Kochi

General Notes

Kochi is the best restaurant that I've been to, as of July 2022. There are almost certainly many expensive fine dining restaurants that are comparable or better than Kochi foodwise, but there are few restaurants which can compare at its relatively modest price point of $135 per person. In that sense, it is perhaps the best value for an incredible food experience, for a special occasion. The menu spans the gamut, with a diverse array of ingredients and preparations, but it is ultimately grounded in Korean flavors and ingredients. It achieves a perfect balance of familiar and pushing the envelope. And quite frankly, each individual item is simply really, really good. "Korean skewered dishes" sounds odd at first but don't let the description fool you -- it is so much more than that and it is absolutely worth a visit.

Positives

> The ambiance of the restaurant is lovely!
> It is surprisingly not that difficult to get a reservation here, especially if you're willing to get a reservation outside of peak hours. I was able to book a Saturday night 9:15 reservation literally the night before.
> My favorites were probably the white asparagus / potato leek soup, monkfish, and steak. Oh man the steak was absolutely amazing. The waitress said "it only gets better from here after the monkfish course" and I was skeptical, but it did not disappoint.

Dishes Tasted

• ★★★★ Ice Cream Sandwich -- black sesame ice cream, chocolate sponge cake, misugaru cream. The combination of black sesame and chocolate sounded strange, but they work together so well.
• ★★★☆ Froyo -- hanrabong frozen yogurt, sable, strawberry compote. The hanrabong is really, really good. I haven't had this flavor in an ice cream before and it just works. A nice vibrant and refreshing first dessert.
• ★★★★ Spring Sprout Bibimbap -- soy marinaded steelhead trout, seasonal sprouts, candied anchovy, seaweed rice. The trout is so buttery and melts in your mouth, so much so that the dish doesn't really need the uni supplement (though I'm sure it would be amazing with it, too). Wonderfully well-balanced, and the crispy components at the bottom make a world of difference.
• ★★★★ Skirt Steak -- galbi marinaded American wagyu skirt, spring onion, barley, ramp chimichurri. This is the best steak dish I've had as of July 2022, and it isn't even close.
• ★★★★ Duck -- duck leg confit, tomato marmalade, cherry ssamjang, minari salad. This is perhaps the "duckiest duck" that I've ever had -- the flavor is so incredibly intense. The duck itself could perhaps be a bit more juicy, but the crispy skin and all the accompaniments work beautifully.
• ★★★☆ Spanish Mackerel -- charcoal grilled Spanish mackerel, yuja mokgeolli vinaigrette, crispy eggplant. Out of all the dishes, this is probably the one I enjoyed the least (although it is still very good!). The smoky charred flavor was lovely (though maybe a bit strong). I'm a bit confused about the yuja mokgeolli vinaigrette and I'm not sure if that was the perfect accompaniment to the mackerel. The crispy eggplant is absolutely delightful.
• ★★★★ Monkfish Twigim -- crispy monkfish, korean remoulade, celery root, tomato gochujang. Beautifully fried, super tender, amazing flavors.
• ★★★★ Hwe -- sea bream, chamoe vinaigrette, melon, shallots, chamoe granita. I was confused by this dish initially ... but it just works. There's a remarkable balance and refreshing aftertaste. The melon vinaigrette is so absurdly good, I'd totally drink it straight if it were on the menu.
• ★★★★ White Asparagus -- potato leek soup, english pea, crispy white asparagus, caviar. So delicious and comforting; I've never had potato leek soup with such intensity of flavor before.