Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Lively 'New Korean' Tapas Make Thursday Kitchen A Satisfying East Village Hangout
By
Scott Lynch
Published Aug 9, 2016
Modified Aug 9, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist
View all 8
By
Scott Lynch
Published Aug 9, 2016
Modified Aug 9, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Our latest Quick Bites brings us to the East Village for some small plates.
THE VIBE
Thursday Kitchen, which just opened in a sub-sidewalk space on East 9th that has seen too much turnover in recent years (King Bee and Exchange Alley were the previous two tenants), is trying for a tricky twofer.
During the week, the front room is open all day for coffee only—a cup of regular drip, hot or iced, is just a buck—and free Wi-Fi. The strategy here, I guess, is to lure in the laptopping locals, start a relationship, get everyone accustomed to dropping by. And then at night, Thursday Kitchen becomes an ambitious, self-described "New Korean" small-plates restaurant—average price per dish about eight or nine dollars—led by the clearly quite talented Chef Kay.
The staff at Thursday Kitchen is enthusiastic and helpfu, and the physical seating (mostly holdovers from the previous tenants), is spacious and comfortable. It feels a bit dim on a pleasant summer evening, as many of these downstairs East Village restaurants do, but I imagine it'll be quite cozy come fall and winter.
(Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
THE BITES
Chef Kay says that she uses traditional Korean dishes and techniques as a foundation for her cooking, adding inspiration from Japanese, Chinese, French, and New York styles. Over the course of two meals last week I tried six of her creations (you need about three dishes for a proper, filling dinner), and would not hesitate to come back for more.
One favorite was the Hwe Soba, served chilled—a tangle of firm buckwheat noodles sitting in a shallow pool of fiery "kimchi soup" and topped with about ten chunks of raw yellow fin tuna. Another was the Chicharron, with a pair of deep-fried, sliced-up slabs of pork belly that run from soft and fatty to crisp and pig-sweet. There's a cashew creme drizzled on top, but the genius of the dish is the white kimchi, adding even more creaminess and plenty of bite.
The Crispy Chicken was also very good, the bird a little dry but the sweet, spicy, sticky glaze making up for it, with black sesame "crumbles" bringing plenty to the party as well. The Eel tacos are a solid choice, mostly because the fish itself is terrific, and the innocuous-sounding Fried Rice was a surprise flavor bomb, the chewy grains mixed in with bits of egg, lots of buttered cauliflower, and more of that black sesame. The only dud was the Pollock Roe, which was really just a small serving of soggy sweet potato slices harboring very little evidence of anything fishy.
Drinks are served in plastic bags with straws sticking out of the top, but don't let that dissuade you from trying the Yuzu Tonic, which was both punchy and refreshing.
(Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist)
THE VERDICT
I know a couple of East Villagers who are already smitten with this spot, and the instant crush is understandable: Thursday Kitchen serves lively, well-executed dishes in a comfy room filled with friendly people. Add beer and wine to the mix if you're so inclined, and you have the makings for a first-rate neighborhood hangout.
Thursday Kitchen is located at 424 East 9th Street, between First Avenue and Avenue A, and is open nightly for dinner at 5:00, during the weekday for coffee, and on weekends at 11:30 for brunch. (646-755-8088; thursdaykiychennyc.com)
Tagged
east village
korean
quick bites
thursday kitchen
original
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .