A few years ago, I came close to succumbing to shared plates fatigue. Like ubiquitous marble-topped bars and reclaimed something somewhere, it seemed as though a secret hospitality consortium had authored an oath mandating every menu item be divisible by party size, regardless of how unsatisfying the outcome might be.
I had made a reservation for four at an intriguing new restaurant which, on paper, seemed to be one of the only recently opened spots where I could order and eat my own duck confit. So when that familiar phrase “family style” eventually pierced the air, followed by the suggestion that four adult people, from two seprate households, might wish to share the soup, my skeleton turned to dust. It simply did not make sense.
Everything at 8282 makes sense. The second restaurant from the pair behind now-closed Pado opened on Stanton Street in November. Billed as modern Korean, selections from 8282’s banju menu are prepared and presented to effectively share, and its anju options can easily act as apps or sides.
The boneless K.F.C. ($14) is the star of the smaller plate section. Four chunky cuts of chicken thigh splattered with soy garlic sauce are pleasantly jagged on the outside with juicy interiors. The larger, kitchen-sliced skirt steak with roasted potatoes ($26) rivals steakhouse classics, successfully grilled to the dedicated carnivore’s target mauve and tender beyond expectation. The accompanying mushroom purée is subtle enough that serious fungi fans will want more.
Dakgalbi kimchi-bap ($21), which features cheesy rice covered with gochujang-marinated chicken and a wispy tangle of fragrant seaweed, is 8282's essential dish. The best bites are the scorched bits at the bottom of the skillet its served in: Crunchy and caramelized, they're warmly combined like the cheese fell in love with the rice.
8282 is relatively intimate for a format that so easily lends itself to groups, but the space is efficiently arranged to accommodate those larger dinners. The sleek slate grey and white space has a few two-tops down the center and a banquette on the left that can be reconfigured for a full, family-style feast that actually works. There are also bar seats to the right, should you prefer to keep the dakgalbi kimchi-bap to yourself.
Vitals
The Vibe: Comfortable and upbeat with options for solo diners and large groups.
The Food: Billed as modern Korean and designed to share with standouts like boneless K.F.C., great skirt steak and sensational dakgalbi kimchi-bap
The Drinks: 8282’s liquor license is pending.
Time Out Tip: The bar next door, 82 Stanton is unrelated to 8282. But it’s a great spot to stop by before dinner for happy hour, or after, just to catch up on your drinking.
8282 is located at 84 Stanton Street and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 5pm-11pm.