LITTLEMAD: THIS NYC NEWCOMER IS SERVING NEW AMERICAN CUISINE WITH KOREAN FLAVORS USING FRENCH TECHNIQUES
The Cost - $69 per person
The Atmosphere – LittleMad features a modernly designed space with lighting that creates a level of intimacy despite the tables being relatively close together. It is a great spot for a date or a special occasion and dressing up for dinner would be appropriate, though not required. Reservations are highly recommended and booking Thursday-Saturday time slots will need to be done in advance.
There is never a shortage of great places to eat in New York City and yet, amazing new restaurants continue to open there every day. One of the newest additions to the NYC food scene is LittleMad where Chef Sol Han is serving New American cuisine heavily featuring Korean flavors and using French techniques. The restaurant has generated quite the buzz since opening in June of 2021.
The Order – Beef Tartare, Oxtail Ravioli, Prime Galbi, and Noodles.
The Fantastic – “Noodles” might not be the most exciting menu name, but this dish was the antithesis of boring and simple. A nice portion of excellently prepared noodles in a light, creamy sauce topped with oksusu (roasted corn), crispy fried duck skin, mushrooms, green onions, garlic crisps, and an umami foam on top. The noodles were delicious on their own but the combination of all of the incredible flavors and textures, especially the crispy duck skin, make this dish a LittleMad must order. The other best dish of the night was the Oxtail Ravioli. While not something I would have leaned toward ordering, especially at a restaurant showcasing Korean flavors, the dish was recommended by three different members of the staff and, well, they should know best. The dish contained five large oxtail-stuffed ravioli, the shape, and texture of which reminded me a bit of pierogi, elegantly presented over a goguma (sweet potato) purée with horseradish. The oxtail stuffing had a strong, bold flavor that went nicely with the sweet potato and horseradish, and I enjoyed the blend of cuisines and cultures that comprise the dish.
The Great – The Beef Tartare is one of the most talked-about dishes at LittleMad because of the accompanying large, green rice chip made with maesangi, a special type of seaweed considered a Korean delicacy, which diners are encouraged to break apart with a provided wooden hammer. Breaking apart the chip was a lot of fun but the combination of the raw meat with the pearls of egg yolk jam and smoked tofu purée is the real reason to order this dish which was a touch spicy and extremely fresh. The Prime Galbi, LittleMad’s Korean beef dish that is marinated for twenty-four hours, traditionally can be made with either beef short rib or marinated pork. The beef had a nice flavor to it; however, the real winner of this dish was the ssamjang sauce, a Korean fermented bean sauce, that it came with. The spicy sauce had an incredible, unique flavor and should be eaten on everything. At $45 though, the dish was questionable, at best, with respect to value.
The Verdict – LittleMad is a very welcome addition to the New York City food scene. With a fresh concept and excellent execution, Chef Sol treats you to a fun and delicious dining experience. Though the restaurant recommends three plates per person, you can get away with two per person if you aren’t starving. The cocktail and dessert menus are quite limited but that’s not really why you go to LittleMad – you go for the amazing savory dishes that will leave quite the impression on your taste buds.