Since 2019, Chelsea restaurant Shukette — run by executive chef and partner Ayesha Nurdjaja — has been very busy, and it’s easy to see why. The bumping space is bright and inviting; the noise level is buzzing but bearable; and yes, the food is bold and jam-packed with flavor. This was even on a recent Tuesday, when the dining room was packed throughout its dinner hours.
The gazoz cocktails, a take on the Turkish soda of the same name, are light and bubbly, and available without booze. I enjoyed my sweet passionfruit one ($18), made with Cocchi Americano Bianco and Crémant Blanc de Blanc.
Both soft serves — the Mic Drop with tahini and halva floss and the Grape Stomper with Concord grape sorbet and crunchy candied pepitas — are fantastic. Order the Swirl ($14), a mix of the two.