Yesterday, when TTG and I (LA2NY) got hungry after watching our first World Cup 2010 match, Greece vs. Korea at 7:30AM, we had the idea of eating Korean food in honor of the winner and spending our Saturday watching the remaining games. TTG and I were joined by Meatlover and C&R, and the The Grand Plan was hatched.
The eating commences...
The eating commences...
We began our afternoon by watching the U.S. and England tie over fries and Brooklyn Lager at the bar of a local eatery.
Then, we ventured downtown to Soho, and stopped first at Ruben's Empanadas, a small and cute operation, in honor of Argentina's win over Nigeria. We tried a beef and a potato empanada. The beef one, which had raisins in it, was delicious, especially with the Cholula hot sauce they have on site. The potato one was comparatively bland.
Next, after some shopping in the area, we trekked across town to Kunjip in Koreatown. The ambiance is casual and cheerful; the staff, uniformed in festive "Be the Reds" Korea World Cup red t-shirts, provided impressively fast service; and Kunjip's menu and English- speaking staff makes the restaurant amenable to those without Korean food experience or language ability. We ordered the galbi (marinated steak bbq), bulgogi (marinated beef bbq), kimchee jigae (spicy stew), and appetizer portions of mandoo (dumplings) and japche (vermicelli rice noodles) with Korean brand beverages of OB beer and Sac Sac grape juice. I thought this combination was a well-balanced introduction to Korean food virgin, Meatlover, and novice, TTG. Though their banchan (side dishes) selection left much to be desired in terms of variety, the kimchee jigae was tasty, and the japche was a table favorite. I was disappointed that Kunjip did not have built-in grills in their tables, but the galbi and bulgogi cooked tabletop on their portable propane grill were decent. The complimentary orange slices they serve with the check were notably juicy and sweet, and left some of us wanting more dessert.
Stuffed and smelling of meat, we topped off the eating with Korean ice cream bars in melon and red bean flavors from the grocery store next door, and began to brainstorm about food for the next day's games on the train back uptown.
All in all, a satisfying Saturday spent savoring the summer.
Then, we ventured downtown to Soho, and stopped first at Ruben's Empanadas, a small and cute operation, in honor of Argentina's win over Nigeria. We tried a beef and a potato empanada. The beef one, which had raisins in it, was delicious, especially with the Cholula hot sauce they have on site. The potato one was comparatively bland.
Next, after some shopping in the area, we trekked across town to Kunjip in Koreatown. The ambiance is casual and cheerful; the staff, uniformed in festive "Be the Reds" Korea World Cup red t-shirts, provided impressively fast service; and Kunjip's menu and English- speaking staff makes the restaurant amenable to those without Korean food experience or language ability. We ordered the galbi (marinated steak bbq), bulgogi (marinated beef bbq), kimchee jigae (spicy stew), and appetizer portions of mandoo (dumplings) and japche (vermicelli rice noodles) with Korean brand beverages of OB beer and Sac Sac grape juice. I thought this combination was a well-balanced introduction to Korean food virgin, Meatlover, and novice, TTG. Though their banchan (side dishes) selection left much to be desired in terms of variety, the kimchee jigae was tasty, and the japche was a table favorite. I was disappointed that Kunjip did not have built-in grills in their tables, but the galbi and bulgogi cooked tabletop on their portable propane grill were decent. The complimentary orange slices they serve with the check were notably juicy and sweet, and left some of us wanting more dessert.
Stuffed and smelling of meat, we topped off the eating with Korean ice cream bars in melon and red bean flavors from the grocery store next door, and began to brainstorm about food for the next day's games on the train back uptown.
All in all, a satisfying Saturday spent savoring the summer.
We are so excited to embark on this food adventure! We welcome suggestions and comments, especially from more experienced New Yorkers, bloggers, international foodies.
Happy eating!
LA2NY
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