One of Chinatown’s best chefs is currently gearing up to debut a brand new project in Lower Manhattan.
Chef Samuel Yoo launched his first restaurant, Golden Diner, in 2019 in Chinatown. The Momofuku Ko veteran’s restaurant earned a substantial amount of acclaim early into its life, and word of Golden Diner’s unique take on the American diner experience quickly spread.
Fusing his fine dining culinary expertise with a reverence for the traditional American diner, Samuel Yoo desired to bring the diner back to New York with a shiny new coat of polish. Like the standard diner, Golden Diner brought together a diverse assortment of international dishes but trimmed the surplus fat, shortening wait times and elevating the flavor profiles of Yoo’s creative dishes. Offering a gamut of different cuisines from Latin and Chinese to Greek and Brooklyn Vegan, Golden Diner melded the often-competing philosophies of Quantity and Quality.
Now, only two and half years after launching his first restaurant, Yoo is once again gearing up to open a brand new concept. The new restaurant, which will be moving into the space at 116 Elizabeth Street, is described as “a local Asian pub” that will offer a “full menu featuring a wide variety of Asian street and pub foods.” As part of the Golden Diner family, the menu “will also highlight the artisanal craft beers and liquors being produced in Asia.”
Offering a total of 2,100 square feet of space divided between the ground floor and basement, the location is relatively spacious for the neighborhood and is expected to seat up to 60 guests at once. Featuring an impressive 20-seat bar, Yoo’s latest restaurant is expected to prioritize “highly-crafted cocktails and beers made with the best quality ingredients that Asia has to offer today.”
While Yoo is still early into the development process is not yet able to share further details about the menu, with his pedigree and experience he is sure to create something that can please every New York palate.
