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In 2015, Kings Co Imperial made its debut in Williamsburg, spinning on Chinese classics with a Brooklyn twist. Countless orders of wok-seared dumplings and one sister spot in the Lower East Side later, and the restaurant has reached its ten-year milestone. To mark a decade in service, the restaurant has invited chefs from around NYC to the kitchen to cook up classics of their own.
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Starting this month, both locations of Kings Co Imperial are celebrating the anniversary with the summertime series, “Dishes of a Decade.” From June 18 through September 30, the Chinese restaurant concept is inviting iconic chefs and eateries across NYC to create limited-edition dishes. For chef and co-owner Josh Grinker of Kings Co Imperial, it is all about celebrating those who have inspired them along the way.
“This series is about honoring the city that shaped us—and sharing the table with chefs we admire, whose food has inspired us over the years,” said Grinker in a press release. “Nobody in this city accomplishes anything by themselves. Being in business for 10 years is a testament to our neighbors, our customers, our vendors and more.”
Harlem’s JJ Johnson is kicking things off this month. Infusing his African Caribbean heritage into a tried-and-true Chinese dish, Johnson's Jerk Duck Fried Rice special comes with a crown of ginger scallions and a fried egg. Rubirosa is bringing three of its time-honored pizza recipes to the restaurant: The Red with Rubirosa’s signature vodka sauce, fresh mozzarella and Italian sausage; The Green with pesto and marinara; and half-red, half-green pie called the Tie Dye. But instead of pizza dough, the base of each will be scallion pancakes.
George Motz of the West Village’s Hamburger America is bringing a taste of Americana to the humble dumpling with the Fried Onion and Cheeseburger Dumpling (a dip of French's Chinese mustard is optional), while Emily Yuen of Greenpoint’s Lingo is serving bowls of Bone-In Shio Koji Tonkatsu with Hong Kong curry and Chinese pickles. Settepani will finish the series with something sweet by serving a Cannoli Crumble with mango and honey.
A portion of proceeds from each dish will be donated to Heart of Dinner, a non-profit battling food insecurity among New York's Asian American seniors. Each dish will be on rotation for a two-week period. And once it's gone, it's gone. So check out the full lineup of eats below and plan your summer calendar accordingly.
Kings Co Imperial's Dishes of a Decade:
- June 18-July 1: JJ Johnson, Fieldtrip: Jerk Duck Fried Rice
- July 9-July 22: Rubirosa: Scallion Pancake Pizzas
- July 23-August 5: Marc Forgione, Peasant: Calamarata, Calamari, Smoked Pork Ragu
- August 6- August 19: George Motz, Hamburger America: Hamburger America Fried Onion Cheeseburger Dumpling
- August 20-September 2: Mo’s General: Sesame Focaccia BBQ Hanging Pork Sandwich
- September 3-September 16: Emily Yuen, Lingo: Bone-In Shio Koji Tonkatsu
- September 17-September 30: Settepani Bakery: Cannoli Crumble