I have been curious about this Korean restaurant since they opened across from one of our favorite movie theaters, iPic Theater in Fort Lee. It looked fancy and elegant, and I assumed it is pricey. But then, I saw they have nice lunch menu at more affordable prices. So, we decided to try them out one weekend. The name of the restaurant, Gayeon, means “beautiful encounter” in English, and the interior matches its name. The space is grand, with very high ceiling, modern and contemporary design. They have a fully stocked bar near the entrance, which is separated from the dining space by shiny glass dividers.
The front room can be separated from the large dining space with sliding doors. A nice spot for a private party. We arrived shortly after they opened, the grand space was nearly empty, just a handful of customers.
They offer elevated Korean cuisine & cocktails. I started off with Lychee-Beach ($13), made with Soju, Lychee Juice, Triple Sec, and Lemon Juice. My hubby chose J-Tomboy ($13), made with Jameson, Lime Juice, Biters, and Ginger Beer. If I see lychee cocktail on a menu, I have to get it…just as my hubby can’t resist a cocktail made with ginger beer… The drinks were nice and strong, good flavor, well made.
They had a nice lunch menu, and we knew we wanted order off their Bansang Menu. Bansang is described on their menu as “traditional Korean style combination for one person. Served with rice, banchan (side dishes).” The funny thing was, when we put in our order, we were told they didn’t have the items we wanted to order. The server told us that they no longer offer those items, but they haven’t updated their menu yet… Seriously?
We had to quickly look for something else to order, and I chose Seoul Bulgogi + Today’s Soup ($20), made with Thinly Sliced Rib Eye in House Marinade. It was very different from what I imagined, it was like a hearty soup with bulgogi on top. Interesting… It didn’t have as much flavor as I wanted it to be, but a nice, filling dish. The soup was very flavorful, earthy and comforting.
My hubby chose Galbi + Dwenjang Jjigae ($22), made with Marinated Beef Short Rib. Dwenjang Jjigae is a soybean paste stew with tofu and veggies, with some heat. It was not as spicy as I thought it might be, rich and tasty. The Galbi came with fresh lettuce, I must say, I was jealous of this dish. I love having marinated beef or pork, wrapped in lettuce with some seasoning. Of course, we always share our food, so I got to have the taste. It was really good, packed with flavor, and delicious!
Both dishes came with a good number of bansangs, or small side dishes. Some spicy, some cool, some crunchy, some soft. I liked the varieties of the dishes,
We decided to get some desserts with Cappuccino ($6). It had small amount of cinnamon powder on the foam.
The first dessert was Matcha Brownie ($11), airy brownie made with matcha, white chocolate, and served with Yuzu Sorbet. We were a bit surprised when we saw the size of the brownie. It was almost smaller than a small scoop of sorbet… The brownie was an interesting concept, and had a good flavor. But, instead of being “airy” it was more “dry.” Yuzu sorbet was nice though.
Another dessert of choice was Snickers Bar ($13), made with Snickers Creameux, Malt Mousse, Peanut Butter Snow, Salted Caramel Ice Cream, Chocolate Sorbet. It is like a deconstructed Snickers Bar, and seems to be one of the most popular dessert items. It was indeed interesting, and a fun dessert to eat. I liked how this dessert was created with different flavors and textures. I enjoyed this one.
The service was ok, polite and nice, but not as friendly. Towards the end, a manager (?) came around to each table to greet everyone. I thought that was a nice touch. It is always good to know our business is appreciated. The lunch items were good, but still a bit on the pricey side. While there are so many Korean restaurants in Fort Lee, at better prices, this restaurant didn’t become our favorite Korean restaurant. But, it is a beautiful restaurant, if you want to have a fancy Korean dining, this is a perfect spot.
Gayeon – 2020 Hudson St, Fort Lee, NJ 07024