Athleisure Mag #61 Jan 2021 | The Art of the Snack: Noreetuh

This month's The Art of the Snack brings Hawaiian vibes in the East Village with Noreetuh which has been recognized by Michelin. We wanted to know more about this restaurant and connected with Noreetuh Jin Ahn, Managing Partner and Co-Owner. We find out about Chef Chung Chow, their signature dishes, their beverage menu and more.

ATHLEISURE MAG: Tell us about Chef Chung Chow’s culinary background and the influence for his style of cooking?

NOREETUH JIN AHN: Chef Chung Chow worked in Thomas Keller's kitchens (Bouchon, Per Se) as well as under Chef Jonathan Benno's Lincoln as an opening Sous Chef. Influence of these mentors taught Chef Chow to work with French and Italian techniques, and focus on using the highest quality ingredients.

AM: What can guests expect when they come to dine at Noreetuh and what does the name of the restaurant mean?

NJA: Guests can expect to have a different yet comforting type of cuisine at noreetuh. While Hawaiian seems very foreign, it is regional American cuisine, and once a guest experiences Noreetuh, it becomes more familiar than anticipated. "Noreetuh" means, "playground" in Korean. It is our aim to create an atmosphere where patrons have fun while dining.

AM: What does it mean to you to have your restaurant recognized by Michelin?

NJA: It is an honor to be recognized by an esteemed publication such as The Michelin Guide. It's about keeping up our standard day in and day out. After all, a good restaurant must be consistent.

AM: When creating this menu, can you tell us about where the inspiration for your dishes came from?

NJA: Inspiration for the dishes came from personal experiences from growing up in Hawaii, as well as exposure to food and culture from eating and traveling.

AM: What are 3 signature dishes that you suggest that we should enjoy?

NJA: 1. Any one of eight Musubis we offer - my suggestion is to get the Musubi Platter and choose four.

2. Mochiko Fried Chicken - once you get it, you'll always crave it!

3. Degustation of Hamachi - you get grilled collar, musubi and sashimi. Collar alone is worth the visit.

AM: What are 3 appetizers and/or desserts that we should try when at Noreetuh?

NJA: This is still in line with 3 signature dishes, but staying on the appetizers, you should try:

1. Big Eye Tuna Poke - it is currently offered as a Rice Bowl dish, but regular guests get this as an appetizer without rice. It's one of our classics.

2. Bruléed Hawaiian Pineapple with lime zest, ‘alaea salt is a special dessert using very special pineapple from Hawaii. Weheld off while reopening but were met with angry regular guests!

3. Tray of Maine Uni - if you're a sea urchin fan and love the decadence and the wow factor of this tray, it's a must!

AM: You have an expansive beverage program. Can you tell us about what is available?

NJA: We have wines from classic regions of the world focusing heavily on French and German wines. We also carry a good amount of aged wines, including an entire page devoted to German Rieslings with a minimym 25 years of age. Selections are approximately 300 (pretty hefty for a small restaurant in East Village), but very sensibly priced. Guests can find easy to enjoy wines mixed in with the ones a connoisseur would find fascinating. If you're craving some simple beers to go along with the fried chicken, we have draft and plenty of bottles and cans along with simple cocktails (no hard liquor here), and sake/soju.

AM: What are 3 cocktails that you suggest we should have when visiting?

NJA: Soju Gimlet (with Korean spiriti Soju replaced gin/vodka), POG-Mosa (mimosa made by mixing Passionfruit-Orange-Guava Nectar with sparkling Riesling), and during this cold wintertime, especially with outdoor dining, Mulled Red Wine really hits the spot!

AM: During COVID-19, many restaurants have had to pivot on how they serve the guests and neighborhoods with pickups, delivery, reduce indoor dining, outdoor dining etc – what have you been doing during this time?

NJA: We have been doing just that. We have reopened after the shutdown in July and have not shuttered since. We have pivoted to a much greater volume of delivery and take outs alongside our outdoor dining area, which is on its fifth version. We have had indoor dining but lost it due to Governor's orders - we desperately need it back.

IG @Noreetuh

PHOTOS COURTESY | Noreetuh