NYC Tastes

I always shy away from any sort of chicken "nugget".  The term usually denotes some sort of gross chicken by-product found at fast food restaurants around the country,  but that's not the case at Hanjan.   The "nuggets" at this Korean restaurant are actually big, thick pieces of all white meat chicken breast coated with just a tiny bit of cornstarch and egg white to form a light and crispy exterior. The nuggets are then stir-fried with pineapples, chili and carrots creating a nice balance of sweet and spice. It's perfect on its own but I always add a touch of soy garlic sauce on top for even more incredible flavor. Hanjan 36 West 26th Street New York, NY 10010

Danji was one of my favorite places last year so when I found out Chef Hooni Kim was opening up a new restaurant right in my neighborhood I was thrilled.  Hanjan is very similar to the cozy Danji space except its a bit larger and sexier.  I was hoping to get a seat at the wooden bar but it was already packed by 6:30 on Saturday so we took a seat at a two-seater in back.  The menu is all Korean small plates so we set about ordering a bunch to share.  To begin Pork Fat Ddukbokki. The sauce on this rice and fish cake dish was awesome.  It had a strong spice that seemed slightly sweet at first but then started to build up and left a nice tingle on my tongue.  I've never liked rice cakes, and I still don't (it's a texture thing), but I was happy to leave those for Mr. T and eat the fish cakes alone.  We ordered two kinds of skewers the first a BBQ Galbi... Followed by the Spicy Pork Belly. They were both great but...