Per Se Alum Pivots to West Village Korean Ramen Shop

A Per Se and Chefs Table at Brooklyn Fare alum is going the casual route for a passion project: a Korean ramyun shop in the West Village. Jeju Noodle Bar — named for an island off the Southern coast of Korea — is set to open late August in the former Nighthawk’s space on Greenwich Street, bringing the under-the-radar Korean version of ramen to the masses.

Douglas Kim

Chef-owner Douglas Kim has been working in New York City fine dining kitchens since 1999 — at Gordon Ramsay, Bouley, Nobu, and more — and he’s combining that experience with his Korean heritage to take the traditionally instant dish in Korea and put his Michelin-trained spin on it.

The result is $16 ramyun like the jeju-ramyun, which has a pork broth, braised pork belly, scallion, white kimchi, perilla leaf, charred scallion oil, mung bean sprouts, and gochujang. There are also chicken and veal versions on the menu, in addition to chicken wings, a tuna take on yook hwe (Korean beef tartare), hwe dup bap (raw fish bibimbap), and more. Drinks will be wine, makgeolli, soju, and beer.

For the 40-seat space, Kim has commissioned custom ceramics from Korean company Soil Baker, and he’s playing off the alleged history of the location as the site of artist Edward Hopper’s famous“Nighthawks” painting.

Jeju Noodle Bar will open in late August for dinner, with lunch to come. Stay tuned for more.

• Jeju Noodle Bar [Official Site]