I have a secret: I’ve lived in New York my entire life and . . . I’ve never had Korean Food. There I said it!
Do you remember your first time tasting Thai food? How about Vietnamese? I vividly remember my first experiences with both. Oh, that breathtaking first mouthful of Pad Thai! Or the beauty that is the first sip of Pho! Tasting those cuisines for the first time was truly a life/mouth changing experience for me!
So needless to say when I planned on trying Korean food for the first time, I expected that same level of delicious, life-shattering awesomeness. Maybe I had my hopes up too high, because although I had a wonderfully delicious meal . . . it just wasn’t an experience.
My loyal and fearless dining companion introduced me to K-town in Manhattan, which is roughly in the area of 31st and 36th streets between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. Because neither of us was Asian (or in my case, the real kind of Asian) we decided to venture into Kun Jip Restaurant, which seemed to be the most crowded with actual Korean people.
So to start:
starters
They gave us all these small plate type dishes that you don’t order, they just bring it to your table. It included kimchi, a kimchi radish, soybean sprouts, bean, tiny fishes and this steamed egg, among other things.
We ordered two dishes to share:
Beef Bibimbob
This was as delicious as it looked. I believe it was called Yul-Mon Bibimbob, which is a sliced beef over a vegetable stir-fry, an egg, and rice served in a stone pot. It came with this spicy tofu stew on the side.
Seafood Scallion Pancake
This was the seafood and scallion pancake, known as Hae Mool Pan Jun. It was yummy (what fried thing isn’t?), especially with a little bit of the spicy chili sauce on the side. It wouldn’t be particularly adventurous for most people, but it was for me! I could see the octopus tentacles when I bit into it!
Okay, so the consensus is that I thoroughly enjoyed my meal, BUT I wasn’t in love. I’m making plans to go again so hopefully it will be better the second time around!
Yo, Korean food, I’m really happy for you and I’mma let you finish but I definitely loved Thai food and Vietnamese food better the first time!
Kunjip Restaurant, 9 West 32nd Street, New York, NY – (212) 216-9487
Bake What Your Mama Gave Ya! 