Midtown Lunch

I don’t usually eat lunch in Midtown on the weekends (why would you!?!), but occasionally it will happen.  Like on Saturday when I found myself in Koreatown buying ingredients to make homemade kimchi.  I stopped in to pick up a little lunch at Woorijip (on 32nd btw. B’way+5th) and noticed something I had never seen before: korean blood sausage (or soondae.)  Nice.  It was in the refrigerated section in the back, so it wasn’t as good as it would have been had it been warm (I don’t like microwaving things) but the flavor was still good.  Made with cellophane noodles, the blood flavor was actually pretty mild (overwhelmed a bit by the intense garlic flavor.)  I’m guessing there are much better versions of this to be had on 32nd street, but all in all it was a fun treat, and not nearly as offal tasting as you would expect.

Related:
Woorijip Gets a Makeover, Still the Best Cheap Korean on 32nd

Photo courtesy of Food in Mouth

Another review of Woorijip’s semi-elusive Noodle Bar, this one from Food in Mouth. Danny’s advice?  Avoid the #1 (“which basically was a pack of $1 instant noodles, with an egg in there” for $5) and order the #5, beef with clear noodles (for $6.)

Related:
The Weather is Just Right for Woorijip’s Noodle Bar
Woorijip Gets a Makeover, Still the Best Cheap Korean on 32nd

Blondie and Brownie stray from their comfort zone at Woorijip (on 32nd btw. B’way+5th), ordering the ramen with egg and spicy kimchi soup with pork and ham from the Noodle Bar in the back of the shop. But take note: the noodle bar is only opened until 2pm, so make sure you aren’t going for a late lunch.

Related: 2008 Readers’ Poll: Best Korean Food

With all the delis in the heart of Midtown adding Korean food to their repertoire, it makes it a little harder to motivate myself all the way to Koreatown at lunchtime.   That being said, as much as I enjoy some bulgogi from Cafe Duke, or Bi Bim Bap from Ambrosia, neither can hold a candle to Woorijip, the king of cheap Korean eats, situated on 32nd btw. B’way+5th, the bloodline of New York City’s Koreatown.

If you’ve never been to Woorijip (which has been mentioned here many times, but never officially written up), it is essentially a Korean version of Cafe Zaiya– which itself is a Japanese version of Cafe Metro.  Loads of pre-packaged hot and cold Korean food plus a by the lb buffet of hot and cold Korean treats, for those who can’t settle on one or two of the pre-packaged goodies.  Recently Woorijip underwent a little makeover, so I decided to head down to 32nd street and check it out.

What I got, the “improvements” to the set up and a +/- after the jump… Read more »