Cozy into your own private outdoor room and warm up with some of NYC’s best Korean food!
This Korean restaurant located on the LES is redefining outdoor dining. Co-chefs and co-owners Brian Kim and Tae Kyung Ku, both born and raised in Korea, created Oiji with the vision “to bring a new perspective on Korean cooking to New York City.”
As the weather continues to turn colder, Oiji has designed and constructed heated outdoor private dining rooms for customers to safely enjoy. Structures line the front of their building creating an outdoor dining experience sure to keep people distanced!
Each private room includes 3,000-watt dual heaters and is completely separated from the rest of the rooms in order to avoid air flow between tables. For added circulation, each room has electric exhaust fans. Proper sanitations are followed during the restaurant’s 15 minute hold between seating new parties.
The rooms were designed by Chef and Owner Brian Kim, who wanted to safely continue offering dining options for New Yorkers during these troubling times. Guest are provided with service bells whenever they need a staff member, but otherwise are given total privacy during the entire dining experience.
The menu offers delicious Korean delicacies with dishes ranging from a Waygu Wrap, Oxtail, Long Island Duckling, Scallops “Hwe,” and back by popular request, their famous Truffle Seafood Broth with Crispy Rice. You can even try their Oiji Bowl made with sea urchin, sweet shrimp, and seaweed rice.
For sides choose from Kimchi or Lotus Leaf Wrapped Sticky Rice. For dessert treat yourself to Honey Butter Chips with Vanilla Ice Cream. With every dish comes a beautiful presentation and sophisticated plating. Each order truly looks as good as it tastes!
As for cocktails in the cold, enjoy their newest hot creations, “Warm Up” made with bourbon, hot apple cider and spice mix, or “Fireside Chat” consisting of Yangchon Chung-Ju, Soo-Jung-gwa (a Korean spiced drink), and Golden Barley Soju from KMS Imports.
The restaurant now even offers catering services right to your home; can you get more private than that?! Either way you choose to dine with Oiji, you’re guaranteed an incredible experience. You can make reservations online or over the phone.
Operating hours:
Weds-Sun: 5pm-10pm
Located: 119 1st Avenue, New York
featured image source: Courtesy of Brie Sosnov