Step Inside: East Nashville’s New Noko

East Nashville’s newest dining darling has opened to rave reviews and hard-to-get reservations — all for good reason. The origin story of this bastion of culinary delight is a relatively common one now. During the pandemic, when longtime friends and seasoned restaurateurs Jon Murray and Wilson Brannock, along with Chef Dung “Junior” Vo wanted to entertain, they headed outside and fired up the grill. "[Cooking] outside over a wood fire, over coal… We found a lot of solace and comfort in a very uncertain time," says Jon, and those mutual feelings became a business plan. 

Soon after, the three — now business partners — conceptualized Noko, a wood-fired Asian-inspired restaurant. At the time, they had all been living in Atlanta where they worked for The Indigo Road Hospitality Group, headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina. Junior had been the executive chef at Charleston’s O-Ku and assisted the Nashville O-Ku location for several months, so after some brainstorming, the entrepreneurial trio set their sights on Music City. 

Located in East Nashville at 701 Porter Road, Noko seats 82 diners indoors, including bar seating, and the outdoor patio seats about 40. By all accounts, this endeavor is a labor of love. As guests first walk in, they pass a wall of wooden logs; the Noko owners chopped the wood and painstakingly built this wall themselves. “Maybe woodworking is our next calling,” jokes Wilson. 

The wall hints at what guests can expect from the menu: Most of the offerings are seared, smoked or grilled. The name, Noko, comes from the Japanese surname Nokoribi, meaning “embers.” Having lived in Vietnam for 12 years while growing up, Junior aimed to create a menu featuring Asian-inspired comfort food with dishes such as smoked gochujang hot wings, Wagyu brisket and Szechuan green beans. For example, the District Sando is an unexpectedly delicious version of a grilled cheese sandwich made with prosciutto, truffle aioli, white cheddar cheese and togarashi atop milk bread. Many of the menu items can be prepared gluten-free, and they also have vegetarian options. 

The partners see Noko as a neighborhood restaurant that’s also worth a drive. But for those nights you’d rather stay home, they recently launched a to-go program. In addition, there’s Noko at Home: social-media-friendly tutorials of Junior preparing guest favorites you can make at home. 

Kindness Begins at Home

The three partners, all of whom have spent decades in the food service industry, know restaurants’ reputations for little job security and even fewer benefits. They want to change that. Noko offers their staff four-day work weeks; medical, dental and vision insurance; fully covered virtual therapy; two weeks of paid vacation; and a gym membership. In addition, one percent of sales goes to a vacation fund for employees. “How can we really take care of others,” says Jon, “if we don’t take care of ourselves?” 

Japanese Farmhouse

The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed with a clean, modern aesthetic. Light wood tables — outfitted with chopsticks and dark blue linens — dot a concrete floor. An indigo tweed banquette lines one wall, and Chinese paper lanterns hang above a communal table. The interiors were designed by David Leboutillier of The Restaurant Studio. “The goal was something very modern, very minimalistic, yet still had a level of warmth,” says Jon. Japanese woodblock pieces by local artist Yanira Vissepó are featured throughout the restaurant.

Raise a Glass

The wood-fired method can also be found in Noko’s seasonally inspired cocktail menu, whether it’s the toasted garnishes atop non-alcoholic beverages or the Noko Old Fashioned with Wagyu fat-washed Angel’s Envy bourbon. The Southeast Gin & Juice features Roku gin, calamansi, lime, spiced ginger and shiso. Noko offers an extensive menu of beers, wines and sake, and — for those who choose to abstain — there are several non-alcoholic cocktails on the menu, including the Porter Spritz, made with yuzu, lemon, orange blossom and tropical Red Bull.