Soogil was on my list of restaurants to do. I couldn’t remember why, but I definitely liked the restaurant’s name; it sounded seductive.
It’s actually the name of its Korean chef and owner: Soogil Lim. His cuisine is creative and interesting; combining Korean ingredients with French techniques. He opened his restaurant a year ago in East Village after working at Daniel, a French two Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC, and Hanjan, a Korean gastropub in the Flatiron district.
The space is limited but smartly designed. A bar at the entrance, a row of tables and chairs on the other side of the wall, and in the middle a host table where people can sit down and mingle with each other – if desired. The décor is simple and warm: white brick and concrete walls, dark plank floors, and light wood furniture highlight the atmosphere. The central lightings provide a modern touch and look like a bunch of huge wine glasses attached randomly by the stem.
We were seated at the bar, the best place to chat with the bartender and learn more about the restaurant. I had a chance to talk with Chef Soogil as well, who despite the load of work was kind enough to leave his kitchen to entertain us with a friendly face and a large smile. He even took the time to pose with me for the picture (sorry the picture is blurry, my husband took it).
Our seats allowed us to preview the cocktails our barman was preparing and have a taste of a few of them each time we asked questions. I’m a bit conservative when it comes to the types of beverages during dinner. I prefer sake with Japanese and Korean food; cold and dry, this is how I like to drink it!
I hate it when I go to an ethnic restaurant and the food has lost its flavors so as to satisfy the general public – ie. to Americanize or Europeanize it. But I love it when a chef goes beyond the borders and introduces other cultures in the dishes. It shows the creativity and the evolution the culinary art can reach. The interpretation of chef Soogil’s cuisine is a great example. We were enjoying a Korean dinner but with a twist to it.
If you are undecided and don’t know what to order, the restaurant offers a tasting menu for $65 that summarizes pretty much what’s on the bill of fare.
We preferred to order a la carte and share the dishes. We started with the aster tofu salad: a delicious tofu dish served with cooked aster, yu choy, and soybean paste.
The Glass noodle was excellent: laced noodle with stir-fried vegetables, mushrooms, and topped with grilled beef bulgogi.
The Spanish mackerel was full of flavor: grilled mackerel perched on a bed of Swiss chard served with a thick and spicy ssamjang sauce.
The braised pork belly was served with kimchi rolls, beautifully presented with the spicy and salty shrimp sauce.
Nurungji sautéed foie gras, crispy rice, spinach, and oyster mushrooms all drizzled with a steamed soy sauce. We were quite curious about the dish and a bit skeptical I must say, but it turned out to be an excellent choice that represents the Soogil concept. The foie gras was perfectly cooked – not too much. If you ask me, the dish was hands down the winner!
The Korean sweet potato beignets with chilled kimchi soup dish arrived at the end as the chef’s compliment. The combination was surprising but so tasteful!
Without any doubt, Soogil is a place to remember!
Soogil
108 E 4th St, New York
📞 (646) 838-5524
Open daily: 5 – 11 pm
