I don’t know about you, but I love me some Korean food! Chances are, that you are now reading this blog, you do as well. And of course, there is so much Korean food out here in New York City, it’s hard to choose one. Word of mouth is usually how restaurants gain a good reputation, besides the obvious press. I have researched this long and hard, and visited several spots, and these three are my favorites! They all have been mentioned in the Michelin Guide, so you can definitely be assured that they all have quality food!
Danji
Danji is 100% one of my favorite restaurants in NYC. Located on the West Side of the Theater District, literally everything is delicious here. It was a bit of an American twist to it, but only in matters of presentation, the taste and preparation are authentically Korean. Chef Hooni Kim has been in the business of feeding us for over a decade, and dons a Michelin Star. He serves modern Korean comfort food, and I am here for it.
Restaurant Week in New York is my personal little vacation, I try to get in as many restaurants as possible, and whenever I can, I include Danji. This winter I stopped in with a couple of girlfriends, We all loved everything!
My first course was a Yellowtail “HWE” Sashimi. Hwe in Korean stands for raw fish. With an addition of a soy sesame sauce, this dish was so fresh and delicious. Of course my next dish was “KP” Spicy Chicken Wings. Don’t ever forgo Korean Fried Chicken, it’s always amazing, as these were. These were served with peanuts and a creamy onion dip. An absolute delight. Last was a Bossam Pork Belly. The Pork Belly came in generous slices, which we had to wrap into a Pickled Mu Radish Wrap, and not only was it superb, but it was also fun to eat. Danji never disappoints.
Odre
Odre is located on Second Avenue in the East Village, and promises authentic Korean food. Chef Changki Khan serves up a four course meal that will transport you to Korea! For only $42 you will have an exquisite dining experience. The menu itself varies depending on the season, but no matter what, it will be delicious and plentiful.
My four course menu consisted of: first course was a Citrus Red Shrimp Naengchae, which is a basically a cold shrimp salad with Pomelo, Hallabong and pine nut. So fresh and tasty! Next was a Kimchi Pie with Smoked Pork Belly and Brussels Sprouts. Just fantastic. Kimchi is everyone’s favorite, and the addition of Brussels sprouts was top tier. Next was Tteok Galbi, which consisted of Prime Beef Short Rib Ma Gui, which is a certain way to grill the beef. Super delicious. Last, but not least, I had an Oyster Gang-Doenjang Bimibap, served with a soup, and this was probably my favorite course. It was so heart warming and homey, I savored every bite and sip.
8282
8282 calls Stanton Street on the Lower Eastside its home. This is definitely a hot spot, good luck getting reservations! But I did snag a seat at the bar, and I’m so glad I did. I absolutely love this place. This place serves more modern Korean cuisine, and it is done so, so well. Bong Le Jo and Jee Kim outdid themselves with this one, it absolutely an must-try.
The portions here are big, you can mix and match with your friends, and try a little bit of everything. Or you can do it like me, and order a bunch of stuff, and then take home the leftovers, which I think might be a personal favorite for me. My dishes were as follows. Boneless K.F.C., which of course is Korean Fried Chicken, this one with a Korean soy garlic sauce, topped with pickled chili peppers. Outstanding. Next was a Cheese Tteok-Bokki. It consists of Rice Cakes with gochujang marinated chicken, cabbage, onions, scallions, topped off with a mozzarella burrata. It was hot out of the oven, and I kept burning my mouth, because I couldn’t wait for the next bite. Unbelievably good. Last was Jjanjang Bori-Bap with seared scallops and shrimp over a black bean sauce with truffle paste and mushroom paste. I’m very picky when it comes to seared scallops, and these have my stamp of approval, very well cooked, and the shrimp were seasoned to perfection. This was a top notch dining experience.
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