Grace Street - Midtown West, NY

I remember Grace Street to be a very unique spot. My fiancé and I visited Grace Street when they were still in the works a couple of years back. They were still renovating and fixing the dining area when we got our first hodduk.

It was the best dessert I've had before. Hodduk is basically fried dough with a sweet brown sugar filling in the center - almost like a donut. It was fresh and delicious.

Fast forward a couple of years, I re-visited Grace Street with my girlfriends. It's a lot more crowded since it's a good late night hangout spot, especially after dinner and you wanted a place to have some dessert and chit chat.

The wait didn't take too long and we sat at a bench. Wait staff was very friendly, even after a long day of work they look happy to serve you. We ordered Hodduk, Chocolate Brownie Waffle, Bubble Tea and Green Milk Tea. To be honest, everything tasted very mediocre. The hodduk tasted like it was just reheated in the microwave and cut up into really small pieces. The taste was there but the texture was lacking. The drink were good but not great. And the waffle...it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Grace Street wasn't how I envisioned and it's quite disappointing.

Green Milk Tea, Hodduk, Jasmine Bubble Tea

Chocolate Brownie Waffle

Verdict:
Food ~ 2 out of 5
Price ~ 3 out of 5
Service ~ 4.5 out of 5

Grace Street
17 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001

Pocha 32

I've heard good things about Pocha, things like it's a great place to hit up when you're drunk and have the munchies. Pocha is a Korean joint that gives off a really casual atmosphere, casually enough to sit back, relax and get wasted. Lines can get really long especially when it gets later into the night. But I have to say, I really enjoyed it.

Been here twice already and both times my group ordered the Watermelon Soju. Basically a hollowed out half watermelon that contains watermelon juice, soju and some club soda. It's pretty fun when you drink out of bowls also, which is all they give you so don't ask for cups/glasses. They usually water down the watermelon soju which plays no affect on us so we would order bottles of Chamisul or Chum Churum aka soju and pour it into the watermelon. Their yogurt soju is really good as well.

With all that drinking, there has to be food. Pocha is really well known for their casseroles. Nice and piping hot, great for the colder weathers but it's good in the dead of summer also because they occasionally have air vents and circulation running through the joint.

A lot of places serve budae jigae, a smaller version of the Budae Jungol which they serve here. Consisting of a lot of random things, it's very comforting after 5+ shots of soju. I love the spicy broth and the bits and pieces that gets crushed and breaks down at the bottom of the pot. Do not waste the soup!

One of our friends wanted pork and he decided on the BBQ Pork. It wasn't anything special, felt a bit jipped since there wasn't much pork. Flavor was a bit off and it felt like they forgot to season it. But when you're tipsy and happy, you pretty much have no idea what you're eating, but you'll eat it.

I forgot what exactly happened but I think someone wanted pork belly but they didn't exactly just have pork belly but they had it with kimchi, and we ordered it anyways! The Kimchi and Pork Belly Stir Fry was definitely not what we expected but it was good. Spicy good. I really dig the tofu that came with it, flip it fast enough and you'll crisp each side.

Pocha is one of those boozey and loud places. They have fish nets all around the restaurant and you can write little notes on the chopstick covers or napkins and stick it through the fish nets. Service is average and you need to hail down the waiters/waitresses when it gets later into the night. Don't expect them to come to you and ask how you're doing. One thing though, just be careful of the stairs when you leave.

Pocha 32
15 W 32nd St - 2nd Fl
New York, NY 10001
(212) 279-1876

BCD Tofu House - I like it when I get my own

BCD was re-opened after a long close and it's better than ever. They have long lines and also a long wait, anywhere from 20-60 minutes long. J and I had to wait a good 20 minutes for a table of two. We were seated in the back, they even had a second floor. The good thing about this BCD is that they give you a restaurant pager, when it buzzes, you know it's time for you to chow down.

When coming to BCD, you must get their soondubu. A pot full of tofu, spices, and your choice of meat. They have a big variety here, there's your regular pork or beef, kimchi, seafood and then there's curry and abalone for the more adventurous. Spice levels ranging from none to the extreme.

After ordering, the banchan or little side dishes were placed on our tables, they're unlimited so don't be afraid to flag down the waiters/waitresses to get more. We each had a fried fish, deliciously fried. Crunchy on the outside but the meat was moist and flaky on the inside. Usually you only get one grilled fish and it's usually the mackerel but here, you get your own and I can tell you, it's not mackerel here.

The fish is small but it's a good appetizer. Any bigger and you won't be able to eat your entree. Kimchi was good also, the other banchans were a bit underwhelming.

Ordered a small Goon Mandoo but come to think of it, they might've gave us the steamed ones. I couldn't tell since they seemed lightly fried but then placed into a bamboo steamer. Darnit! Apparently they be messing up our orders that night a lot. (We ordered a Chum Churum - soju, but they gave us ginger ale..., that we managed to fix.)

At last the soondubu. The Kimchi Soondubu was filled with tofu. The first spoonful I got was tofu, tofu, tofu...even when I mix I get more tofu. The broth was spicy and blended really well with the kimchi. Some kimchi and pork was squished in the middle of the tofu which I'm definitely not complaining.

With the order of soondubu, you get a raw egg which you then would just crack it into the stew. It's quite fun and it looks so much more appealing. I had the regular spice level which was just right, I can't imagine those that ordered the "danger" level. Although I did once at the location in Flushing which was hell!

J had the Curry Soondubu, something different but tasted a bit watered down. It just had that hint of curry flavor, he liked it. I liked mines a lot more. We had a bowl of rice each, I couldn't finish mine as I was too focused on the stew instead.

Towards the end, they gave us each the rice porridge. It's the type where they use tea to scrape off the rice from the clay pot, you just enjoy it like that to cleanse your palate. I'm not crazy about it because it had that smokey burnt taste.

I'm waiting to return. I can't stop thinking about the tofu ever since I had it but there's so many other places to try and eat also. I wish I was cloned so I can be at multiple restaurants at once...haha

BCD Tofu House
5 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 967-1900

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar - no reservations, no worries

I don't know what was it about Ayza that made J and I came.
My coworker went the week right before us and told us to definitely go because the food was really good.

I could've made reservations that morning of, but decided not to since we didn't know what time we might get there. It was a beautiful Friday evening and I knew I wanted to sit outdoor. When we got there, it was pretty packed. There was already a group in front of us so we knew we wouldn't be seated any time soon. Boy, was I wrong...

We got seated before that group and they got pretty mad, left the place. Kind of feel a little smug, if you know what I mean.

It was really hot but there was a breeze here and there, warm/hot breeze though.

I love a good glass of Riesling ($11). Been hooked ever since I first had it 8th Street Wine Cellar. They're so light and crisp, it doesn't even feel like you're drinking wine. I'm not a huge fan of spiced wine, which is why I steer away from red wine at times.

Some bread to begin with. I have no idea what the spread is, if anyone can enlighten me that would be appreciated.

Pretty much everything came at once. Good thing we didn't order too much because the small table they had there just wasn't gonna cut it. Hot Artichoke Hearts ($7) was pretty dam good. For some reason, I didn't picture it as a dip which was why I was a bit hesitant when J wanted to order it. I should never doubt him since he always seems to order the "good stuff."

One of the many dishes my coworker wanted me to try was the White Truffle Pizza ($10). It was good, freshly good. What was truffle about it? The oil. I can see it and smell it. Simple, but quite excellent.

I thought J would order the cheese platter since I know he's been wanting; on the other hand, I don't like cheese and I actually suggested it - his loss! Ended up with a Meat Platter ($16), definitely not worth the price. Beside the small portion, it doesn't have any gherkins! This was quite the disappointment.

Finally, the must-must try dish was the Twenty-Layer Crêpes Cake Brûlée ($12). It was insanely hyped up and I wasn't blown away. I mean it was nicely flambé but too much was going on with this plate. Crusty on the top, each layered with some creme, the powder sugar, along with the chocolate and raspberry plate glaze - way too much. It was just mediocre. I would probably be better off with some chocolate truffles instead. J and I actually took our time (because we were bored and wanted to amuse ourselves) to unravel this so-called twenty-layer. It wasn't 20, more like 17 layers. Meh, the point is not how many layers, but the actual quality of the cake - yes, another disappointment here.

Would we go back? Maybe..? I wouldn't mind coming back for the appetizer dips, pizza and wine, but that's about it because everything else wasn't memorable.

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar
11 W 31st St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 714-2992

Kun Jip - A form of line in which so organized that it's strategic

On a cold winter evening, after some shopping done, I wanted something soup-y. J couldn't agree more. But finding a place in K-Town for some good chijae is quite hard. Since Kun Jip always had a line, we decided to find out what the fuss was about.

We got on line quite quick. The "host" asked us how many people and just told J and I to stay on line. The line moved quickly and once we're inside the restaurant, the line stretches all the way to the back. Halfway through waiting, there's seats for you to sit (and wait) then you're told to head to back and wait some more. The line swings around and forms a J-shape and finally we get called to be seated. But before getting called to be seated, our orders were already taken since the menu was given to you while you were waiting on line.

Once we sat down, in less than 5 minutes, all our food came out. Woohoo!

I find that I truly dislike Chamisul Soju ($?), it has such a strong rubbing alcohol taste. I need something that's easier to go down and not burn.

Our delicious spread. See what I mean when I said everything comes out at once. They were quick though, the staff that is, and they were able to move everything into place. Banchan was great. Forgot to capture the steamed egg, best egg ever!

J had the special of Bibimbob and Soondubu ($16.95), excellent deal for the price. You get rice, delicious rice, and a tofu stew. The bibimbob itself is already around $11 so might as well get this and stuff yourself.

I had the Budae Chijae ($12.95), a bit pricey but so filling! I've always wanted to try this just because it's literally a pot filled with a lot of stuff. There's ramen, glass noodles, spam, hotdog, kimchi, tofu, rice cakes, and pork belly...definitely a load to eat. The chijae sat on top of a burner which kept it steaming hot throughout the entire time I was eating it. This was insanely filling, did I mention I ate it all myself? =]

To end the meal, a complimentary Sujeonggwa was given to us. Oh my god, the best cinnamon drink everrrrrrr. I would come back just for this, or I can have my Korean friends make it for me.
It is made from dried persimmons, cinnamon, ginger and peppercorn; the process is a bit difficult and time consuming but the outcome is so yummy.

A lot of people says that Kun Jip's staffs rushing their patrons but I didn't see that happen at all, nor did I experience it. Throughout the entire meal, we sat and ate normally and we didn't get rushed at all. Heck we even had a little laugh with 2 of the waiters towards the end. 

Excellent meal. I guess to each their own, not everyone will get a pleasant experience and vice versa.

Kun Jip
9 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 216-9487

Daheen Wang Mandoo - Long live the strands of flavor

On a day after J and I were shopped out, we decided to get Korean food in KTown. We were just gonna go to Food Gallery which consist of endless stalls of Korean food, literally a Korean food court until Daheen Wang Mandoo caught our eyes. It was grand-opening for them and we must try it. Not to mention they were right next to Mandoo Bar which we greatly dislike since our last visit.

The layout was very similar to Mandoo Bar but a lot brighter. Since it was pretty new, a lot of things were still in the making and it wasn't perfect yet. Our menus and water were brought to us right away though. The waitress came to us 3 times to ask if we were ready and each time we weren't (even though they don't have a big menu, it was a lot to digest since everything on the menu look so good!), finally we were ready but she was busy and pretty much ignored J...haha

They actually have another shop that exist in Flushing, the other real KoreanTown.

As always, starting off with some banchan. I find that mandoo restaurants don't give much banchan...
Here we just have pickled radish and carrots along with some kimchi.

Of course we had to order a mandoo. We got the Kalbi Jumbo Mandoo ($2), definitely something different than your average mandoo. Whenever we eat in the states and are exposed to mandoo, we think dumplings (the small ones) but in actuality, it's the bun like mandoo we're dealing with here. I really like how they served it inside a little bag and on a plate. It was nice and steamy hot, the bun was soft and pillow-y. I really enjoyed the mandoo, wish I didn't have to share it with J though...

Tofu GangJung ($7.50) was J's call. It wasn't too bad but it wasn't that great. When it first came out, I thought it was fish. The battered fried tofu was covered in a sweet honey sesame sauce, not bad but it was a bit too much on the sweet side for me.

Looking at this bowl gets me excited. The Daheen Ramen ($12.50), was the best ramen I've ever had. Quite pricey for a bowl but so worth it when you dig in.

It contains the wavy noodles that I love. The noodles was cooked al-dente and the best part is the egg-y-ness of it. Reminds me of the Hong Kong egg noodles but bouncier and better. The broth was also really good, not too spicy and felt like egg yolks were the base of the soup. Delicious!

My dish took the longest. I thought it being the Spicy Cold Noodles ($11.75) it would be quick but I was wrong. I was a bit disappointed when it came out because it looked like a salad plate and I didn't want that since I was starving. I was hoping something on the lines of naengmyeon, noodles in a cold broth...but once I bit into this, I was glad I ordered it. The noodles were seasoned so well, it gets spicy as you continue to eat but the balance of the greens and apples complimented it. Each ball of noodles were packed, so you would have to loosen them up, I was already full when I got to my second so J had to help me out on this one.

I would solely come back for their noodles. Mandoo, not too much.

Daheen Wang Mandoo
2 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 510-7332

Spot Dessert Bar - My life is golden with sweetness

After having our lunch in KoreaTown on New Year's Eve, J and I wanted some dessert. Or, maybe it was just me that wanted dessert. It was really cold out and we wanted to go somewhere warm, just bum around for a bit and digest the food we just had.

Just around the corner from our lunch spot was Paris Baguette, a Korean bakery but we decided no and went to Food Gallery which was right across the street and headed up to the 3rd floor where Spot Dessert was. We saw it opening up a few months back and saw the Golden Toast, I knew we had to try it.

We did worry that it might be seasonal but good thing they still have it!

Apparently, J knows the girl behind the register. How coincidental! She even gave us a friend discount, awesome! There were a lot of seats since it's an open food court.

So, I wanted the Hot Thai Coffee but I think J said the wrong thing when he ordered and we ended up with a Hot Thai Milk Tea ($3.50). Probably just rolled off his tongue since he's so use to just having the thai milk tea instead of coffee...

It was good though, nice and hot. Some places don't make their beverages hot enough and I appreciate that Spot does.

The Golden Toast ($8.75) really caught our eyes. Especially after coming back from HK and having the best french toast of my life, I needed this. Although this didn't cut it but it was still good. Infused with honey, the toast didn't come out as sweet as I thought it would be. The whip cream actually helps balances it out and the strawberries were a great counter-ingredient. The combination of the sweet toast and the tartness of the fruit made it that more bearable.

Would I get this again? Probably not because the Kabocha Brulee Cake will always be my favorite at Spot.

Spot Dessert Bar
11 W 32nd St
2nd Fl
New York, NY 10001
(212) 967-1678 

Mandoo Bar

I have been running errands with J these past few weeks and it's just hectic. We're around Koreantown often so we decided to revisit a spot where we once loved. It's been a good 2-3 years since we been here and before that, we use to come every week. No joke, the waiter knew us back then because of how often we ate there.

After a couple of years, the place completely changed...for the worse. Upon arrival, I noticed that the staff that wraps the dumpling has gone from 4 to 2 ladies. The inside smelled of nail polish, the floors were sticky. And the patrons were all non-Asians, not a single Korean customer in sight. That's quite sad considering this is a Korean dumpling house. The waiter was also very clumsy and seems to not be able to handle a couple of tables by himself while his colleage goes out for a smoke break.

They also have a larger menu now, and I mean literally larger menu. There's ramyun and an extended bibimbop selection on the menu.

Their usual banchan. Yes, it only consist of radishes. Although the kimchi-ed radishes looks poorly presented, like they only gave us scraps.

The Goon Mandoo ($9.24), what a weird price...was the only thing that tasted good, sadly to say. Crunchy exterior with a good meat filling, nothing to complain about here.

J and I love their Fried Tofu ($5.50) because of the delicious sauce. But the tofu definitely looks a lot messier this time around. The pieces weren't even and it wasn't pan-fried long enough to give it that crisp edge.

We always get the Combo Mandoo ($12) just because it's consist of a better deal with 3 different kinds of dumplings. I liked the vegetable, J liked the meat, and we both have mutual disagreements for the seafood. This time, the seafood was poor, it was just half filled. The vegetable lacked the potato noodles they used to put in and the vegetables tasted like it had been freezed for months. The only constant thing was the meat dumplings.

Last but not least, it was definitely one of those colder nights so we took a shot and ordered their Ra-Myun ($10) that had tofu and egg. It was just a mediocre dish with no meat. I rather have a bowl of Japanese ramen than this.

So we were extremely displeased with the meal. Most likely we won't return and I really don't suggest coming here because I'm sure you can find better mandoos elsewhere. At this rate, Mandoo Bar is barely surviving then again, as long as non-Korean customers continue to come, they'll last.

Mandoo Bar
2 W 32nd St
New York, NY 10001
(212) 279-3075

Don Bogam BBQ & Wine Bar

One of the reason why J chose this specific Korean place as one of our first full meal back in NYC is not because of the BBQ but because of the wine part. We went away for 3 weeks to Asia and it was definitely unfortgettable. But, now that we're back, it's time to continue on this journey of NYC feasting.

Don Bogam is one of the places where you can choose to BBQ or not, and from that decision the maitre'd will either seat you at a regular table or the awesome table where the table is above a pit and your legs dangle when you sit. Sort of like a cheating way of sitting Korean style.

We ordered quickly because we were starving. For this place, you need to order at least 2 entrees from their BBQ list in order to BBQ it at the table (odd).

Delicious Plum Wine ($19) was a bit on the sweet side. Quite smooth and no aftertaste at all.

Your typical Korean set-up. I really missed kimchi in general and this place didn't disapppoint. Something that was different was the steamed egg custard, it was a lot firmer, softer, and smoother; tasted like tofu and it had a shrimp on the bottom...interesting.

The Pork Belly ($25.95) was already pre-cut and was placed on the grill for some sizzling action. The cut here were particularly thinner than any other places I've previously ate at. The cooking time was quicker and the outcome of pork was a lot more tender.

Love my wraps with lettuce, scallions, kimchi, radish and top that off with the pork belly...heaven. This combo never gets old.

I decided on a Kimchi Jjigae ($10.95) because it was extremely cold that night. We asked for 2 bowls of rice to go with the stew. I was surprised at how much I liked and enjoyed this stew. I never liked kimchi back then but the past year, I've been eating kimchi like it's an obsession. This kimchi stew was excellent, spicy and tangy which makes it really appetizing.

While we were finishing up the pork belly and stuffing ourselves with the stew, our waitress came by and refilled our lettuce basket and gave us more scallion salad (this salad is addicting).

Last but not least, the Beef Short Rib in Spicy Sauce ($27.95) which wasn't spicy at all. Marinated really well, so we didn't need any sauce for this. I actually just ate it on it's own because it was tender to a point I just want it to linger in my mouth solo.

The meal was your average Korean BBQ food, the service was more than I expected at a Korean restaurant, and the seats were what amazed me the most. Will I be back? Definitely, but with a large group of people.

Don Bogam BBQ & Wine Bar
17 E 32nd St
New York, NY 10016
(212) 683-2200

Seoul Garden

After an evening of shopping, it was actually just a couple of hours but it was getting closer to 8pm so J and I need food. We were suppose to either go to Food Gallery or Woorijip but ended up at Seoul Garden. It took us a while to find it because we were on the wrong side of the street, no wonder we couldn't find it! Then we have to walk up 2 flights of stairs which felt like 4, and when we got up there we saw the elevator working...

We got seated right away. The restaurant is extremely spacious. Their menu was like any typical Korean restaurant, but J wanted the Samchi Gui, Korean grilled fish. And I wanted something barbeque, mostly I wanted the banchan.

After our order was taken, our banchan came out in no time.

Six plates of yummy banchan. I'm starting to like kimchi a lot more than I use to. Love the spicy crunchy cabbage. One interesting banchan of the night which neither of us had before was the gelatinous plate of, well, jello. Literally smacked right int he middle of the photo was that dish, kind of gives you that skeptical feeling but it was delicious. The sauce brought it together because the jelly looking thing was just bland.

In this photo you see the lettuce also. Comes with the barbeque dish so you can do your wrap-thang. It's exactly what I wanted plus I get my favorite miso paste sauce along with it. That stuff can get really addicting.

The Samchi Gui came with the Seafood Soon Tofu ($19.95). Grilled king fish was bland which was why they give you a lemon that burned the crap out of my fingers. It is true, all you needed was the lemon because the fish already had a taste to it and you don't really need anything else to mask that.

Our favorite part of getting the tofu stew now is breaking the egg into it. I'm sure J feels the same as I, though I do wish they gave us 2 eggs. J accidentally ordered it "medium" when we were actually thinking of "spicy". So the dish came out as not spicy at all to us, bummer indeed but it was still good. Lots of tofu pieces in there which is a plus.

And finally, my Duk Galbi ($25.95) which is said to be prime beef. Come to think of it, it's quite a hefty price for that portion but then I factor in the banchan that supposedly free and my oh so awesome miso paste!

Seoul Garden was good, but not great. It's a solid place for Korean food and I wouldn't mind coming again. But next time, I'm taking the elevator.

Seoul Garden
34 W 32nd St, 2nd Fl
New York, NY 10001
(212) 736-9002

Arang

There are so many hidden gems in Korea Town that sometimes my boyfriend and I would overlook. Besides the obvious restaurants on ground level, there are a ton on the second and third floor. I would've missed Arang if not for the bright color door and the crowd that was blocking the sidewalk in front of KunJip (another Korean restaurant).

The walk up the stairs were short, which I appreciate. We got seated by the window which I thought was amazing. You get to see the shops across the street and the people walking by underneath, I also really like how the night gradually got darker.

We were starving so we ordered a bit more than we used to, but no worries, we were able to sort of finish our food.

I've always wanted to try their Korean soju straight from the bottle. Having drank a lot of soju and sake in the past, I wasn't too afraid how strong or bad it would taste. The Chum Churum soju had a clean after taste and just a slight tinge of alcohol. Comparison would be like a weak vodka.

The banchan were pretty good that night, unless we were just really hungry and anything that was given tasted really good. I liked the kimchi and potato salad best, radish was just ok. I usually stray away from potato salad because it's too creamy with the mayo but this was the total opposite, I approve!

The star of the night, the real reason why we came. This massive dish of Calamari Dduk Bokki with Cheese is like a dish made in heaven and sent down directly to us. It was that good. Different than the usual dduk bokki we get since this was slightly on the sweet side which really toned down the spicyness of the dish. Although, we didn't mind if it was more spicy but we were satisfy with what was given. What really stood out from this dish were the thinly sliced zucchini which you don't see in dduk bokki dishes, clever addition.

After having the Seafood Pancake so many times at different locations we slowly appreciate it and consider it one of our fall backs for Korean food if needed. You can tell the different color contrast on the pancake, definitely wasn't cooked evenly. We ate all the charred and browned crispy pieces while giving the other side no love. The pancake by itself lacked flavor but once you dip it in that wonderful sauce, it brings out all the hidden flavors in the pancake...so magical! This was one of the dishes that we couldn't finish.

J is pretty crazy about fish, I like fish but not insanely crazy about it. We saw the Grilled Mackerel on the menu and I just gave J the "ok" so if he wanted it he could order it. The fish came with no bones, yes!!! Mackerels have a lot of tiny thin bones and it's a pain to eat but since this was de-boned, even better. It was also really meaty as you can see in the photo. It wasn't seasoned at all so the lemon and the sauce helped a lot. Though, with just the zesty lemon it still tasted amazing.

Our set up and chow down of the night.
I really enjoyed this meal just because it was really laid back and comfortable.
Note - the cheese dduk bokki is a great, and I do mean great, comfort food when you're tipsy or drunk.

Arang
9 W 32nd St, 2nd Fl
New York, NY 10001
(212) 947-3028