7th Edition: COQODAQ Fried Chicken for July 4th and a Spindrift x Momofuku Noodle Bar Event 🎆
Also, announcing the date and time for my first Substack live video interview!
Hope you’re having fun with loved ones and staying safe this holiday weekend! 🥳
Friday was definitely the highlight for me. Thanks to Resy’s ‘Notify’ alerts, I grabbed a last-minute, July 4th dinner reservation at a New York City establishment where fried chicken and champagne seem to be an art form: Korean American restaurant COQODAQ. 🍗 For real: they reportedly use "the highest-quality, sustainably sourced ingredients that are completely gluten-free," and claim to have the biggest champagne list in the United States.
Reservations are available 14 days beforehand and primetime dinner slots tend to be super difficult to come by, so my boyfriend, Brian, and I couldn’t believe our luck! More on that below, but here’s a gorgeous IG reel of the Macy’s fireworks, which we watched on TV that night:
Ok, let’s go! Here are three things I’ve enjoyed lately:
1.) COQODAQ Fried Chicken for July 4th 🍗
As mentioned, Brian and I were shook when the opportunity to dine here presented itself. I’ve been trying to get a reservation for months, so when I saw a 5:15pm spot open up on July 4th, I acted FAST.
The food and service would turn out to be impeccable!
First of all, there was a lavish handwashing bar with luxurious soap options right next to the reservation check-in area. Let me tell you something…as someone who really struggles with all the public, high-touch surfaces in NYC, this immediately put me at ease.
Also, check out this Instagram post of The Bucket List (Our Chef’s Signature Fried Chicken Feast), the crown jewel! It was delicious.
This masterpiece looks huge, but our server said it’d be portioned for two people. So we went for it!
Here’s the full breakdown of our order:
San Pellegrino sparkling water
The Egg cocktail (Jane): it has Grey Goose vodka, egg-shaped lychee that melts in your glass, etc.
Street Waffle cocktail (Brian): it has Michter’s bourbon, maple, etc.
Two small 18 Karat "golden nuggets" with ocean trout roe
Hot chicken broth that made me instantly tune out the world during a mindful moment
The Bucket List: COQODAQ Original fried chicken, pieces with Soy-Garlic Glaze, pieces with Gochujang Glaze, vegetables, etc. (the chicken was super crunchy, but delicious)
Side: Double-Fried French Fries
Dessert: Soft Serve Frozen Yogurt (topped with passionfruit glaze)
A little Lambrusco wine
I also spotted a $10,000 bottle of Dom Perignon on the drink menu. 🍾 Maybe one day!!!
After dinner, we took pictures at sunset by a local park. I loved soaking up another #weartheoutfitwithjb moment in a JLUXLABEL dress and Clarks Wrenly Eve wedge sandals! I topped it off with a summery Kate Spade bag.
Here are some of the beauty products I used:
Ami Colé Desert Date Cream Blush & Lip Multistick in Spice
Glossier Ultralip in Ember
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder in Universal
Bobbi Brown Weightless Skin Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 15 in Warm Almond
L’Oréal Paris Brow Stylist Definer Mechanical Waterproof Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brunette
Maybelline Hyper Precise All Day Eye Liner in Matte Black
Afterward, we headed back to our apartment in New Jersey to watch the fireworks on TV. 🎇
Did you have a memorable July 4th holiday with family and/or friends? I’d love to hear about it in the comments section!
2.) The confirmed date and time for my first Substack live video interview 🎤
It’s official: mark your calendars for Monday, July 14th at 11am ET!
I’ll be speaking with three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist and podcast host Aundrea Cline-Thomas about work transitions and thinking about your career more creatively, among other topics.
I’m currently making a professional pivot of my own, so this conversation will be close to my heart. I’ll take all the great advice I can get! 💪🏾
Subscribers will receive an email notification when the livestream starts, but here’s the link, just in case: https://open.substack.com/live-stream/40648?utm_source=live-stream-scheduled-upsell
Check the last edition of this newsletter for more details on Aundrea's work, and be sure to download the free Substack app below if you’d like to tune in.
Also, no worries if you can’t watch it live—I’ll post the recording afterward!
Feel free to drop your career pivot questions for Aundrea in the comments section below for consideration.
3.) Spindrift Sparkling Water x Momofuku Noodle Bar Event 🍊🍜
I’ve been OBSESSED with sparkling water for years. So getting invited to celebrate the launch of Spindrift’s new Yuzu Mandarin flavor at Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC’s East Village a few weeks ago was a dream.
It was blazing hot outside, but one of my best friends, Alex Mazzarisi (pictured below), graciously came with me as my +1! ❤️
We had a ball sampling the new flavor, a special margarita made with the sparkling water, and loads of curated Momofuku dishes. See the bottom left of the image above for my favorite food there—the pillowy bao buns with savory shrimp patties.
We also heard from Momofuku Chef Dennis Ngo at the event. Watch him prepare one of the two limited-edition dishes made to celebrate Spindrift’s new flavor, “miso garlic pasta with blue prawns.”
This dynamic duo is still teaming up—Spindrift’s Yuzu Mandarin sparkling water flavor will be available at both Momofuku Noodle Bar restaurants in NYC until August 8th.
Visit the drink company’s website for further information on the collaboration, including where you can get the two limited-edition dishes served at the flavor launch: Roasted Garlic Miso Noodles and Tempura Sea Bream!
Notes: none of the content in this newsletter is sponsored. Don’t consume alcohol unless you’re age 21+ in the U.S., and remember to drink responsibly. Also disclosing that Brian currently works at L’Oréal USA.
Thanks for being here! I’ll catch you in the next edition of Jane’s Curious Paradise ✨.
I was so curious about COQODAQ—loved reading your breakdown!