Flanked by a decades-old pho shop and an H-Mart, Shaku Ramen in Flushing at first glance appears as a casual, unassuming ramen joint. Tucked below the full-service restaurant, however, lives an eponymous speakeasy called Below Shaku, which is set to open its disguised doors on Thursday, Dec. 15.
The covert bar, located at 156-30 Northern Blvd., draws inspiration from Shanghai’s Golden Age, exuding a vintage feel of clandestine luxury with its dim lighting, unpolished Nero Marquina walls and striking red accents.
With nods to the Copacabana scene in “Goodfellas” and La Esquina’s below-ground speakeasy, Below Shaku’s entry point is through a flight of kitchen stairs where an underground lounge awaits.
The bar features DIY fresh fruit soju drinks mixed by patrons themselves and spotlights high-end brands like Krug Vintage champagne and premium bottles of sake including the silky, delicately effervescent Uka Junmai Daiginjo, and the herbal, medium-bodied Sakuragawa FutsuShu Magnum.
Founders Ajay Chawla, Lawrence Wai and Moul Kim — the same people who pioneered the bouncy cheesecake trend stateside — envisioned Shaku Ramen as a no-frills, familiar space peddling playful Japanese fare, a stark contrast to the slick sake den that lives beneath it.
Shaku’s signature dishes include the tempura enoki, delicately fried enoki mushrooms powdered with black truffle then served alongside a housemade truffle aioli; the kani king crab miso ramen (a classic of Northern Japan); and the butadon bouquet, thin petals of smoky-sweet pork belly that lie atop a bed of rice.
From Thursday to Saturday, patrons can fill up on Japanese fare before descending a flight of kitchen stairs to this after hours hangout with tony beverages paired with music ranging from ’70s disco to ’90s hip-hop classics.
Below Shaku has a 25-seat capacity. The speakeasy is open from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, while Shaku Ramen’s hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
