Atomix

So what separates Junghyun Park’s hyperpolished little tasting establishment from the rabble of other effete, high-end omakase joints that continue to pop up relentlessly around the city? Let’s start with this talented chef’s particular mission, which is to introduce New Yorkers to the wonders of high-end Korean cuisine beyond the familiar parade of noodles and barbecue, a seminar that includes informative little cards accompanying each course, and a running dissertation with the waitstaff on the intricacies, say, of curing and fermentation. Then there’s the carefully articulated, high-wire cooking, which, depending on when you drop by, might include candied cubes of wagyu sweetened in a variety of fruit juices, or tiny segments of duck breast, which Park and his cooks sear, roast, then sear again, before garnishing with an alluring substance called “gochujang mole.” And finally, there’s the modest, even neighborly bar upstairs, which is the kind of relaxed, sophisticated spot one associates with a place down the street instead of one of the better high-end tasting rooms in town, and which just might serve the finest à la carte version of spicy Korean-style chicken wings in town.