the ktown lowdown

so, since this was sort of supposed to be a food blog, i guess i'll start there. of all the times i've visiting new york city over the years, i had never been to what now seems to have become one of my favorite spots in the city. for those of you who haven't yet had the pleasure of discovering it - there's a koreatown in manhattan (or, as it is more affectionately known, ktown). it's main street is w. 32nd (right off of 5th ave.).

in addition to having some adorable shops, there is a plethora of really amazing looking restaurants. now, i certainly haven't tried most of them, but there are a few that you must check out. now, most people that know me know that i love korean food and snacks, so maybe i'm biased. but, here's a couple of places you should check out (and, for you fellow vegans - many of them are very veg friendly).

my new favorite place is woorijip - it's a little cafe sort of place, where you can get lots of great and popular korean foods using a per-pound system. all of the veggie items are clearly labeled, and they even have egg-free "pancakes" (pajeon 파전) in many delicious varieties. seriously - their food is absolutely delicious, the shop is relaxed and friendly, and it's really affordable. they also have carry-out meals, and some other little things like noodle dishes, sushi, etc., and they also carry many varieties of my latest obsession - dduk (떡). i'm hoping to tackle making them myself, so stay posted for that. i love this little place.

so the next place you should probably check out is e-mo - a teensy little counter-top-style kimbap-erie (김밥). if you've never had it, the only thing i can really compare it to is a korean-style sushi, but it's so much more than that! i think it's so delicious, that it can be dangerous for some people hehe ;).

koryodang is also worth checking out. although this korean-style bakery is less veg friendly than the others, their pasteries look delicious. they also have bubble tea and shaved ice/patbingsu (팥빙수). the decor looks like it could be out of a kdrama (although that's definitely a subject worth saving for a new post... or a series of them...).

there's also a korean grocery store with lots of good finds - hanareum market.

and... just to throw another random place out there: hidy hair studio. i'm always so nervous when i go get a haircut (i know, it's really silly). but i went here on a whim, and got probably one of the best cuts i've ever had. the owner, heidi, cut my hair, and it was adorable. don't be fooled by the website!

i guess that's it for my babble tonight. i haven't quite gotten the hang of this blogging thing, but we'll get there. i'll have pictures soon - please be patient. ^^ but really, check out ktown! if you want to know more before you go, there's quite a bit of info online!

post song: 아이스크림 (ice cream) by mc 몽

--bunn