as much, if not more. I arrived at the sprawling Brooklyn location and met with Chef Jae, who confirmed Nowon is named after a district in Seoul. We get into a deep talk about Korean-style pizza. Nowon’s Bushwick location inherited a wood-fired oven from the location’s previous Italian restaurant, and instead of getting rid of it, Chef Jae incorporated pizza in the menu, similar to the kind he ate growing up. Mental note made: must order pizza.
The menu has a nice mix of American, maybe even slightly Italian-influenced, style dishes, all with a signature Korean twist. I ordered the whipped ricotta toast, Nowon fried chicken, broccolini a la “Caesar,” “chopped cheese” rice cakes, honey garlic butter extraordinary tots, Kinda Korean Margherita pizza, and the legendary cheeseburger. While I initially decided against it, it seems like the best way to get a taste of Nowon’s innovative menu is to go for one of their “mixtapes” tasting menus. For $39 a person, you can get a five-course meal, and for $49 a person, you can get a seven-course meal.
I started with the whipped ricotta toast and the broccolini a la “Caesar.” The bread used for the ricotta toast was soft, and the whipped ricotta was luxurious. The addition of the chili oil on top added just enough texture and crunch, with a subtle hint of heat. The broccolini was speckled with something crunchy, which Chef Jae confirmed were candied anchovies. Now that’s a salad I can get behind.
Everything I ate at Nowon was stellar, and choosing a favorite dish seems like an impossible feat. But if I had to narrow it down, it’s got to be the chopped cheese rice cakes. Chewy, tubular rice cakes, or tteok, are loaded with gooey, meaty ground beef, completely covered in Parmesan, and sprinkled with some jalapenos. It’s certainly not the lightest dish, but it’d be a mistake not to leave from for this fusion of Korean bar food and New York’s favorite bodega bite.
The burger is a thing of beauty. Before trying it, I could understand why it’s so popular just by looking at it. It looks almost cartoonish, perfectly stacked on a sesame-studded bun. The taste rose to the level of its good looks. The addition of kimchi is what makes it a true standout.
The pizza was equally exciting. The dough is made with rice flour, giving it a nice chew, and the sauce has a hint of gochujang, giving it a nice layer of depth and heat. Instead of olive oil, Nowon uses scallion oil, adding a slight zing. It’s piled high with burrata, and Chef Jae explains tofu and burrata are actually quite similar. They’re both often served cold, they’re both the same color, and they both have a soft texture. And since tofu and gochujang are a common pairing in Korea, he didn’t see why burrata wouldn’t sub in for soy. I can confirm; he’s onto something here.
Overall, the vibe of Nowon is light, fun, and relaxed. It’s a great place to grab a drink and split a few bites with a friend, and is an inarguably modern take on Korean-American pub fare with flavors up to match.
- Address: 436 Jefferson St, Brooklyn, NY and 507 E 6th St, New York, NY
- Phone: 718-971-9636
- Hours: Monday-Thursday 5 p.m.-11 p.m.; Friday 5 p.m.-12 a.m.; Saturday 12 p.m.-12 a.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-11 p.m.
- Prices: “Mixtapes” Tasting Menu: E.P. (5 courses) $39, The Classic (7 courses) $49; Starters $13-$21; Classics $11-$27; Wood-Fired Pizza $20-$26
- Takeout and delivery available; reservations accepted.
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