Looks amazing! What did you think? We’d like to go but my husband is pescatarian, and they confirmed by email that they don’t currently accommodate pescatarians (but are working on a pescatarian menu).
Even_Ear_1704
Went to Joo ok a couple days ago while their menu price was still $180 because I know it’s going to go up soon lol.
———————————————————————————————————————– In the lobby: Intro Snack: Hawthorne Tea intro with “Crisps”- the tea is sweet and acidic with a tart note at the end, very similar flavor profile to raspberry except with a tinge of sourness at the end. The cracker is almost like an elevated version of the fried crisps you get with Chinese takeout, except more delicately fried along with a good hint of dried baby shrimp flavor. Almost like a shrimp cracker.
Time between drinks in the lobby and first course was: 8:15 and 8:40. Not too much of a wait, cause I know some people have mentioned the wait time is too long.
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Initial Bites featured the “Jang” trio:
1. Ganjang- the bite is a fried piece of soft taro with a mild chicken interior with a green sauce on the bottom. The taro is earthy,sweet, and super soft, almost mashed and the chicken is tender. The sauce on the bottom is almost like a chimmichurri using perilla leaf. The “whisps”” are perfectly crunchy and dissolve nicely. It reminds me immensely of a Chinese dim sum dish that uses taro and meat called Wu Gok both in taste and presentation, albeit with a Korean twist. Good bite, don’t taste the ganjang (soy sauce) in it though. 2. Gochujang-basically a tartare tartlet using a crispy wonton wrapper as the base. A super savory and creamy beef tartare with a sprig of green onion and almost a “spicy mayo” on the bottom that uses Gochujang for the spice. The tartare almost tastes like how Korean bbq joints smell, in the best way possible. Very tasty. 3. Deonjang-literally melt in your mouth foie gras mousse with almost an initial hit of wine (which I’m assuming is actually the doejang) with a finish of citrus at the end. The cracker is almost like the ultimate fine dining version of a Ritz cracker with a bit of sweetness to it. Holy fuck, this was amazing. Perfectly done.
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Jang Mool Hoe- a translucent dumpling skin filled with squid, scallop, uni, persimmon, and butternut squash. The dish itself is beautiful. The sweetness of the squid and scallop comes out super well and so does the uni’s richness with a hint of brininess. The crunch of the persimmons is there but I wish the sweetness of the squash came out more. The soup it’s in reminds me of naengmyon broth with an earthy bitter note added to it.
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Langoustine prepared 4 ways (from right to left)- 1.wrapped with langoustine threads- 2.topped with osetra caviar- 3.topped with pickled herring roe- 4.wrapped in pickled scallion leaf
1.Looks fried but isn’t with bits of savoriness from the threads that have almost a condensed seafood flavor, similar to crushed seafood shells.
2.The sweetness of the langoustine pairs well with the salty caviar. Not overpowering.
3.Same as above but with a herring roe instead that’s basically prepared to taste like popping gochujang
4.Wrapped with a pickled scallion leaf that tastes like onion and seaweed. Sweet and oceany with a bit of salt to it
Even_Ear_1704
On another note, I am also going to Atomix(2*) and Jungsik(3*) in about the next month or so, so I’m curious to see how Korean one, two, and three michelin star restaurants compare to one another (I know Joo Ok used to be 2* in Seoul but it’s currently 1 star).
3 Comments
Looks amazing! What did you think? We’d like to go but my husband is pescatarian, and they confirmed by email that they don’t currently accommodate pescatarians (but are working on a pescatarian menu).
Went to Joo ok a couple days ago while their menu price was still $180 because I know it’s going to go up soon lol.
———————————————————————————————————————–
In the lobby: Intro Snack: Hawthorne Tea intro with “Crisps”- the tea is sweet and acidic with a tart note at the end, very similar flavor profile to raspberry except with a tinge of sourness at the end. The cracker is almost like an elevated version of the fried crisps you get with Chinese takeout, except more delicately fried along with a good hint of dried baby shrimp flavor. Almost like a shrimp cracker.
Time between drinks in the lobby and first course was: 8:15 and 8:40. Not too much of a wait, cause I know some people have mentioned the wait time is too long.
———————————————————————————————————————–
Initial Bites featured the “Jang” trio:
1. Ganjang- the bite is a fried piece of soft taro with a mild chicken interior with a green sauce on the bottom. The taro is earthy,sweet, and super soft, almost mashed and the chicken is tender. The sauce on the bottom is almost like a chimmichurri using perilla leaf. The “whisps”” are perfectly crunchy and dissolve nicely. It reminds me immensely of a Chinese dim sum dish that uses taro and meat called Wu Gok both in taste and presentation, albeit with a Korean twist. Good bite, don’t taste the ganjang (soy sauce) in it though.
2. Gochujang-basically a tartare tartlet using a crispy wonton wrapper as the base. A super savory and creamy beef tartare with a sprig of green onion and almost a “spicy mayo” on the bottom that uses Gochujang for the spice. The tartare almost tastes like how Korean bbq joints smell, in the best way possible. Very tasty.
3. Deonjang-literally melt in your mouth foie gras mousse with almost an initial hit of wine (which I’m assuming is actually the doejang) with a finish of citrus at the end. The cracker is almost like the ultimate fine dining version of a Ritz cracker with a bit of sweetness to it. Holy fuck, this was amazing. Perfectly done.
———————————————————————————————————————–
Jang Mool Hoe- a translucent dumpling skin filled with squid, scallop, uni, persimmon, and butternut squash. The dish itself is beautiful. The sweetness of the squid and scallop comes out super well and so does the uni’s richness with a hint of brininess. The crunch of the persimmons is there but I wish the sweetness of the squash came out more. The soup it’s in reminds me of naengmyon broth with an earthy bitter note added to it.
———————————————————————————————————————–
Langoustine prepared 4 ways (from right to left)- 1.wrapped with langoustine threads- 2.topped with osetra caviar- 3.topped with pickled herring roe- 4.wrapped in pickled scallion leaf
1.Looks fried but isn’t with bits of savoriness from the threads that have almost a condensed seafood flavor, similar to crushed seafood shells.
2.The sweetness of the langoustine pairs well with the salty caviar. Not overpowering.
3.Same as above but with a herring roe instead that’s basically prepared to taste like popping gochujang
4.Wrapped with a pickled scallion leaf that tastes like onion and seaweed. Sweet and oceany with a bit of salt to it
On another note, I am also going to Atomix(2*) and Jungsik(3*) in about the next month or so, so I’m curious to see how Korean one, two, and three michelin star restaurants compare to one another (I know Joo Ok used to be 2* in Seoul but it’s currently 1 star).