I am a recent fan of Korean food. Until then, I always thought of Korean food as that somewhat sweet BBQ sauce often found coating various meats on skewers. Oh! and kimchi! Beyond that, I really did not have any clue what Korean food is all about - or if it was even worth exploring. And then I visited Kunjip in Koreatown NYC. Now I am fan!

What I discovered at Kunjip was a complex array of flavors and spices. Spicy and sweet. Sour and bitter. Hot and cold temperatures. All rolled into one memorable experience. And the memory stayed so strong that I felt compelled to explore some more.

Hmm…. where shall I let my next Korean culinary adventure take me. A quick search on internet revealed the perfect choice. Named one of the “10 best restaurants in 2013” by New York Times had a lot to do with that decision. Hanjan. In Flatiron District of NYC. Here I come! Although, I needed a “partner in crime” - and thankfully my niece “Nish-Kish” (soon to be an amazeballs lawyer everyone should watch out for) is always glad to oblige. Yay!

Owner and chef Hooni Kim has earned rave reviews for his two restaurants: Danji and Hanjan where he has brought everyday Korean fare to the masses with panache and modern flair. The menu at Hanjan is divided into three parts: Traditional, Modern and Skewers. Each with just a handful of options carefully crafted and composed.

As we sipped on our cocktails, we perused the menu and decided to try dishes from each section. Why not?!!!

From the Traditional section we tried Scallion Pancake with Local Squid. It was nothing like the pancakes I know. Instead of being flat and somewhat dense - it was thick, crunchy, flaky and airy. The flavors were delicate - as they should be with seafood in the filling. It was quite addictive.

The Kimchi & Beef Brisket Fried Rice with Egg - is a MUST ORDER people! It is absolutely fabulous and packed with flavor. We could smell it from the table next to us and could not wait to get our own order to devour. The Kimchi does wonderful things to this dish. It is brilliant and bold. Be aware that this makes for quite a spicy bite.

The Modern section offers an incredible Atlantic Salmon Sashimi Salad - which will amaze you in unexpected ways. It was a beautifully composed dish - so artfully presented that it almost made you expect delicate flavor profiles. That is where the surprise element comes in. Because it tasted anything but delicate. It was a huge punch of spicy and sweet and sour and … WOW!

The Fried Chicken With Pickles was perhaps the weakest dish - in comparison to the rest. I found it a bit dry. Perhaps it could have used some kind of sauce. It is quite possible that, had I not tasted some other items on the menu already I may have felt differently.

From the Skewers section we tried the Spicy Pork Belly and its was a hit for us. We loved the spicy kick with the meaty and juicy pork belly.

Hanjan is a cool and cozy contemporary space. I loved its really charged atmosphere and vibe with soft lighting, lots of wood and a big communal table anchoring the centre of the space. The staff is super-friendly and eager to serve. Do put this restaurant on your NYC-MUST-VISIT list! Its totally worth it!

Hanjan, NYC | http://www.hanjan26.com/index.htm