CO-OP @ Hotel on Rivington with Chef James London

EAST MEETS THE SOUTH. Co-Op Food & Drink has a new chef, James London. He brought with him some major Southern flavor (a nod to his South Carolinian roots) and fused it with the Japanese cuisine for an exciting new menu. I had the wonderful opportunity to have dinner there, taste the new items myself, and meet the chef! Of course, no dining experience is complete without great company. My lovely friend, Nubia, joined me on this savory adventure, and we ate family style.

I’ve been to the Hotel on Rivington for several events and parties at the lounge upstairs, but never dined at Co-Op. We were welcomed by a friendly hostess and walked to our table through the swanky interior and into a room walled with portraits of iconic faces. After we settled in, snacking on the truffle popcorn was the best thing ever while deciding on what to order — that, and a cocktail. As recommended, the two of us tried the ever popular Pink Bazooka, a vodka mix of watermelon and basil with a blood orange pomegranate ice cube melting flavor into the drink. (I also tried the Light, which is a great choice if you like tart cocktails.)

At last, we decided to try some new menu items and as well as old favorites. I also noticed a lot of Miso in the selections. Even though everything was so delicious, I did have some favorites of my own! Dishes that I would definitely get again in a heartbeat are the fish tacos, fried chicken and the purple potato roll. The menu has great options for when you need a light bite or some comfort food without the XXL portions.

Yellowtail Tacos with Avocado, Toasted Nori and Pickled Shallots

Miso Tuna Tataki seared to perfection, topped with yuzu and garlic chips

Hokkaido Scallop with Black Truffle (I have a soft spot spot for scallops)

Purple Potato Roll with jalepenos and sweet potato tempura, topped with avocado

Ginger Fried Chicken with a side of pickled cabbage

Miso Soup Dumplings with Sesame Ponzu sauce

Blis Maple Cheesecake topped with candied bacon and salted caramel

For dessert, chef James London personally recommended these two for us to try. Lucky us! Both were so fantastic. I think bacon anything is great, but that and cheesecake and salted caramel? Heavenly. As much as I love everything in that dessert, the sweet potato pie is the one recommend getting if given the choice. Unless you are a regular here, the pie dish is different, extremely flavorful, and comforting. I also think its a bit more signature in going with the Asian-Southern tastes on the menu.