Han Joo-Not Gangam style, just good Korean BBQ

When I suggested Han Joo on St Marks to my friend, she replied “St Marks is perfect- we can get our belly buttons pierced after dinner like the good old days.” Pretty removed from the fake ID destination of my youth, St. Marks is now a virtual corridor of international foods and pursuits, containing everything from ramen and Sing Sing Karoake to Mamoun’s falafel. I first read about Han Joo in the New York Times, and my interested was piqued by the marble slab grills that supposedly keep you from stinking like Benihanna and the appeal of an authentic Korean favorite from Queens opening not on 32nd street. I have not had a ton of exposure to Korean bbq, (there is a place in the West Village I like), and my time in K-town has been limited, except for some korean chicken wing outings and botched late night attempts to go to Juvenex. I read the review intently and made notes of the dishes that sounded good to me, as did my friend, but the only thing you need to know about Han Joo is this- Pork Belly. Trust me.

Han Joo is pretty sparse inside, clean and minmalist and really no vibe; you definitely want to sit in the front room. There is no pervasive stink of cooked food, helped in part by the air circulation things above every table. The menu is large and there are many possible ways to strategize- you could do a bunch of plates to share, and get to sample more Korean dishes, like bimibop and bulgogi; you could try a couple of bbq dishes, etc. We decided to have two starters, and then the Pork Belly For Two. I have recently discovered that I love chinese rice cakes (best ones ever are at Momofuku noodle bar), and Han Joo served a great version, in a deep spicy sauce and some veggies. The scallion pancakes were kind of mushy but I found myself picking at them. With the bbq, you get an assortment of spicy little salads and crunchy veggie plates, lettuce and radish wraps, sauces and spices. The woman who worked our grill was on point; she timed our pork pieces perfectly and told us when we could eat each one. There are three or four different kinds of pork belly, progressing from the thinnest to the thickest, some with marinades. She also grilled some kimchi for us. The grill melts off some of the pork belly fat ( I mean we basically had bacon for dinner, so anything helps) and the lettuce is a nice crisp vessel for all that rich meat. I just made a mess and poured on sauces and spices however I felt like it, but I could not stop eating it no matter what, it was that good. It was a treat to have so many different preparations of one kind of meat, and it allowed us to really explore its flavor. I love all the pickly veggies and want to go back get into a spicy soup situation.

Normal people could spend $45 on the pork for two, and a few more bucks for some refreshing KB’s (its sake and beer only, and the cold beer really helps with all of the spice) and have a satisfying meal. The young hostess first said she was surprised at how we were able to put the food down, and then asked if we worked in fashion because she liked our outfits…about sums us up pretty well.