JUA

Hubby grabbed a resy for our anniversary. Because he loves food, we do tend to go to a lot of nice restaurants throughout the year but we try to save the ones we especially look forward to for our anniversary since we always forgo celebrating Valentines.The tasting menu is not long so hubby already had planned to grab something else after to fill him up. Yes, on first look the menu seems short compared to other tasting menus. There were only 7 items total, 5 savory, 2 sweet(ish) but the jook is sizable and filling so I was already full by the time we got to the Duck and Chan. My favorite was the Uni Kim add-on. The price was high at $32 for a 2 bite taste but the uni was unbelievably creamy and not fishy tasting at all. The crunchy texture of the kim and all the yumminess beneath the uni made those 2 bites perfection.We did not do the wine tasting but I did order the coco 4 lychee. I am a sucker for lychee cocktails. The edible flowers were pretty in the drink but I wished there were actual lychees...I did still enjoy the drink so ordered two!The mandarin was served with a slice of candied goodness over a small scoop of sorbet with bits of mandarin oranges. It was refreshing and not overly sweet.I am not going into detail about the other dishes but everything was cooked well and seasoned perfectly.Our server, Lindsay, and the other waitstaff took the time to describe each dish. The space is narrow but long and most tables were set for 2 with not a lot of space in between. You can see the fire blazing out of the oven which they use to get the smoky flavors.The part I loved best was that this was the first "Korean" Michelin star restaurant in New York that we went to (and this was the 4th that we tried) in which I really felt the Korean flavors were truly represented throughout the menu. Hoping we will be able to snag another resy again soon! I would love to go back!

Every year Cathie and I have a special anniversary dinner. Last year it was Jungsik. And as a bonus, we also went to Atomix and Cote last summer. So it was only natural that we continued the Michelin Star Korean restaurant odyssey this year. Off all of these, Jua was my favorite!! Unlike Jungsik and Atomixc the dishes at Jua are a little more faithful to Korean cuisine. This is interesting because the chef was the executive chef for Jungsik for years. While the caviar Kim and uni Kim do not taste like Korean kimpap, the striped jack clearly had tones of Korean seaweed soup (myuk guk), and a lot of the chan accompanying the duck had clear connections with Korean banchan. The jook seemed like an elevated jook. And the goguma jauk reminded me of Korean goguma mixed with mochi. Maybe as I am South Korean, being more faithful to Korean cuisine goes a long way to separating Jua from the rest.The space is not big so don't expect a lot of privacy and make reservations. Our waitress Lyndsay was very nice and provided detailed descriptions of each dish.I am not a huge fan of uni so originally, only Cathie got the uni kim add on but she made the mistake of letting me take a small bite, and I realized I needed my own dish! It is a must get. The uni was very buttery and the crisp seaweed with a slightly sweet pickled veggie on top of the rice made for a couple of amazing bites. I actually liked it more than the caviar Kim, which was still good in its own right. The rest of the dishes were all very good and surprisingly filling. We both got the abalone add on to the jook, which we both enjoyed but probably not a must get. When I looked at the menu, I thought I might need to hit a pizza shop on way back but after the duck, I was almost full. Fortunately the desserts were not super heavy (at least by my standards), so I was able to polish it all off and even helped Cathie with a few bites. What is a good husband for?We may need to come back with our daughter because I think she would love the striped jack, which reminded me of ceviche, which is one of her favorite dishes. Just need to find the right occasion because she needs to appreciate how special a $172 meal should be (unfortunately she loves uni too).

Probably my favorite tasting menu ever. Bf and I came for belated Valentine's day, and the experience was so lovely, from the kindness of our waitress to the ambiance to the flavors of the food presented in front of us. We got a negroni to share - it was quite sweet, but not bad.Started off the tasting menu with the well-documented Caviar Kim. While it wasn't earth-shattering (as I half expected it to be, given how many times I've seen it on instagram), this was a great first bite. Loved the crispiness of the seaweed. Inside is tuna and avocado? The Striped Jack was the next appetizer. Topped with beet petals, this was a tasty course.Next was the jook. This was a highlight for me! Sooo warm and hearty and savory and filled with green veg. I wish I could order this by the vat for when I'm sick. The Branzino was cooked well with a crispy skin in a warm butter sauce. Nothing standout, but a good interlude.The Duck & Chan was excellent. Duck was cooked perfectly and absolutely delectable with the chimichurri sauce. That and the persimmon jeon was the best bite of the night. Two desserts to finish us off! The yuzu mandarin sorbet was super unique- almost with some savory notes? Yet very refreshing. Our sweet potato donut was served with a candle in the brown butter ice cream for our belated Valentine's day, which was very sweet. It's chewy and not too sweet, my boyfriend could not get enough of this.Jua was such a lovely experience, and I am grateful they made our Valentine's Day so memorable! Highly recommend for a special occasion!

Jua continues to deliver high quality elevated Korean comfort food. Every time I visit they produce excellent quality dishes made with care. Starting with the Caviar Kim (or swap it for a uni Kim, which is also delicious) which is a two bite morsel of stuffed caviar in a thin but crispy seaweed casing. It is a delightful and memorable first bite! The rest of the menu is also delightful and tasty. The Jook is like a warm hug and the duck & Chan is succulent with a crispy skin, served with a variety of flavors in the clock face of 'chan'. The desserts wrap it up perfectly with a sweet potato don't which also has a thin but crispy crust which is a nice nod back to the first dish of the meal, but is served with a soft and velvety ice cream. The restaurant is long and thin which a comfortable and chic vibe. Not too many tables, means you feel the intimacy and can comfortably have a conversation with your dinner partner. The service is as you would expect for a Michelin starred restaurant, attentive and friendly. The staff will stop for a conversation here and there and share in the excitement for each dish. When they heard we werent feeling 100% they offered a complimentary rice tea which was nutty and went nicely with dessert. I only wish it was easier to get a reservation. Every time we come back we really enjoy it!

Incredible tasting menu. Genuinely loved every course for start to finish. Rice horchata mocktail was delicious as well.

Delayed review from November: Jua's tasting menu was a standout with a well-balanced variety of Korean dishes that paid homage to their classical form with intriguing twists. The caviar kim was my favorite bite of 2024. It was a fantastic blend of textures, with the truffle notes not overpowering the caviar, and the nori providing a great crunch. The galbi melted in my mouth and the foie gras jook (porridge) was perfectly comforting in the cold winter weather. I will definitely be back. Note: they do not accept walk-ins and if in a large group definitely reserve when reservations open for that day.

Food- amazing, top items are the Kim's for sure (I wanted more of those, ordered the extra caviar Kim as well and it does not disappoint). Other amazing items are the fish and the wagyu. It's a pre fix tasting menu so you don't have to think about what to order. Definitely left wanting for more Service- great friendly patient server Ambiance- romantic modern industrial great for date nights or just yummy food nights

We were the first one to sat down at the table and next thing you know, this place was packed!My bestie and I treat each other's birthday and I requested this place for my birthday! I must say it was an awesome choice.This place is relatively small but beautiful, sophisticated yet relaxing atmosphere, all of the staff is knowledgeable and friendly, food looked like piece of art. Very well balanced.Highly recommended.

The best restaurant I've been to in NYC -- absolutely zero skips. If I could, I'd come here every year.Got the uni kim & abalone jook add-ons. Uni kim was a nice splurge; didn't find the abalone to be as worth it.Stand-out courses were: caviar kim, wagyu & banchan, and the goguma juak. Least memorable was probably the beet salad and fish, but even they were well-balanced and tasty. Really impressed by the jook and the perilla dessert -- they really 1) turned a home staple into something upscale and abundant w flavor and 2) transformed a contentious flavor into a sweet treat.The team is working magic.

Been to a lot of prix fixe Korean dining and gotta say that Jua is pretty high up there on the list! The food is just so well balanced flavor wise - I'm particularly fond of how they play around with the acidity of their dishes.Favorite dish is definitely the jook - this unassuming porridge has such a rich flavor profile and feels like a cozy home cooked meal in the best way :)In terms of add ons, we got a few but probably would not get again- Uni kim: tastes good but prob overpriced, nothing too special- Abalone add on for jook: also good but doesn't add too much to the already great dishAnd last note - if you're looking for a fruity cocktail, you have to get the Lychee Richie! so good that we got seconds