JK isn't kidding when it comes to color or flavor
New Pan-Asian restaurant looks to reign day and night downtown
JK by Chef King opens soon, and it’s going to be brilliant.
Literally — and no, I don’t mean that colloquially. To prep the 405 diningscape for this blast of color, a sneak peek at a few menu items.
As mentioned previously, owners Josh Balan and chef Kingshuk Dey first met in London and bring a European approach to dining with them. After JK gets opened, I’ll share more details about the trip around the globe chef Dey took before arriving to downtown Oklahoma City. The short version is Australia, London, Reykjavik, Tokyo, New York City, and Dallas are involved. Dey’s distinctive style bears inspiration from each of those stops. At least on first taste, which Dey assured me was still being fine-tuned. The fried shrimp for instance, will ultimately be a true popcorn shrimp. He’s still sourcing a specific sea bass. Other flourishes remain bound for orbit.
Dey’s Pan-Asian menu shows plenty of color and flash, but Balan’s dining room is a virtual fireworks show. Colorful? Joseph’s coat, Richard Pryor’s language, Dennis Rodman’s hair, and now the dining room of JK.
The faux wisteria at the center of the dining room spreads its artificial limbs across the dining room in each direction, giving an extra dimension to the high ceilings from which ornate chandeliers dangle. Black lights are strategically placed throughout to ensure no Instagram filters can survive.
Pastels, and floral patterns and black lights, oh my!
Speaking of Instagram, Balan is anxious to unveil his Instagram martini to the public. Guests can step up to the bar for a drink topped with a photo of themselves. Balan’s bar program is unapologetically skewed to the sweet side. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have rock-solid balance available like his newly minted Empire of the Rising Sun cocktail. We’ll get into more detail on that stuff later.
This is a sneak peek at the food. Chef King’s opening menu is built for sharing with friends and pairing with cocktails.
To open, Salmon Crudo with truffle ponzu, Meyer lemon oil and micro celery greens; and Hamachi Crudo with smoke ponzu, sliced jalapeno and apple matchsticks. In a town where yellowtail sashimi preparations are common and spectacular, this one raises the bar. Smoked ponzu and apple put a double-pump into the slam dunk that this dish generally is.
Next came the tempuras in veggie and popcorn shrimp.. The veggie included five different vegetables and a fried shiso leaf. The tempura was light and crisp The big surprise? Ripe, red tomato. Fried green tomatoes are so good they made a novel and a movie out of it, but frying a ripe tomato is next level. Part of what makes green tomatoes attractive for frying is their lack of water. Slices are firm and won’t sully the batter. (Yep, sully!) Ripe tomatoes must be carefully sliced and drained before they get near a batter. Plenty of sea salt will help move those Lunch Margaritas with black-salted rims.
The shrimp arrives in a little wooden box with tempura shishito bits. Everything appears to be spilling toward a small tub of chili mayo. Once I tasted the chili mayo I found myself spilling toward it, too.
My favorite bite was the Eggplant Miso. Look, the Hamachi Crudo is going to be on every table where fish is welcome, but Chef King’s craftsmanship with the humble aubergine tastes like it’s on a collision course with art. Crisp and smoky exterior, the center is rich and buttery – then poof, it melts into sweet oblivion. Don’t miss this one.
Did I mention the lobster tacos? Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve come across crispy gringo taco shells made out of wonton wrappers. Jinya employs that method. The mango salsa brightened the entire crunchy affair.
The final dish I tried was the Oxtail and Bone Marrow Fried Rice. Not since Ludivine introduced its luge has the 405 diningscape had such an inventive use of bone marrow. The bone-in bowl arrives with a small spoon to help usher the tasty bits into the rice. The result is a bowl of rice so rich it’s got a lawyer who keeps it out of paying taxes.
No dessert on this trip, which I will look forward to. I’ll be extremely interested to see the public’s response to JK. It operates in a space that’s never been open for dinner. Parking will be a hindrance for some. There is no parking lot adjacent to the restaurant, but the building does have parking and the restaurant will employ a valet.
Look for it to open in early August.
Stay hungry and stay tuned for some nibbles on Monday.
Oh!! I must try this restaurant as soon as it opens! You make it sound irresistible.