Koko Wings spreading to 1st Avenue

[Photo from January by Steven]

Koko Wings will be setting up shop at 192 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street.

This will be the second NYC location for the restaurant (the other is on West 106th Street) that specializes in Korean fried chicken.

Here's how our friends at the Westside Rag described the UWS menu when it opened in 2014:

The wings are marinated in either soy garlic or hot and spicy sauce, both of which were tasty. You can also order drumsticks or chicken strips in the same marinades. The Kimchi cole slaw had a nice kick, as expected. Other Korean dishes like mandu (dumplings) and pa-jeon (scallion pancakes with seafood) are also on the menu...

According to Meridian Retail Leasing, this space will also feature an 800-square-foot backyard.

This storefront was home for a brief five months to Chelsea Thai, which closed in January — this after 21 years in the Chelsea Market. Chelsea Thai founder-chef Saruj Nimkarn said that there wasn't enough business here to make the rent.

The address was previously the Neptune. The Polish-American diner closed in December 2016 after 15 years in business. According to one source, the rent doubled.

After Neptune's departure, the landlord divided up the restaurant into two retail storefronts. Space 194, a hybrid tea-coffee shop-gallery, is in the other half.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chelsea Thai coming to former Neptune space on 1st Avenue; Filipino fare for Avenue A

Chelsea Thai debuts on 1st Avenue

Chelsea Thai closes after 5 months on 1st Avenue