Danji: A Homestyle Korean Standby

Rating: 7.6/10

Gratitude:

I’ve never loved celebrating my birthday. As an introvert, my desire to be the center of attention is nearly non-existent. That said, it was recently my birthday (I am not fishing for attention, I swear). The reason I am bringing this up is because — I am getting old. In the past few years, my birthday has prompted some new existential feelings. What does life hold for me? Will I ever find my passion? How will my relationships continue to grow or how do I cultivate ones that are starting to grow distant? How can I take care of my family and friends and how do I confront seeing myself, as well as those around me age?

With each passing year the list of questions grows, as well as a creeping anxiety that none of them will be answered. While it’s easy to fall into a morose abyss, I think it’s human nature to not acknowledge the progress we continually make as new questions continue to surface. There will always be more questions than answers, but if I consciously reflect on the past few years, I have no choice but to acknowledge that life continues to move forward, sometimes in ways that are expected, but often in ways that are unforeseen. I hate to use the quote because it’s been beaten to death, but “Connecting the dots backwards” is the only way to see that there is a path to the zigs and zags of life. All of this to say, I am grateful.

Now, for the food:

It’s with this sense of gratitude that I recently celebrated a birthday meal with my partner at Danji, a modern Korean restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. The restaurant, which was the first Korean place in New York with a Michelin star (2012), started the modern Korean restaurant boom that has taken a hold of the city in recent years. Compared to new Korean spots in town such as Oiji Mi, Danji is more of a homestyle throwback, using traditional Korean dishes as the backdrop and seamlessly subbing in elevated ingredients and fusion-like touches.

The interior of Danji is miniature, and when busy can feel a little claustrophobic. However when uncrowded, this dimly lit space framed by exposed lightbulbs and wooden spoons lining the walls, is a relaxing escape where you can see yourself sitting for hours. ‘Refined-yet-casual’ is the perfect description. The service is warm without being fussy, the dishes are plated nicely, but lack the tweezer culture that pervades New York. I mean this in the best way.

The salad had a pleasant spiciness, although a tad sweet for my taste. However, like magic, the pungent vinaigrette paired with the fresh yellowtail created a balanced bite. My only wish was for the slices of yellowtail to be more substantial. Next came the chicken wings. Salty, crispy, with a sauce equal parts spicy and sweet. Korean fried chicken is one of those items I seldom have due to health reasons, but Danji’s version made me feel good about this cheat meal. A repeated dunk of each wing in the onion ranch sauce provided a necessary coolness.

The star of the night was the Galbi-Jjim. A hunk of short rib sat atop a bed of potatoes, cipollini onions, and carrots. The meat shredded with the gentle push of our spoons, and the glaze that stuck to the meat was a deeply flavored soy-based glaze with a fair amount of sweetness, reminding me of an almost concentrated Korean version of teriyaki. The best bite involved drizzling a little sauce over a spoonful of rice, then topping with the shredded meat. Delicioso!