Manhattan's culinary landscape is poised for an intriguing addition, as the new restaurant Raon gears up to open on the Upper East Side. Slated to welcome diners starting March 4, Raon is located at 207 E. 59th Street, near Third Avenue, and is the brainchild of chef Soogil Lim and Saook Youn, known for their previous venture, the Korean French restaurant Soogil. According to Eater, reservations for this culinary experience are set to open tomorrow via Resy, as New Yorkers eagerly await the opportunity to sample the establishment's inventive approach to kimchi pairings.
The restaurant's innovative tasting menu, priced at $225 for 10 courses, aims to showcase the diversity and potential of kimchi, a staple in Korean cuisine, with each dish engineered to match a specific type of this beloved fermented fare — similar to the thoughtful attention typically reserved for wine pairings with meals, one of the highlights being a delicate preparation of tuna and caviar paired with baek kimchi (mild white kimchi), yet this isn't the only showstopper, for the chefs have diligently curated a selection of intriguing dishes like king crab augmented by the freshness of oi kimchi salad and a decadent foie gras mandu complemented by the bold flavors of mukeunji kimchi (aged napa cabbage). Moreover, Raon is not shying away from indulgence, with beverage pairings also available for an additional $180 guests can expect a range of soju, cocktails, wines, and beers, along with impending additions of sake and whiskies rounding out the immersive dining spectacle.
These kimchi-centric offerings stem from a deep-rooted respect for the ingredient and its cultural significance, as "for Koreans, kimchi is 101," as Lim told Grub Street, "It is the foundation of our cuisine and culture," he emphasized — the ambition at Raon is to elevate this perception and treat kimchi with the same veneration typically accorded to fine wines. The distinct gamchilmat, or the Korean analog to umami that kimchi possesses, particularly in its aged forms, plays an integral role in defining the character of each course on the menu.
The ingenuity in Raon's menu is apparent in dishes like the New York bo kimchee, a contemporary twist on a historically significant preparation from what was once considered the New York City of Korea during the Goryeo Dynasty, a dish that features a melange of seafood and crisp vegetables under a veil of beef broth and tangy dongchimi juice gelée. Chef Lim, who once was a biology student aimed at reducing kimchee's "stinkiness" for export, now embraces the full spectrum of flavors, aromas, and textures that kimchi can offer, with offerings such as the uni gimbap paired with jang kimchee, showcasing a nuanced harmony of fermented soy sauce and the creamy opulence of sea urchin. Each dish artfully bridges tradition and innovation, with Lim and Youn setting the stage for an exploratory journey through Korea's most iconic condiment as they prepare to launch Raon in Lennox Hill.
