Kisa: Reviving Korean Taxi Drivers' Diners in the Heart of New York

"Tucked on the corner of Houston St and Allen St, this 36-seat, retro-styled tribute to Korea’s kisa sikdangs recreates drivers’ diners with vintage televisions, wall-mounted fans, Korean calendars, and menus posted on walls and tables, plus a coin-slot coffee machine that dispenses complimentary coffee on the way out and also offers hot chocolate or tea. The tightly focused baekban format keeps choices to four entrees—bulgogi, spicy pork, spicy squid, and bori (barley) bibimbap—so service stays quick while quality stays high; each platter comes with rice, soup, and seven seasonally rotating banchan sourced directly from Korea, including kimchi made from scratch following the chef’s family recipe from their hometown in North Korea before the Korean War. Conceived by the team behind MICHELIN Bib Gourmand C as in Charlie with chef Simon Lee (formerly of One MICHELIN Star Jua), it aims to bring an unfiltered slice of Korean everyday cooking to New York and revive the spirit of casual drivers’ restaurants. Expect about $32 for an entree with sides, soup, and rice (drinks bring it to roughly $50–$60 per person, tax included), and note that the spicy pork is cooked on a special grill imported from Korea that traps smoke and infuses it into the gochujang-marinated meat; to avoid lines, go on Tuesdays or Wednesdays and arrive 10–15 minutes before the 5PM opening or closer to 9PM." - Kevin Chau