Ann Arbor, MI — At the tail end of June, Chef Ji Hye Kim opened her second restaurant, Little Kim, in the Kerrytown neighborhood of downtown Ann Arbor.

Ji Hye’s new vegetarian and vegan-forward concept is located right next to her flagship eatery, Miss Kim, in the northern corner of the Kerrytown courtyard. This popular market space with unique shops located at the corner of N. 4th Avenue and E. Kingsley Street is across the street from the popular Zingerman’s Deli. Little Kim softly opened its doors during the last week of June and has a growing Korean-inspired menu that currently features dishes like Jjajjangbap, Eggs in Gochujang Purgatory, and a Fried Tofu Sandwich.

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Ji Kye’s first restaurant had been on my foodie adventure list for some time, but since I so rarely get out to that city, it’s hard sometimes to decide between the more than a dozen destinations I have on my radar for that area. I figured with the opening of a whole new endeavor, now would be as good a time as any to finally reach out to interview Chef Kim to learn more about her culinary journey, her new concept, and to check out some of the food at Miss Kim. A three-in-one foodie adventure!

The Interview

I was thrilled and honestly honored that Chef Kim had time to sit down for an interview with me, as she had just been featured in major media outlets like the Detroit Free Press, Eater Detroit, and MLive. I knew her time was precious, so I dove right in and began asking questions about Ji Hye’s early years and how she found herself in Ann Arbor.

Ji Hye was born and raised in Korea until she immigrated to the United States when she was 13. She grew up eating homemade food made from scratch by her mother, who she attributes as being the best cook in her family! Ji Hye eventually found her way to Ann Arbor, studying at the University of Michigan. It may come as a surprise to some, but it turns out Ji Hye never initially intended to become a chef or open a restaurant and studied political science and economics. However, due to the costs and demands of law school, Ji Hye got an office job instead before eventually feeling compelled to pursue something more meaningful. She says she began to ask herself what it was she wanted to do instead of what she had to do in order to make a living.

“On a whim, I applied at Zingerman’s Delicatessen. Because I had really great experiences as a customer there, I love cheese, and I wanted to do something different. I worked at restaurants when I was going to school as a server, which paid a lot of my living expenses and tuition, and I love food. So I thought, I want to learn a little more about cheese and specialty foods. And it seemed like a great short-term thing that I could do to give myself an opportunity to try different things,” Ji Hye explained.

Ji Hye explained how working at Zingerman’s Delicatessen exponentially grew her wisdom with food and cooking, eventually opening a door for her to set out on her own path through a unique program offered through the deli.

“I learned that Zingerman’s has this thing called Path to Partnership. So the partnership is that any employee of Zingerman’s, like anyone that’s on payroll for Zingerman’s, is on path to become a partner at an existing business or create a new business. And there’s a whole process to it. So I found myself thinking like, there’s so many great foods and specialty products and cheeses at Zingerman’s Delicatessen, and the staff are really knowledgeable, but I didn’t really see that for Korean food or Asian food. So what if I had something doing things at really delicious levels, but it was more in line with my Korean or Asian heritage,” said Ji Hye.

After spending several years on Zingerman’s Path to Partnership, ensuring she had the skill sets she needed to open a restaurant and become a chef, Ji Hye said she was ready for the multifaceted nature of owning a small business.

“You have to be a Jack-of-all-trades, and then be responsible for everything. I like that, it’s not boring, ever. So then I learned how to cook by working at different places, but also looking at cookbooks, doing my research, and practicing at home. And I ran pop-up dinners, food carts, and catering, and then after five years, I opened Miss Kim. Miss Kim’s been open for this is our ninth year, and now I have Little Kim, my second restaurant,” Ji Hye said.

I followed up by asking Ji Hye what her journey had been like over the years between watching Miss Kim’s recognition grow and representing Michigan multiple times as a James Beard Award Semifinalist, as well as being named Best New Chef by Food and Wine Magazine in 2021.

“Getting those accolades has been so amazing. I think it’s really a testament to the consistency of the restaurant that we continue to get nominated as a semifinalist since it’s been for like five years now. And also that we always have room to grow and learn. I don’t know, I just try to do my best. Accolades are welcome; I welcome every single accolade, I love it, but it’s not always our stated goal and vision. Our stated goal and vision is and always will be providing the best experience we can do, and service to our customers, and have solid enough finances that we can pay our staff well and offer benefits and have a healthy business doing what we love to do,” Ji Hye stated.

After such success with Miss Kim, I inquired what led to Ji Hye developing and opening the vegetarian-focused Little Kim. She explained how, after the Pandemic, she started going back to visit South Korea twice a year and would spend a couple of days at Korean Buddhist Temples, where the cuisine is mostly and almost always vegan. There, Ji Hye says she fell in love with all of the flavors she was introduced to and felt great after every meal.

“That sort of opened my eyes that vegan/vegetarian food can be so delicious in its own right. You don’t have to have imitation chicken nuggets, you don’t have to have an Impossible Burger, or fake meat. You can have traditionally inspired vegetarian and vegan dishes and have your fill, be satisfied, and also have full nutrition. So all those things sort of came together to form a vegan and vegetarian restaurant. And I wanted to do it a lot more casual. I didn’t want it to be like Miss Kim; it’s not the most expensive restaurant, but it’s also not the cheapest. I wanted a restaurant that’s way more approachable for price point, so more people can come more often. So, Little Kim is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant, it’s fast-casual, and the price points are cheaper. I want people to come back again and again,” said Ji Hye.

The Food

Following the interview, Ji Hye guided me next door to Miss Kim, and we parted ways. I thanked Chef Kim enthusiastically in the restaurant’s foyer and was led to a nearby high-top table by the host. I perused the menu and decided to try a couple of appetizers and one of the entrees. I landed on the Buddhist Lotus Roots, Crispy Broccolini in Fish Caramel, and Crispy Duck Breast.

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I had a relatively light lunch, so after a long day of work and then foodie adventuring, I was ready to put some food away! I also ordered a Citron Green Iced Tea, which was lemony and refreshing. As I awaited my order, a staff member stopped by and surprised me with an order of the Royale Style Tteokbokki, courtesy of the kitchen.

I’ve encountered tteokbokki before during expeditions to Noori Pocha and Witch Topokki. Of the several different styles made at Miss Kim, the Royale features the familiar rice cake batons cooked in a savory soy sauce, sautéed with shiitake mushrooms, and garnished with seasonal local vegetables.

I was pleasantly surprised by the texture and thicker consistency of Miss Kim’s tteokbokki as opposed to other variations I’ve had over the years. Several of the small cylinder cakes featured a crispy searing along the sides. The sesame added another texturization and slight crunch, pairing well with the sear of the rice cakes, while the simmered-down shiitake mushrooms added their wonderful earthy profile and rubbery opposite. Between the savory soy-soaked tteokbokki, deliciously fresh mushrooms, and microgreens, I was overjoyed with this appetizer. I was also very grateful for Ji Hye and her team presenting me with such a knockout dish to kick off my first dining experience at Miss Kim.

During my menu deliberation, I spent a fair amount of time deciding between three different appetizers, ultimately ordering two of them since they both were coincidentally highly recommended by my attentive server Evan. He did a great job of answering several of my inquiries about the menu, as well as explaining the various ingredient pairings and taste descriptions. Due to my affinity for Buddhism, I felt compelled to order the Lotus Roots, which were sliced lotus roots topped with a blend of toasted cashews in doenjang and a green pepper sauce.

When I say I was truly blown away by a particular dish during a meal, these Buddhist Lotus Roots fit the description perfectly! The range of flavor and spice packed within the cashew mixture was sensational, was a delightful kick to the taste buds, and was rounded out by the soft and grounding root, which sort of tasted like the interior of an apple sliced into a round serving chip. This vegan dish was one of the tastiest starters I have had in some time! To note for those with some dietary restrictions, however, it cannot be made nut-free (for obvious reasons) or gluten-free.

My server and even Ji Hye earlier during our interview had mentioned the Crispy Broccolini in Fish Caramel as being one of the most popular and consistently ordered menu items. This dish was rather unique and had quite the healthy motivation behind it, consisting of broccolini, an anchovy caramel sauce, cashews, and cilantro. This dish is also gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, and can be made nut-free, as well as vegan.

This was yet again another mind-blowing meal, featuring the best rendition of broccolini that I’ve ever had! There was a slight crispiness to the greens, which were drenched and saturated in the anchovy caramel sauce, which was a creative play on salty and sweet for this dish. It’s (for once) hard for me to explain how genuinely ingenious this dish was for its diversity of flavor, while leaving me craving more after each bite. Despite being such a seemingly simple dish, these saucy greens and crunchy cashews left this foodie nearly speechless! I can see why this menu item is in high demand among patrons.

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I was able to get a side along with my order for the Crispy Duck Breast, so I selected the Smashed Potatoes. Without knowing exactly how they’d come served, I was beginning to realize that everything crafted at Miss Kim’s came served with a level of elegance and unparalleled high caliber. These potatoes were crushed and fried into the shapes you see above, before then getting tossed in a bowl with some Korean chili flakes, pepper, salt, and sugar.

The golden color, texture, presentation, and delivery were on point for this side. The potatoes were crunchy, starchy, yet zesty, and were seasoned so well across every inch of potato. The potatoes were fried to a perfect golden brown as well, balancing the crispy exterior and tender and soft interior. The chili flakes added a perfect level of heat that was a lingerer, but wasn’t too overwhelming due to the balancing of other spices and seasonings. All in all, a top-tier side, albeit I only ate a few for this foodie adventure and opted to save the majority for leftovers later.

The Crispy Duck Breast was a beautifully plated dish, with the roasted duck sliced into perfect two-bite chunks, drowning in a bulgogi sauce, topped with microgreens and pickled red onion. This dish was also served with rice and little kimchi chunks (see in the photo alongside the Smashed Potatoes). This is a great gluten-free dish and was so tasty!

The roasted duck was perfect, as you can see from the outer skin parts in the photo above. The meat was roasted very well, allowing for some exterior crisp while maintaining a tender center. The bulgogi sauce was so wholesome, it really gave that gravy vibe due to its thicker consistency and the way it stuck to the succulent meat. The red onion gave a sweet bite and added a unique twang to the more savory profile of the other ingredients. Although I was essentially full, I powered through the last two or three slices because I was determined to enjoy every last bite of that sensational crispy duck!

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From the pristine and new abode of Little Kim to the marvelous food next door at Miss Kim, Ji Hye and her team have truly fostered a wonderful and welcoming community of food and a sense of comfort in their corner of the Zingerman’s Community. Ji Hye has designed some beautiful dishes, adding her own unique spin to other common Korean cuisines.

Consider visiting Little Kim or Miss Kim the next time you’re in Ann Arbor, go hungry and go often. I can’t wait to circle back for another adventure to try some of the vegetarian dishes at Little Kim, that Jjajjangbap and Fried Tofu Sandwich are calling my name! A huge shout-out to Chef Ji Hye for all of her contributions to the Ann Arbor community and for representing our state so superbly at the national level for the James Beard Awards time and time again. And finally, I have mad respect for the kind and top-tier staff at Little Kim and Miss Kim for their exceptional professionalism and service. Thank you for all that you do!

For more information about the new Little Kim, click here. And to learn more about the OG Miss Kim, click here.