Myeongdong Kalbi (Best Non-Lunch Special)

I promised pics of the savory and affordable dishes at Myeongdong Kalbi (a.k.a. Shila, a.k.a. Korean BBQ)--the best deal for Korean in Flushing and here you go:




Bibimnaengmyun and banchon:




Massive Hwaedopbap (sashimi salad over rice):



Tasty Kalbi Jjim (Rib stew):

Best Affordable Korean in Flushing

Myeongdong Kalbi or Shila. Or just Korean BBQ. It really isn't clear what the name of this restaurant officially is--it all depends on whether you read the English or the Korean (or the credit card receipt for that matter). But this restaurant is located in the Union St. H-Mart shopping center (you'll see the big bull cartoon picture). There's free parking on the inside of the shopping center. I've been meaning to write about this spot for a while now. I had been so into it, hitting it up for lunch at least weekly, all the while thinking the fantastically attractive menu was just a "lunch special," but it turns out its the regular, everyday, all the time menu! I gotta tell you, since I realized that, I've been going even more frequently.

There's a huge selection and it seems everything is delicious, but the amazing thing is that a good chunk, if not the majority of the dishes are under $10! This is the best--should I say it?--"recession special" in Flushing at the moment.

I'll post pics of food soon--but in the meantime, go for it. I pretty much love everything on the menu: the hwaedopbap is massive (bowl of sashimi over rice, greens and veggies to be mixed together with spicy kochujang sauce), the soondubu is excellent (thick & spicy tofu stew), good haejanguk (a hangover favorite), and lately I have been hooked on the daengjang stew & mackerel fillet combo ($7.99). Both varieties of naengmyun (cold noodles) are pretty good, although I find their
mul-naenmyun a bit tart for my liking (it's just a personal preference).

I haven't experimented with the BBQ yet, as I'm ever so frugal to keep it all in the budget, but over at Yelp, the sole entry for Shila Korean Restaurant by reviewer and critic Sal S., says the BBQ is pretty tasty (although she only gives the restaurant one star). I think she would have liked it better if she'd tried the other dishes. She mentions that the service was terrible--but I've only had the opposite, though I know how that can change quickly when places extremely busy.


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2922 Union Street
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 445-3155

Dedicated to Heroes Among Us.

We all know that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. This might have been hard to grasp when we were young. I know I was disappointed when I found out that real heroes don't look like Superman. But then as we mature, the true beauty of a hero can be appreciated, simply by the fact that heroism shines through from ordinary people -- like our parents or siblings.

One day here in Flushing, I was witness to truly a great act of heroism. I was going into the Urban Terrain / Athlete's Foot on the corner of Roosevelt and Union St. to check out the sneakers. Coming out of the store immediately as I was entering, was a big guy huffing and puffing, and muttering something under his breath, that amounted to "if they don't gimme service I'mma take the damn thing."

Not really paying too much attention to it or the security system alarm going off, I thought "I wouldn't want to get in that dude's way," and continued into the store. This is where I first see the hero of this story. He's an average looking guy, average height, etc, standing around with a girl. I realized that they were communicating in sign language, and next that this average looking guy was trying to gesture to the store owner, a short, tough, old lady. He was trying to gesture that he witnessed the aforementioned tough-looking guy taking a shirt off the rack and sticking it down his pants before taking off out the door.

Due perhaps to the lack of verbal communication, the store clerk was ignoring our hero and even giving him a funny look. Giving up in frustration at the lack of results from the clerk, our hero bolted out the door, leaving his friend behind in the store. I poked my head out the door after him to see him racing down the block and whipping around the corner--apparently after the thief who left only minutes before.

I sat there in contemplation and a bit of worry crossed my mind. After all, our hero is a simple guy; an average chap. Who knows what he was about to get himself into. And after two minutes went by, and then three and four, I actually started to become concerned. Eventually, my concern/curiosity/nosiness got the best of me, and I too took off down the road and around the corner of Union, too. About a minute or so later, the hero was running back in my direction, waving a brand-new, flannel shirt in the air triumphantly. As he came towards me I felt a sense of relief seeing him in one piece. He was dripping with sweat, smiling like he'd just won an Olympic medal and zipped right past me back to the store.

By the time I got back to the store, he was already signing and gesturing the details to both his friend and to the store clerk, who by now was taking him a little more seriously. As a reward, the clerk allowed him to pick out a pair of shorts from the rack that had a sign that said "SALE: $5." Not exactly justice for such a heroic act, at least in this observer's eyes, but he was gleefully happy just the same, and that for sure is part of what being a hero is all about.

I'll never know what transpired over that few minutes when our hero was out of view and confronting that scary looking guy. And I probably won't ever know the hero's name. But at least I am able to capture the event here for others to ponder.

Imonae, Flushing's Best BBQ

Alright, so it's been quite a while since I've had Korean BBQ (e.g. samkyopsal, kalbi) at a restaurant, because quite frankly, it's damn expensive. Doing it up at home is a far more affordable alternative. But the other night, we got invited, which is a totally different thing altogether (because it means I'm not paying)! So our gracious host--my friend's boss--took us out to Imonae Gui 이모네 구이, a small restaurant without an English sign on Union St. south of Northern Blvd. It was my first time there, and man was I surprised. This is exactly the kind of place you don't want to try, because if you do, you'll be hooked. Honestly, I thought I knew delicious Korean BBQ, but this place reminded me how much I'd forgotten--after all, doing it up perfectly at home doesn't compete with what this place was offering--nor do many of the nearby restaurants. Thick slabs of juicy samkyopsal cooking up on the grill along with mushrooms and small pieces of pumpkin squash was making my mouth water. Among the banchun (sidedishes), was a fantastic dish of chotcal--probably some of the best chotcal I've had (and I don't usually like the stuff!). I ate and ate and I would have eaten more if I could have physically. I don't remember BBQ being so delicious even in Korea--and it's damn good in Korea! Go with the thick samkyopsal (one order per person; with a group of four you could get by with three orders, but don't order less than that). atmosphere: A- (pretty authentic -- soju flowing generously)
prices: average for BBQ (~$15-$20/person)
service: A (fast)
food: A+ (Dynomite!)
Check it out:
Imonae Gui between 37th Ave and Northern on Union St.
36-26 Union St.
Flushing, NY 11354
718-353-3444
*again, no English sign.




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Asian Bakeries Got the Goods!

Ever since I sampled the light, fluffy breads and treats that I ate daily and fell in love with in Asan, South Korea, I've been a fan of Asian baked goods.

Fortunately for me, there's no shortage of suppliers of such goods in the Flushing, Queens area! After all, I just mentioned the article that was in the Times about Asian bakeries (although, it mostly focuses on Manhattan's Chinatown).

Anyway, here are a few shots I snapped at the Korean owned Canaan Bakery on Union St. at the corner of 41st Ave:



Good Patbingsus (shaved ice)...and only $5.50 (CHEAP!)


This was a blueberry pastry. Not bad but a bit pricey at $4.00.

This tasted like corn bread.

Mani 1...one more time

I've already reviewed Mani 1, aka ChoiRyongMong 취령몽, but just ate there again recently, as it's so conveniently located near the 7 train. Took some pics.

Black Noodles (jajangmyeon) & banchon (side dishes):




General Tsao's Chicken:

Jajangmyeon Mania at Mani 1 Chinese Restuarant

Mani 1, or ChoiRyongMong as it's written in Korean (취령몽), is a relatively new Korean style Chinese restaurant located where Mesa Sur, one of the only South American eateries within walking distance to downtown Flushing folded after only three or four months in business. Unlike it's predecessor, Mani 1 seems like it will do just fine, catering to the neighborhood.

Much how Chinese food in America has been adapted to meet local, American taste buds, so too has Chinese food in Korea been creatively altered to the Korean pallet. Probably the prime example being the scrumptious "noodles in black sauce" dish, jajangmyeon (짜장면), which can be found right here at Mani 1 (lunch $4.99/regular $5.99; item #56 on the menu).

Mani 1 has a pretty solid jajangmyeon. It isn't quite the best dish on the menu here but it's not a bad place to start.

The other two quintessential dishes that you'll find at just about any "Chinese-style" restaurant in Seoul (or more importantly, Flushing) are jampong (짬뽕, $5.99/$6.99; #59) and tangsuyuk (탕수육, $5.99/$12.99; #31). The first one, jampong, is a seriously spicy bowl full of thick noodles, chives, and all kinds of seafood, like shrimp, squid, clams, and octopus, in a peppery red soup. But the real winner at Mani 1 is the tangsuyuk, ( like sweet and sour pork). But it's only truly great when you order their spicy version, meun tangsuyuk, (only, of course, if you like your spicy spicy!). It's not in the menu, but there's a picture of it on the wall in the restaurant. It's one the spicest dishes around. Avoid the naengmyeon here. Despite being advertised in Korean and Chinese under the restaurant's main sign, it's really a disappointment. For where to go for good naengmyun read this.

Sure there's better jajangmyeon in Flushing, but Mani 1's spicy tangsuyuk makes for some of the best tangsuyuk around. Go with friends and mix and match: a dish of jajangmyeon, a spicy tangsuyuk, and a bowl of jampong, so you can share and get a satisfying taste of all three (the tangsuyuk serving is too big for one person).

Give Mani 1 a shot if your a newbie to the genre of Korean style Chinese food.
40-26 Union Street at the intersection of 41st Avenue (1.5 blocks to the 7 train Main St. stop).

Service: A
Price: B
Dilectability: B+

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