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Motorino in Manhattan

In Manhattan? Hmm.... I like Patsy's, Artichoke, Totonno, Pizza 33... and while this is less conventional of a pizza.. i really like Nina's on the UES... it's not a New York style pizza... but the pipping hot cheese.. and the oddly pizza-hut like crust... i don't know.. it's really good...

But with Motorino.. 3 of my friends asked me how it was today.. and I cannot recommend Motorino's to anybody I know..... Maybe because I didn't order more than just one pizza? Maybe bad night? in any case... i was disappointed... I would try Motorino's again.. as long as I'm not buying.. :)

sushiburger at 5:36PM on 11/12/09

Motorino in Manhattan

@nithya at hungrydesi: It's awesome... Next weekend: Burger from song 7.2, ramen @ ippudo (if the line is short enough, otherwise setagaya), slice @ artichoke and dessert @ milk bar.... can't wait...

I also second the soggy crust... my sauce / cheese was dropping everywhere...

sushiburger at 11:17AM on 11/12/09

How's your Bulgogi?

I generally don't order bulgogi from restaurants (since I make the bulgogi I eat at home, and if u'r up for it, I would advise you to do the same) but my favorite places for meat (quality) are Don's Bogam BBQ & Wine Bar and Madangsui. I go there for non-marinated kalbi and pork belly... but I wouldn't be surprised if their bulgogi was good...

Also, in Korea the bulgogi at Woo Lae Oak is friggin amazing, but I'm not sure if that translates to the Woo Lae Oak in Manhattan.

Other worthy Korean-food locations

Mad for Chicken
Korean BBQ (non-marinated is the best kind) - Madangsui and Don's Bogam (also NY Gomtang is the only place in K-town I know that uses charcoal... and that adds a whole new dimension to BBQ, so while the meat quality might not be as good, it still worth it to try).
Soon-doo-boo @ BCD
Sullungtang @ Gahm Mi Oak

sushiburger at 11:12AM on 11/12/09

Motorino in Manhattan

I definitely won't be going back. Maybe the Brooklyn location if I ever make it there, but definitely not the 12th street. Nothing here has convinced me that I should go for a second shot.

Thanks for your comments.

sushiburger at 12:07PM on 11/10/09

Tipping on Alcohol

Storing the wine in a cellar, having the right temp, etc... is all part of the markup on the actual wine. This has nothing to do with tipping on the wine.

And with any service industry, you have to deal with people that are retarded and rude. That's just a part of the industry. The guy at Best Buy that gets no tip still deals with insanely rude people. That should not factor into the tip at all.

I generally tip on the total bill. 18% as a standard. 15% if I was a little unsatisfied and 20% if the service was good. I tip on the total bill (post tax which is kind of retarded) but if the service was horrible, I will definitely leave a tip less than 15% (more along 10%).

My point I think is that if I were to ever order $1,000 (or more) bottle of wine, I don't think any argument can convince me that the server bringing me the bottle and opening it could justify a $200 tip. I might be forced to at restaurants like Per Se, but I still wont think it's deserved.

sushiburger at 10:26AM on 11/09/09

Tipping on Alcohol

Actually, according to the U.S. Department of Labor the following is the case:

"An employer may pay a tipped employee not less than $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the tips received equal at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages of at least $2.13 an hour do not equal the federal minimum hourly wage, the employer must make up the difference."

For New York City (where I live), the minimum they must meet is $7.25 an hour. That means that even if the server does a horrible job and receives no tips, the restaurant must make up the difference so he/she will be entitled to a federal minimum wage no matter what. That means that the tip you give will contribute to that, but also increase his wage. Why would I want to increase a person's wage that does a horrible job? If the person is putting forth minimum wage type of work, that is what he/she deserves (not an extra pat on the back).

So while you may be right in that the tip is part of their pay, they will receive the minimum wage no matter what. If they want to make anything above that, they should obviously be good at what they do.

sushiburger at 4:08PM on 11/06/09

Tipping on Alcohol

I disagree. When you pay a tip (to anyone in the service industry) it's not something the person should assume to get. My paying for the food and drinks pays for the food and the service. You don't have the option of bringing the food to the table yourself. If it's mandatory to use the service, the cost of the mandatory service is always baked into the price of the product. This is true for everything. When you buy a DVD from Best Buy, you are paying not only for the product but the guy behind the counter and other operational costs that go into bringing the product to you. My point being that the tip you give on top of the purchased product / service (cab ride, server, hair dresser, food, etc...) is paid for how well the service was in delivering what you bought. If a server is rude and not attentive and horrible at his/her job... there's no way that person will receive a 15% tip.

sushiburger at 3:34PM on 11/06/09

Tipping on Alcohol

@yayfood: If the waiters rely on their tips, shouldn't they work that much harder to make sure they get a good tip? Don't you think that if they put no effort into their job then they should be paid accordingly? The same way as any job. If i don't perform at my job, they don't give me a raise or I get fired. It should be the same way for everyone... I'm not giving them a 15% - 20% tip or any tip to enhance their lives if they are unable to perform their job well.

I agree with presenttense. There's a problem with the industry and I also agree that its not the server's fault. However, I don't see how anyone can say that paying $200 to open a bottle of wine (if it were a $1,000 bottle) or even pour a bottle of wine is reasonable.

When I go to a bar, I definitely tip the bartender and I'm not against the idea of tipping on a bottle. But just as you generally set a $1 per drink standard at a bar (weather it's a $7 drink or $18 drink), a same method should be applied to wine or any expensive bottle of alcohol that you might purchase at a restaurant.

sushiburger at 2:40PM on 11/06/09

Tipping on Alcohol

@ericjpdx - The reason waiters should be careful when uncorking is so that they don't have to give you a new bottle. if they did that with even a $40 bottle, I would expect them to accommodate for that.. for $1,000 bottle, i would ask for a new bottle. That's for the restaurants benefit, not the customer.

@hungrychristel - I would say 15%-20%... If it was horrible service, I will literally leave a 1% tip. There is no way I'm paying a standard tipping rate for horrible service. There's a reason they call it a tip. It should be completely dependent on service, not a standard.

@PrettyNicola - Generally(not always, but most of the time) there is a reason why the salads are cheaper than a more complicated entree. The tip value will follow accordingly (maybe not the %)

I'm with grampart... there is no way a person deserves $200 for opening a bottle of wine... that's just absolutely ridiculous.

@FierceGreekChick - I don't think the argument is about being able to afford it... it's the principle behind it.

sushiburger at 4:56PM on 11/05/09

Tipping on Alcohol

I don't know.... I'd like to think that the hike in price for a bottle of wine (as opposed to getting the same bottle at a liquor store) at a restaurant includes the fee for the service on the wine... The price of the food obviously includes the ingredients along with the chef's abilities, but the wine is something they bought and put absolutely no additional input into. So therefore, not tipping on the wine, or adding a smaller tip on the wine is justifiable by the increase in price of the bottle (although I realize that the extra charge on the bottle doesn't go to the server and that part sucks...)

sushiburger at 10:58AM on 11/05/09

Seolleongtang, Ox Bone Broth, from Gahm Mi Oak

As an FYI.. my friends says that there are some places in Flushing and Pal Park Jersey that have kimchi almost exactly like Gahm Mi Ok, and those places actually sell you the kimchi. Not sure how trustworthy it is, but i guess it could be worth a shot. I never asked gahm mi ok, but i guess it couldn't hurt to just ask...

sushiburger at 3:43PM on 06/16/09

Seolleongtang, Ox Bone Broth, from Gahm Mi Oak

@missneedle - hahaha i actually got it from a friend of mine... his mom is apparently friends with the owner or something along those lines.. and he gave me a bag... not sure what other way there might be to get it.. i guess "i bought" was the wrong term to use... "i got" is more like it... i apologize for the confusion..

but in any case... honestly.. ended up throwing out half of it.. I just can't have it that often.. you get sick of it fast...

sushiburger at 3:12PM on 06/16/09

Seolleongtang, Ox Bone Broth, from Gahm Mi Oak

@missneedle - I use to think that too... until I bought a big bag of Gahm Mi Ok Kimchi.... I have Kimchi in almost all my meals... and eating Gahm Mi Ok kimchi for all your meals is not a smart thing to do.. the sweetness is overwhelming after 3 or 4 straight meals w/ it..... also, i agree with you on BCD.. their kimchi is very sweet as well, and Gahm Mi Ok is much more balanced, but I guess my point was that it is sweeter than traditional kimchi you have in Korea..

Also, the way you sweeten kimchi makes the outcome different.. and i'm not skilled enough to know / taste exactly how.. but i'm sure that has something to do with one being preferable to another despite both being on the sweeter end..

sushiburger at 2:08PM on 06/16/09

Seolleongtang, Ox Bone Broth, from Gahm Mi Oak

someone once told me that they asked the manager and they said they use a Korean cider to sweeten up the kimchi...

i've heard someone else say they think they put a lot of shredded Korean pear into it to sweeten it...

in any case, the kimchi there is definitely sweeter than the kimchi you'll find in other places and that's probably the biggest difference..

sushiburger at 11:15AM on 06/16/09

Win a $1,200 Street Food Dinner for Two to the Citymeals-on-Wheels Fundraiser

dduk bokki carts
The spicy korean rice cakes... (too bad they don't have any of these carts in the states)

sushiburger at 12:16PM on 06/01/09

Snapshots from South Korea: Hotteok, Two Ways

You can get it in Flushing.. one of the Korean markets.. i forget which one.. but they make it fresh.. it's good..

sushiburger at 11:50AM on 06/01/09

Snapshots from South Korea: Kalguksu from Myeongdong Gyoja

i actually once attempted to partner up a business to open a Myeondong Gyoja here... there were two issues... one was obviously the rent.. second... the kimchi is one of the highlights of Myeongdong Gyoja.. and apparently with the ingredients you get in New York, you can't make it taste the same... (not exactly sure why...)

Myeongdong Gyoja is probably my favorite place to go in Seoul...

I friggin LOVE the kimchi... but i can see how it can be a bit much for some.. damn i miss this place..

sushiburger at 5:38PM on 05/29/09

Budae Jjigae from Pocha 32 in Koreatown

ah.. i always ask for it w/o cheese... it tastes better that way...
Although, you did miss out on Nolboo Budae Jjigae when you were in Korea...

Some other things to try at Pocha 32..
JaeYook Bokkeum (not sure if that's how they spell it).. it's pork belly stir-fried in a gochujang based sauce with different veggies.. it's pretty greasy... but delicious...
Kimchi Jung-Gol... if you like Kimchi Jjigae... this is practically the same thing... but with some added ingredients...
Hong-hahb Tang.. bool dak... dak ddong jjib....oh dohl bbyuh.. these are all Korea's version of bar food...

sushiburger at 12:28AM on 05/27/09

Snapshots from South Korea: Fried Things on Sticks

I don't actually like bundaegi, but I've had it on numerous occasions. It's definitely a taste that needs to be acquired, but... honestly. imo, you're not missing out on much....

Although, if you were at Myungdeong.. and didn't try the Myungdeong Kalgooksoo at Myungdeong Gyo Jah.... you definitely missed out.....

sushiburger at 1:00PM on 05/26/09

In Videos: Elyse Sewell Eating Live Octopus in Seoul

i love live octopus.. but like janough... i only like the cut up pieces.. put it in some vinegar hot pepper paste.... and u'r set to go... i think they might serve this at places in Flushing....

sushiburger at 5:21PM on 05/21/09

My birthday is saturday. Thoughts on where to eat, please?

el parador cafe
the little owl
the cub room

sushiburger at 5:08PM on 01/06/09

Seriously Delicious Holiday Giveaway: Two Peter Luger Steaks

rib eye

sushiburger at 3:41PM on 12/10/08