In the Age of AI, the Analog Restaurant Feels Radical
What spoke to me the most about the Instagram announcement for the new Manhattan restaurant Somssi was the fact that it was done in such an unexpected manner. In the photo, a hand holds a piece of lace against the shiny backdrop of a powder blue car. The lace, custom-made, is about the size of […]
Somssi, a new restaurant in Manhattan, stands out with its handcrafted approach. The name itself, derived from the Korean term for skill or craftsmanship, reflects the restaurant's philosophy. Manager Ahris Kim designed the logo to showcase this sentiment, with the name stitched into cloth and a custom typeface evoking Asian calligraphy.
The restaurant's interior is equally thoughtful, featuring vintage glassware, crochet and lace curtains, and curtains that spell out the restaurant's name in cutouts embellished with embroidery. This level of detail in both the design and execution has resonated with many, as the backlash against AI-generated imagery grows stronger.
The desire for handcrafted, tangible experiences is evident in various sectors, from photography and publishing to grocery stores and coffee shops. These establishments are embracing analog processes, rejecting the digital noise and opting for the human touch. This shift towards the analog is not just a reaction to AI but a deliberate choice, a frictionmaxxing, to prioritize the physical and the explicitly human-made.
The result is an increasing appreciation for the real, with handwritten menus and hand-engraved logos becoming symbols of this cultural shift.
Written by urgent.news from Eater's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
