The team behind local Korean-inspired spots C as in Charlie and Kisa have a new concept in the works. They are looking to open a new restaurant at 166 First Ave. in the East Village, according to community board filings. Ferns shuttered in that space last December.
The paperwork does not reveal a name for the new spot yet. However, it describes the forthcoming restaurant as a “country buffet.” The proposed menu indicates plans for rotating offerings, featuring a variety of meats such as chicken, ham, seafood, steak and pork; Southern favorites such as fried green tomatoes, hushpuppies, collard greens, mashed potatoes and mac and cheese; salads; and desserts like peach cobbler, banana pudding and pecan pie. The beverage program features beer, wine and spirits, with featured drinks like margaritas and piña coladas.
Plans call for 23 indoor tables that will seat 60 and one stand-up bar with six seats. The proposed hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.
David Yun, Steve JaeWoo Choi and Yong Min Kim are behind the forthcoming concept. They are part of the team behind C as in Charlie, a Southern and Korean-inspired restaurant that opened in NoHo in 2022. The team followed it up with the opening of Korean restaurant Kisa on the Lower East Side in spring 2024.
Efforts to reach the ownership team prior to publication were unsuccessful. As of now, an opening timeline remains unclear.
