Korean Fusion
ABOUT
I didn’t know what to expect when I went to my first Korean Fusion pop-up on September 30, 2018. We waited an hour for a table of four, and let’s just say it was worth the wait. The genius behind Korean Fusion is Seung Hee Lee. She has also co-authored a cookbook called Everyday Korean. I have it but have yet to cook from it (sorry!).
To date, the first pop-up is still my favorite of all of the ones I’ve been to. At the time, I had recently gone to Atoboy in New York (which is also a Korean “fusion” concept) and was craving something with a similar flair. The beef tartare at this particular pop-up was out of this world (better than the one at Atoboy, although two different preparations). I still have dreams about the tartare.
Since then I have been to five additional pop-ups. They were all unique, with very few repeat dishes. In particular, most of the remaining pop-ups that I attended were all collaborations. Seung collaborated with Sarah Dodge of Bread is Good (January 2019), Julia (February 2019) & Neal Bukiet of Sandwiches + Supper (March 2019). In May of 2019, I went to a pop-up at Lazy Betty where she collaborated with six other chefs.
More recently (July 28th), Seung (with Julia) held a pop-up at a mano with a vegetarian theme and it was one of of my favorite meals. I love when vegetarian meals blow me away. She will be popping up at a mano the last Sunday of every month for the near future with a different theme every time.
Lastly, one word you need to remember is s l u t t y. If you see something “slutty” on the menu, get it, seriously get it. Slutty tofu, slutty wedge, slutty tamale, slutty everything. The slutty sauce is addicting. I would buy it if it were bottled!
FAVORITES
I don’t think I’ve ever said anything negative about Korean Fusion’s dishes, but my favorites would have to be:
Any sort of salad (Crunchy Salad, Slutty Wedge, Pear/Kimchi Salad - don’t skip the salads)
Slutty Tofu (a must)
Bulgogi
Kimchi Spread
Three year aged Doenjang caramel (topped on a lot of the desserts)
Soy Marinated Shrimp (Seung’s “last meal” dish)
DETAILS
Last Visit: July 2019
Price (excluding tax & tip): Prices vary a lot depending on the “theme” of the pop-up, anywhere from $6 - $20 per dish.
Location: Pop-up varies but I’ve been to a few at A Mano & Root Baking Co.
Contact: See Instagram | See Website
