A social time at “Social Eatz” restaurant in New York City

The creation of “Top Chef” contestant and Connecticut native Angelo Sosa, “Social Eatz” is a new restaurant in New York City, with a healthy selection of Korean fusion casual meals.

Located at 232 53rd St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, this hip establishment offers exotic-sounding dishes that are a bit toned-down in flavor.

The laminated menus must make cleaning up a breeze, but the font on the menus should be much bigger and easier to read. The intimate space has the look of a chain restaurant, which might just be their long-term goal. I can see this type of restaurant, with the brown and gold color scheme and the easy-to-clean laminated tabletops, being marketed in malls across America.

We began our meals with two of their signature cocktails, including a Ginger Carrot Fizz with Stolichnaya orange-flavored vodka mixed with carrot juice, a touch of Canton liqueur, yuzu juice, and ginger beer for $11. We also tried the Coconut Curry Daiquiri with 8-year-old Bacardi rum, splashed with coconut water and fresh lime juice, then spiced with a spoonful of curry syrup ($12). They tasted a little light on alcohol and too sweet, and the curry flavor in the second drink was undetectable.

For New York City, or anywhere else, the prices were pretty reasonable, although the smoked rib appetizer for $9 seemed a little steep. The ribs were remarkably tender, whose pineapple barbecue sauce was a touch on the sweet side. The sauce was laced with laced with gochujang, an aged Korean pepper sauce, but again, it could have been more pronounced.

Our accommodating and helpful waiter have us heated towels after the messy ribs, which were welcome indeed.

We had the Bulgogi Burger, ($11), which is a Korean version of an American favorite. Bulgogi literally means fire meat in Korean, and in this burger, the ground beef is charred, (hence the name) but deliciously pink and moist inside. The burger was topped with a succulent sauce made of soy, sugar, scallion, garlic, and sesame oil then garnished with cooled cucumber kimchee, kewpee, and a Japanese mayonnaise. The result was juicy, but a bit bland.

The Kung Pow Chicken sandwich ($9) is made with organic chicken, soy-sesame marinated, then iron-seared with Thai chili, and finished with smooth roasted peanut spread. Chicken in sandwiches tends to be dried out and cardboard-like, but this chicken was perfectly flavorful and noticeably tender. There was too little of Thai chili, however, and I couldn’t taste the peanut flavor at all.

Our waiter recommended the Chili Kissed Tilapia taco, and it was the best meal of the night, and certainly the best value at $8. The light, white fish was brushed with Thai chili, and sautéed and garnished with fresh green tomato salsa and avocado, with two portions served on two flour tortillas. The portions of fish were large, and the salsa was crunch and full of flavor. The avocado was creamy and noticeable, but not overwhelming.

We had a side of Curried Cream Spinach, with blanched spinach melded with a creamy, cheesy, curry sauce that was served piping hot with lots of creamy cheese, but not so much curry.

The burger and the chicken came with as side of the Southeast Asian pickles. They were a colorful combination of thinly sliced cucumbers, cauliflower, and radishes marinated with turmeric and dill then pickled in a brine of Japanese vinegar and Asian spices. They were fresh, crunchy, with just the right amount of spice and heat.

The desserts were scruptuous, at $6 each, including the Double-rich Chocolate Brownies warmed and glazed with a sweet toffee topping, that was soft and fudgy. The brownie went well with the sweet Shik Hae, a warm Korean rice punch, served in a shot glass.

The best part of the meal was hands down the yummy, warm Yuzu Cream Puffs. Tasting more like donut holes, the four airy cakelike puffs were filled with a sweet, creamy yuzu curd made from the tart Japanese citrus fruit that tasted like key lime pie. They were out of this world.

The 20-something crowd on a recent Friday night dominated the restaurant and there was a line out the door by the time we left. The hypnotic club music was on the loud side, but the diners seemed to feel right a home. All in all, the restaurant is perfect for palates that like the idea of exotic foods, but in reality prefer the blander, safer American flavors.

(photos by Jessica Hill)