Pauline Frommer
North America / USA / New York State / New York City / Best Restaurants

Coqodaq

A smartly crafted set meal is a thing of beauty. At Coqodaq, the set meal, called "the Bucket List," comes out in stages for maximum drama. First course is a soothing chicken consume; second course is the excellent “dry” fried chicken, accompanied by an adorable quartet of sauces in squeeze bottles, alongside ban chan, the classic Korean side dishes—in this case a massive heap of refreshing scallion salad and three plates of subtly pickled vegetables. Next you get glazed fried chicken (your choice of spicy or savory), then a palate-cleansing bowl of cold dressed noodles, and for dessert, a swirl of frozen yogurt with seasonal fruit. It's slightly too much food for one person, but they don’t allow sharing, so if you’re on a budget, consider ordering just some of the elements listed above (it will come out to less money, and who needs that much chicken?). So why just two stars? For the nightclub-like setting, which gives a meal here definite buzz but inhibits deep conversation. Some people will love the ambiance, others will find it sensory overload.

Tip: To get a reservation email reservations@coqodaq.com if your party is four or more, a more sure fire method than relying on Resy.