Danji, named after the traditional earthenware pot used to store sauces and ferment kimchi throughout winter months, is the latest Korean bistro to grace Sun Street in Wan Chai’s trendy Star Street precinct. Founded by Jennifer Kim, owner of beloved Korean food concept Seoul Recipe (est. 2017), Danji is the convivial new eatery that transports diners to the heart of Seoul. Traditional and home-style Korean cuisine is energised with modern flair, bringing an authentic slice of the world’s most recent pop culture obsession by way of Korean casual food classics such as crispy kimchi pancake, marinated galbi ribs, and fried chicken. The K-wave is here to stay, and Danji leads at the culinary forefront.
The origin & meaning of Danji
An integral tool of Korean food culture, danji earthenware pots are typically used to store and ferment classic Korean sauces such as doenjang (soybean paste), gochujang (Korean chilli paste), and ganjang (soy sauce), which form the base flavour of almost all Korean dishes. Kimchi are also often stored in danji, and kept buried in the ground during the wintertime, doubling as a natural fridge in the elements. The multi-functional danji can be used to store traditional Korean wines such as makgeolli (Korean rice wine) and various other Korean foods that require fermentation.
Danji: Home of modern Korean bistro fare
After noticing a lack of Korean restaurants around Admiralty and Wan Chai, Jennifer took it upon herself to fill the gap with her own vision of a casual neighbourhood Korean bistro. She strove for a space where unpretentious Korean food and drinks could be served in a warm and friendly environment, with all the best crave-worthy plates from her homeland on a well-curated menu.
Starters include some well-known Korean appetizers with a unique Danji twist, such as the Buckwheat Kimchi Crepe (HK$78), a freshly made buckwheat tortilla topped with well-riped homemade kimchi, as well as Sliced Beef Salad (HK$188), which features thinly sliced beef brisket on a bed or seasonal greens and chopped chives tossed in soy sauce dressing.
From the main section, flavourful meat dishes like Bossam (HK$228), braised pork belly served with steamed baby cabbage leaves and radish kimchi, and Grilled Eel (HK$228) with sliced ginger and chilli sauce, are the perfect dishes to share with the whole table. No Korean meal is complete without some of the country’s famous chicken dishes, and Danji offers a mouthwatering selection including its signature boneless Danji Fried Chicken (HK$98 for 4 pcs and HK$188 for 8 pcs), fried until crispy and topped with deep-fried vegetable fritters. Traditional braised dishes such as Galbi Jjim (HK$280), the aromatic Korean braised beef short ribs, is also a Danji specialty.
The extensive selection for rice and noodles comprises of Hanwoo Kimchi Fried Rice (HK$298) featuring 1++ top grade Korean beef stir fried with Korean cabbage kimchi and rice; Impossible Bibimbap (HK$148) with quinoa and tofu toppings; and Danji Ssam Set (HK$168), an assortment of vegetable wraps served with char-grilled Korean pork, homemade ssam sauce and multigrain. Hearty and flavourful soups and stews like Spicy Tofu Seafood Stew (HK$148) and Busan Fishcake Soup (HK$128) are also available.
Specials at Danji include 1++ Hanwoo (HK$688), a premium striploin cut of Korea’s top-grade Hanwoo beef grilled at the table, and Soy Sauce Marinated Crab (HK$488/2pcs), made with Korean blue crabs caught off the west coast of the Korean peninsula, and a must-try for any Korean food lover
A Korean-focused beverage list at Danji
At Danji, expect a long list of Korean drinks, consisting of soju, makgeolli, Korean sake, beer and even Korean wines. Signature drinks include Danji Special Soju Punch (HK$90 each with Yuzu or Grapefruit flavour), CheongMyeonJu (HK$380) Korean sake, and Boksoondoga (HK$80 per glass, HK$480 per bottle), a premium makgeolli that is extremely smooth to drink with wonderful Champagne-like bubbles.