Holy cow! Literally. HYUN, a new high-end Korean barbecue restaurant on the East Side of Manhattan is on a mission to blow your mind with its quality Japanese A5 wagyu, and it’s more than safe to say, they will succeed.
While the concept of Korean barbecue is not new in New York City, this restaurant’s high caliber cuisine is reinventing the wheel with its incomparable cuts and elevated dishes. Flying in whole cattle to from Japan, HYUN serves only the highest quality Japanese A5 Wagyu beef, in thirty different cuts, including specialty cuts that change daily and are available only in limited quantity.
The sleek design of the restaurant is apropos to a special occasion, date night out or an important business dinner, with a minimalist design and private dining booths for those who seek a more private experience.
The menu features a selection of shareable plates, as well as a premium selection of wagyu cuts. For something on the lighter side, we recommend starting with the chadol-jjim. It’s ideal for sharing or larger groups of people, and is comprised of steamed, thinly-sliced beef brisket with enoki mushroom, perilla leaf, and bean sprout wrapped inside. But if you really want to try something special, the sot bap is what you need. This unreal, melt-in-your-mouth pot cooked rice is topped with sea urchin and truffle, and blends the perfect arrangement of flavors and textures, giving you a bite you won’t soon forget.
But, of course, the wagyu is the star here, and we’d be remiss not to tell you all about it, even though words seldom cut it. There are a variety of options to choose from, including ribeye, short rib, striploin, and more — not to mention, their daily special cut. We opted for the tenderloin and ribeye when we had the privilege of dining at HYUN and oh. my. god. The meat is brought to your table side raw, where your server will then place a cube of wagyu fat on your tabletop cast iron pan, along with rosemary and garlic to flavor your cuts. Then, you will watch (mesmerized) as they prepare your meat just to your liking. While the meat needs no embellishments (the flavor speaks for itself), you will have a side of truffle mushroom salt, pinot noir salt and wasabi salt to add atop, should you wish. These flavors combine subtly with the fatty cuts of meat to amplify its already outstanding flavor. It was, without a doubt, one of the best meals I’ve ever had.
You can round out your meal here with a drink from their cocktail menu, which features Asian-inspired flavors and ingredients, such as matcha powder, sake and honey. HYUN’s wine list and sake selection is also a wise choice to pair with your meal, and staff recommendations won’t disappoint. Dessert options are also available, should you still have room, with options like chapssal ice cream, shiso sorbet, and hodo gwaja. But we won’t blame you for sticking to the hearty side of the menu here. After all, it’s what they’re known for.
