Kin Gin
Permanently Closed
Japanese izakaya: grilled mackerel, pork jowl, cocktails
Japanese izakaya: grilled mackerel, pork jowl, cocktails
"Somehow, the swimming pool-sized skylight isn’t our favorite thing about this Japanese restaurant in the Hotel on Rivington. That honor goes to the tontoro, a juicy grilled pork jowl, glazed in rich brown miso and garnished with crunchy peanuts. Come for afternoon sunshine and izakaya snacks on the Lower East Side." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, willa moore, will hartman, sonal shah
"Sweet potato might not initially be thought of as a crème brûlée flavor, but this recipe makes the case for why it should be. I first came across these custard baked potatoes in Japan; after seeing them again at a Thai night market in Los Angeles, I had to attempt them myself. The recipe hails from a restaurant on New York’s Lower East Side. You’re essentially making a creme brulee custard base that is mixed with the insides of a roasted sweet potato, pouring the custard into the hollowed out potato, baking until the custard sets, and then finishing the top with torched sugar. The result is unlike any sweet potato you’ve ever had: creamy and luxurious with a crackly bruleed top. — Kat Thompson, Eater at Home associate editor" - Eater Staff
"The executive chef employs tinned crab in delicate egg preparations, whisking two parts chicken stock with one part eggs and canned crab meat, seasoning with soy sauce and kosher salt, and gently cooking until a silky egg-and-crab custard forms; substituting soy milk converts the preparation into a steamed egg tofu, illustrating how canned crab pairs well with egg-based textures." - Kat Thompson
"Kin Gin may be on the bottom of the Hotel On Rivington on the Lower East Side, but it would fit in better at a museum. People drink gin-and-tonic variations and speak in hushed tones under a big skylight. The Japanese food, especially the stuff hot off the binchotan grill, is polished. And the room never feels overstuffed, even at 7pm. If you like nice—but not precious—things, you'll feel right at home. Kin Gin goes hard in the grilling department, and so should you when it comes time to order. The mackerel is expertly butchered—completely devoid of bones—and the classic mound of grated radish on the side helps freshen up the pleasant fishy flavor. Miso-cured pig jowl is fatty, charred, and balanced by salty peanuts and bright pickled radish. There's plenty of raw fish on the menu here, too, and it's generally good quality. But the hot stuff is more interesting, and you can find better versions of crudo and sashimi elsewhere downtown. photo credit: Noah Fecks photo credit: Noah Fecks photo credit: Noah Fecks Pause Unmute Your meal won't be cheap—you're eating in a Lower East Side restaurant with a greenhouse roof, after all. So save Kin Gin for dinner with someone who likes thoughtful Japanese food, and doesn't mind dropping about a hundred dollars to eat it. If you're just looking for the prototypical LES restaurant rager, skip this place. Or, better yet, treat Kin Gin like the fishy calm before the storm of going out in the neighborhood. Food Rundown Zuke Tontoro If you like fatty pork products, get this miso-cured pig jowl. Get it now. Our only complaint is that we want more pickles—they brighten up the salty, charred flavors all over the dish. photo credit: Noah Fecks Saba Yaki Fishy, oily, and served with grated radish, this whole grilled mackerel is exactly what it promises to be. Split it with one or two people, and try to get at the center of the fish where the spine once was—it’s the juiciest part. photo credit: Noah Fecks Chicken Karaage If you want something fried on your table, this chicken served with a thick, warming Japanese curry sauce is a good option. The boneless thighs somehow stay crunchy and juicy at the same time. Nasu Miso Our favorite of the veggie small plates here. These chunks of grilled eggplant look like Japanese grilled eel, and they’re just as charred and sweet as you’d expect. photo credit: Noah Fecks Tomato Yuba-Burrata You should know that there isn’t burrata in this dish at all, but rather yuba wrapped around sweet ricotta cheese. We have no qualms about the misnomer, because the sungold tomatoes and stewed eggplant, mixed with some sweet and fluffy milk bread, create a sauce at the bottom of the bowl that’s perfect for sopping up with even more milk bread. photo credit: Will Hartman" - Will Hartman
"Another spot on the LES, Kin Gin calls themselves a contemporary izakaya. The executive chef used to work at some very fancy spots like Masa and Morimoto, so expect refined izakaya bites like a scallop crudo, braised pig ears, and grilled house dry-aged mackerel. It looks like a big open room with skylights, and a marble hearth, right in time for summer." - will hartman