In the summer of 2010, Sophia Lee opened missKOREA in Manhattan’s Koreatown, introducing Korean royal cuisine to the capital of the world. The restaurant was immensely popular, and the line snaking out the door day after day not only reassured Sophia of her mission to uphold the traditions of Korean cuisine, but also encouraged her to strive toward providing the best Korean dining experience for all of her guests. Whether it be a worker unwinding after a long day or a tourist reenergizing while exploring the city, Sophia hopes that anybody who dines at missKOREA can leave with a sense of peace and happiness.
Tasty Korean BBQ right at the table
A Unique Dining Environment
With this sincere wish in mind, Sophia is concerned not only with providing delicious food but also creating a relaxing environment. In a restaurant, she believes, a diner consumes not only food, but, more importantly, a mood. Thus, she has set up missKOREA on three floors, each with a unique aesthetic and dining concept.
The first floor, “Jin,” is inspired by nature, from the use of stone walls with tufts of grass, to the muted mural of a forest on one wall, to the irregular, naturalistic edges of the tables.
The second floor, “Sun,” is an oasis of serenity, inspired by Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. The aesthetic is spare and beautiful, with light wood and warm lighting throughout, adorned with delicate details and Korean artwork. The peaceful private rooms were inspired by ancient Korean sarangbang. In historical times, these were traditional study rooms where one could practice writing, calligraphy, and painting, and which also doubled as places where nobles would engage in discussion of politics and culture over tea.
The third floor, “Mi,” is a more contemporary space, where shades of black and white blend with accents of red. The decor pays homage to the 16th-century female poet Hwang Jin Yi, who was known for her poems about longing. The mix of tradition and modernity is an ideal meeting place for friends to gather and while away the night.
Bibim naengmyeon Korean noodle dish at Miss Korea restaurant in Koreatown, Manhattan, on Aug. 3, 2016. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times)
Diverse Menu: The Best of All Worlds
Korean barbecue food is marinated with special sauces, which means that different kinds of barbecue dishes have distinct flavors. It can be overwhelming to choose from the many varieties of flavors and meat cuts. As a solution, Sophia has curated different barbecue sets, offering diners a diverse sampling to try and allowing them to enjoy everything Korean barbecue has to offer.
The Longevity Set
With this set, you get to sample unmarinated meats, a healthier option that will help you attain a long life. You’ll get to enjoy thick chunks of juicy Berkshire pork belly, brisket gleaming with fatty goodness, and buttery beef short ribs.
Gujeolpan
The Happiness Set
The Happiness Set brings joy to your tongue with an assortment of marinated meats, each with varying degrees of umami from the different marinades. There’s spicy pork belly slathered with red pepper paste, beef bulgogi (rib-eye steak) loaded with the taste of moreish onions, and pleasantly sweet kalbi, the Korean barbecue staple of bone-in short ribs.
The Love Set
You can get the Love Set with both marinated and unmarinated meats, including ju mul luk, a kind of boneless short rib that melts in your mouth with its rich fat, enhanced by just a tad of flavor from the soy-sauce-based marinade.
Traditional Professionality
To create the menu at missKOREA, Sophia called on the services of Sun Kyu Lee, a renowned food consultant in South Korea. Lee has founded a culinary school devoted to traditional Korean cuisine and has almost 40 years of cooking experience.
Following the traditional Korean belief, rooted in Taoism, that the five elements must be in balance for one’s body to maintain a healthy state, dishes are garnished with five colors—black, white, red, green, and yellow. In parallel, the flavors are a balance of salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and bitter.
Refreshing Gujeolpan
Traditionally a dish served during special celebrations, gujeolpan, which means “platter of nine delicacies,” consists of eight different meats and vegetables, which you wrap together in the rice crepes that are placed at the center of the tray. At missKOREA, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, turnips, cucumbers, fried egg, beef, and crabmeat are served, along with assorted dipping sauces that range from light and sweet to rich and pungent. You can mix and match the ingredients however you wish to enjoy the delightful experience unique to Korean royal cuisine.
As we celebrate missKOREA’s eight-year anniversary, all of us at Elite Lifestyle Magazine enthusiastically wish all of our readers a joyful and healthy summer!
