Anto Korean Steakhouse, New York City

On a cold Sunday evening, we drove into Manhattan to try Anto, a new upscale Korean steakhouse that has opened on East 58th street in the space where “Felidia,” Lydia Bastianich’s temple of Northern Italian gastronomy, used to be.

Anto is the U.S. venture of Korean chef Jeong Muk Kim who has been at the helm as executive chef of the famous Myomi (“subtle charm”) restaurant in Seoul that has garnered and maintained a Michelin star for a number of years.

The restaurant is a dual-level, 130-seat space that features an elegant entrance into the bar where mixologists busily create cocktails of distinction.

Two dining rooms follow on the ground floor. The first is small, mainly illuminated by back-lit translucent screens along one wall, while the opposite side displays a series of masks mounted above the diners’ heads. This is the only decoration in the room, keeping your focus on the food.

Brown tabletops with braziers set into the center, dark brown banquettes, and comfortable armchairs complete the décor of the room. The other dining area is decorated in a similar fashion and overlooks an open prep kitchen behind a large glass wall where there is also a staircase leading to the upper floor. This is where “Gori,” the Chef’s Counter, is located, comfortably seating as many as 10 individuals. Patrons who value observing how dishes are made are able to watch and interact with the cooks in action.

We arrived at around 6:30 p.m., and the downstairs part of the restaurant was full. The young guests we saw seemed to be mostly of Korean descent, but I heard a few Chinese voices as well. That proved to us that the food is authentic and not an Americanized version of Korean cuisine. The other sign of authenticity was the fieriness of the couple of versions of kimchi that were brought to the table when the meat selections were presented. The overall ambience was special.

A few minutes after we were seated, the waitperson took our drinks order. We ordered a glass of Korean beer that tasted like a Belgian lager and a green Midori cocktail, which arrived in an old fashioned glass with a bright yellow marigold flower resting on top. It was was as delicious as it was beautiful.

A vintage Luis Vuitton-monogrammed vanity case was brought to the table filled with samples of the prime ingredients of the Premium Chest tasting menu that our meal would consist of.

Once the oohs, ahs, and picture-taking were completed, the chest was removed. In its place, a plate containing House Chojang Oysters and Carabineros crustaceans (very large red shrimp) was delivered to the table, along with slices of lemon, lime, grapefruit, and a Yuzu Gochuyang dipping sauce.

The gargantuan red shrimps were shelled but raw, and while the Korean group sitting next to us consumed the entire shrimp (minus the shells, of course), including liver and entrails, we were satisfied with just the large body. For someone who has experienced “jumping shrimp” at a sushi restaurant in Tokyo’s Ginza, the raw shrimp was exceptionally tasty and not that unusual!

For both of us, the highlight of the meal was the one-ounce tin of Kaviari (French farmed Sevruga caviar) with all the attending accoutrements including potato pancakes, chopped white and yellow egg, pickled onions and chives, plus the yummy addition of tofu mousse with saffron threads.

Next, the waiter brought a tray filled with traditional Korean side dishes and sauces, lining them up on our table. There were two kinds of kimchi (very spicy marinated cabbage), a bowl of red and green lettuce leaves, raw cubes of tuna, shredded salad topped with a raw quail egg, chopped anchovies, tomato wedges, a bowl of pickled daikon radishes, salt and pepper, several dipping sauces, and a bowl of bean paste – all there in preparation to use with the meat course.

The brazier was lit, and the waiter presented three pieces of steak: rib eye, American Wagyu, and marinated Galbi (short rib) to cook to order at our table.

Once each piece of meat was cooked to our liking, our waiter cut the meat into bite-sized pieces with large scissors. The menu also included perfectly cooked duck breast with an exceptional crispy glazed skin – succulent and delicious.

Those familiar with Korean cuisine know that it’s quite spicy, like many of the cuisines in that part of the world. At Anto, the use of small bites of high quality meats is tempered with pickled vegetables of varying spiciness such as the above-mentioned kimchi. While very healthy, we consider it to be an acquired taste, however.

Unlike Chinese pickled cabbage, which is savory, kimchi is HOT, as was the tofu soup served with the menu. There was also a rice and meat dish topped with a large fried egg to be mixed at the table.

The dinner was a more than three-hour extravaganza that ended with a delightful Korean dessert of creamy gelato.

As with many New York City restaurants, the sound level was extremely high without acoustical tiles to moderate it, but the young clientele was only too happy to add their energy to the restaurant. If you like spicy dishes, you will love Anto!