Meili (160 North 12th St.), a new Sichuan restaurant, opened yesterday, February 12, on the lower level of the CODA hotel in Williamsburg.
Chef Peter He is behind Meili’s elevated Sichuan fare. Chef He was born and raised in China and previously led the kitchen of Cafe China, which earned a Michelin star while he was there. He is also the executive chef at Manhattan’s Chili, a sister restaurant to Meili.
At Meili, Chef He showcases Sichuan street food alongside a few plant-based dishes. One of his signature menu items is the “Mr. And Mrs. Smith,” which is sliced beef and tripe seasoned with chili peanut sauce. Other highlights include stir-fried Chongqing spicy chicken with red chili peppers, tea-smoked duck with sticky rice, and mapo lobster with garlic, spicy chili sauce, peppercorn and tofu. One vegan highlight is the spicy cumin mushrooms which are slow-cooked with chili peppers, onion and cilantro.
Meili’s beverage program offers global wines, craft beers, and cocktails made with Sichuan-inspired ingredients. Featured cocktails include the Pearl Glow, which is a clarified coconut milk punch with gin, pear, elderflower, and citrus; the Red Dragon with black tea, gin, Campari, vermouth, and raspberry; the unique Oolongtini with toasted rice and cold brew; and the Match Emerald with aged rum, bourbon, sherry, matcha, and chocolate.
Meili’s elegant dining spaces, designed by MoLiving, include an expansive, high-ceilinged dining room with a long stone bar lining the back wall and a private party room that seats 14. These areas are bathed in rich and moody colors like gold and green, while the entrance features a pair of red mahogany staircases. Other touches of red can be found throughout the space, as a symbol of luck and prosperity.
Meili is open Mondays through Fridays 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays 12 p.m. – 10:15 p.m. Reservations can be made on Resy.
In the first paragraph you call it elevated Sichuan food and then in the next paragraph you call it Sichuan street food. I don’t think it’s either one of those things unless the menu is centered around dishes that aren’t mentioned in your article; those dishes are standard menu fare in the Sichuan canon.