Profile

The authentic flavors are assured if not bold at this downtown Korean restaurant that courts Western tastes—both culinary and visual. Kori’s slender space, with its high tin ceiling and minimalist white orchids, reflects an Eastern aesthetic, then incorporates European touches like terra cotta-hued walls and Chagall-like images of floating Asian women. The menu also modifies the traditional with softened takes on classic dishes. A six-year aged ginseng salad resembles wheatgrass refreshed by Asian pear dressing; soft chewy rice cylinders with a spicy chili sauce balance an unfamiliar texture with caramelized ribbons of rib eye; and strips of sticky glazed chicken allure even the most cautious to try the fiery-sweet chili sauce. While the Occidental assimilation may misfire with bland noodles and a staff dressed in tank tops, Kori (which means “chain” in Korean) does succeed in linking mainstream diners with notable Asian fare. — Alexandra Vallis

Rice cakes in spicy sauce with meat, $11; chicken breast in a spicy sweet sauce, $19; marinated short ribs, $25