Our first attempt to dine at Parachute HiFi, the casual, no-reservations remake of the James Beard Award-winning Korean restaurant, was thwarted by a formidable, if good natured, line that stretched out the door onto Elston Avenue, where a chilly wind howled.
“Actually, this is the line to put your name in,” someone told me, as I ’scused my way through the disco-lit entryway toward the host stand. Instead, my starved companions and I begged off down the street to Anelya, the terrific Ukrainian restaurant owned by the same couple, chefs Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim, where a few bar seats still remained after 6pm on a Saturday.
We showed up much earlier on our second, successful, attempt, around 5:30pm, on a Wednesday. Suffice to say, you’ll want to arrive early if you’d rather not wait at Parachute HiFi, which is proving to be as popular as its predecessor. Then again, to experience this Tokyo-style listening bar as intended, you’re better off braving the wait at a later hour—then immersing yourself in the din, served with refreshingly informal drinking food and quirky cocktails.
A bracing Greek Salad Martini with cucumber feta vodka and vermouth tasted less like its namesake than a pleasantly sweet and balanced take on the pickle martinis cropping up everywhere. The Pickled Ginger recalled a tiki-flavored Dark ’n Stormy. Prickly, sweet Milkis (the creamy Korean soft drink), caramelly dark rum and warming turmeric mellowed the clean, bright one-two punch of ginger and lime.
The space suits its stylishly cozy glow-up. Wood paneled walls; purple banquettes; and low, warm lighting beckon with chic, rec room-meets Korean pub vibes. Clark, whose extensive vinyl collection helped usher this unique concept into being, was spinning the records. (Local DJs such as King Hippo, Fanita Banana and Catieo come through each week; find them on HiFi’s socials.) Early on in the evening, HiFi could stand to lower the volume for those who still flock here first and foremost for Clark and Kim’s magnetic food. Saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders’s complex, immersive jazz definitely wanted for louder dining room accompaniment. As the place filled up and the chatter and energy swelled, the music seemed to settle.
Much of HiFi’s snackish food menu changes in breathless step with the record selections. The night we turned up (Wednesday) was coincidentally the only time each week when Parachute reprises its beloved baked potato bing bread. This fluffy potato and cheddar loaf studded with scallions, smoky bacon and sesame seeds remains prescriptively delicious, especially when swiped through sour cream butter. Then again, I’m not sure I’d miss it on, say, a Friday or Saturday. HiFi’s menu zings, pows and zaps with a panoply of textures, brackishness and heat—balanced by supple richness and tantalizing ribbons of sweetness.
Consider the opening sushi bites. An earthy shiitake glaze supercharged the luscious umami of salmon nigiri, offset by a smear of tangy whipped scallion cream cheese that burned oh-so-subtly with wasabi. In possibly my favorite bite of the evening, a sweet, marinated fried tofu pocket encased toothsome sushi rice; meaty, seared enoki mushrooms; and caramelized onions in mirin- and tamari-based umami sauce—all hiding beneath a mountain of minced scallions.
Like the tofu inari, I could happily eat the tteokbokki pad thai—chewy cylindrical rice cakes, egg ribbons, peanuts and crunchy bean sprouts slicked in sticky sauce—twice a week. (Yes, you’ll want to add shrimp.) And for something as commonplace on menus these days as a fancy cheeseburger, HiFi’s take—singed double patties of rich Slagel beef topped with charred onion bangles, melted cheddar and a heap of tangy-sweet bread and butter pickles—is a visual showstopper, to be sure. Cut in half, it lazes facedown in a color-blocked puddle of beefy bordelaise and beer cheese fondue, no doubt awaiting its portrait. (Damn you, moody lighting!) Unfortunately, our burger and delicate bun were over-charred bordering on bitter. After assuring us that some scorching is intentional, the server nonetheless took it off our bill.
I’d be surprised if the burger comes off HiFi’s menu anytime soon, seeing how every table in the place ordered one. However, it’s probably not worth getting attached to much on this fleeting, if notably affordable, food menu.
Noting our dwindling first round of drinks, our server gave a concise yet informative rundown of sool, the Korean rice alcohol that, on HiFi’s menu, progresses from cloudy rice beer (Makku) to naturally fermented rice wine (makgeolli) on through more filtered sojus like the smooth, pure Mir 22. I opted for a refreshing, delicate Gamsa Blue chungju, an invigorating palate cleanser served in a thick-walled ceramic bowl. My husband drank a Budweiser, one of only four beer choices at HiFi that could double as its MO: Sit back, enjoy and don’t take this too seriously. It’s a vibe I’d line up for again and again.
The food: A tidy menu of oft-changing, cheffy snack food includes seasonal crudites with rich, brackish walnut ssamjang, chicken karaage with sweet and sour sauce and honey mayo, and burgers soused in bordelaise and cheese fondue with thick-cut fries.
The drink: From savory snacks to breakfast-inspired, the house cocktails are fun-loving and balanced. The blueberry pancakes with brown butter mezcal is a tart, sugared dead ringer for the brunch favorite. You'll find a tight menu of classic cocktails and beer, plus a nice selection of Korean rice ferments.
The vibe: Inviting and casual, with loud enough music to make in-depth conversation a challenge, your best bet is to immerse yourself in the rich, crackling sounds of vinyl.