Do you love Korean food or are you looking to try it for the first time? If you answered “yes” to either of these, then Han-Mi is the place to be. This Korean fusion restaurant unites American and Korean cuisine in a simple menu that has a little something for everybody. Keep reading for my experience and to learn more about this local, Chattanooga restaurant.
Han-Mi Restaurant
Han-Mi uses Korean recipes from over 60 years ago that have been passed down through the family. They use traditional preparation and cooking techniques paired with American flare. Once it was confirmed that Chattanooga loves Korean food, they opened their restaurant on Broad Street. Korean spices and recipes infused with American cuisine create the perfected dishes of Han-Mi.
The Food at Han-Mi
The menu is one page making it easier to pick something out. All ingredients are listed and if you have any specific questions, the server will help you out. Most Korean food is on the spicy side by nature. If spice is not your friend, don’t worry, there’s still options here for you. Try the Korean Fried Chicken in either the Garlic Soy Sauce or the Spicy Tangy Sauce. Now I know what you’re thinking, I said spicy was not spicy? I personally have not tried it, but it’s what the server suggested. He told me it’s more like a sweet and sour sauce in flavor and really isn’t spicy. He also suggested the Pork Cutlet or the Korean Barbeque. The Korean Barbeque is sweet and if you order sides, you’ll have to ask which ones are not spicy as some of them have a little kick to them. You can also order the Ramen to be non-spicy by request.
The menu can change based on availability and the season. You’ll notice that the sides and desserts are not listed online due to this revolving menu concept. To take a look at the menu for yourself, click HERE.
My Experience at Han-Mi
First of all, I’d like to point out that they give you chopsticks from the get go. I personally appreciated this because I love using chopsticks. They will ask you if you want forks so don’t worry if chopsticks are not your preferred utensil.
Adam and I visited Han-Mi on a Sunday afternoon and loved it. I tried the Noodle Stir Fry which was the spicest thing we ordered. Adam tried the Korean Barbeque with three sides. He got the Kimchi, Stir-Fry Zuchini, and Green Onion Salad. We were a bit confused when they brought the food out because neither of us have had Korean Barbeque before. It was served with leaf lettuce, rice, and two dipping sauces. One of the sauces was a Red Miso Paste and the other was just Salted Sesame Oil. We ended up asking the server how to properly consume this goodness and he told us.
Basically, make a Korean Barbeque lettuce wrap. Take a piece of the lettuce, put the red miso paste on it, then dip your barbeque pork in the sesame oil and put it on top. After that, put a little bit of each of the sides on top of that and wrap it up to eat. Although the sides can be eaten as sides, they really do taste better as toppings. When you eat the dish in this way it’s so much better than a la carte. So many flavors and textures in every bite and everything compliments one another.
Where to Find Han-Mi
Don’t let the looks of this place fool you. This unsuspecting restaurant is bursting with Korean flavor. It’s a quaint place with a single dining room where you seat yourself. This makes the place feel like one of those hometown restaurants that the locals frequent.
There’s plenty of parking around the building and it’s easy to find. It is located on Broad Street nearby Lookout Mountain. For the exact location, click HERE.
Final Thoughts
Han-Mi is definitely worth the visit for some authentic Korean food. The price is fair for the quality of Korean food and the service you receive in return. After we left, Adam and I were both already thinking about when we’d make a return trip. For the video of our experience as well as a Korean Barbeque eating tutorial, check out the video HERE. Do you like Korean food? Have you tried Han-Mi? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Until next time, enjoy getting out and Exploring Chatt.
