C as in Charlie

Chef Eric JaeHo Choi's spot flies a bit under the radar, but with this wildly creative, cultural collision cooking, it deserves to be top of mind. You may become fast friends with your neighbor at this tiny space, but with a warm welcome from the hospitable staff, it's all part of the vibe. A compact menu keeps things tight with around ten dishes, but it's sprinkled with widely appealing Southern- and Korean-minded tapas-style plates. The cooking is straightforward and earnest with bold flavors. They're having plenty of fun from start to finish with items such as Seoul’sbury steak with galbi jus and gruyere grits, shrimp toast rolls and banana pudding with misugaru and meringue. Baby back ribs with a harissa glaze and plum coulis are slap-your-grandma good.