Courtesy of KRISTALBELLI.com
KRISTALBELLI, the brainchild of Korean music mogul J.Y. Park, has it all—quality, authenticity, and taste. After a long anticipated wait, this new upscale Korean BBQ restaurant opened to the public on March 27 setting the new standards for authentic Korean fine dining. Along with the finest ingredients, premium wagyu beef, and outstanding service, the crystal barbeque grill is what sets it apart from other Korean BBQ restaurants. Personally invented by the founder J. Y. Park, this convex crystal grill is the innovator of a whole new Korean BBQ.
Chef Shim and J.Y. Park
At the Press Conference and the VVIP Opening Party held before the public opening of the restaurant, J. Y. Park elaborately explained his self-developed convex crystal grill. The infrared-ray allows the grill to cook the meat in a way that the meat holds in the juice. The grill also reduces the cooking time compared to other metal grills used at BBQ restaurants. KRISTABELLI’s grill also has a downdraft system which drags all the smoke downwards, which prevents the smoke from latching onto your clothes. This solves one of the common problems that diners face—remains of the BBQ smell after leaving the restaurant. J.Y. Park not only thought about the presentation and the appearance of the grills, but also the practicality of the crystal grill.
Premium Wagyu Rib Eye
Their special grill is one of the many outstanding features of the restaurant. In order to capture the authentic Korean dining experience, David Shim, the executive chef, carefully put together a menu that introduces Korean food in a more complex and globalized way. There are plenty of fine Korean restaurants around the city but what sets KRISTALBELI apart from others is that Chef Shim’s culinary background and experience marry Korean food and culture in a way that has never been attempted before. Simple, yet innovative, Chef Shim uses the finest ingredients to plate authentic Korean dishes like Chadol Bap (Thinly sliced beef brisket with rice) and Gujeolpan (Traditional Emperor’s Cuisine).
Courtesy of KRISTALBELLI.com
The combination of premium wagyu beef cooked on a delicately designed crystal grill equals heaven for your taste buds. It is a whole new BBQ experience. You can choose from NY strip, Rib Eye, Filet Mignon, and Galbi. After cooking the meat of your choice, you can taste them simply melt in your mouth as you chew into the juicy, yet tender meat. The first bite of the perfectly cooked meat will confirm your inescapable BBQ experience—you will always want to come back.
BBQ is not the only way you can enjoy the authentic Korean dining experience. Both the lunch and the dinner menus offer a wide variety of Korean food like the KRISTAL bibimbap, kimchi jjigae, and japchae. All of these food items are representative of Korean food that both Koreans and non-Koreans love and enjoy. The lunch menu also offers KB Special set menu for average price of $18.
KRISTALBELLI not only brings together quality and taste, but also marries Korean food and culture together in order to globalize Korean food. Throughout New York City, especially concentrated in Korea Town, there are plenty of Korean restaurants but it is definitely not as popular as Japanese or Chinese food. With this new restaurant, the founder and the Korean music mogul J. Y. Park aims to create a place where people can come together to enjoy Korean food and culture.
Bar & Lounge (Courtesy of KRISTALBELLI.com)
At the press conference, J.Y. Park explained many of the ways in which his restaurant is different from other Korean restaurants. It’s definitely a great place to network, he said, coming from his own experience. After meeting with people in the music or television industry, Park wanted to take them to a restaurant where they can have the most authentic experience. When he couldn’t find the perfect place, Park decided to create one himself. With his own unique concept and philosophy behind the restaurant, he founded KRISTALBELLI where foreigners and Koreans alike can enjoy and share the same experience. Park foresees his restaurant to be a “hip, cool place to enjoy Asian culture” as well as a place to share a warm, affectionate experience from the BBQ grill and the shared dishes.
KRISTALBELLI is not your normal Korean BBQ experience. It’s the epitome of upscale Korean fine dining. With spacious dining hall (6000 sq. feet) with 26 of the crystal grills, KRISTALBELLI welcomes everyone who loves Korean food and culture. The 2nd floor bar and lounge area also allows the Korean and New York City culture to mingle together, attracting today’s trendsetters and Korean food & culture enthusiasts.
8 W 36th Street (Btwn Avenue of the Americas & 5th Ave)
34 St – Herald Sq (B, D, F, M, N, Q, R), 42 St – Bryant Pk (B, D, F, M),5 Av (7, 7X)
Mon-Sat 11:30 am – 2 pm, Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm – 1 am, Fri-Sat 5 pm – 3 am
(212) 290 2211
-Amy Inhee Park
2 Comments | Posted on May 2, 2012 | Categories: Dining, From the Blog, Manhattan, Nightlife
Sweet! Crystal grill sounds cool. J. Y. Park is now into food as well? Definitely a place to check out. I really like that the smoke smells not gonna stick to you. yum! sounds good. seems a bit pricey but def. want to check out!
yummy!
thanks for the great post!