Archives Restaurant Koi » Nick Haque’s Koi Restaurant

Favorite Koi Dishes

admin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 09:18:47 +0000

As much as I and everyone else would love to be able to go to Koi every night for dinner, most of us can only afford to go every now and then for special occasions. If you’re only going to be in town for one night and want to go to Koi, you’ll want to makes sure you try the very best Koi dishes. So without further ado, here are the dishes that I find have been reviewed most positively consistently (and they’re definitely some of my favorites):

Koi Crispy Rice: Spicy Tuna or Yellowtail Tartare over Crispy Rice
I recommend the Spicy Tuna if you only choose one. It’s the classic way to eat crispy rice and Koi does it really well.

Creamy Rock Shrimp
Little pieces of shrimp tempura coated in a delicious cream sauce. Nothing else like it!

Salmon Carpaccio
Delicious cuts of salmon sashimi in a soy type sauce but really you have to try it to understand. I frequently order seconds.

Your Favorite Sushi
When you go to such a fancy restaurant, you might feel strange ordering something as simple as salmon sushi or tuna sushi, but I think Koi really shines here. So order at least an order of your favorite Sushi.

Baked Lobster Roll
So decadent. So much more than a roll. You have to try it. It’s exactly what it sounds like but the sauce is just incredible.

The Service at Koi

admin — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 09:30:23 +0000

I’ve talked a lot about my favorite Koi dishes (salmon carpaccio, creamy rock shrimp, spicy tuna on crispy rice) and recently wrote about my favorite Koi cocktails (lychee martini!) but I think it’s time to give props to the incredible service I’ve gotten every time I’ve gone. First, I’ve never had to wait for a table when I had a reservation. Not once! That rarely happens. Especially at LA hotspots like Koi that frequently have celebrities show up who might take your place in line for a table. But unlike other celebrity hotspots, Koi never makes me feel like I’m less important or less valuable.

Koi is great at honoring requests for specific tables (especially if you call in advance). I particularly like the patio half-circle booths, but then again, so does everyone else. But so long as I request it when I make my reservation, I always get one! I love restaurants that keep their promises.

I’m always so pleased by my servers’ knowledge and charisma. Since I’m quite familiar with the menu I always ask my server lots of questions about the specials and they always seem to know what to recommend to me based on what my favorite dishes are. I’ve also noticed that the servers always seem available, but they don’t hover. They don’t make you feel like you need to rush. Plus, if you order a lot of dishes, they’re great at timing it so that not everything comes out at once (which means you have to eat the hot items first). Furthermore, I’ve dined here on occasion with a friend of mine who has dietary restrictions and they’ve been very accommodating to her needs.

Plus–the bathrooms are always tidy! Not all restaurants can manage that (and I’m so grossed out when they can’t) so props to Koi!

Flower Power at Nick Haque Koi

admin — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 17:42:37 +0000

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.

Bangkok Koi’s Executive Chef is Hisashi Iwata

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:55:14 +0000

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.

Celebrities spotted at Koi!

admin — Fri, 27 May 2011 20:01:39 +0000

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!

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

admin — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:10:50 +0000

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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Celebrating at Koi

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:12:30 +0000

If you are looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, Nick Haque’s Koi is an excellent choice. It can be hard to choose a restaurant since there are so many options of different types of food and locations. There are plenty of things to take into consideration for picking the right place. Koi is definitely a restaurant that will stand out if you are considering going with Japanese inspired cuisine.

Nick Haque opened the Los Angeles Koi in 2002. If you are not in Los Angeles, there are also several other cities where you can dine at Koi. These places include New York, Las Vegas, and Bangkok. Eating at Koi is a memorable experience from the food to the décor. The New York Koi was even nominated for a Hospitality Design Award. The combination of delicious food in a gorgeous ambiance makes Koi an experience to remember. You may want to make a reservation, since Koi is a very popular dining destination.

If you are trying to decide what to order, there are so many fabulous choices on the menu that it may be hard to make a decision. Some popular dishes include Crispy Rice topped with Spicy Tuna, Miso Bronzed Black Cod, and the Spicy Seared Albacore with Crispy Red Onions. You can also take a suggestion from the many celebrities that like to dine there. A Koi waiter told Celebrity Living Weekly Magazine that many stars love the baked crab hand roll. In fact, you might even see your favorite celebrity while dining at Koi. Some of the celebrities that have been spotted at Koi include P. Diddy, Jessica Simpson, and Madonna to name a few.