Since signing the lease in Old Montreal, it's taken Hanhak Kim nearly two years to realize Hana. It's taken obsessive attention to detail, knowing you're about to open one of the most ambitious projects of your career.
"Everything is detailed," Kim says. "We're always looking for the best."
Kim is running the Korean steakhouse with Joe Beef co-founder David McMillan, though it's not KBBQ in the casual, DIY sense where you're left to grill your own dinner. Instead, it's where prime-grade beef is aged in-house for a minimum of 31 days, Japanese downdraft grills cook with intense heat and zero smoke, and a nine-course tasting menu treats Korean techniques with traditional steakhouse reverence.
The space itself—roughly 3,000 square feet with 13 tables and an eight-seat bar—gets its atmosphere from designer Zébulon Perron, who pulled inspiration from Korean historical paintings to create a room of refinement and tradition. The interior glows amber and green—warm lighting strips run beneath dark leather banquettes, while the ceiling features murals inspired by Korean landscapes. The downdraft grills are built flush into each table, barely visible until service starts.
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