Meju

Hiding behind a banchan shop in Long Island City, this chef’s counter is as much a classroom as it is a restaurant. Chef Hooni Kim is a worthy guide as he builds a deeply personal menu around traditional Korean ingredients that he’s been wild fermenting and aging for the last decade. Dazzling versions of doenjang, gochujang, ganjang and ssamjang shine with silky tofu, fried pancakes, Miyazaki beef and Niman Ranch pork. He brings the room together and impresses with carefully calibrated dishes that appear strikingly minimalist. Details are impressive, and many of the service pieces are handmade from Korean clay. An unassuming bowl of rice with kimchi is an homage to his mentor. It is a poignant finale that looks rather ordinary but has long-lasting impact.

• Eight-seat chef’s counter hidden behind Little Banchan Shop in Long Island City
• A tasting menu built around long-fermented Korean jangs made in-house
• Handmade Korean clay service pieces, plus chef-led explanations that make the meal feel like a small classroom

• Doenjang, gochujang, ganjang and ssamjang (house-aged Korean jangs used throughout the menu)
• Silky tofu and jeon (fried pancakes) built to carry those sauces
• Miyazaki beef and Niman Ranch pork
• Kimchi and rice as a closing course

Dinner tasting menu served at an eight-seat counter, with one seating per night, Wednesday to Saturday. $185 per person, optional natural wine and Korean spirit pairing.