Kaido (CLOSED)

It’s no secret that drinking makes us hungry. But when you’re sipping on vintage Japanese whisky, you can’t exactly book it too McDonald’s after a few rounds of highballs. For not needing to we have chef Brad Kilgore and his upscale Japanese lounge Kaido to thank. The sleek, Japanese-inspired cocktail lounge is a collaboration between Kilgore and French master mixologist Nico de Soto, who helms multiple bars across Paris and New York City, and features an extensive selection of high-end Japanese whiskys and a curated list of chef-driven cocktails. The seemingly buzzy catchphrase refers to the laborious prep that goes into making the reductions, syrups and shrubs used in each cocktail—think sous-vided miso and an umami mushroom pickleback shot made with four different types of vinegar. Admittedly, the quality of the whisky you’re chasing is so excellent, shooting them is plain sacrilegious. Enhancing the enterprising cocktail menu is chef Kilgore’s Asian-themed small plates, ranging from his pared-down green papaya Thai salad with a crumbled quinoa brittle and Iberico pork and shrimp dumplings over a Chinese vinegar sauce to remarkably tender chicken thighs served atop cheesy, melted leeks. All that effort will cost you, as dishes come small and range in price from $14 to $300. Fancy Asian preparations ain’t cheap.