NYC Restaurants

Gugu, urban slang for your object of affection, is the inspiration behind the Gugu Room on the Lower East Side. The Filipino-Japanese izakaya is also putting a Filipino twist on cocktails. The stylish space with maroon banquettes, Asian-style lamps and full bar is offering flavorful skewers and a lot more.

Look for things like Pork Harumaki, Japanese crispy rolls filled with pork and sweet chili sauce; Chicken Karaage with calamansi ginger aioli; Adobe Wings; and Blistered Shishito Peppers. Larger plates include Truffle Mushroom Sisig, Short Rib Udon with Bone Marrow, Spicy Tofu Steak with bock choy and Pan’Yaki Bronzino in jalapeno sauce. There are also Ebi tacos with rock shrimp or Kani with crab and fish cake.

Cocktails come with names like El Fili Daquiri (Tandua Gold Rum, Gina Mango, Yuzo Kosho (chili), Calamansi juice (Philippine lime) and Tagarashi rim; Yuzu Gimlet (Suntory Roku Gin, Dekopon Orange Liqueur, St Germain Elderflower liqueur and yuzu juice); and Wasabi Mar-Gari-Ta (Blanco Tequila, Contreau, Calamansi honey, lime, wasabi, Gari (pickled ginger), and smoked Maldon salt rim.