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| KOREAN/ VIETNAMESE Bann: Korean. 350 W 50th @ 8-9th; 23/23/$48; 582-4446; Upscale version of Korean; Cook it yourself Bar-b-q; Also have prepared dishes; Trendy bar as well; Beautiful inside; Service is solid; Undiscovered. Certainly a higher end version of the old favorites, the cheaper versions of which are found in Korea town (32nd). Sibling of Woo Lae Oak; Great date spot. Bali Nusa Indah: Indonesian. 651 9th Av @ 45-46th; 21/13/$38; 974-1875; One of NYC’s only Indonesian restaurants; See menu in hyperlink – they have dozens of selections; Spicy dishes can be very hot; Unique flavorings and worth the venture on a weekday out; I’d suggest asking the chef to suggest something – go authentic! Madangsui: Korean. 35 W 35th @ 6th Ave; 23/13/$38; 564-9333; Known for having some of the best, flavorful BBQ in town; Wonderful Kalbi for sure; Seafood pancake appetizer is amazing; Great for a larger group; Wonderful soups and dumplings; The BBQ is $26 or so and you get a ton of food. Best to come here with a larger group. Kum Gang San: Korean. 49 W 32nd @ Broadway; 21/15/$33; 967-0909; Open 24/7; Extremely popular Korean BBQ with large menu of classics; Truly lots of fun, especially with a group; Affordable pricing. The meats are marinated to perfection and are so tasty off of the grill; Fairly cheap, like the décor, but lots of fun and great portions. The usual large array of free Korean side dishes. Shilla: Korean. 37 West 32nd @ 5th-6th Av; 22/19/$44; 967-1880; Upscale Korean BBQ house; Japanese entrees as well; Large selection of seafood or meats to grill; Plenty of a la carte- prepared items as well; Probably the best of its genre in the area. Won Jo: Korean. 23 W 32nd @ B-Way-5th Av; 21/12/$31; 695-5815; Perfectly marinated BBQ; Wood fires; Cheap; Cook it yourself at this huge BBQ house; First class food – even great fish selections. Kang Suh: Korean. 1250 Broadway @ 32nd; 21/12/$35; 564-6845; Do it yourself BBQ; Open 24/7; Also offers standard Korean fare like great Kimche and even sushi; Fried Beef dumplings; 2-levels, upstairs is better. Huge menu of soups; sauces and meats; Overall the menu is massive and a perfect spot for someone not so sure about Korean. Weak on décor and service. O Mai: Vietnamese. 158 9th Av @ 19-20th; 23/16/$35; 633-0550; Upscale for Vietnamese; Soft lighting; Good for dates; Neighborhood friendly spot; Fairly tight quarters with food that makes it worth it. As with most of its genre, the Pho is to way to go; Sizable menu with rice, and a variety of beef dishes; Grilled calamari appetizer; Do Hwa: Korean. 55 Carmine @ Bedford-7th Av; 21/19/$38; 414-1224; Amazing BBQ meats; Grill it yourself; Younger, pre-club crowd; Unique cocktails. As authentic as Korean BBQ gets- without the madness of Korea town; Modern décor. Kimchi considered outstanding. More of a pleasant ambience than many of its competitors. Nam: Vietnamese. 110 Reade @ W-BWay; 22/19/$39; 267-1777; Love this menu; Professional, spacious, mature setting; High end experience at fair prices; Traditional cuisine. Bamboo & faded photo ambience; Stir fried noodles amazing. Hip and lively. Go with some Pho and spring rolls for lunch or a hot prepared dish for dinner. VietCafe: Vietnamese. 345 Greenwich @ Harrison-Jay; 22/17/$33; 431-5888; Amazing for lunch featuring unbelievable sandwiches; Trendy looking spot for dinner; Modern preparations of Viet classics; Almost a brasserie feel. Open kitchen. Bun: Vietnamese. 143 Grand @ Crosby-Lafayette; 20/17/$31; 431-7999; Extremely innovative; Rice vermicelli appears in many forms; Noodles to die for- several Pho soups to try; Menu is enormous & plenty of space to enjoy; 60+ menu items in total; Cocktail menu as well; More upscale than average Vietnamese; Oh yeah – everything is dirt cheap for NYC. Pho Viet Huong: Vietnamese. 73 Mulberry @ Bayard-Canal; 21/10/$18; Excellent authentic Vietnamese; Exotic dishes. Cafeteria like setting; Most of the menu under $10; Pho – everything available; Get the “Extra Big Bowl of Beef Deluxe Noodle Soup” for $6.50! Yes, you can eat cheap and well in NYC; Massive menu; Banh Mi sandwiches excellent. Lunch level quality. Nha Trang: Vietnamese. 87 Baxter @ Bayard-Canal; 22/7/$17; 233-5948; Mountains of food; Crowded; Dirt cheap. BBQ beef entrees; Pho Noodle soups- multiple to choose from; Huge menu to select from; Truly authentic & packed with locals. Beware – it is a hole in the wall and not a great place for a sit-down dinner. More for lunch. Never for a date unless you are 17 and poor. Indochine: Vietnamese. 430 Lafayette @ Astor-4th St; 20/19/$49; 505-5111; French-influenced dishes; Super sexy staff serve up high-end Vietnamese classics with a French spin; Large, upscale menu; Unique food. People watching- fun scene. Across from the ever-popular Joe’s Pub so the crowd is trendy and usually noisy. Mixed service but overall reliable. Been around forever. Pho Grand: Vietnamese. 277C Grand @ Eldridge; 20/12/$25; 965-5366; Extremely authentic restaurant with large menu featuring soup, pork, and prawn dishes; Exotic spices and combinations; Dirt cheap for lunch or dinner. Go Pho it! Same owners as Pho 21. Bao Noodles: Vietnamese. 391 2nd Av @ 22-23rd; 20/15/$25; 725-7770; Known for the Pho Noodle dishes – all excellent; Great sandwiches. Also has fine Korean dishes. Not fancy, but cheap! Popular bar scene as well with a very cool regular bartender; Oxtail Pho stands out for me – about 20 Pho soups to choose from which is huge. Salt & Pepper shrimp – Mmm. Hangawi: Korean. 12 E 32nd @ 5th-Mad; 24/24/$46; 213-0077; Vegetarian Food; Relaxing; Serene; Tranquil; Check shoes at the door. Only pure vegetarian place I have on this site; Just a very relaxing experience featuring great service; Try the dumplings to start and the Mongolian hot pot is excellent. There is a 6 course tasting menu for $40. Vermicelli: Vietnamese. 1492 2nd Av @ 77-78th; 19/16/$29; 288-8868; Vietnamese; Surprisingly good Asian selections; Well spiced and good variety; Unique soups and specials. Not perfection but fun for a date. | |
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