Kono opens their books on Resy at midnight two weeks to the day in advance of seating. I first attempted to make a reservation earlier this year with Leah, though by midnight plus a few seconds, all reservations for the night had immediately been snatched up. Later, when I tried again to go with Al, the availability was completely open.
It was a memorable and unique experience, filled with fantastic food and fun service. Apparently, about a third of the staff were all playing Baldur's Gate 3 in their free time, which immediately become a recurring talking point throughout the night. The chicken was outrageous and it was fun to enjoy the different cuts and preparations, though we were slightly disappointed that the famous ovary shown in many reviews and videos was not present the evening we dined. That aside, if you're looking for a novel dining event in a beautiful, intimate setting, I can't recommend Kono enough.
Kono
46 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
The entrance to Kono can be found down a simple yet elegant public alleyway. The space invites you in to an intimate setting removed from the bustle of the city street just steps away. Very Japanese.
We were the first seating to arrive, and were able to enjoy a fleeting quiet view of the restaurant before the activity of the evening began. Kono is a "kappo-style" restaurant, meaning the food is mostly prepared in front of the guests rather than in a separate kitchen.
A lovely table setting presentation that resembled a minimalist Japanese still life as much as a dining setting. Included was a beautifully written note from Chef Kono discussing the autumn season and how it both influences and is reflected by the current menu.
Chicken Consommé
Green Onion
Our first offering was a warm bowl of rich, clear chicken soup with just a few baby green onions for added texture and bite. This was a comforting and simple way to start a meal focused on chicken.
Mushroom
Ginko Nut
Ginko Nut
These charred mushrooms had a pleasantly earthy flavor and juicy texture, though they were also a bit dry / papery on the outside and felt one-note.
Cocktails
Beautifully presented and competently prepared, these cocktails - a riff on a negroni and a seasonal highball - were a fantastic start to our drinks for the meal.
Kabocha Squash
A rich, velvety squash soup was next. It was warming and buttery, with tofu, mochi, yuba, and more hiding just beneath the surface.
A rich, velvety squash soup was next. It was warming and buttery, with tofu, mochi, yuba, and more hiding just beneath the surface.
Chicken Liver Pâté
Rice Cracker, Black Truffle
Kono's signature appetizer, which is as good a use of chicken and truffle as I've ever enjoyed. The idea is to make a sandwich of the items, pressing the top cracker down on the bottom contents. We were offered a supplement of swapping the black truffle for white, but didn't feel this was necessary, especially as Al can't really taste truffle.
With the appetizers concluded, our server placed down these two wooden boxes and instructed us on the use of the different seasonings that we would optionally use for the yakitori. One had a light, lemony flavor with a bit of numbing (as with Szechuan peppercorns) while the other was darker and richer.
Also provided was a small bowl of seasoned grated daikon, to be used as a palette cleanser between rounds.
A shot of Chef Kono and his staff. The gentleman just behind him was managing the floor throughout the evening, and was one of the guys who excitedly told us about his Baldur's Gate 3 playthrough. He had rolled a Paladin / Necromancer for his first run and was already working on his second!
Sake
I enjoy sake quite a bit, but ultimately consider myself a novice, so Al and I chose to enlist the advice of the staff in choosing a bottle. We thoroughly enjoyed this offering, which had a complex earthiness and minerality, with hints of mushroom. It perfectly complemented the rich chicken meal, though I unfortunately didn't make note of its name.
Tail
The succulent fattiness of the famed bonjiri (chicken tail) was our first bite and it did not disappoint. I first learned of this cut from food blogger and fellow Marvel-ite CB Cebulski over at his excellent blog, Eataku, where CB has repeatedly described it as his favorite part of the chicken. I now see why, though I personally still enjoy the oyster just a bit more.
Inner Thigh
This was a more straightforward piece of meat that reminded us of "chicken". The light glazing of sauce and subtle char made for a delicious bite.
Knee
Peppers
I can't recall the name of these peppers (they were not shishitos), but they added a welcome vegetal hit partway through the rich chicken courses.
Belly Skin
Another favorite of mine, this skin from the belly (described as "chicken bacon") was charred on the outside but the various folds remained tender with plenty of fat.
Supplements
Midway through the meal, our server brought out a box containing supplemental options that could be added on to our meal a la carte. We appreciated that the choices here ranged from extremely humble (chicken feet, shishito peppers, gizzards, etc.) to extremely luxurious (A5 Wagyu beef, Iberico pork, etc.), meaning that diners can add on some unusual items for a reasonable price, or splurge and get the really high-end stuff.
Ultimately, we chose to add the gizzards, neck, and Iberico pork to our meal.
Belly
Shiso
The piece of belly meat that the previous skin course was taken from was served next, topped with a generous heap of shredded shiso, which added a pleasantly grassy note to the juicy chicken.
Oyster
Yuzu
My all-time favorite meat on the chicken (coming from just two small pockets on the lower back) was, predictably, also my favorite bite of the meal. The tender oyster arrived wrapped in the surrounding meat from the lower back and topped with a delicate smear of yuzu paste. Outrageous.
Fig
White Miso
An unexpected and welcome palette cleanser came next in the form of this lightly charred fig perched atop a dollop of sesame-like white miso.
KFC (Kono Fried Chicken)
Apple, Chives
I don't recall which part of the chicken this was, but it was a nice addition to the all the other grilled courses. The panko coating was delicate and crunchy and the sweet grated apple topping imbued the bite with a beautiful autumn sensibility.
Wing
Bones still intact, we enjoyed gnawing on these crisp, succulent wings as the penultimate main course offering.
Tsukune
Greens, Tomato, Special Sauce, Pickles
Last but certainly not least was Chef Kono's take on tsukune (chicken meatball), here transformed into an fantastically tasty little slider with homemade pickles.
Neck (Supplement)
After completing the main menu, our supplements began to arrive. First up was this bit of neck meat, which was a real hit.
Shochu
We paused to discuss another drink option and took our server's suggestion of trying a shochu. While I have at least some experience with sake, shochu is a total mystery, one which I hope to unravel further, if this bottle is any indication of what to expect. It drank like a fine scotch, with complex peat and mineral notes.
Iberico Pork (Supplement)
Yuzu, Chives
Iberico pork is a rare treat, and the perfect grill cookery here made for a luxurious experience worth the extra cost.
Iberico pork is a rare treat, and the perfect grill cookery here made for a luxurious experience worth the extra cost.
Gizzard (Supplement)
I love fried gizzards, which I almost always used to order at the legendary NY izakaya, Sake Bar Hagi. Though this grilled version was enjoyable, we felt it was a miss to serve it last, rather than ending with the pork.
I love fried gizzards, which I almost always used to order at the legendary NY izakaya, Sake Bar Hagi. Though this grilled version was enjoyable, we felt it was a miss to serve it last, rather than ending with the pork.
Udon
Our final savory dish took us back to the beginning of the meal, with another bowl of clear chicken soup, this time with the addition of chewy udon noodles. Wonderful!
Black Sugar Crème Brûlée
Kono's signature dessert stands out just as much as their chicken. The Japanese black sugar lent a pleasantly bitter flavor that tempered the otherwise sweet custard. I loved this.
