Jung Sik Dang - New Korean Restaurant NYC

The opening of the new fine-dining Korean restaurant Jung Sik Dang in New York is a homecoming of sorts.

Its founders studied together in Poughkeepsie before opening the original location of Jung Sik Dang in Seoul in 2008. Now they've returned, launching the second location in a cavernous space in Tribeca.

The restaurant's ambitions are admirable. Still, when we visited, half the dishes were astonishing, and half were imperfect. So, we present a Tasting Table-approved plan for Jung Sik's five-course prix fixe ($125):

First course, "Seafood": A sweet slick of apple gelée is dotted with sea-urchin roe, poached lobster and a mound of baby arugula covered with still more lobster.

Second course, "Anchovy": A porridge for the smart set, barley and short-grain rice are cooked in a robust dried-anchovy broth and garnished with spiky house-made kimchi.

Third course, "Mr. Kim's Halibut": Sea augments sea with poached halibut set on mussels and flying fish roe and topped with toasted-seaweed paste and shards of fried potatoes.

Fourth course, "Classic Galbi": Sure, you've had galbi, but never like this. Short ribs are braised traditionally, then kimchi is added. The inspired finish: chewy-crisp puffs made with glutinous rice flour.

Fifth course, "Pumpkin Panna Cotta": A misnomer of sorts, this brilliant dessert layers acorn-squash purée, amaretto panna cotta and green-tea sponge cake in a glass and finishes it with the snap of a chip made from a slice of acorn squash.

Jung Sik Dang, 2 Harrison St. (at Hudson St.); 212-219-0900 or jungsikdang.com