Lucky Star

"Momonoki and Brush Sushi owners chef Jason Liang and John Chen are opening a bar at Star Metals this winter offering cocktails and cocktail omakases, pastries and coffee, and an all-day menu to include Taiwanese fried chicken sandwiches. Located beside sushi restaurant Hayakawa at Star Metals, Lucky Star will be divided into two distinct spaces — an all-day cafe and bar in the front, with an evening cocktail spot pouring drinks in back. The front portion of Lucky Star will open in the morning for coffee and pastries from baker ChingYao Wang, reminiscent of Liang and Chen’s Midtown coffee shop Momo Cafe. It then transitions around 11 a.m. to serving Taiwanese fried chicken sandwiches and street snacks, like deep-fried sweet potato fries with palm seasoning. Look for draft cocktails, a tight list of beer and wine, and a regular happy hour. The back bar at Lucky Star is meant to be an intimate experience and reservation-only, where people can order everything from Southern takes on cocktails like the New York sour and a shiso gin and tonic to culinary-inspired drinks such as a tomato martini and a mapo tofu cocktail similar to a Ramos Gin Fizz mixed with peppercorn syrup and soy milk. The bar will also offer a nightly cocktail omakase service with food pairings from Liang." - Beth McKibben