BCD - It's Reopening!

It's alive!  BCD is coming back to Ktown! 

(Found this on their website here)

I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait I can't wait I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!  Just in time for Winter yippee!!

Seoul Garden

With BCD on hiatus (I hear they are re-opening by the end of this year yay!), this little piggy still needs to get her tofu fix.  What better place than taking this opportunity to revisit Seoul Garden, the KTown fav spot from my early NYU days!

Seoul Garden is on the South side of 32nd street (closer to Broadway) but since it's on the 2nd floor there is no storefront.  I can never seem to remember which entrance is theirs so your best bet is to keep your eyes peeled for their sign and look for the nearest door leading up.  

Look for their sign and head on up to the 2nd floor! (pic from yelp)

After being seated, I'm not sure why I even bother with a menu.  I'm here for one thing only - their soondubu and kalbi combo (listed on their menu as the "tofu soup + beef short rib")!  I'm pretty sure Seoul Garden is the only restaurant in KTown to offer this combo for dinner and yes, after all these years, it's still available!  And it looks like I'm not the only one to favor this option as there is a big "HIT" sticker highlighting this on their menu...

How can you not go with the "Hit"...

After ordering, the banchan (side dishes that come complementary with your meal) are quickly brought to the table and even more quickly cleared by yours truly.  Nothing special about these items (no potato item?  no steamed egg?  ehhh I'll take what I can get) but it didn't stop me from going to town on them.

Simple banchan

[Revisit] Bonchon Midtown

I caved the other day and succumbed to a craving for crispy, golden delicious fried chicken.  Unfortunately for my waistline, BonChon Midtown is way too accessible for me, so there I went for a Sunday lunch.  I've been back many times since I first posted about them back in October. 

Since then, they have added a lot of items to their menu.  One dish which I particularly enjoy is the Egg + Scallion Fried Rice for $6.50.  It's listed as a 'side', but it's actually a very decent portion size, definitely shareable!

If you happen to make it to BonChon Midtown one of these days, believe me, you won't regret it!

Pho 32 & Shabu

Piggy KL and I share very similar eating habits and one of our favorites from back in our college days is Shabu Shabu!  Shabu Shabu is a Japanese version of the Chinese hot pot.  But in this post, I'll be talking about the Korean take on Shabu Shabu (at a Korean-run Vietnamese restaurant...confusing I know!).

Both Piggy KL and I grew up on hot pot.  It's pretty much a staple at both our family's dinners (Piggy KL even posted about it in her Non-traditional Christmas Dinners post here).  Piggy KL and I used to make the trek to our favorite Shabu Shabu spot Minni's Shabu in Flushing.  But after a Korean friend of mine introduced me to Pho 32 & Shabu in K-town, we've been able to enjoy Shabu Shabu much closer to home!

Most people go to Pho 32 & Shabu for the pho, but each table there is actually equipped with a hot plate at each seat so diners can enjoy an individual Shabu Shabu pot.  I've had both the pho and the Shabu Shabu and would say that the pho is ehhh but the Shabu Shabu is the REAL hidden gem...which I'm sharing with you all today!

Burger House

I like Korean food.  I like burgers.  Therefore, I like Burger House! 

From the outside, Burger House looks like any other burger joint - no frills, seating available for a quick bite, but definitely nothing fancy.  When you go in and take a look at the menu, however, you see that this place is not your average burger joint.

Ordering counter at Burger House

Burger menu

Burger House is Asian owned!  And in addition to traditional burgers, they serve Asian fusion burgers including Bulgogi and Kalbi burgers!!

Death of a Piggy favorite: BCD Tofu House

Piggy KL just called me (Piggy KK) at work to deliver the worst news ever.  BCD Tofu House in midtown has shuttered! 


(Picture from Midtown Lunch)


HOW CAN THIS BE?!?

Check out Midtown Lunch's post for more deets --> http://midtownlunch.com/2012/01/03/ktown-bcd-tofu-house-closes-over-the-holidays/

Sad.  Where will the piggys get their late nite organic tofu fix now???  =(

Non-traditional Christmas Dinners

361 days until Christmas 2012! I hope you all delighted in holiday festivities this year and enjoyed and embraced with loved ones.

This year, we split our time between hubby's family and my family, and lucky for us, that means not one, but TWO Christmas dinners!

Our families are prime examples of how there are many different ways to celebrate the holidays.  One tradition is Asian style (over Korean BBQ or Chinese food), while another is the traditional American feast at home.  Here are some pictures of how we feasted over the holiday.  After all, remember food is just the accessory when you're surrounded by the people you love!

While visiting family in New Jersey on Christmas Eve, we wandered over to Chung Sol Bat in Edison for a fantastic Korean BBQ dinner. The portion sizes were plentiful and the quality of food was very good.  Everything is shared amongst your party and the meats are cooked right in the middle of the table.  If you're ever in the area, this place is a solid choice!

Assortment of banchan (small side dishes) were shared with the table

Kalbi cooking over hot coals

Almost ready to eat!

The whole spread.  Plentiful? YES!

NJ: So Kong Dong

This week between Christmas and New Years is one of my favorite times of year.  I usually take the week off and spend it with my mommy shopping and eating our way through New Jersey.

One restaurant that I've been recommended to try over and over again is So Kong Dong in Fort Lee, NJ.  They specialize in Korean soft tofu stew (soondubu jigae) which is perfect for a cold winter day (or even on a hot summer day - I love it all year round!).  I've recently been hit with a cold so nothing better than some hot soupy soondubu!

Front of legendary tofu institution So Kong Dong

When you first pull in, its a small and unassuming restaurant.  Although its commonly called So Kong Dong, the sign outside says Soft Tofu Restaurant so keep an eye out for that!

The simple menu only offers two things - tofu stew (which you can get in all different flavors and/or customize by combining flavors), and Kalbi BBQ short ribs.

Simple menu offering only soondubu and kalbi

Pocha 32 (Late Night)

Pocha 32 is the type of place that is best after a night of (heavy) debauchery.  I've never been there before midnight and wouldn't recommend it either... it always seems like an awesome idea at 2am, but not so much the morning after.

Most recently, I happened to stumble in after a night of Halloween festivities.  It's in the heart of K-town and you'll probably have to weed your way through groups of other happy people milling around the countless late-night spots on the same street.  Through Pocha 32's second floor entrance, it looks completely absolutely shady* - loud and very dark with what looks like fish nets hanging from the ceilings.

*Important to note: this is a non-Korean's view of it; this type of dark, no fuss, alcohol-with food-centric place is very common in Korea.

Normal late-night scene inside Pocha 32 (except for the pumpkin and bunny ears which are special for Halloween!)

BonChon (Midtown)

Ever since I moved to Midtown Manhattan, I griped about it being a dead-zone after work and on the weekends, but lately it seems a bunch of cool spots are popping up in the area! Yay!  BonChon opened up a branch on 2nd Avenue between East 50th and 51st Streets, which is a great after-work spot for all the offices nearby.

BonChon makes a.m.a.z.i.n.g fried chicken.  How? Because the chicken is double-fried.  As if frying it once isn't enough, they up it a notch.  My favorite part of fried chicken is the skin.  I'll leave chicken on my plate if I'm stuffed, but never a piece of crispy goodness!

Compared to other BonChon locations, the menu there is very limited since they're still pretty new.  Hopefully they add more soon, but in the meantime try the chicken!  I usually get a combo (mix of wings and drums) half Soy Garlic flavor, and the other half Hot.  I recommend both flavors - the Soy Garlic is slightly sweet, but the Hot definitely has some heat!

Small Combo (10 wings & 6 drum sticks) with half Hot and half Soy Garlic.  Served with some radish to cut through the heat from the spicy chicken!