NYC Restaurants

Dishes inspired by the Korean royal court, dating back to 1392, are what you will find at Kochi in Hell's Kitchen. Chef Sungchul Shim (formerly of Per Se, Bouley and Neta) opening his first solo restaurant with a focus on skewers. The $75 nine-course tasting menu begins with Tarakjuk, a vichyssoise-like soup made with pine nuts and potatoes. There is also Mul-Hwe, a mix of raw scallops and octopus with pickled onion, perilla leaf salad and tiger's milk, and Saengseon-Gui featuring grilled mackerel with soy eggplant. Also on the menu, Andong Jjimdak made with chicken slow-cooked in a four-day preparation with aged shiitake mushrooms; Bossam, pork belly with pickled daikon and hazelnut-ssamjang sauce; and Tteok-Galbi, charcoal grilled ribeye stuffed with sweet rice cake and topped with pear and chestnut chutney. A Black Sesame Ice Cream Pop is offered for dessert. Cocktails include drinks like Temptation (Soju, Tomato Water, Korean Chili Powder), Silk Martini (Konbu-Infused Vodka, Soy-Sauce Wakame, Black Pepper) and Plum Island (Rum, Korean Plum Extract, Ginger Bitters). The space features an open kitchen as well as an 11-seat white marble chef's counter.

- Thomas Rafael