I recently attended a remarkable cooking class with Chef Hooni Kim at the De Gustibus Cooking School where I got totally hooked onto his food. That’s what led me to try Danji – his modern, small plate Korean spot in midtown west.

Chef Kim, who cooked at Daniel and Masa, left to open Danji and Hanjan where he showcases dishes he grew up eating at home and in the time he spent in Korea. At Danji, the menu offers several small plate options of authentic Korean dishes.

There is a mix of traditional offerings such as ‘bibim-bap’ and ‘kimchi’ mixed in with more modern creations such as ‘Mandoo Tacos’ and “K.F.C.” fried-chicken wings.

Some of my favorite appetizers was the ‘Tofu w/ ginger scallion dressing’, which came piping hot, crispy fried, covered with a delicate sauce full of flavor. The “K.F.C.” are definitely worth a try too for wings with a nice spicy kick.

My favorite dish of all was the ‘Spicy Pork Belly Bibim Bap’. I think it might be one of the best ones I have ever tried topped with delicious kimchee giving way to a sizzling, crunchy bottom which adds so much texture and flavor to each bite or rice taken.

I just love Hooni Kim’s food. He is all about using the best ingredients, keeping it as natural and fresh as possible. His food is simple yet tasty – the kind that keeps you coming back for more.

Here is some of what we ate:

Tofu w/ ginger scallion dressing

Mandoo Tacos

Spicy K.F.C. (Korean Fried Chicken)

Gimbap

Spicy Pork Belly Bibim Bap