NYC Michelin-trained Chef reimagines “a taco” at Parklife Taqueria — an outdoor restaurant adjoining his popular music club — just in time for spring

Located minutes from the bustling Barclay Center on a serene, tree-lined street, Parklife takes you back to the good ol’ days of camping under the stars. The one exception? The addition of a Michelin-trained Chef.

BROOKLYN, N.Y., March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Michelin-starred alum Chef Scott Koshnoodi (WD-50 & Aquavit) announces details of his new Persian-, Texan-, and Mexican-inspired food and beverage program at Parklife Taqueria.

View the menu and make a reservation here, https://parklifebk.com/menu/

Contact [email protected] to schedule a media tasting dinner. 

A restaurant created out of necessity, owners Scott Koshnoodi and Julie Kim created Parklife Taqueria to feed hungry crowds leaving their Brooklyn music/comedy club, Littlefield. Hosting big names like Chris Rock, Chuck D, Zach Galifianakis, Cibo Matto, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Neko Case, Santigold, and Kim Gordon, to name a few, Littlefield has been a popular destination for musicians and comics for 15 years.

Now, clubgoers, locals, and adventure-seeking day trippers (see tourist activities below) can enjoy Parklife’s new ambitious menu under the stars in a sprawling outdoor setting from 5 PM – 12 AM on weekdays and until 2 AM on weekends.

About Chef Scott Koshnoodi
Despite working in fine dining as a chef, Koshnoodi had been out of the kitchen for eight years — but he sprung into action after learning that original Chef Denisse Lina Chavez was moving her popular El Atoradero restaurant concept from the Parklife kitchen to a food hall in midtown.

Pulling from his Persian-Texan roots (Koshnoodi fled Iran at a young age to join his family in Texas) and food science-driven techniques, Chef Scott created a menu true to his heart.

“Nothing on the menu tastes as expected. All dishes include a level of umami,” says Chef Scott.

An engineer-turned-chef, Scott Koshnoodi has extensive experience working in some of NYC’s most acclaimed restaurants, including WD-50 and Aquavit. Here, he learned creative techniques like turning eggplant into the texture of shaving cream. Now, says Chef Scott, “I take that same approach at Parklife by going those extra steps to get the right texture and/or flavor that makes the dish as good as possible.”

Unique Outdoor Dining

Parklife’s lush, park-like setting — complete with sprawling picnic tables, crackling fire pits, cornhole boards, and outdoor movie nights — set the scene for an unplugged outdoor adventure in the middle of Brooklyn.

Adventure-seeking ideas in Brooklyn 

The laid-back eatery is also a stone’s throw away from some of Brooklyn’s best attractions for outdoor enthusiasts and adventure lovers alike, making Parklife a must-visit for thrill-seeking NYC day-trippers and tourists of all ages. Neighboring activities include axe throwing, archery, and indoor climbing, to name a few.

Parklife Feature Menu Items:

Chef Scott and his team specialize in turning ordinary menu items into extraordinary edible works of art. Some of Parklife’s best-selling offerings include:

Tortilla: Our signature blue-corn tortillas are made in-house and take two days to create. The kernels are first soaked in Mexican Cal (similar to how ancient Aztecs used limestone) for a day before being ground using lava rocks in a Molinito.Guacamole: Parklife’s guacamole features a distinct umami flavor by utilizing innovative techniques like using unused/peeled citrus from the bar (oranges, lemons, and limes) and koji to ferment the citrus. The juice is then added to the guacamole, along with a homemade poblano paste featuring smoked poblano, grilled poblano, and lacto-fermented poblano.Carnitas Taco: Parklife’s take on carnitas tacos is anything but basic. Pork shanks are smoked with pecan wood; then, the bones are made into a broth to create an extra-juicy effect. Next up, Chef removes the fat from the meat and mixes it with maltodextrin to create a light dusting of “snow” on the side of the pork.Beriyani Taco: The Lamb Beriyani Taco takes nearly three days to prepare from start to finish. The true star of the show here is the sumac glass: To create it, the Chef starts by making tea with sumac berries and subsequently uses a corn derivative to give it a crisp, glassy appearance.’Frito Pie’: Scott also holds his Texas upbringing close to his heart, and the Frito Pie is an homage to one of his favorite nostalgia-inducing indulgences. His version features a delicious beef and potato chili, frito adobo, escabeche, and queso chip.

Is Parklife Michelin-Quality?

“We’ve seen a major shift in what Michelin considers worthy of a recommendation or a star, if a diner expects an army of servers, white table clothes, cutlery, and 20-course tasting menus, then no, we aren’t a Michelin experience for them,” says Chef Scott. “If they expect the food to stand out in terms of flavor, technique, and presentation…then yes, I think we hold up to that standard.”

Why Persian, Texan, and, Mexican?

While Persian, Texan, and Mexican cuisine may seem like an unlikely combination, Chef thinks otherwise. “From a totally biased, personal viewpoint, these flavors work because they’re my flavor roots, my nostalgia,” he explains. They also work surprisingly well together. “Some unique aspects would be Iranians’ use of sour notes, the various chilies used in Mexican cuisine, or the obvious use of smoke in Texas BBQ.”

One-stop day of adventurous activities in Gowanus, Brooklyn:

Parklife Taqueria
Kick Axe Throwing BK
CrossFit South BK
Bouldering Project BK
Dancewave
The Royal Palms Shuffleboard Club
Gotham Archery
Movement Gowanus 
Arts Gowanus

About Parklife

A taqueria inspired by Persian, Mexican, and Texan flavors, Parklife is a year-round favorite with its landscaped outdoor seating and expanded indoor dining. It’s located on a quiet street in Brooklyn’s buzzy Gowanus neighborhood, where industrial meets creativity.

Parklife gets its name from the popular album by ’90s Britpop band Blur, which the owners — longtime friends Julie Kim and Scott Koshnoodi (who also serves as the chef) listened to on repeat while studying as Civil Engineering students at the University of Texas, Austin.

Today, music, creativity, and innovative flavors serve as the beating heart and soul of the all-season restaurant, which serves artfully crafted tacos and other Mexican-inspired staples until 12 AM on weekdays and 2 AM on weekends.

https://parklifebk.com/
https://www.instagram.com/parklifebk/

About Littlefield

Parklife is owned and operated by the same team behind Littlefield, one of New York’s most acclaimed indie comedy clubs and live music venues, and it’s also conveniently located right next door. Hosting big names like Chris Rock, Chuck D, Zach Galifianakis, Cibo Matto, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Neko Case, Santigold, and Kim Gordon, Littlefield has been a popular destination for musicians and comics for 15 years.

https://littlefieldnyc.com/

Press Inquiries:
Chad Carns
www.CarnsMedia.com
[email protected]
(917) 626 1967

Additional Photos:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/5napwg89whjls74oriqr0/h

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nyc-michelin-trained-chef-reimagines-a-taco-at-parklife-taqueria–an-outdoor-restaurant-adjoining-his-popular-music-club–just-in-time-for-spring-302079904.html

SOURCE Parklife Taqueria