Mukshidonna

I miss all things about New York but one of the things I miss the most is Ktown! I loveeeee being able to just go to 32nd street and being greeted by the plethora of Korean goodies. Budae chigae is one of my favorite dishes so I was so happy to find out that there is a place in Causeway Bay that serves this dish! The kimbap was HUGE and really yummy as well. I loved how you were able to customize the budae chigae and it was super flavorful and yummy. I will definitely be back!

Mukshidonna 

1/F

Jardine Center

50 Jardine's Bazaar 

Causeway Bay

Hong Kong 

5 Senses

With a plethora of options in Ktown, it is difficult to pick a place sometimes. 5 Senses continuously delivers solid Korean favorites and I highly recommend it! The dish below s a spicy octopus rice in a hot stone plate and it was SO delicious. The rice gets crispier as the meal goes on and the entire dish is drenched in a sweet and spicy sauce. Delicious any day but absolutely perfect for a cold wintery night!

5 Senses

9 W 32nd St.

New York

NY 10001

Take31

Take31 is the innovative sister restaurant of Her Name is Han. You can read my review on Her Name is Han here. The restaurant serves Korean dishes with a twist and I absolutely LOVE it here. Her Name is Han is great too, but you can truly find some one of a kind dishes here. They also change up their menu each month so you will never be short of awesome surprises! The people are also super friendly and sweet.

Crispy Havana-Style Corn Pancake
While I've never had a bad dish here... this is one of the BEST. I've had corn pancakes at other Korean places but they are usually drowned in cheese and just overwhelming. This had the perfect amount of cheese and the corn is sweet and perfectly cooked. The batter is also light so it maintains a nice soft middle but lightly crunchy on the outside. This is like a Mexican street corn but pancake style. An absolute must order! 

Tsukune Style Chicken Galbi with Potato Salad 
This was one of the specials of the month and it was very tasty. It did not have the soft bone like usual tsukune yakitoris but the meat was very nicely flavor. Yummy but not a must order. 

Braised Short Ribs and Kabocha Croquettes 
This dish was a bit too intense for me and J. It was incredibly rich and hearty but a bit much for two people. The meat was also a little too fatty but the croquettes were very delicious! 

Pork Belly and Scallion Salad 
The pork belly was cooked perfectly and not too greasy. The scallion salad was a perfect contrast to the pork belly and the presentation was also beautiful. 

Creamy Kimchi Stew with Crunchy Rice, Sausages, Bacon, Broccoli, Paprika, and Onions
I am really glad that J recommended we try this instead of my usual budae chigae. I really liked the crunchy rice with the creamy soup and the sausage was also particularly good. The skin was very crunchy and the sausage was very flavorful. I also liked the addition of veggies. 

I have tried other dishes here and unfortunately I did not take photos. Those two dishes are also MUST ORDERS and I still day dream about them from time to time (fried chicken in garlic flakes and fried chicken in wasabi cream). I think Take31 is a must visit! The food is super inventive and I have never had a bad meal here. It is a perfect place for great food and drinks with friends!

Take31

15 E 31st St. 

New York

NY10016

Oiji

Oiji is a refined Korean restaurant that has been getting a lot of buzz since it opened (particularly for its honey butter chips) so T and I decided to check it out. The food was all well done but the one dish that would really get me to return were the honey butter chips.

Beef Tartare with Ramp Aioli 
This is definitely the most beautiful steak tartare I've ever seen but I felt that the flavors were quite 1 dimensional. It was a bit too sweet in general and the mustard was much too tart as compared to the rest of the dish and was unable to balance the dish. I understand that Korean beef tartare is usually on the sweeter side with the pear but usually the sesame oil helps add another element to that it. This got a bit boring after a few bites. 

Fried Chicken with Spicy Soy Vinaigrette 
This is one of their most popular dishes. I really enjoyed how the chicken was very juicy and the coating was light and crunchy. The soy was also refreshing and balanced out the oilier aspect of the chicken. However, I personally prefer a creamier sauce such as Japanese chicken nanban as compared to this more tart sauce. 

Slow Cooked Pork Belly with Kimchi 
The sauce was very flavorful and sweet with a slight kick of spice from the kimchi. The pork belly was very tender but not overly fatty. I enjoyed this dish.

Special of the Day: Sausage Patties
I thought these were very sub-par. They weren't bad, but nothing special. 

Honey Butter Chips 
These were absolutely amazing. The chips were thin and crispy and was drenched with the most decadent mixture of honey and butter. It wasn't too sweet and it was so creamy and luscious. We did not know that we could add ice cream but that would have taken it to the next level! 

Overall everything was well prepared but I just wasn't blown away by the meal. The honey butter chips really do live up to the hype but apart from that I wouldn't say its a must visit. However, if you are looking for smaller plates of Korean dishes that aren't are heavy as traditional Korean BBQ, I would recommend Oiji.

Oiji

119 1st Avenue 

New York, NY 10003

Her Name is Han

Her Name is Han has been getting a ton of positive reviews and I was really excited to check it out. I really loved the concept of the place too because it is named after the owners Mom which I thought was super sweet. Following this concept, the cuisine is supposed to be very homey and nostalgic of home/mom's cooking. The atmosphere itself was also quite cozy and I had a really enjoyable dining experience here. I wouldn't say its a ton better than other places as there are a number of places offering similar dishes in the area, but I think it is worth a try if the wait is not too crazy! I do like how they have some dishes that are slightly different such as the topping tofu and the crispy tekbokki (not pictured here but I had it another time). They also have some interesting drinks. All in all I would recommend this place!

Topping Tofu
The tofu was smooth and full of flavor. I loved the sesame sauce on top but the crispy onions were soggy and stale. We told them and they replaced it right away. The next time I came here they were also a bit stale so I think that's something they should fix because the fresh onions made all the difference in the world. 

Beef, Deodeok Root, Kimchi with Sesame Mustard Sauce
This was nice and refreshing but probably not something I would particularly order. I enjoyed the tanginess of the dressing and the crunchiness of the root but it was not my favorite dish. 

Braised Short Ribs with Root Vegetables 
This is one of my favorite Korean dishes and I enjoyed every last bite of this! It was very tender and I loved the savory and sweet sauce. One of the best comfort foods with a big bowl of rice! 

Spicy Assorted Seafood and Homemade Dumpling Stew 
I was not too into eating the seafood but the soup itself was absolutely delicious. It was very flavorful but also clean and not heavy. It had a very pure seafood sweetness and also slightly spicy. 

Overall I think Her Name is Han is definitely one of the better restaurants in Ktown and worth a try! I didn't have to wait the two times I came but I hear that the line can get a bit crazy.

Her Name is Han

17 E 31st Street

New York

NY10016

Bangia

When I saw that Bangia was famous for their cheesy corn pancake, I knew I had to go. Bangia, like many other establishments in the area, is a great place for drinks and hearty food in Ktown. The servings are shockingly large for a very reasonable price, and A and I were completely stuffed and left with lots of leftovers! I think it is definitely good to come with at least 3-4 people so you can order more and try other dishes. The corn pancake was delicious and so was the seafood tekbokki but the amount of cheese was pretty intense!

Bangia 

11 E 32nd St

New York

NY 10016

Wa Bar

Wa Bar is a popular spot in K town for casual food and drinks. I've actually never been before this time but had a pretty good time. We were looking for a bite to eat after a DJ event and roamed into Wa Bar pretty late at night. The food was yummy but I still think Turntable has the best Korean fried chicken. The ribs with the cheese was also a bit weird as the cheese got hard and did not really add to the dish. Overall I think this is a solid choice for food and a fun night with alcohol but not a place I would particularly crave usually.

Wa Bar

28 W 32rd Street

New York

NY 10001

Bar Kogi

I love korean fried chicken and Korean food in general so I was excited to try out Bar Kogi which is one of J's favorites places since he lives right across the street. We ordered a bunch of other stuff as well but I was only able to snap pictures of two of the dishes because I got lazy :p The wings were yummy but I still think Turntable Chicken has the best korean fried chicken in NYC.

Tekbokki with Extra Cheese and Ramen 
Carbs and cheese are my favorite things (and fries haha) and while we were told that this preparation was not traditional I really loved it. It was quite spicy but the sauce was balanced nicely as it was also very flavorful and sweet. The amount of cheese was ideal and I love the sprinkle of scallion on the top. 

Overall I enjoyed the fun and casual atmosphere of Bar Kogi and definitely would be happy to return. It is a great neighborhood spot for a quick and yummy bite.

Bar Kogi

952 2nd Avenue 

New York 

NY 10022

Jongro

I saw a picture of yukhoe from Jongro and knew I had to come! C later mentioned that the meats there are also super delicious we decided to go there for a early dinner. The set up there is super cute and the meats were great and very well priced. We got the kalbi, pork jowl, and the yukhoe. The meats were so juicy and well flavored and the yukhoe was also very tasty albeit a tad sweet. I loved how they gave you a little pot of egg that cooked over the flame so that it was super silky. I would definitely return!

We went really early like around 5:45/6 and got a table right away. When we left around 7ish there were already a ton of people waiting! 

Jongro 

22 W 32nd St 

New York 

NY 10001

Momofuku Ssäm Bar - Bo Ssäm

David Chang has created an empire in NYC and his Ssäm Bar serves one heck of a good dish. It is not something you can eat all the time, and you will honestly have leftovers for weeks, but it is definitely something worth checking out. The bo ssäm is one of it's signature dishes that can be reserved for a group. Otherwise, the restaurant has a no reservations policy. Bo ssäm is a Korean dish and is a whole roasted pork shoulder with a delectable caramelized glaze. It is so so so good. And the best part is you get to wrap it up in butter lettuce with rice, oysters, chili sauces, and MY FAVORITE: SCALLION SAUCE. That stuff is the bomb.com and I always wish they gave me more. Apart from the bo ssäm, they also serve a whole roasted duck and a ribeye for large groups. They also have other dishes and we always over order because we are greedy and like to try everything. I have had the bo ssäm twice now and always take away the leftovers.

Santa Barbara Uni – Warm Silken Tofu, Trout Roe, Wasabi Pea
I am usually a sucker for anything uni but I really did not like this dish. This even has ikura which I also love but the addition of the wasabi peas were very strange and did not work at all. Would not order again. 

Dry Aged Sirloin Tartare - Buttermilk, Cipollini, Persimmon 
I thought this was quite yummy and the buttermilk added a nice tangy flavor to it. No one else at the table really ate it though so I had most of it hehe

Roasted Chanterelles - Brown Butter, Yolk, Bone Marrow
I don't really remember exactly how this tasted but it was quite rich, not particularly memorable though I suppose. 

 

Steamed Buns – Pork Belly, Hoisin, Cucumber, Scallion
Yum yum these are good! The pork belly is super tender and the buns are the perfect thickness and very warm and fluffy. I usually do take out some of the fat from the belly though. I like the addition of the cucumbers to offset the fattiness of the pork. And more scallions would be nice. 

Spicy Pork Sausage & Rice Cakes - Chinese Broccoli, Sichuan Peppercorns
This is a must order! The rice cakes are fried so that they have a lovely thin crunch on the outside while maintaining that great chewiness on the inside. The spicy sausage has such great flavor and goes perfectly with the little rice cakes. This is super addictive and I love it! 

OH YEAH

The main event

A big ass bowl of rice 

You all get these little tongs to rip apart the meat. I love love love the bits with the caramelized glaze. Some bits are a little bit dry but overall it just falls off the bone and is so tender and flavorful. 

My final product. This is just SO good. The oyster seems like a strange addition but it actually goes super well with it. The entire thing is like a flavor and textual party in your mouth. The pork is fatty and sweet, the chili sauce gives it a little kick, the oyster is creamy and gives it an interesting seafood element, and the scallion sauce is just good on anything really. The butter lettuce is so fresh and crunchy and the rice provides a much needed cushion for all the other elements. Don't be TOO greedy though and put a ton because you will have a hard time eating it, but I usually manage to fit everything I want and eat it all :)

Some people think that this is a bit too fatty and isn't that amazing, but I think it's really worth a try and I will definitely be going back for more porky goodness! Do try to get more people to go though because the amount of food is quite intense. I highly recommend this delicious and fun way to have dinner with a group of friends. Also, Milk Bar is just around the corner so if you have some space in your tummy for sweets (there always is), head on over there after your pork feast!

Momofuku Ssäm Bar

207 Second Avenue

13th Street

New York

NY10003