Admin will not write better than a Michelin reviewer, so she'll just skim the essentials:
COQODAQ redefines Korean-American fried chicken. If you're ready for the set menu called "The Wish List" (the chicken is also sold separately a la carte), there's only one question to answer: do you prefer the more savory or umami? rich garlic glaze made from soy sauce or the sweeter and spicier glaze made from fermented Korean red chili paste called gochujang?
The chef chose Amish birds from Pennsylvania, which are free-range, hormone- and antibiotic-free, and "fed an excess of vegetables." He marinates the meat for 24 hours, then coats the diced chicken parts with a mixture of rice flour (the dish is gluten-free), cayenne pepper, and ginger powder, and fries it several times. The hot oil creates a thick and crispy shell that mummifies the extremely plump chicken inside, ensuring that its internal juices do not leak out.
The bird is accompanied by several banchan (small appetizers), including pickled daikon and celery, as well as four mini bottles filled with sauces: honey mustard, parmesan and pepper, gochujang barbecue, and chili and lime sauce.
The team makes many things differently, including the oil used to fry the chicken. The startup Zero Acre Farms produces oil from fermented sugar cane; Zero Aces claims that their oil is 90% monounsaturated (and thermostable) fat, making it even healthier than olive oil.
Sustainability: The team is working with Peat/Afterlife Mushrooms, a circular farm in New York City, to recycle the restaurant's food waste. COQODAQ also extends the life of the oil by using state-of-the-art Henny Penny fryers with a footprint. built-in oil filtration system that helps minimize the restaurant's environmental.fats, making it even healthier than olive oil.