Esquire names this Louisville eatery among best new restaurants in America

A Louisville restaurant was selected among Esquire's highly-regarded "The 50 Best New Restaurants in America."

Nami, the Korean steakhouse at 835 E. Main St., from celebrity chef Edward Lee, got a coveted spot on the 41st edition of the list, which was published online Tuesday.

The downtown Louisville eatery, which opened in May, was among 200 new dining establishments from around the country considered by the Esquire writers.

The list praises Nami's menu and Lee's "Lee’s deep knowledge, invention, and skill," naming examples such as the "crystalline fried chicken atop fiery Tteokbokki" and "the quenelle of gochujang butter accompanying the tuna tartare."

"Nami delivers a deeply satisfying gamchilmat, the profound flavor that Louisville’s been missing," the article states.

Nami was the only Kentucky restaurant on the list, which named 13 eateries in California and eight in New York.

"It is an honor to be recognized with some of the best restaurants in America today," Lee told the Courier Journal. "It is a testament to the hard work and dedication that the Nami team puts in every single day. I could not be prouder."

Reach food and dining reporter Amanda Hancock at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Nami in Louisville named among best new restaurants by Esquire