We got to know Han-Mi when they were a visiting kitchen at Market South in Chattanooga. We were very impressed with the pork belly and noodle soup dishes at that time and looked forward to visiting their permanent location. We finally made it out to their spot on Broad St but almost missed it because their sign is almost completely obscured by a tree. They also don't have a name on their awning or on their giant fence surrounding their outdoor seating area. This would be an easy way to attract more attention to your business and catch folks who are looking for you!
Their staff are wearing masks inside and they are still doing service in their dining room. We are outside on their patio area to avoid contact with other diners and maintain good air circulation for increased safety.
Anyway, we ordered the kimchi fried rice with pork belly plus the Korean fried chicken.
Eh, I was a little disappointed to be honest. The Kimchi fried rice was a little lacking in depth of flavor - either you got a spicy bite, or a sour bite. We are huge fans of kimchi in general, and of Kimchi fried rice dishes that I've had in the past, I'm afraid this one ranks lower. However, the pork belly was good and we enjoyed that addition. If you guys are looking for a better kimchi fried rice dish with more rounded flavors, maybe check out Chopstix on Lee Hwy.
As for the Korean fried chicken, we liked the sauce and the chunks of chicken were well-portioned, not overly bartered, and came with plenty of sauce. It was very hot (temperature) which is no problem, just something to keep in mind if you're using chopsticks and not cutting pieces to blow on before eating them.
We may be back to try new things that come on the menu as the seasons change since we love Korean food but overall, we were just a little disappointed in our experience compared to how we enjoyed it at Market South.
The overall dining room and eating area could use a facelift as well. It looks kinda like they just ripped off signage from whatever restaurant previously occupied the building and didn't repaint or add any additional decorations. It's a bit drab but has immense potential. That fence around the outdoor dining area would be a great spot for a mural with the restaurant's name. Outdoor seating could use more umbrellas, maybe some bistro lighting, foliage, or even a small fountain to help detract from the sound of traffic on the other side of the fence. I bet they have plans already for all this - COVID has made it rough on all restaurants trying to stay afloat. I look forward to seeing how things pick up and improve over the next few months! read more