Momofuku Ssäm Bar

Momofuku Ssäm Bar (207 2nd Ave. in NYC) - 11/25/09

We happened to be in the neighborhood and decided to stop in for lunch; we were pleasantly surprised and lucky to be seated without much wait. Since we were only 3, there was no way of ordering their famous Bo Ssäm, so we ordered up the following:

Oysters with kimchi consommé
Cured Hamachi with horseradish, edamame, pea leaves
Rice noodles with braised brisket, thai basil, cilantro
Steamed Pork Buns with hoisin, cucumbers, scallions (2 servings!)

The oysters that day were kumamoto, and they were very tasty. The hamachi was good, as well. And same for the rice noodles, which we got without the cilantro. (cilantro?) But definitely the highlight was the steamed pork buns! Fatty and flavorful and simply amazing. We'd go back just for that. But after the meal, as we looked over at our neighbor's set, we totally regretted not ordering the spicy rice cakes. They looked and smelled amazing. We'll be back.

So Moon Nan Jip

So Moon Nan Jip (238 Broad Ave. in Palisades Park, NJ) - 11/14/09

So Moon Nan Jip is definitely one of the best BBQ spots in town. The marinated Kalbi there is excellent; and this is one of the few places that still use wood chips for the bbq - the resulting flavor is always extremely satisfying. We can eat here every day. An added bonus is that their Nangmyun is really good (maybe even 2nd best after Homung Nangmyun); so Ella is happy. Of course we need a Jigae with the meal. We usually go for seafood stew or Kimchi Jigae - both hearty and satisfying. Careful, though, you'll probably smell like Kalbi when you leave, so dress accordingly.