If Bessou only offered its chicken karaage and nothing else, we'd still sing its praises to no end. But this exceptional Japanese restaurant offers stellar pancakes, pickle-accented bowls and, yes, one stand-out fried poultry dish. So, naturally, we invited it to hold court at Time Out Market New York. Learn how our market curation works here, but basically we tasted its food, reviewed the eatery and had no hesitation in recommending Bessou for a spot at the market. Here’s why:
Bessou’s clever take on Japanese comfort food has us craving dishes beyond sushi and ramen. Owner Maiko Kyogoku, who worked for hip contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, opened a stylish space in Noho that serves as an inviting stage for chef Emily Yuen’s innovative plates, many of which draw from Kyogoku’s family recipes. Yuen adds a modern touch to the classics with her bento bowl teeming with soy beef brisket and the chicken karaage dusted with Moroccan spices—trust us, you won’t be able to resist dipping each forkful into the spicy mayo. We quickly learned that Bessou lives up to its name, which loosely translates from Japanese as second home.