Kochi - Korean Fine Dining

Instagram: @jojo_gourmand Last year, I checked out Chef Sungchul Sim’s creative take on hand rolls at Mari. Now, a year later, I’m back in his world at the restaurant that originally launched him into NYC’s Korean fine-dining scene. I’d seen photos of Kochi’s cozy dining room, but I didn’t expect it to be this cramped. Kochi (꼬치) means skewer, which is fitting for a menu where most courses arrive threaded. MENU HIGHLIGHTS MUSHROOM SOUP | Shiitake Meringue | Perilla Oil Reminds me of Korea’s chilled pumpkin soup. The sweetness balances the deep mushroom notes, and as the meringue melts, it coats the palate with earthy shiitake richness. HOKKAIDO SCALLOP | Chestnut | White Kimchi The scallop’s natural sweetness worked well with the crisp acidity of white kimchi. A refreshing reset between heavier bites. ABALONE | Shrimp Jeon | Yuja Soy An optional add-on, but absolutely worth it. Tender abalone layered over shrimp jeon, dipped in spicy yuja soy = one of the night’s standout bites. BANANA MILK | Banana Parfait | Banana Compote The nostalgic Korean drink, reimagined as a popsicle. The compote hits with piercing banana intensity, but together with all the components, it became the best version of banana milk ever. 🗺️ Korean ⭐️ Michelin One-Starred 🏷️ US$150+

The tasting menu here is very unique. The mushroom soup was actually the highlight of the whole menu for me! Definitely do the Abalone dish add on. The sea urchin add on was also very interesting to taste. To wrap up, both desserts were very refreshing. Service was very good and the whole restaurant has very cosy vibes, without the "corporate" style that some Michelin stars have.

"Kochi" literally skewer. A fun take on Korean street food...elevated/adapted to a western palate. Most wonderful service. Very pretty plating. Personally found the food sweet for some reason. I wish they would cut down on the sugar in their apps and entrées. The two dessert plates were perfectly sweet, however. Worth the price? I guess so.

Celebrated my husband’s birthday here tonight! Every aspect of our dinner felt special and memorable. Each course was a unique experience. The service was outstanding – the entire staff was friendly and efficient. I am gluten-free and our waitress, Sarah, took extra care to explain any changes made to my dishes to accommodate that. I appreciated her attention to detail so I knew exactly what I was eating. We had an incredible meal and can’t wait to come back!

Overall, It would have been a 4-star experience if not for the failed duck course. Felt a bit overrated. Favorite courses: abalone, hwe (Hokkaido scallop), and banana milk dessert. The course combinations were creative, and I enjoyed almost all of the dishes—up until the duck. The duck tasted great, but the skin was a little too charred. The staff offered to replace it, which I later regretted, as the second time was poorly executed: very chewy and definitely not up to the standard. Unfortunately, this inconsistency brought down my overall rating of the restaurant. They should really look into why the second preparation was significantly worse than the first. Environment: I don’t think I can give a completely fair rating for the environment because I was seated outdoors with a heater. On two occasions, customers waiting for tables were standing behind me (about a table’s distance). For someone who values a quiet dining experience, this was a major downside. Customers should be seated rather than standing behind diners while waiting—especially when some were in groups. This made the experience feel disorganized.

My husband and I went to Kochi for our anniversary and had the course tasting menu with wine pairings. Every dish was beautifully presented and thoughtfully crafted. It was a joy watching each plate come together. The ambience was quiet and intimate, and the service was excellent. Overall, it was a memorable, elevated dining experience that felt perfect for a special occasion.

Really enjoyed it! I had the chef menu and the wine tasting. A lot of thought and care went into the menus. The food was tasty. Favorites were the first course mushroom soup, octopus skewers and the desserts.