Dining Lunar New Year: A Guide to Asian Dining in NYC

Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year, kicks off on January 29, 2025. This is the Year of the Snake, and though snakes often get a bad rap, it promise to bring wisdom, creativity, and transformation, according to zodiac lore.

Those who observe the Chinese New Year hope for good fortune this coming year and aim to enjoy themselves by “eating and being merry.”  In this issue, we’re celebrating Asian cuisine and the latest and greatest restaurants to hit the scene in the past year. Let’s take an Eastern-inspired culinary tour around New York City.

Coqodaq

12 E 22nd St, New York City

CEO/ Founder Simon Kim and Gracious Hospitality Management, the folks behind the Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-nominated COTE Korean Steakhouse, are taking fried chicken to a whole new level. In pursuit of ‘Better Fried Chicken,’ the Korean eatery Coqodaq pledges better birds, batter, and oil.

The succulent star of the show comes in several forms – nuggets, thighs and drumsticks – and is accompanied by your choice of sauce. The chicken is paired with an extensive list of – you did not guess it – Champagne. Regarding ambiance, the interior is smartly dressed in a modern vibe, with music pulsing well above inaudible conversation. But Coqodaq has become wildly popular nonetheless, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a seat well into the night hours.

Odre

199 2^nd Ave, New York City

Owner and chef Changki Kang is the mastermind behind Odre, a Korean restaurant that opened in the summer of 2023 and is backed by Hand Hospitality. Odre means ‘welcome’ in the dialect spoken in the Gangwon Province of Korea.

You’ll experience authentic Korean cuisine with a four-course prix fixe menu in Bansang style – a main dish featuring six banchan (side dishes), along with rice and soup prepared at the gamasot bar.  A “gamasot” is a traditional Korean iron pot used for simmering dishes like stews, soups, and rice. To heighten the senses, three gamasots are strategically placed in the space within the nostril proximately to diners, sending savory aromas wafting through the ether.

Kang puts an emphasis on food presentation in addition to palate-pleasing, and the dishes are creatively plated for visual appeal.

Kiko

307 Spring Street, New York City

Wife and husband duo Lina Goujjane and Chef Alex Chang introduce Kiko to the city scene, an east-meets-west establishment that boasts an American menu with an Asian approach. Goujjane’s culinary background is impressive, as her family was behind “One if By Land, Two If By Sea” for decades, a restaurant many thought to be one of Manhattan’s “most romantic” eateries (it has since closed over 10 years ago).

Look for delectable menu items like lobster crispy rice, tuna tartare, a chicory/red cabbage salad, and a Berkshire pork secreto. The interior is warm and inviting, combining elements of brick, wood plank floors, and a crackling fireplace.

Blue Blossom

108 W 39th St

Blue Blossom is an innovative Chinese restaurant that opened in November. It modernizes and elevates provincial Chinese recipes. The restaurant is led by the same husband-wife team that oversees CheLi and Szechuan Mountain House.

The name Blue Blossom refers to both the color blue and traditional blue-and-white porcelain—“blue” represents tranquility and elegance, and “blossom” pays tribute to the beauty of flowers.

They cover a vast Chinese repertoire, offering a signature Bao platter, wontons, and dumplings; decadent soups like herbal mushroom and seafood; and entrees such as roasted Peking duck, cumin lamb, and fried prawns in a tandao sauce. You can mark the meal’s finish line with exotic sweets such as jasmine tea jello, or strawberry/green tea shaved ice.

Sinsa

95 2ND AVE NEW YORK, NY

The team behind Rice Thief in Long Island City has unveiled a new Korean American wine bar in the East Village. The kitchen is led by Jay Yang and executive chef William Lee, two alums of Oiji Mi. Their culinary vision honors old-world recipes, featuring dishes rooted in family tradition. Manhattan offerings lean on sharing plates and include scallop crudo, gocharu fried chicke, blistered shishito peppers, and galbijjim (braised short ribs). The wine program is chock full of global selections and highlights Korean rice wine as well

Ha’s Snack Bar

297 Broome Street, NYC

Anthony Ha and Sadie Mae Burns, known for their esteemed Vietnamese American pop-up series Ha’s Đặc Biệt, have finally settled down and found a permanent home for their culinary passion and prowess. Now housed in the former home of Gem Wine on the Lower East Side, Ha’s is a tidy wine bar featuring a changing chalkboard menu that focuses on small plates, charcuterie, and snacks. Their secret is in the sauce – literally – as just about everything on the menu contains fish sauce. Some favorites include bass crudo, escargot, pork belly, and bo kho.

Mitsuru

149 W. Fourth Street, New York City

After two decades as the head chef of Sushi Yasuda, Mitsuru Tamura decided to climb the culinary ladder and finally make his dream of owning his own restaurant a reality. Tamura, along with Grant Reynolds of Parcelle, have opened a neighborhood Japanese restaurant in the West Village.

Their menu focuses on sushi, hand rolls, and more robust entrees like miso black cod and wagyu strip loin. It is accompanied by a lengthy wine list of over 500 bottles. Patrons can partake in omakase at the 8-seat counter, where Tamura is served nightly.