With the 2018 Winter Olympics starting this week in Pyeongchang, South Korea, it’s a perfect time to explore Korean food and flavors without leaving New York City.
The newest Korean restaurant in Manhattan, Soogil, is a modern Korean spot in the East Village named after Chef/Owner Soogil Lim from South Korea. A CIA grad, Chef Soogil was the first Korean Sous Chef at Restaurant Daniel. Among Chef’s must-dry dishes at his eponymous restaurant are housemade tofu flan with shrimp, squid and manila clams in a spicy seafood broth made with dried herring and kombu stock poured tableside; shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with raisins, crushed peanuts, and topped with slices of pan-fried warm tofu and julienne of crispy seaweed; and pan-fried mung bean sprout pancakes served with a kimchi sprout salad. 108 East 4th St, NYC; 646-838-5524; https://www.soogil.com/
The wildly popular Baekjeong deserves its near-cult status with Korean BBQ elevated to the finest levels. Beef, short ribs, pork and more are served by attentive waiters who ensure that the meat is cooked properly and instruct about the proper combination of accompanying sauces, salts, egg, corn and cheese, kimchi and veggies. The atmosphere is festive and upscale, markedly different from the many Korean BBQ restaurants that line Koreatown. If you have a large party, you can make a reservation, but the best strategy to avoid lines is to come at lunchtime or after prime-time dinner – that shouldn’t be a problem as the restaurant stays open until the wee hours of the morning. 1 East 32nd St, 212-966-9839 http://baekjeongnyc.com/
If you’re commuting to the city, the Pennsy Food Hall above Penn Station will be your destination to watch the Olympics and enjoy some Korean cuisine. Pennsy vendor will be serving up tasty treats to enjoy while watching the games on one of the 14 TVs in the food hall. Or, if you’re looking for something more interactive, Plaza33 will transition into the Olympic Village from February 12-15, 12Noon -3pm, hosting curling tournament and decorated with ski lodge décor straight out of South Korea. To eat: at Pat LaFrieda, try the Korean-style sticky “short rib” sandwich,” a Korean inspiration topped with ginger-sesame aioli; or the Korean bipimbap “sushi style” at Sabi Sushi. http://www.thepennsy.nyc
