D.C. Finally Gets an Uber-Upscale Korean Barbecue Place | Eater DC

"Marbled cuts of American wagyu now sizzle on sleek marble tabletops in an expansive, elegant room at the northern tip of the U Street NW corridor, where trained servers handle the grilling so I can focus on the show and the artfully arranged panchan—kimchi, pickled veggies, and sweet-spicy ssamjang—hugging the grill’s glossy edges. Dinner centers on an $80 prix fixe (with lunch only on weekends) that starts with a seasonal welcome bite—currently a warm pumpkin porridge that shifts to New Year’s rice cakes—followed by one shared side per two (think wok-charred asparagus or mushrooms with garlic chips) and one shared appetizer per two (like egg-yolk-topped steak tartare or a thick scallion pancake with shrimp and greens under panko). Mains span warm soups, chilled noodles, or fried rice, paired with Midwest-sourced wagyu served in traditional order from leanest to richest—tri-tip, hanger, shortrib (galbi), and marinated zabuton—with cool fermented panchan to reset the palate between bites. Conceived as a special-occasion spot, hospitality is meticulous and intentional, bolstered by tight supplier relationships for better control of quality and aging, and beef whose characteristics are said to be closest to Hanwoo (Korean beef). The cool, minimalist design favors brass, walnut, granite, and marble, highlighted by a panoramic inlaid mother-of-pearl serpentine pine behind the bar—repurposed from the owner’s late grandmother’s armoire—while a larger 14th Street bar program leans into Korean-made gin and ingredients like jujube and yuzu. Not AYCE and decidedly less-is-more, it aims to elevate Korean steakhouse traditions and energize the neighborhood." - Evan Caplan