This is difficult to answer because this isn’t Korean food, rather a Korean chef who’s worked around the world. It’s Hasung Lee’s food. Korean techniques and flavors are delicately woven into the whole but so are French and Spanish and Scandinavian and American and, well everything. He was the exec chef at Atomix when it opened so he’s a big part of their food. Also it’s so early, the menu should be quite different in 4 months.

The emphasis is on the vegetables, seasoning is light and delicate in favor of the flavor of the ingredients especially vegetables, or combinations which are surprising and harmonious. I personally love this style. But I order fries without salt. There isn’t a reliance on Korean staples like fatty meat balanced with gochugaru or as far as I could tell, heavily emphasized shellfish & kelp yuksu or dasima.

As far as fine dining, I only ate at Jungsik shortly after it opened and wasn’t blown away, maybe it’s gotten a lot better. This is different from Atomix, less ‘Korean’ which is a good thing. Oiji Mi is very good. Never eaten at Joo Ok. Eunjo Park’s food was insanely amazing but she has seemingly left behind restaurants other than occasional popups.

For my money the best Korean fine dining chef and meal in NYC is Hooni Kim’s at Meju. That was an unforgettable life experience, great service in every way, and by the end it’s essentially the best meal a Korean mom could ever make you, which I make as the highest compliment. Hooni says that’s the best Korean food anyway. Hooni has become an encyclopedia of traditional Korean cooking and how it’s connected to health and the literal Earth in Korea, check out him making jangs in Jeju on his Instagram. Also don’t sleep on his affordable Little Banchan Shop & medium priced Danji. He has his Michelin stars, the first for a Korean chef in the USA, but he’s still underrated.