Chef Sungchul Shim’s dream was to have a restaurant in Times Square, and he realized that dream just about a year ago when he opened Gui Steakhouse. The Culinary Institute of America graduate set out to make his steakhouse unique by infusing Korean flavors and techniques into the menu.
Steaks are dry-aged and cooked over live fire fueled by a combination of wood and Korean charcoal. Along with classic steakhouse sauces, Chef Shim offers a house-made steak sauce that’s an umami-rich blend of Korean soy sauce, seaweed and herbs. His Caesar salad also has Korean accents—the dressing includes fermented plum. Diners can choose from an array of starters and sides, but there’s also a menu section of shared noodle and rice dishes—a traditional way for Koreans to end a restaurant meal. But a martini cart with tableside service is an all-American specialty of the bar.
A more recent addition is Hwaro, a 22-seat circular chef’s counter within Gui that offers a Korean fine dining experience through a multi-course tasting menu. It’s named after the traditional Korean brazier, a symbol of community. For a more wallet-friendly option, there’s a prix-fixe three-course dinner that’s well-suited for pre-theater guests.
Listen as Chef Shim talks about the culinary journey that brought him from Korea to New York and how is wowing guests at Gui Steakhouse with its inventive menu in a striking setting right in Times Square.
Menu Talk is a collaboration between Restaurant Business Senior Menu Editor Pat Cobe and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News. You can subscribe to it wherever you listen to podcasts.
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