Daniel B.
Yelp
There's a lot to love about Little Kim, but like all younger siblings it can be hard to escape the shadow of the firstborn. But these two places are different, and they should be treated as such.
Little Kim is more casual, less expensive (which is not to be confused with cheap), and drumroll.... not exclusively Korean. The quick, counter service, luncheonette draws influences from Indian, Japan, and China in addition to Korea. And I might argue with the dish Egg in Purgatory, it's also drawing from Italian influences. And with sandwiches on sliced Farm bread from Zingerman's Bakehouse, one could argue other European influences too. Oh yeah, and one of my favorite dishes has a spicy tahini dressing, so also middle eastern maybe?
It gets confusing.
The food is all tasty. It looks beautiful, as does the physical space. The staff is friendly and accommodating, as one would expect from any place under the Zingerman's umbrella.
I've been a few times, and the one dish that in my mind stands head and shoulders above the rest is the humble Crunchy Sesame Salad. It's $7 and has no leafy greens. Instead there's shredded red cabbage, chunks of celery, and shaved fennel. The dressing is a creamy and spicy tahini, which is balanced with a scattering of sweet and chewy golden raisins, with a sprinkling of sesame seeds for bit more toasty oomph.
Seriously, I could eat this every day.
The fried tofu is delightful, albeit in a different style from the fried tofu at Big Kim across the alleyway. While the fried tofu works well in the bowls, I've found the sandwiches to be just a little lacking. For me, it's the bread.
Now I love the Farm Bread from Zingerman's Bakehouse. But it has never felt like a good fit for these really flavorful and beautiful sandwiches. It's just a bit too dry and stiff. Perhaps if it was grilled or pressed, we might be having a different conversation. As long as we're doing a cross cultural creative cuisine, I think some kind of Indian Pav would be lovely! Dare to dream.
Fried chickpeas are magnificent. Even better than the french fries. The real trick to enjoying a meal at Little Kim is to go with a group and share. The fries are huge. While the chickpeas are smaller, they are denser and one order can be shared by several folks.
The Egg in Purgatory is loved by so many folks, but also it's not for me. Maybe it's because I've had some great traditional eggs in purgatory and plenty of Shakshuka. While I love chickpeas, I find them out of place in this dish. I'm also still left scratching my head as to why the default is just one egg on this enormous plate of tomatoes and beans.
That said, I've also enjoyed the chilled tofu noodle bowl and the Jjajangbap. And I'm looking forward to returning and trying the hot tofu rice bowl and the seaweed roll.
Plus Little Kim is pretty darn new. I expect the menu will be evolving as the seasons chance, and I'm expecting more delicious items to emerge from the kitchen and additional personal favorites that rise to the level of that fantastic sesame salad.
What a delightful way to eat your veggies and enjoy some of chef Ji Hye's flavors when you didn't have the foresight to make a reservation next door.