After Jungsik received its third star, I set my sights on a comparable but more affordable option in Jua.
This was my most expensive meal in NYC, and easily the most delicious. From start to end, we were impressed by dishes that innovated on the classics in respectful ways that surprised us with clarity and profundity of flavor. Everything was executed very well, and each dish felt very thoughtful in terms of portioning and construction. You could really see the traditional inspiration behind everything they put on the table. The service was respectable, and the space was intimate enough so that we could eavesdrop very easily. Do not mind the candle; we were trying to get something for free 😀. We sat next to a pair of diners, and one of them had clearly been there multiple times before. The way he introduced the restaurant to his friend really resonated with my assessment: “It’s good food, man, it’s really good food.”
Caviar Kim – I have an avocado allergy, so they substituted it with more tartare. This bite was nothing short of perfection and was my favorite and easily my most memorable of the night. Having my only exposure to kimbap being soggy pre-made kimbap from Trader Joe’s, I did not really know what to expect from this dish. Immediately biting into the crispy and delicate seaweed that was slightly sweet, I looked at my girlfriend and saw that our eyes had lit up in the same way as if we knew we were in for something amazing. The fresh crunch of the brunoised cucumbers was great. The size was comparable to the smooth bubbly pearls of the golden Kaluga caviar, which made for great textural interest. The silky rice perfumed with truffle oil was hearty and stood up to the strong tastes of the rich and smooth bluefin tuna and creamy caviar. While it might seem boring to eat at first, being a bunch of small particles of food, the dish as a whole was something new and delightful, with rivers and lakes of flavors that combined in interesting ways to give you a fantastic bite. I really resent the chef for recommending I eat it in 1-2 bites instead of only saying 2, because my greedy self popped the whole thing and did not get to savor the layers and temperature and textural contrasts anew for a second time.
Uni Kim – We did not initially order this dish, but after the life-changing experience that was the Caviar Kim, we knew we had to experience the uni version. Just like the Caviar Kim, the crisp and slightly sweet kim was an exciting introduction to the bite, and the warm truffle fried rice was again outstanding. The uni itself was sweet, creamy, and reminiscent of the head-meat of shrimp in that it was a powerful punch of pungent seafood flavor. This did not compare to the Caviar Kim, but I am still glad we ordered it.
Striped Jack – This was a very surprising dish. The shaped beets formed a beautiful crown for the textural adventure that existed underneath. Pressing the beet shape broke the pectin glue and separated each petal into little adornments for the cold and wonderfully silky bites of tartare we would have. Little sliced blueberries gave splashes of fruity sweetness to the dish and were unexpected yet totally welcome. Crispy breadcrumbs delivered the textural variety you want in a tartare to keep it from being monotone. The fish itself was sweet and firm, and diced small enough so that the mayo sauce could suspend each piece effectively and make everything smooth. Overall, this dish was deceptively light and definitely freshened up my palate after having two super decadent courses.
Jook – A familiar and super comforting dish with a savory secret; this jook was so appetizing that I forgot to take a picture until after I had mixed everything together. I forgot that the waiter had mentioned foie gras, so I was happily sipping and slurping down my warm and loosely textured porridge. When I chewed into my first spoonful, though, I had a taste of something of much substance which disappeared just as quickly as it came and coated my mouth with a powerful oil that screamed umami. These little cubes of foie gras were so delectable, and I had a great time trying to find each piece and smash them between my teeth. The sweet spinach and meaty mushrooms provided a great balance to the foie gras by adding different kinds of chew to the solids in the jook, and the big scoop of chives granted the dish a wonderful aroma of home-style reminiscent pungency, while the sesame seeds added a light nuttiness that you only get when you put your nose to the bowl to slurp what you cannot get with the spoon.
Branzino – A simple technical flex by the restaurant to remind you of its caliber. The branzino was superbly buttery and flaky, with the skin being the crispiest I have had from fish. The dry-aged flavor was unmistakable and, along with the clam broth, provided a great funky and seafood-forward taste that was even stronger than the uni. With the woodear mushrooms serving as a sweet and crunchy assuagement that softened the overwhelming seafood flavor whenever you needed it, I devoured this dish faster than everything except the kims. Also, I do not know what that allium-type circle is underneath the littleneck clam, but it was great along with the mushroom.
Duck & Chan – The duck was dry-aged too, but the flavor was not prominent like with the branzino. Instead, I think they just dried it to get a good crust on the skin-side. A perfect medium-rare breast with all of the fat rendered out, this course was another demonstration of culinary technique, along with the beautiful palette of banchan to go along with it. I wish they pre-sliced the duck for you, though, as the intent was clearly to alternate bites of duck and banchan, and the time spent cutting the duck with the dull knife they give you is not super fun.
Easily my favorite banchan was the Korean fried lotus root. A super fun bite that had me grinning from ear to ear with familiar yet new sensations, and I think the lotus root was the perfect choice as it is meaty like artichoke and can hold up to the crispy Korean fry. All the banchan were great, though, the highlights being the peppery and juicy bok choy, the slightly spicy chive kimchi, and the chewy sweet eggplant that made me feel like a cow grazing on some tall grasses in a good way, along with the lotus root, of course.
Mandarin – A great palate-cleanser dessert. The bright flavors of the mandarin and the creamy and not at all icy body of the sorbet were perfect renditions of the concept, as well as the temperature of the sorbet itself not being so cold as to freeze my teeth, something I am particularly sensitive to. The playful jellies were fun to chew on, as well as the lace cookie that condensed into chewy hunks of sugar in the mouth. Without being too sweet, this dish refreshed me in the most wonderful way and was a perfect transition to the final dish.
Goguma Juak – Perhaps my second favorite dish of the night. Just an amazingly dense and chewy mochi donut with strong sweet potato flavor. The crisp crust was brushed with a really great sticky syrup, and I hesitated only a little bit before getting my hands dirty and dunking in the luscious and decadent brown butter ice cream. Butter and sweet potatoes being a classic pairing, and the hot/cold dessert pairing being something always exciting, this dish was super rooted in reality while surpassing its comparisons and providing a totally new experience altogether. Another dish I will never forget, if not just because I had so much fun scooping the ice cream with the donut with my sticky hands. To be honest, if I came back and this was not part of the menu, I would be a bit upset.
by kmpham2013