EAST WILLIAMSBURG — Whether you want sushi, cow liver, pressed juice, barbecue pork, an in-house-baked Italian pastry, Thai noodles or low-fat cake batter ice cream — and whether it's 4 a.m. or 4 p.m. — an ardent Korean chef is here to save the day.
And the chef (and owner) Richie Kim promises you'll feel at home as soon as you walk in his round-the-clock enclave of Americana.
Star Stage Diner — a 24-hour eatery opening mid-August on Graham Avenue — is already stuffed to the brim with trinkets and posters Kim has collected at auctions during his past 44 years in the U.S. Photos of Audrey Hepburn, John F. Kennedy and Elvis hang beside a sombrero, plastic lobster, Yankees stuffed animals, a cowboy statue, a wall of seashells and a toy ship — and that's only the start of the visual feast.
"It makes customers feel relaxed, alright," explained Kim, 70, of his style choice, which includes a Bob Marley poster, Buddha statue and a handful of animal heads. "I don't hunt...but some people like to hunt."
And to keep the culinary options as overflowing as the decorations, Kim plans to hire an Italian chef to complement his skills.
"We'll have 44 ingredients at the salad bar," he said of a glass cabinet where clients can pick their own vegetables to be tossed. "We'll have our own bakery...We'll make pineapple pies, croissants, cranberry and blueberry breads."
Meat eaters can watch a server slice from a full "organic...baby pig" for barbecue, they can order a classic hamburger or munch on Korean-style cow liver.
And someone with a sweet tooth can order up one of 15 ice cream flavors or a juice pressed right on site.
"We'll have European cheese, high quality," boasted Kim, who also owns a restaurant in Florida but said this is his first Brooklyn venture. "This was all my idea."
