Black Book Features Nick Haque

Black Book recently featured an article about Nick Haque.  “Working in real estate taught me to appreciate the way each of the senses is inspired when you enter a room,” Haque told Black Book. “I realized there was an absence of restaurants that appealed to all of the senses.”  Haque also told Black Book that he aims to make each meal a unique experience by focusing on a combination of elements.  These elements include comfort, design and quality ingredients.  Haque also mentioned his famous “Skinny Menu” in the article.  This is the menu with the low calorie options for those watching their weight.  While Nick Haque opened the original Koi in Los Angeles in 2002, since then he has opened several more restaurants.  The other locations are New York, Las Vegas and Bangkok, but Koi does not plan to stop there.  He plans to open many more locations worldwide.  He tells Black Book that he wants to open locations in Miami, Dubai and Washington DC.

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Great News, Nick Haque Koi Now Has a Happy Hour in Las Vegas!

I was very excited to find out some great news about the Koi restaurants.  One of my favorite things to do is go for sushi happy hour.  However, Koi did not have a happy hour which was something I had always hoped for.  Luckily, recently I discovered that Nick Haque Koi is now offering an excellent happy hour at their Las Vegas location.  In this happy hour you can get many of Koi’s delicious dishes for a discount.  I love splurging at Koi but sometimes a happy hour is a great way to relax after work and hopefully spend a little less than you would at a normal dinner hour.  At the Las Vegas Koi you can get half off selected drinks and half off selected appetizers from 5pm to 7pm.  The Los Angeles Koi also offers a fixed special.  You better be ready to head over there on time because the LA happy hour only lasts from 6pm to 7pm.  Some of the Specialty rolls you can get at the Vegas happy hour are lobster tacos, specialty sushi rolls, and saki.  I’m hoping to head over there very soon!

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Tim McGraw & Faith Hill spotted at Nick Haque Koi

Nick Haque Koi diner: Faith Hill

Nick Haque Koi diner: Faith Hill

When visiting Koi is West Hollywood California, there is a good chance of seeing a celebrity.  If you were to drive by Nick Haque Koi on any given night, you would probably spot a handful of paparazzi hoping to snap a picture of a huge star leaving this Japanese fusion restaurant.  Many celebrities and everyday people as well are regulars at Koi.  Koi highly regarded as an upscale restaurant that serves fresh and delicious cuisine.  It is also enjoyed for its serene, yet trendy and hip scene.  Koi manages to keep the delicate balance of being relaxing and zen-inspired, yet busy and happening at the same time.  The design concept of the restaurant was carefully planned out with attention to detail. Koi has seen its share of celebrities and recently a country music family was the latest celebrity diners to eat at the world famous Koi.  Faith Hill along with her husband Tim McGraw and their three daughters enjoyed a delicious meal at the Koi restaurant.

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Flower Power at Nick Haque Koi

In New York flowers are blooming everywhere.  This has inspired a new drink craze.  Drinks with floral flavors and garnishes.  One New York restaurant that is always on the forefront of what is hot is Nick Haque Koi.  Koi has a variety of creative beverages of different styles.  The mixologists at Koi know how to create delicious and inventive drinks. One bartender from the New York Koi shares some of the new popular floral inspired drinks. “You can always find cilantro, basil and other herbs on menus,” says Koi bartender Ben Waclaw. “The floral addition gets people talking.”  Some of the popular drinks with floral influences popping up in New York include Elder Flower and Violet, Lavender, and Hibiscus.  These drinks are light and refreshing, a perfect choice for summer.  Of course there are also other traditional drinks for those who are not into the flower flavors.  For instance, there are the fruit flavors such as a Tangerine, Blackberry or  Lychee Martinis.  There are also beverages that are not sweet.  Whatever your preference, you can find it at Koi.

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Bangkok Koi’s Executive Chef is Hisashi Iwata

Sushi bars have been opening all over Bangkok. Nippon cuisine has been said to be one of Thailand’s favorite international cuisines. With so many sushi restaurants opening in Bangkok tourists and residents may be wondering where to eat. Luckily, there is a Koi location in Bangkok. Koi restaurant in Bangkok is one of the hottest and trendiest restaurants to grab some sushi while in the city. One of the reason’s that the food at Koi Bangkok is so delicious is because of their amazing chef, Executive Chef Hisashi Iwata. Born in Kobe, Chef Hisashi has much experience as a chef. His chef expertise has been experienced at Nick Haque Koi Restaurant in Los Angeles and New York.

Chef Hisashi Iwata said, “…As for cuisine ‘All Around Japanese cooking’ is what encompasses my attributes. I enjoy the food from many world cuisines and add the “all around the world” touch to my working experience, sharing my love of food

Some of the popular dishes at the Koi Bangkok location are also popular dishes at many of the other Koi locations. For instance, some of the recommended dishes at Nick Haque’s Koi Bangkok are Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna, Creamy Rock Shrimp Tempura, Steamed Chilean Sea Bass and Miso Bronzed Black Cod.

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Koi Hostess is the Hostess with the Mostess says Esquire!

Twenty-four year old Carolina Kreckler, Hostess at Nick Haque Koi in Los Angeles was named the Hostess of the Week by Esquire Magazine.  Carolina moved to Los Angeles when she was 16, her father was a diplomat.  She loved sushi and wanted to get into the restaurant business so she got a job at Koi.  Carolina says, “I decided to come back to L.A., and wanted to get into the restaurant business. Koi was the hottest thing that was going on, and I love sushi, and I had a friend who worked in the office.”

In her interview Carolina talks about some Argentinian food habits saying, “Argentinian people don’t like spicy food. That’s a big difference. Whenever I say, “I don’t like Tabasco,” people look at me like, “But you’re Latin, you’re from Argentina.” Honey, Argentinians like a lot of garlic, and lots of steak — meat, meat, meat. No spicy food, though. You’ll never see Tabasco on a table.”

When asked about LA stereotypes, Carolina said,

“The thing about men in Los Angeles is that they all love the big boobies, the lips, all that. Which I hate. I’m the opposite of that. But it amuses me. Instead of thinking, “Oh my god, I wish I had that,” I’m like, “What is this woman doing with her life?” I think being natural is the most beautiful thing ever. But yes, it is true. Women in Los Angeles are obsessed with perfection.

Oh! And also. Let me tell you. We have a lady that works the bathroom, and she speaks Spanish. Hardly any English. She told me that there are always girls that come out and look at themselves in the bathroom, they look at her and say, “Am I too skinny?” Ninety percent of the girls who walk out of the bathroom ask this poor Mexican lady — who I adore — Am I too skinny? just to hear what she has to say. So that’s L.A. for you.”

Read more: The thing about men in Los Angeles is that they all love the big boobies, the lips, all that. Which I hate. I’m the opposite of that. But it amuses me. Instead of thinking, “Oh my god, I wish I had that,” I’m like, “What is this woman doing with her life?” I think being natural is the most beautiful thing ever. But yes, it is true. Women in Los Angeles are obsessed with perfection.Oh! And also. Let me tell you. We have a lady that works the bathroom, and she speaks Spanish. Hardly any English. She told me that there are always girls that come out and look at themselves in the bathroom, they look at her and say, “Am I too skinny?” Ninety percent of the girls who walk out of the bathroom ask this poor Mexican lady — who I adore — Am I too skinny? just to hear what she has to say. So that’s L.A. for you.
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Celebrities spotted at Koi!

People magazine reported that both Ryan Phillippe and Jennifer Hudson were spotted at Koi recently.  Nick Haque Koi is very famous for attracting a celebrity clientele so it is not unusual for stars to show up there for a meal.

People explained, “Ryan Phillippe stepped out for a guys’ night out at Koi in Los Angeles, where the actor shared a late dinner with pals. Despite an attempt at anonymity thanks to a hoodie, the actor ended up nabbing a prime table outside on the restaurant’s front patio as he enjoyed a laughter-filled meal. ”

People also explained that Jennifer Hudson was at Koi saying, “Also at Koi (separately): Jennifer Hudson, who treated herself to creamy rock shrimp and spicy seared Albacore while catching up with two girlfriends.”

Great choices with the creamy rock shrimp and spicy seared albacore, Jennifer!

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Marinades add Flavor to Skewer Meals at Nick Haque Koi New York

Nick Haque Koi New York offers delicious food.  What could be better than learning how to make some amazing marinade from expert Koi executive chef Nick McCoy.  This is perfect for your next special occasion.  Here we will share the recipe as well as the video demonstration:

Recipe: Tuna skewers

You will need: 6-inch bamboo skewers, which you should soak while fish is marinating.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound tuna, cleaned, cut in strips (see note)
  • For marinade:
  • Zest of 1 lime, plus one tablespoon of juice
  • Zest of 1 orange, plus one tablespoon of juice
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minged ginger
  • 2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cilantro
  • For sweet soy sauce
  • 1 part soy sauce
  • 1 part sugar
  • Butter
  • For the spicy mustard:
  • 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Korean chili paste
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
Preparation

Note: For the tuna, cut the slices approximately 1/4-inch thick, 3-4 inches and an inch wide, measurements don’t need to be exact though.

For the marinate, mix all of the ingredients together. Put tuna in marinade for 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauces. For the sweet soy sauce: Heat soy sauce until it begins to boil. Whisk in sugar until all dissolved. Cook for a few minutes, careful not to let overflow. Finish with a spoonful of butter. Cool.

For the spicy mustard, mix all of the ingredients together. (If too spicy or if you desire more heat, adjust the amount of chili paste.)

Place a piece of aluminum foil on edge of the grill where you will rest the ends of the skewers. This will prevent the bamboo skewers from burning.

Skewer fish pieces one per skewer and grill until desired temperature is achieved, about 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Mix and dress all ingredients for the salad and serve with skewers and dipping sauce.

Serving

Serve on a bed of chiffonade baby spinach, watermelon cubes and black sesame seeds; use a dressing of 1 part lemon juice to 2 parts olive oil.

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Nick Haque Koi Drink Recipe Secret

Nick Haque Koi is famous for making delicious and creative drinks.  Some of these drinks include the Chocolate martini, the Koi lychee martini, and the Wasabi Praise.   Koi even makes low calorie options to go along with the restaurant’s new “Skinny Menu.”  One great beverage is the Koi Citrus Slim-Tini.  This refreshing beverage only has 144 calories, making it a perfect summer party drink.    Thanks to Redbook for divulging the recipe:

Citrus Slim-Tini:
2 oz Junmai sake
2 oz Blood Orange Hibiscus Tavlon Tea
½ oz agave nectar
1 piece fresh ginger
1 lemon wedge

Instructions: Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake, then strain into martini glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

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Koi Recipe for Sea Bass

The Sea Bass at Koi is delicious.  If you ever wanted to cook like they do at Koi, now you can.  Recently, Redbook published a Nick Haque Koi recipe on their website.  We are very excited to share the recipe with you.

Steamed Chilean Sea Bass

Ingredients:
6-7 oz. Chilean sea bass
4-5 pieces julienned ginger (matchstick size)
½ cup thinly sliced shitake mushrooms
5 cilantro Leaves
½ scallion thinly cut on the bias
2 cherry tomatoes cut in half
1-2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame chili oil (if you can’t find it, sesame oil will work)
Garnish with coriander sprouts or 2-3 cilantro leaves

Instructions:
1. Place sea bass, in casserole dish small enough to fit inside steamer basket, and top with ginger and shiitake mushrooms. Place inside steamer basket over simmering water and cover. Let steam for 15-20 minutes or until fish is cooked.
2. Meanwhile heat sesame oil until it begins to smoke. Turn off heat and place to the side (to be used at end).
3. Remove casserole dish from steamer and place Sea Bass and mushrooms, saving the cooking juices that developed, in serving bowl.
4. Pour the cooking liquid on top.
5. Place the cherry tomatoes around the sea bass and add soy sauce. Top sea bass with cilantro, scallions and drizzle hot sesame oil on top of the greens releasing their aromatics and oils.
6. Garnish with coriander sprouts.

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