Across the Country and Through the Snow: Dinner at Jungsik
I drove 8 hours through the Colorado mountains in blizzard-like conditions, then got on a plane and a train into New York City… risking my life… all for a first date with a High Value Man™.
Was it worth it? Absolutely! Mainly because of the man – but also because this dinner date was at Jungsik.
The Overview
- Jungsik jungsik.com
- TriBeCa; New York, New York
- My rating: ★★★★ [4 stars]
- Hours: Sunday – Thursday 5:00pm to 9:00pm, Friday & Saturday 5:00pm-10:00pm
- Price: $$$$$/$$$$$ [Very Expensive]
- Reservation Difficulty: Moderate, by New York standards
- Dress Code: Upscale Casual… but still dressed to impress
- Scene: Managing Partners weeknight out, on the lowest of low keys
- Perfect For: an impressive first date… or second! A special meal on a weekday; business dinners that don’t feel like you’re flexing on your client
It’s easy to overlook Jungsik. As our car approached the intersection of Harrison Street and Hudson Street, the restaurant that initially caught my eye was actually the one across the street; you can see straight into Puffy’s Tavern, with its mess of string lights glowing and sweaty men in short shorts running across the TV screens. On a quiet weekday evening in TriBeCa – a quaint, secluded little neighborhood in lower Manhattan – a place like Puffy’s Tavern stands out.
Jungsik, however, is a restaurant of discretion. The frosted windows give nothing away. Stepping inside, the restaurant feels expands before you into a long, narrow space; the bar area, dining room, and private dining room are arranged in linear succession. We walked almost the length of it to get to our table, tucked away into a corner of the restaurant and affording us a view of the entire room.
On the night we dined, the 55-seat dining room was half-filled with people. Somehow, though, the restaurant felt silent around us. A muted color palette and a modern interior, with plush couches spanning the length of the restaurant, create an atmosphere of both warmth and refinement.
Nothing about the restaurant is ostentatious. Even with over 11 years of critical acclaim, the establishment creates minimal fuss about itself – no doubt an intentional accomplishment for a restaurant that received it’s first Michelin star in 2012, it’s debut year, and was elevated to a 2 star Michelin restaurant in 2013.
Consequently, I didn’t know what to expect from Jungsik. The Michelin Guide describes the cuisine as “New Korean”. I’ve found that critics attach the descriptor word “new” quite liberally, with no meaningful or discernible pattern for its meaning. I am also, admittedly, not very well acquainted with Korean food. I have not yet had the privilege of traveling to South Korea, and Korean food has only recently begun making significant headway in gaining its (over)due recognition and acceptance in the U.S. culinary scene. In fact, Jungsik was only the second Korean restaurant in the US to receive a Michelin star when it received its one-star award in 2012.
Considering that we were about to embark on a 9+ course tasting menu journey, the “new” territory was also bound to be mostly unfamiliar to me. But what a delight it was to discover Korean food through Jungsik!
The amuse bouche course set the tone for what was to follow the entire night: superlative attention to detail, an appetite for adventure, and love for surprise! The yukhwe (wagyu tartare with truffle, on brioche) and joomukbap (a squid ink rice ball stuffed with spicy squid and shrimp) were incredible first bites.
We had the option of adding supplements and selected two: black cod and kongguksu. I enjoy black cod on almost any menu, and this one was no different. It was perfectly flakey and tender. As a truffle-lover, I loved the generous portion offered atop the white truffle kongguksu. Instead of a dairy based sauce, the noodles are drenched in a soybean and vegetable broth.
While dishes like the striped jack, arctic char, langoustine, and lamb seem unremarkable in name and notation on the menu, traditional Korean ingredients hoist them from the level of ordinary into remarkable. The lamb, for example, is served with gondre barley rice; gondre is a wild green vegetable herb that is often served in rice at Korean Buddhist temples.
My favorite course of the evening was undoubtedly the yellowtail kimbap. It is playfully plated and inspired a knowing glance and nod in agreement between my date and I as we enjoyed the course. Kimbap is a dish that is ubiquitous in Korea, especially because of its portability! Jungsik makes it fine-dining appropriate with a delicate, house made seaweed that, while pliable, handles the weight of the rice, yellowtail, and mustard sauce very well – and delivers a hefty crunch with each bite.
With so much love and effort devoted to the imagining and reimagining of Korean food for fine-dining, it is a wonder that Jungsik has much leftover for the beverage offerings. There is a solid menu for mocktails, cocktails, shoju, sake, beer, wine, and spirits. My date and I opted to begin with cocktails and follow with a premium wine pairing. For me: the Bori martini, which was as un-martini like as a martini gets. It was served in a high ball glass with puffed rice as a garnish. The flavor was refreshing and fruity on account of the lillet, with a herbal finish from the damsel pine. My date regarded his drink, the Perthimmon Saz, as an interesting concept (in the best way!).
The premium wine pairing featured seven selections. A couple were immediately recognizable names due to their mainstream popularity – Dom Perignon Brut 2013 and a 2018 Opus One Bordeaux Blend. The other selections leaned into Germany, Austria, Spain – perfectly aligned with my preferences as of late. The 2017 Neumeister Sauvignon Blanc “Moarfeitl” Vulkanland Steirmark was my favorite white wine of the evening, with its perfect mineral “crisp”. My favorite red wine of the evening was paired with my favorite savory course (the yellowtail kimbap): Vega Sicilia “Valbuena No. 5” Ribero del Duero 2018. This Tempranillo is an absolutely stunning shade of cherry red in the glass. It is fruit forward, but quite deceptively full bodied, and a little spicy on the end.
It was such a pleasure to start this year’s Michelin adventures with this incredible experience at Jungsik. Not only was dinner and wine pairing incredible, but the team was such fun! The staff here skews young, so much so that, as we handed our coats over for safe storage, I was able to make a joke with the hostess in reference to the “mob wife” Tik-Tok aesthetic. And yet, there were no notable missteps in the execution of the dinner service.
I left dinner feeling inspired by both the dining experience and the pleasure of spending time in the company of a wonderful person. I hope to start a wine collection this year featuring a bottle from every tasting menu I am privileged enough to try this year – to commemorate each and every amazing date that we enjoy together. It was such a pleasure to start this year’s Michelin adventures with this incredible experience at Jungsik. I am looking forward to many more delightful meals around the world – and the memories that will be made with you!
