Raon - Review - Upper East Side - New York - The Infatuation

"If you’re looking for a Korean-inspired tasting within a block of the Queensboro Bridge, Raon is the pick. If, on the other hand, the net you’re casting is a little bit wider, let’s talk things out. Raon, from the Soogil chef, is polished, capable, and sometimes great. But even with its mild twist—most dishes incorporate kimchi in some form—the 10-course, $255 tasting ultimately sticks to a conservative game plan: Korean flavors, French influence, bite-size items, and routine luxury. photo credit: Evan Sung photo credit: Evan Sung photo credit: Bryan Kim Pause Unmute The highlight of the meal is the very first bite, a Dungeness crab tartlet under a disc of gelée infused with the flavor of soy-marinated crab. It’s followed by dainty offerings of caviar (with tuna), uni (over gimbap), and foie gras (in mandu), all of which read like pleasant variations on an upscale theme. There are no misses, but it all feels safe and overly cautious. Unlike Joo-Ok and Atomix, Raon doesn’t get much help from its setting: a 14-seat counter in a tastefully bare room with Wilco on the stereo and a view of traffic slinking past on 59th Street. It’s cut above your average date-night spot, sure, but nothing to get your heart racing. Food Rundown Crab, Oi Kimchi Usually, the first bite of a tasting is just there to prep you for more important things to come. Not the case with this tartlet. First, there’s a big pop of salty seafood flavor from the disc gelée, then creamy Dungeness crab and a burst of dill. photo credit: Evan Sung Tuna & Caviar, Baek Kimchi Even with its apple, white kimchi, and osetra caviar, this still comes across as a fancy version of the tuna tartare you'd find at your neighborhood wine bar. (Just sub potato chips for the crispy lotus root.) Good, but for $255, novelty would nice. photo credit: Evan Sung New York Bo Kimchi This probably didn’t need to be a terrine. It does look lovely, however, and the langoustine, octopus, and abalone are all perfectly delicate, if muted. photo credit: Evan Sung Galbi & Sotbap, Dongchimi Like so many others, the savory portion of this tasting ends with wagyu. The bordelaise is cliché, but the sotbap—with its plentiful mushrooms, morels, and crumbly chestnuts—is deeply comforting. photo credit: Evan Sung" - Bryan Kim