Recommendations in Koreatown and Curry Hill?
I'm looking to expand my ethnic eating experience, but I'm not sure where to try.
I work near Koreatown and would love to check out someplace there, but all the menus start to look the same after awhile. Where should I go?
And I ate in Curry Hill once, but can't remember where (clearly, it was underwhelming), and want to give it another shot. Suggestions?
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23 Comments:
I like Seoul Garden in Ktown. Good tofu dishes. Also Forte Baden Baden for GINORMOUS dish of Korean fried chicken: http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2008/05/fried-chicken-and-tofu-at-forte-baden-baden.html
Adam Kuban at 10:57PM on 08/19/09
In Ktown, Gahm Mi Oak for sullongtang, Mad for Chicken (formerly Bon Chon) for Korean chicken, BCD for tofu soup, and Hyo Dong Gak for jjajangmyun.
In Curry Hill, go to Saravana Bhavan for dosas.
Tia Kim at 1:01AM on 08/20/09
+1 for Tia's rec on Saravana's dosas!
Adam Kuban at 9:02AM on 08/20/09
I'm personally a big fan of Mandoo Bar on 32nd right off of 5th. I love watching them make the dumplings in the window and I could eat the veggie and shrimp dumplings all day long.
meem21 at 9:27AM on 08/20/09
@meem i love watching them make the mandoo too!! I have to stop myself from stopping and staring...
Unfortunately, my friend and i tried to go to Forte Baden Baden... we went into that sketchy storefront and tried to go up the elevator. And it just didn't stop at that floor?? We have no idea what happened. It only stopped at the floor with the cyber cafe. We went to Mandoo Bar, so it wasnt a total loss.
I've also been to Kunjip. Heard good reviews. The food was good, but it's not coming to mind just now. What I remember most about it, though, was this great amber-colored chilled ginger-cinnamon tea (soup?) they served at the end. I've tried to replicate it. Can't figure out what I'm missing. It seems like a very home-y thing to serve? Just cant figure it out....
If you want a quick lunch, cheap, head over to Woorijip. They have a hot buffet by the pound. That way you can try different things. But you can also pick up lunch boxes, plus rice and soup. Or kimbap! I usually get my meal there for about $5. It's a pretty crowded place around lunch time, considering the prices for everything else around there.
@Tia, I didnt know there was a BCD in Koreatown?! Maybe I just get distracted and miss it when I walk by. I love sundubu. :]
Enjoy!
engmcmuffin at 9:51AM on 08/20/09
my fav in curry hill is tiffin wallah on 28 b/w park and lex. its probably the freshest vegetarian indian food i've had and it definitely fills you up (i eat meat too!). plus, i'm pretty sure they have a $7 lunch buffet.
i recommend the paper dosa, baigan bartha (i cant find an eggplant curry as good as theirs anywhere), chana saag (spinach and chickpeas) and gobi masala (cauliflower curry)
korovka at 10:09AM on 08/20/09
I love Kang Suh in K-Town - great gopdol! and delicious little appetizers for free :)
teenagefoodie at 10:22AM on 08/20/09
Saravana Bhavan is the real-deal; an offshoot of a chain in India. And you will see it packed with south Asian families.
Just be sure to go the one on E 26th & Lex. There is another place with a similar name a bit further north that is not nearly as good.
Thomas_Traveler at 11:34AM on 08/20/09
My fave restaurant in K-town is Arirang! (Not sure if there's anywhere else to get those noodles in K-town.) But I'm also a bad of BCD Tofu and Forte Baden Baden.
Robyn Lee at 12:54PM on 08/20/09
+3 for Saravana Bhavan. Chennai Garden is also a favorite in that area - similar food. Chinese Mirch is good for Indian Chinese food (if you don't know what that is, you just have to try it - chinese food with Indian spices and ingredients like paneer!). Stay away from Dhaba. It was the most tasteless, incorrectly spiced Indian food that I've had in that area.
nithya at hungrydesi at 1:23PM on 08/20/09
@engmcmuffin - the cinnamon/ginger/persimmon punch you are referring to is called soo jung gwah - traditional korean dessert and palate cleanser. I found a recipe here:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/beverage/recipe-sujeonggwa-korean-persimmon-punch-075162
Good luck!
sakurastar at 1:36PM on 08/20/09
@sakura
Thanks for the link! I think i did see this when I googled for it last time. I dont think its the same recipe that I ended up using. I think I need to tweak it. My own ginger/cinnamon tea version came out good...but.. it just wasnt the same? Very refreshing!
engmcmuffin at 2:03PM on 08/20/09
@engmcmuffin - BCD is now where Dae Dong used to be. I wish Dae Dong stuck around cuz their neng myun was good, but I'm glad we have a BCD now. If only we could have both.
Tia Kim at 2:24PM on 08/20/09
Wow, thanks for the great suggestions, everyone!
CandyBean at 3:58PM on 08/20/09
@roboppy - There's a ton of places in NJ, specifically Pal Park, to get sujebi and kalgooksoo, but not so much in Manhattan. So usually I just make it at home. It's easy and cheap to make.
Tia Kim at 7:49PM on 08/20/09
+1 for Arirang. The chicken sujebi is amazing! It's also one of the 'specialist' restaurants, like Gahm Mi Oak.
exflexitarian at 11:22AM on 08/21/09
@engmcmuffin - Baden Baden is still there! I wonder what happened? Their chicken is yummmmy!
@candybean - Kun Jip in Ktown has the best food, in my opinion. There is always a line! Try Won Jo for Kalbi :)
Ambitous at 12:44PM on 08/21/09
yaay - you guys covered all my fave spots in curry hill ... all i have to say it ditto and ditto!
arathi at 4:02PM on 08/21/09
Can't believe nobody mentioned Kang Suh in Koreatown - after 20 years still my favorite in the neighborhood.
+1 for Chennai Garden.
patrickamory at 8:05PM on 08/26/09
my family always goes to kunjip!
helia at 2:20PM on 09/10/09
another vote for chennai garden and seoul garden, i actually prefer their soondubu over bcd
frenchvanilla at 2:46PM on 09/10/09
i second kang suh, arirang, seoul garden, mad for chkn and gahm mi oak. also reco shilla and madangsui on 35th.
hyo dong gak's jja jang myeon & jjam ppong have gone downhill in the past months and there's better mandoo at seoul garden or kang suh than mandoo bar. i've also been disappointed by wonjo's jjigaes.
gastrodamus at 3:54PM on 09/10/09
I agree with all the recommendations on Curry Hill. A couple of new, more upscale places have opened up. Bhatti is one and Coconut Grove. Dhaba os good too.
If you want to learn how to cook Indian food- take a class at http://www.Indianculinarycenter.com
There is one that teaches how to make your favorite restaurant dishes - that might be a good one to try.
hameshahungry at 9:40AM on 09/11/09