Airing of Grievances: Ambrosia’s Bi Bim Bap is No Longer a Midtown Lunch
I try my best not to be too negative on this site, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to vent. Every once in awhile I’ll share some of the more angry useful emails I get in a post called “Airing of Grievances”. (If the Eater Complaints Dept. would like royalties, I’ll be happy to pay up…)
Ambrosia’s Bi Bim Bap circa August 2007. Back when it was called “the best in Midtown”.
There’s only so many complaints you can get before something has to be done. When Ambrosia, the generic Midtown deli on 45th btw. 5+6th, launched their Korean food station I thought it might be the best Bi Bim Bap in all of Midtown. They gave you a ton of banchan (the little Korean side dishes), it was $7 and it was delicious. Since then it has slowly deteriorated and after this email yesterday, I think we might have to take away its “Midtown Lunch” status.
“I realize that your post on Ambrosia being the best Bi Bim Bap in midtown was quite some time ago, but let me tell you I had a very sad experience. The item costs $11.89 now with tax, and it is just beef and lettuce…with 2 mushrooms and 2 strips of red peppers.”
But wait… there’s more.
“Um, am I wrong but is that not the ingredients of the dish? Also, THEY DID NOT GIVE ME RICE! I walked more than 6 blocks to get there, so there was no going back to get the rice. I did get kimchi and some other sides, but overall it was a sad experience..and I am still very hungry. I just thought you should know.”
This is not the first time Ambrosia’s bi bim bap has been featuring in an “Airing of Grievances” post. About a year ago we got word that they had raised the price to $9, cut back on the banchan, and got rid of the fried egg, in favor of sliced omelet. I can except all of that… but $12? And not as good? If that’s true, than this bi bim bap is no longer a Midtown Lunch. I’ll go and see for myself before we make this official, but Ambrosia should consider themselves on probation!
Related:
Ambrosia (aka the best Bi Bim Bap in Midtown?)
Airing of Grievances: John’s Shanghai & the Ambrosia Bi Bim Bap
Posted by Zach Brooks at 10:30 am, June 4th, 2009 under Airing of Grievances, Ambrosia, Korean.
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3 Comments
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I believe the bimbimbap from Duke on 51st is less then $10. And quite delicious. ANd they use bulgogi in it. The only drawback.. they serve it cold in this plastic container. So when you bring it back to the office to reheat, it melts! And, i dont believe in having lettuce in my bimbimbap. esp hot lettuce.
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funny to see this post – i just tried Ambroasia’s Bulgogi Bi Bim Bap (the one in stone bowl) last week. I don’t remember the exact price, but I think it was around $11, or at least it struck me to be same as Koreatown places (but at least I was saving on tip). The food was good, though definitely skimpy on the beef. But the sides were decent. It’s no Koreatown, but I figured it’s about as good as it gets without getting onto a train.
Zach is PISSED!