Hit or Misso? Koi Restaurant NYC
When I was 13, I used to walk past Koi in Bryant Park several times a week. I’d peer through the windows of the upscale restaurant, taking in its grand architecture and striking honeycomb wall, and think to myself…
"One day I'll be rich. And I'll be able to dine here."
Today, 11 years later, only one of those things is true.
I’m not “rich” (yet), but I can finally afford to walk through those doors and dine here. Is Koi Restaurant worth over a decade waiting for?
I came for NYC Restaurant Week, when they were offering a $60 prix-fixe menu with one appetizer, one small main, and one dessert. The portions were definitely on the lighter side, especially for someone with a big appetite like me, but I was excited to see what they had to offer.
Appetizer:
I started with the salmon black truffle carpaccio, served with ponzu and grated truffle. The smell of the truffle hit me immediately, which made me a little nervous because I’m not a huge fan of strong truffle flavors that linger on your tongue. Luckily, after trying it, I found the truffle flavor to be much more subtle than the smell. The ponzu, on the other hand, was quite strong, but I actually thought it worked really well with the truffle and the buttery salmon. The salmon itself was excellent—soft and delicate without being mushy.
Entree:
For my main, I went with the hamachi yuzu roll, filled with crispy onions and topped with jalapeño and yuzu kosho. This was probably my favorite dish of the meal. The hamachi was fresh and high quality, while the yuzu kosho added a subtle kick, the jalapeño brought some freshness, and the crispy onions surprisingly added a touch of sweetness. Everything came together really nicely with their nikiri soy.
Dessert:
Lastly, I chose the flourless chocolate lava cake. It was topped with a beautiful chocolate design and served with vanilla ice cream in a chocolate shell, along with a marshmallow. You could definitely tell it was flourless, but that didn’t make it bad. It still had a rich chocolate flavor, and the marshmallow was honestly much better than the $15 one I bought at Bryant Park (not worth it). It wasn’t the best dessert I’ve ever had, but it was still a satisfying way to end the meal.
I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed Koi. No wonder they’ve been around for over a decade. After all these years, I finally know what it’s like to dine there—and I’d say it was definitely worth the wait.
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Food: 9/10 - Everything was perfect, but dessert can be improved!
Atmosphere: 10/10 - Unique, upscale
Service: 9/10 - I save my 10s for a place like Eleven Madison
As always, these are simply my personal opinions, shared with the hope of offering constructive feedback. Every dining experience is unique.
What do you think—do you agree with my thoughts on Koi Restaurant? And more importantly, where should I review next? Drop your favorite omakase or sushi spot below!
Watch the full review on Instagram →
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