We’ve tried to figure out how SEA’s pork ribs manage to pull completely clean off the bone, yet still retain a biteable—not mushy—texture. We’ve looked at cookbooks, watched recipe videos, and even attempted a few kitchen experiments. But we just can’t crack the code. The confusingly delicious cooking at SEA in Chelsea is less surprising when you consider that it’s from the chef behind Jungsik, one of NYC’s original, upscale Korean tasting menu spots. His second restaurant brings Southeast Asian flavors to Korean-style dishes—like dry tom yum noodles that look and eat a lot like jajangmyeon with warmer spices, and pork belly sliced as thin as pencil shavings, each piece with a strip of skin so crunchy it feels like biting into a tiny bone. Unless you’re on a very serious date, sit in the front room, or the vibrant, casual bar with blown-up stamps from Thailand, Vietnam and elsewhere brightening up the cement wall. It’s more welcoming than the slightly cold, more austere back room, where spotlights shine onto lacquered tables. Up front, the music is also a little louder, and the light—filtered through wicker basket fixtures—is a little softer. It’s an experience that matches the comfort and subtle sophistication of the food.