Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk Restaurant

[mascarpone]

Last week I ran across Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk Restaurant in Manhattan @ 43 W. 33rd Street between Fifth and Sixth/Broadway. I ordered the Man Doo Gook (Dumpling Soup). Everything was so fresh. I am sure that the dumplings were created after I had ordered them. Phenomenal!!! I have been eating at Han Bat (35th between Fifth and Sixth Ave.)for years but this place is a revelation in terms of dumplings. The contents of the dumplings could be meat mixed with a kimchee-like vegetable. The broth is a complex blend of vegetable and dumpling flavor with red pepper spice. As I work in the area I went back the next two nights and had the same dish. Last night I went with my girlfriend and we had the Korean equivalent of a Shabu-Shabu (I can't remember the name of the dish off hand) but with these freshly made dumplings along with the beef, mushrooms, chinese cabbage, and other vegetables; the broth, of course, was beef. After we finished the dumplings and the vegetables and beef noodles and kimchee were added to make a delicious noodle kimchee soup. Although slightly more expensive than Han Bat, Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk Restaurant is superior in the freshness of the ingredients. Han Bat does have a larger selection but Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk Restaurant does BBQ (Kalbi, Bulgogi, as well as others).

And what more, Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk Restaurant is located on sleepy 33rd Street and therefore there is always a table available. This is quite a contrast from the bustle of 32nd Street and 35th street. So please go, but don't tell everybody you know ...

[Pan]

Thanks for that report! Mascarpone, this isn't the North Korean restaurant Asimov gave an excellent review to, is it?

[mascarpone]

Thanks for that report! Mascarpone, this isn't the North Korean restaurant Asimov gave an excellent review to, is it?

I am not aware of a review by Asimov for this place.

[Pan]

The place I'm thinking of has the review taped to its wall, visible to passers-by. A theme of the review was Korean hangover cures.

[Pan]

I went to Yangpyung Seoul Haejanguk tonight. I ordered a soothing bulgogi soup. (How many of you knew that you could get bulgogi soup? I didn't until tonight.) It certainly was in a large enough bowl for my appetite at the time, but not a humongous bowl. It included scallion tops, onion slices, the very thin white mushrooms with tiny heads that are chewy, and some clear mung bean noodles, and came with a bowl of rice, as usual. The panchan was very good and included cabbage kimchi that was quite good, radish kimchi which was less chewy ergo more cooked than usual (a nice change, I thought), sliced daikon that had been kept in sugar/salt/vinegar mixture, salted anchovies with mildly hot green pepper slices, and cucumber and other vegetables with a very fishy-tasting seaweed (the last one being the only side dish I didn't like). I had barley tea with the meal, and it was refilled twice by a busboy without my having to request a refill and without being charged for the drink at all, it seemed to me. I found it of at least passing interest that the waitress who took and served my order spoke some Spanish as well as Korean and English, because the busboys, who look to be Mexican or Central American, don't speak much English.

While I was there, the clientele was mostly Korean, but there were two two-tops of white Anglo men and women, respectively, and both seemed to be perhaps a bit clueless. One of the men couldn't believe that what he had - the kalbi, I think - was made with beef and when ultimately convinced, said to the waitress "I'm sorry; I didn't like it." She just walked away without responding further, which some might interpret as rude but which I interpreted as either her not hearing that part or essentially implying "too bad." She smiled right away when I asked for barley tea in response to a question about whether I would like something to drink and then approved of my order of bulbogi soup, so she respects people who like Korean food and know something about it, even if no expert, as I am not. As for the women, one asked pointedly whether x and y were spicy. The waitress worked with her, as she should have, but I can't see why people would specifically go to a Korean restaurant if they don't like spiciness. It seemed to me that service is friendly and good if you like Korean food; I felt I got good service, better than I've had in several other Korean restaurants.

The only thing I didn't like was the after-dinner drink they gave me. I forget the name of it, but it was a tiny little plastic container of something, and it had an awful taste. I drank some more barley tea to get rid of the taste.

The ambiance was more relaxed than I believe it would have been at Han Bat at that hour (around 7:40 or so when I arrived). The bill was $10.85 including tax but not tip.

I noticed that the back of the chopsticks container listed four other branches of the restaurant, in addition to the Manhattan one:

Flushing

156-03 Northern Blvd.

Flushing, NY 11354

(718) 461-6511

Fort Lee

2024 Center Av.

Fort Lee, NJ 07024

(201) 944-4242

Bayside

210-12 Northern Blvd.

Bayside, NY 11361

(718) 224-4233

Annandale

4230 Annandale Rd.

Annandale, VA 22003

(703) 354-0511

Anyone familiar with any of those branches?

[mascarpone]

Hey, Pan! I have also had the Bulgogi Soup. It is a unique dish as I have not seen it on any other restaurants in the area. I think it is an interesting place because it has several distinctive dishes that set it apart from other such establishments. Despite the fact that the menu does not have the depth of Kang Suh or Kum Gang Sang, I think the place really does have merit.

I would be interested to get your take on their dumpling soup as some point.

[Todd36]

I ate there Thursday night. It's pretty good, and the food tastes fresh. And they seem happy to speak English, even though 90% of their customers are younger Koreans. I had the dumpling soup, and it was good. Rich broth. The seafood pancake was also above average. My friend has something like ox-tail soup, with huge boney pieces of beef. Very good. The soups are a little salty though and the Panchan selection was small, but fresh and good. I think the barley tea is a freebe. Yes, they do give you that tiny yougurt drink at the end, which I actually like.

[Behemoth]

I ate there Thursday night.  It's pretty good, and the food tastes fresh.  And they seem happy to speak English, even though 90% of their customers are younger Koreans.  I had the dumpling soup, and it was good.  Rich broth.  The seafood pancake was also above average.  My friend has something like ox-tail soup, with huge boney pieces of beef.  Very good.  The soups are a little salty though and the Panchan selection was small, but fresh and good.  I think the barley tea is a freebe.  Yes, they do give you that tiny yougurt drink at the end, which I actually like.

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Those yogurt drinks are really typical in Korea, you get a little bottle free with most lunch orders. Barley tea is also usually free. A place to keep in mind next time I'm in NY. Thanks!