There are many Korean restaurants to choose from along 32nd Street. Less known is that there are good Korean restaurants along 35th Street as well as we discovered. Cho Dang Gol is on such restaurant known for its home made tofu. In the back of the restaurant are large pots that are used to make fresh tofu. The place is always packed with patrons and at peak time, there is a long queue.
We ordered tofu kimchi soup, stone bowl bibmbap with bulgogi, and korean pancakes (chijimi). The side dishes were very refershing in that they were not all different versions of kimchi. Tofu soup was mild, not too spicey, and full of soft tofu. Very tastey. Chijimi was more vegetables than batter, which we liked because it brought out the flavor of the vegetables and kimchi. The rice bowl was taste and mild. The best stone bowl bibmbap in New York so far.
The staff was attentive and quick; and no non-sense service. A bit on the pricey side for a Korean restaurant but it was worth it. We'll certainly go back again.
55 West 35th Street (between 5th and 6th)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 695-8222
http://www.chodanggolny.com/
Showing posts with label Korean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korean. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
So Kong Dong Restaurant
Soft Tofu Soup!!
Never had this spicy Korean tofu soup dish until just recently. Our friends recommended So Kong Dong in Fort Lee, New Jersey that serves one of the best soft tofu soup in the area. When we finally had the chance to go there last December, it was so good that I immediately fell in love with it. I would go there every week, had it not been for the fact that it is not easy to get to Fort Lee from Manhattan without a car. But last Saturday, our friends invited us to join them and introduced us to another way to get there – i.e., through the use of public transportation. It involved taking the subway to George Washington Bridge, taking the bus to cross the bridge, and walking 10 minutes to the restaurant. But it was worth it… even if the walk was a bit cold.
So Kong Dong is a minimalist restaurant that serves only soft tofu soup and kalbe. This place is so popular that there is always a queue. When we went there in December, we must have waited at least 20 minutes – even when we had called in ahead of time to take a number to reserve a spot in the queue.
The menu is quite simple. A selection of soft tofu soup – including seafood, seafood and beef, oysters, kimchee and beef, etc. You can choose the level of spiciness to your liking – Not Spicy, Not So Spicy, Mild, Spicy, and Very Spicy. The menu also includes Korean BBQ (kalbe). After you order, the staff brings out five to six side dishes for the table – a selection of different types of kimchee. The rice that they serve is cooked in a stone pot which they bring to the table and serve it individually.
I had the Very Spicy seafood and beef soup when I visited there for the first time. And this last Saturday, I ordered the oyster soup. Again, Very Spicy!! The broth for the soup had flavor that brought out the sweetness of the spicy chili in the soup. So even at the Very Spicy level, I did not get the burning sensation. Rather, it complimented the flavor of the soup. If you are not very fond of spicy food, then I would suggest ordering “mild”. Too little spice can make the soup dull.
Kalbe was also very good. The meat was well marinated in Korean BBQ sauce and it was flavorful.
Best thing about this restaurant is the reasonable price. The price of the soup went up to $8.00 recently. But that is still a bargain, if you compare to what Korean restaurants will charge for similar menu in Manhattan.
I wouldn’t mind going there again before the winter season is over.
So Kong Dong Restaurant
130 Main St
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
(201)242-0026
Never had this spicy Korean tofu soup dish until just recently. Our friends recommended So Kong Dong in Fort Lee, New Jersey that serves one of the best soft tofu soup in the area. When we finally had the chance to go there last December, it was so good that I immediately fell in love with it. I would go there every week, had it not been for the fact that it is not easy to get to Fort Lee from Manhattan without a car. But last Saturday, our friends invited us to join them and introduced us to another way to get there – i.e., through the use of public transportation. It involved taking the subway to George Washington Bridge, taking the bus to cross the bridge, and walking 10 minutes to the restaurant. But it was worth it… even if the walk was a bit cold.
So Kong Dong is a minimalist restaurant that serves only soft tofu soup and kalbe. This place is so popular that there is always a queue. When we went there in December, we must have waited at least 20 minutes – even when we had called in ahead of time to take a number to reserve a spot in the queue.
The menu is quite simple. A selection of soft tofu soup – including seafood, seafood and beef, oysters, kimchee and beef, etc. You can choose the level of spiciness to your liking – Not Spicy, Not So Spicy, Mild, Spicy, and Very Spicy. The menu also includes Korean BBQ (kalbe). After you order, the staff brings out five to six side dishes for the table – a selection of different types of kimchee. The rice that they serve is cooked in a stone pot which they bring to the table and serve it individually.
I had the Very Spicy seafood and beef soup when I visited there for the first time. And this last Saturday, I ordered the oyster soup. Again, Very Spicy!! The broth for the soup had flavor that brought out the sweetness of the spicy chili in the soup. So even at the Very Spicy level, I did not get the burning sensation. Rather, it complimented the flavor of the soup. If you are not very fond of spicy food, then I would suggest ordering “mild”. Too little spice can make the soup dull.
Kalbe was also very good. The meat was well marinated in Korean BBQ sauce and it was flavorful.
Best thing about this restaurant is the reasonable price. The price of the soup went up to $8.00 recently. But that is still a bargain, if you compare to what Korean restaurants will charge for similar menu in Manhattan.
I wouldn’t mind going there again before the winter season is over.
So Kong Dong Restaurant
130 Main St
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
(201)242-0026
Friday, January 26, 2007
Seoul Garden
There is a lot of Korean restaurants on 34th Street between Broadway and 5th Ave (a.k.a. Korean Town). Last Saturday, it was very cold. So decided it would be nice to have hot tofu soup – and “hot”, both in terms of spicy hot and hot hot. I called my friends and had a group of us try out Seoul Garden. The restaurant is big – take us a huge space on a 2nd floor of a building. No problem getting seated. The place is well known for its natural tofu soup. But the menu is also filled with other Korean food.
We ordered pajun and jap chae for the table. They brought different side dishes, like kimichi, pickles, and potato salad. Each of us ordered tofu soup as the main dish. I also ordered the set menu where in addition to the tofu soup came Korean BBQ (or kalbi). Tofu soup came in different levels of spiciness – very mild, mild, spicy, and very spicy. I tried the very spicy. It was hot, but bearable. It was actually great way to warm up the body in cold New York winter nights.
Seoul Garden
34 West 32nd ST. 2nd Fl. (Between 5th AV. and Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 736-9002
We ordered pajun and jap chae for the table. They brought different side dishes, like kimichi, pickles, and potato salad. Each of us ordered tofu soup as the main dish. I also ordered the set menu where in addition to the tofu soup came Korean BBQ (or kalbi). Tofu soup came in different levels of spiciness – very mild, mild, spicy, and very spicy. I tried the very spicy. It was hot, but bearable. It was actually great way to warm up the body in cold New York winter nights.
Seoul Garden
34 West 32nd ST. 2nd Fl. (Between 5th AV. and Broadway)
New York, NY 10001
(212) 736-9002
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