Soondubu in Manhattan

The banchan at Mandangsui

I have a confession to make. I only like Korean BBQ when I’m having it at a buffet. Otherwise, it’s just not filling enough and way too expensive in Manhattan. Mandangsui is famous for their Korean BBQ. In 2009, the NYTimes awarded them with one star, which is rare for an authentic Korean restaurant. I was lucky enough to try Mandangsui’s famous BBQ about a year ago. It was quite tasty, but I left the restaurant a bit hungry and $65 poorer. We did order alcohol, but even that didn’t satisfy my hunger.

Just a couple months ago, I returned to Mandangsui and since it was in the middle of the winter, I was in the mood for a soup to warm my body up. I have been a fan of non-seafood soondubu. Yes, I know that traditional soondubu is tofu soup with seafood such as clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, etc. To my surprise, Mandangsui had beef tofu jjigae, which is perfect for me. After my friend JL and I placed our orders, our banchan were brought out to our table. Every restaurant has different banchan and they’ll change on a daily basis. My favorite dish is the steamed egg, which only Kunjip offers with their banchan. I also heard that this dish is available at Mandangsui only when you order enough BBQ for two people. Anyhow, the banchan was pretty decent. They did not have radish kimchi, which is probably my favorite type of kimchi. For those who didn’t watch Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations” episode that took place in South Korea, kimchi is Korea’s national dish. In its most common form, it’s made out of napa cabbage along with many spices such as hot pepper. It’s served cold and is a delicious!

Beef tofu jjigae at Mandangsui. Perfect bowl of soup for a cold winter night.

When my beef tofu jjigae came out, I was happy to see that our waitress brought me an egg. After a previous failure at BCD Tofu House in Flushing, where our waitress did not explain what to do with the egg, I was quick to crack my egg into my still boiling stew. I mixed everything up to ensure that the egg was fully cooked. I took a taste of my creation and it was perfect! The tofu was nice and soft. The beef gave it more of a meaty taste and filled my belly up. I did wish it was a tad more spicier, but I’m afraid to ask for it really spicy and then end up with something inedible. It could be because our waitress knew I wasn’t truly Korean (even if my looks say otherwise) and even though I asked it for medium spicy, it tasted pretty mild to me. Nevertheless, both me and my dining companion enjoyed our dishes thoroughly. I believe JL ordered some kind of seafood stew and there was plenty of it in her bowl. They definitely didn’t skimp on the seafood. I left the restaurant comfortably full and my meal only cost about $15 (with tip and tax), which is just a fraction of what I paid for my BBQ meal. Another great thing about Mandangsui? It’s located on 35th Street, which is a few blocks north of Koreatown (on 32nd Street), so there are a lot less tourists and it’s just less busy in general. However, due to the NYTimes review, expect a wait for a table.

Mandangsui
35 West 35th Street (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
New York, NY 10018
212.564.9333
Takes Credit Cards and Reservations

Bulgogi Taco With Cheese?

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about the whole Korean tacos craze that hit LA and now NYC. One freezing day in December, my co-workers convinced me to try the Korilla BBQ truck since it was parked just a block away from our office. Let me remind you that I now work in the very bottom of Manhattan where good food is hard to find. I decided I should give this food truck a chance since what other options do I really have down here?

Mmm, they were so tasty!

My biggest problem with Korilla is how incredibly slow the line moves. We were probably about 10th in line at 12pm and we waited a good 15-20 minutes before it was our turn to order. Also, down where I work, the wind is really strong so that just makes it that much more painful. I ordered three bulgogi tacos for a reasonable $7. I wondered if the tacos would be filling for a piggy like myself. When I got back to my office and checked out my lunch, I was pleased to find three decently sized tacos with a good portion of bulgogi in each. I really liked the taco filling (includes kimchi), but the tortillas were all wet and broken even though each taco had two tortillas. I think it’s because the filling is too wet? It’s okay because I ended up eating just the inside in order to save some calories.

Another problem I had with Korilla is that they allowed customers to vote where they should be the next day. For awhile, I felt they were always up by Columbia or in Midtown. Now, they have resolved this issue and have somewhat of a weekly schedule posted on their website. Also, they tweet their location every morning. I went back to Korilla more recently and tried their bulgolgi burrito. I would have to say that it was better than the tacos because it didn’t fall apart as I ate it. Also, the portion was very generous and more than enough for a regular person’s appetite. For those who aren’t beef fans, they also offer chicken, pork and tofu options for all their tacos, burritos and rice bowls on their menu. I was also surprised how good my burrito tasted with the cheese. I thought it would be strange to have bulgogi with cheese, but it went very well together. For those who are interested in trying something new in the Financial District and are tired of the typical delis, you should definitely give Korilla BBQ a try. For those who are placing more than three orders, Korilla is now taking pre-orders. You can call them with your orders and then pick it up at the truck. I’m not sure if you get to bypass the entire line though.

Korilla BBQ (truck)
347.244.5515
Cash Only