Oiji, a chic Korean restaurant, has opened in the space that housed beloved Dok Suni for over two decades. As noted when we spoke to Brian Kim and Tae Kyung Ku back in October, the chefs and co-owners have experience in the kitchens of Michelin starred restaurants (Kim at Bouley, Ku at Gramercy Tavern) and it shows in the refined technique they apply to the Korean dishes here.
The chefs, who are friends and former roommates, take cues from French cuisine, opting for smaller, more delicately crafted portions. The meat in their pig’s-trotter salad, a Korean delicacy, is brined for a period of time and then seasoned with rosemary and thyme before it’s cooked. In all their dishes, the meat and vegetables are cooked and prepared separately in order to preserve the flavors of each.
The staff at Oiji emphasise that they want to produce Korean food in a way that appeals to the taste sensibilities of Koreans and non-Koreans alike. Once the weather improves, brunch will join the dinner menu, which can be found below.
