Chef Sungchul Shim opened Kochi in a little Hell’s Kitchen space at the conclude of 2019. It obtained its liquor license a several months later, 1 day in advance of the citywide shutdowns in March of 2020. Nevertheless, Shim’s Korean skewer tasting menu managed to rack up accolades in spite of the field tumult that adopted.
Kochi now tops our lists of the ideal places to eat in NYC, it acquired a Michelin star earlier this yr and it just won Time Out’s Ideal of the Town award in the cafe classification. Right now, Chef Shim is opening his next undertaking nearby.
“We went by means of a great deal of matters and survived,” he says in the hrs ahead of opening the doors to Mari. “It’s difficult, but I consider to feel this strategy will function since we put so much vitality and so a great deal technique and so significantly enjoyment. And also I’m Korean and I want to make our personal innovative Korean menu.”
Shim’s two restaurants are divided by a couple of blocks and an avenue. Reservations at equally are booked via the weekend.
“I feel confident,” he states. We have a great workforce, the fundamentals are so superior, so which is why I feel more snug. The restaurant small business is not only by one particular. You have to make it collectively. Structure, menu, company, beverages, it is pretty intricate. I’m truly blessed to have these individuals to do the job with and to make alongside one another this Korean foods lifestyle.”
His second solo venture swings absent from the sensational skewers that won Kochi so substantially acclaim and into new prix fixe terrain with a $125, 12-program prix-fixe encouraged by Korean road food.
“This is not only a hand roll restaurant, this is a Korean whole tasting,” Shim says. “The reason why I selected a tasting format is that I test to give friends a total knowledge, not a 50 percent. The exact as Kochi. Kochi’s inspiration is a skewer. Now, I’m using the kimbap.”
Lots of of the elements that go into his snow crab, crimson caviar, pork tummy and Wagyu beef kinds are organized on-website.
“Almost everything we make in-household,” he claims. “I consider that’s the key detail. Mainly because Korean meals is all about soy sauce, fermentation and timing. So we make all the essential elements for the kimbap, which is a Korean hand roll, in property. All the pickles and sauces and condiments, we make below. We have over 10, 12 different sorts of preserved veggies and 15-20 different household built sauces.”

Also critical: yet another open kitchen, form of like Kochi’s. The Mari group developed an island work place in the heart of the eating room.
“Guests can sit at 4 sides of the bar and they can view us: What we do, what we prepare and what we’re serving,” Shim says. “A cafe is not only promoting the meals. The company have to delight in, they have to have a great knowledge. They occur right here not just for a food. So I test to give them more entertaining. It’s pretty dynamic I consider friends truly like it.”
The relaxation of the very room is lined in pale wood banquettes, tables and chairs with pops of colour in the blue upholstery. It seats 30 inside with home for 20 more in its heated out of doors eating area. The hand rolls that anchor Mari’s menu are bookended by other dishes like a sundubu with very little neck clams, mussels, shrimp and charred scallion chili oil and a choco pie with sponge cake, black sesame seed marshmallow and strawberry jam to finish.
“It’s variety of like, I want to exhibit them a Korean showcase,” Shim says.