Hidden Treasures - Bassanova Ramen

Bassanova Ramen

76 Mot Street 

New York NY 10013

(212)334-2100

http://bassanovanyc.com/

This hidden gem is located in Chinatown, one unexpected location for a ramen spot. Lucky for those who know of this joint, you are in for some goodies. Personally, not being a big ramen fan, the dishes that Bassanova Ramen really do hit the spot. Bassanova Ramen incorporates a handful of flavors that would not be considered the "standard" for ramen. That is definitely what sets them apart from the rest.

Bassanova Ramen features a handful of fun foods for the big kid inside. Every dish is filled with a unique flavor that will have your taste buds kicking! Potstickers are not the traditional style of dumplings that are pan fried, but a flat, long strip of dough filled with meat and vegetables served on a hot grill to keep the appetizer warm. Although the style is a more fun eat, the potstickers at Bassanova Ramen are barely stuffed.

The ramen on the other hand, are each uniquely infused with its signature ingredient. With a strong flavor, be sure to pick an ingredient that is fits your desires. The Tondaku Green Curry Ramen is one that I suggest, but it can be a little on the salty side. Every bite is infused with so much flavor that the dish is one to be savored from the get-go. 

Bassanova Ramen features an open kitchen with a friendly staff so you can see every dish being made. It can take a while to get certain dishes with a high influx of guests so being patient is key here, but at the very minimum, they have a great rotation and style to whip up food (from observance), Another thing to make note of is Bassanova Ramen only accepts cash, just like many Japanese restaurants and Chinatown restaurants as well.  Ramen dishes are on average $11, with appetizers that are less than $10. Don't let this be a reason to stay away from this hidden treasure though!

Catering to the tastes of guests, Bassanova Ramen tweaked their menus and are now offering rice noodles for those who are on a specific diet. Gluten free dishes can be found in some of their ramen as well so be sure to ask!

Fresh on the Market - Ramen and Co

Ramen and Co.

100 Maiden Lane
New York, NY 10038

With the hype of ramen burgers on the menu, Keizo Shimamoto just recently announced his newest store, Ramen and Co. located in the Financial District. With a soft opening that allowed the FiDi locals to consume his goods during lunch hours from 11 AM to 2 PM, it is official for the rest of the world to experience the ramen burger, hopefully with shorter lines. With a bun made of ramen and a patty made of extremely tender, juicy meat topped with a mouth-watering sauce, the ramen burger is something to try. Although I am personally not impressed with the ramen bun itself, it is definitely something that everyone should try for the simple ideology of FOMO.

Co-workers of mine rave about the ramen burger, but I personally preferred the juicy meat and freshly fried potato chips instead. The ramen could be a bit of a heavy touch for many, especially since it is composed of noodles. The unique presentation of the dumpling wrapping is something that makes you appreciate the little things that Ramen and Co. create, but going for a bowl of ramen here is definitely suggested. 

An average lunch will set you back about $10 which is honestly not bad at all. Going for a quick bowl of ramen on a cold winter day is probably recommended, but there's nothing wrong with a summer splurge. Although the address is written for 100 Maiden Lane, the actual restaurant is located at the cross section of Pearl Street, right around the corner of the Chipotle, next to Terri. 

Restaurant Review - School Food 스쿨푸드

School Food 스쿨푸드 is a restaurant that takes Korean school food for the young as an upgrade for the adults. School Food offers a fun play on traditional Korean foods of kimbap, ddukbokki, ramen, and naengmyeon, and other fried goodies. With an upgrade on the kid's menu, School Food offers more variety and a mix of deliciousness in the traditional eats. 

On average, dishes at priced at $8 a plate. Served with a cup of soup along with radish, the dishes are filling but it is always an option to order a large quantity to share. Anything on their recommended list is definitely recommended, especially with the sushi list. Kimbaps in Korea are so typical that it's hard to find good tasting kimbaps.

School Food offers you the next closest thing to Japanese sushi rolls, especially with their fried shrimp roll. It is definitely great to be able to find sushi rolls outside of a real Japanese restaurant. The food is simple, yet fun to eat, a big kid's version of lunch.

Restaurant Review - Ippudo

Ippudo is a famous Japanese ramen chain all across the world and there is a few in Seoul. Being that ramen is a popular Korean eat because everyone loves it, young and old, finding the perfect ramen paired with amazing pork was a must. Being that I have not been able to sample the one in New York, getting it in Korea is a must.

The one amazing appetizer that is a must order is the pork bun. Although Japanese food is not known for their pork buns, it has become a staple with all ramen restaurants to have pork buns. This is a definite necessity in all restaurants in general! A thick slice of pork meat is served with lettuce and a mayonnaise sauce folded in a steamed plain bun. The pork meat is marinated to perfection with a saucy drizzle and tender meat that it just slides off with a bite. 

Ippudo stands up to their name for ramen because it offers something that is basic, but tasty. The only problem is some ramen dishes can be too tasty (not in a good way). The soup can be a bit too salty for those who are not used to the blast of flavor, but for the most part, the ramen and pork is on point. The ramen menu is extremely basic and priced at $9, but additional meats and vegetables can be added to provide a more appealing bowl of ramen. For the most part, ramen should always be basic and simple so all the additions are just not needed unless you have the stomach for it!

Address in Sinsa Dong: 강남구 신사동 645번지
Phone: 02-512-2644

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Teariffic

Tearrific

51 Mott Street

New York, NY 10013

(212)393-9009

Teariffic, an all time favorite for bubble tea and snacks on Mott street of Chinatown is the place to go since I was a teenager. It is definitely a place to hang out with friends to enjoy a drink and snacks if you have the stomach to hold it. They serve all kinds of snacks which include fried goodies, sweet goods, and even a few quick meals. This includes ramen and rice; my ultimate favorite, and most expensive on the menu is the eel rice just for the price of $9. 

Teariffic is the perfect place for big kids to enjoy meal for the stomach of little kids. The number one recommendation is the toast with condensed milk (pair it with peanut butter for a melted combination of deliciousness). Lastly, you cannot go to Tearrific without ordering their specialty drink.

With so much to choose from on the menu, the most popular is those paired with bubbles, but their speciality drinks made of combination fruit jam is just as good. Romeo and Juliet is perfect for those with a sweet tooth, but the traditional milk tea is amazing as well. 

Life in Korea - Convenient Store Goodies

There is one good thing about the handful of convenient stores in Korea. Located in all areas which include popular tourist areas and hidden alleys, these convenient stores can be the biggest life saviors. Not only are they opened late hours, heck 24 hours, it is the one spot to go to for cheap goodies (including amusement parks and other family places Americans would raise the price at). They offer all kinds of daily necessities, making traveling and everyday life that much easier. A few of the more popular convenient stores in Korea are Family Mart, Buy the Way, GS 25, CVS, and 7-11 (but its nothing like the ones back at home).

Although the name varies, they generally all have the same goodies inside. Depending on the size and location of the store, you may be able to find more goodies than in other locations. Basic toiletries like any corner store can be found: tissues, pens, toothbrushes, cups, utensils, and a handful of packaged foods that can be cooked in the comfort of your own home (spam, rice, cereal, sauces and such). Moving on to the more important goodies in these convenient stores is the food of course!

For starters, Koreans love breads and baked goods so you can always find some sort of pastry for those who are in a rush. You can find the weirdest kinds sometimes which makes me wonder if there is anything that Koreans can NOT come up with? Although most packaged pastries we at room temperature, some stores offer warm breads fill with red bean jams and such.

One of the more popular goodies to have is the ramen of course. There is hot water available to cook up a bowl of ramen. The best part is being able to upgrade your ramen with sausages, eggs, fish cakes, and the many other microwaveables that are available. Each convenient store has their own microwave that is ready to be used so you can be as creative as possible. You'll be amazed at what you can find!

For those who aren't looking for a full on meal with their ramen can pick up a kimbap. There are cheap triangle kimbaps that are less than a dollar or even a two dollar roll! In addition to kimbaps there are cold cut sandwiches with all kinds of flavors and even half half selections. Yeap, half ham and cheese sandwich, half spicy chicken, my all time favorite to get the best of both worlds.

Looking for warm goodies? There are microwaveable burgers that are in the bag. Simply microwave and grub. Talk about fast food! They also offer hot dogs, pizzas, and a whole bunch of random microwaveables that you can consume within minutes. If you're looking for a healthy option, many stores offer fruits and such. It is definitely the place to go for a quick, cheap meal.

The one thing that the States should adapt from the Korean convenient stores is the warm fridge. Yes! The warm fridge. Ever go to the store and just want a hot drink that is not powdered or is not as fancy as a Starbucks cup of coffee or tea? There's an invention here in Korea that keeps drinks warm. This is not limited to coffees, teas, vitamin drinks and juices. You name it, they have it. It's a high controlled temperature box that keeps bottle and canned drinks warm. Usually this fridge is by the microwaves, but it differs from store to store. There is even some open fridges that are fancy and have different temperature rows. One row of coffees may be cold whereas the other is warm. This is probably my one obsession with Korean convenient stores other than a low priced lunch. There's nothing better than being able to pick up a can of hot tea to soothe a sore throat as easy as 1-2-3.

Moral of the story is do not underestimate what you can find in a convenient store. You'll be surprised how you can live off of your corner store for a week of travel. Be sure to be health conscious of what you are consuming though. After all, these packaged goods have been sitting around for a while and they must be packaged in a certain way so there is a high concentration of sodium. Of course a meal a week wouldn't hurt, unless you're dieting!

Restaurant Review - 美味堂 Umaido

Let's not get confused by the Chinese name of the restaurant for what it serves. 美味堂 Umaido is an extremely small and cozy Ramen restaurant located in Kondae on the Eastern side of Seoul. This restaurant is an extremely popular and cheap spot for freshly made ramen noodles. The menu is small, mainly consisting of two different types of ramen soups and Gyoza. The rest are add ons to the soup which I recommend because their food is just that delicious!

In regards to the ramen soup, it comes with thin strips of ramen noodle that is made on the spot, bean sprouts, scallions, slices of pork, and a soy sauce egg. A fair warning to be made is that the egg is not thoroughly cooked, but it is a delicious mix to bite into the egg and mix the uncooked yolk with your soup. For just $7 a bowl, this cheap eat is extremely delicious and worth the wait.

The name behind the restaurant is Delicious Heaven, 100% backed up by the food that it serves. Located off the main street of Kondae, it is a bit of a walk from the train station. It is a bit hidden in an alley, but it is worth the time and energy to find this restaurant. The one down side is that the restaurant is closed for a few hours everyday. These hours is the downtime from 2-5pm where there are very few customers so be sure to plan your trip accordingly!

Coming from exit 2 of Konkuk University on the green line 2, follow the same street (on your left down) where the Angel-in-us Coffee is. Go straight and pass two main intersections. Umaido is in a hidden alley on your left up the stairs after the second intersection. Phone: 02-467-8788

For a more visual map, visit http://wikimapia.org/13410386/美味堂-Umaido-Hakata-Ramen

Korean Traditional Eats - 부대찌개

One of the popular dishes in Korea is this spicy pepper soup base of the general term 찌개 that is topped with a variety of different eats. This particular blog focuses on 부대찌개 which is a huge pot of deliciousness.

The selection varies from restaurant to restaurant, but it is usually mixed with a bunch of goodies such as luncheon meat (usually the Korean version of Spam), kimchi, slices of hot dog, a braised pork meat, mushrooms, pearl noodles, tofu, leafy vegetables and others. Most pick a bag of ramen to top the dish off for an extra price, usually a dollar. Many restaurant provide you with one ramen per soup, but you can order more to fill up, especially when sharing between a group of people. It is recommended to share this dish with a minimum of three people, it may be difficult to share between just two people unless you are expecting to leave with a  bloated stomach like I always do!

The best part about this dish is being able to cook your ramen to be the way you like, some like it mushy, some crunchy, and some the in-between. All you have to do is set your fire and cook away. It is one of the must have dishes in Korea. If you are not a fan of the spicy soup base, just add water to your bowl to dilute the taste. I must say though, it is just not the same without the spicy kick. Although I do not eat much spicy foods, it is definitely worth it to consume as served. With time, your taste buds, like mine will change as well. I have learned to love the 찌개 soup base and eat it almost every week now. 

Restaurant Review - Ramen Setagaya

Ramen Setagaya

34½ St Marks Place

New York, NY 11101

(212) 387-7959

http://www.ramensetagayany.com/

One of the best ramen spots in St. Marks can be found in a little store called Ramen Setagaya where seating is limited, but food is delicious. The restaurant does not look so appealing, but there is quite a wait at times.

Ramen dishes average a price of $10 and appetizers range from $3-5. For an appetizer, I recommend the Taco Wasabi that is chopped raw baby octopus marinated with wasabi. Although it seems that it will be an overpowering wasabi taste, the wasabi actually compliments the raw octopus, a definite recommendation. For the entrée, I ordered the Miso Ramen that consists of two pieces of BBQ salt, half of a salted egg, bamboo shoot, beansprout, cabbage, and scallions. 

Service is extremely quick at Ramen Setagaya, so quick that there wasn’t much time to contemplate about. Personally, I went during a less busy hour and so food and service was satisfactory. I just wish I didn’t have to stare out of a window, eating when facing a blue wall. 

Restaurant Review - Sapporo Restaurant

Sapporo Restaurant

152 West 49 Street #1

New York, NY 10019

(212) 869-8972

With dishes that averaged 8-9 dollars, Sapporo Restaurant has got to be one of the cheapest Japanese places in the city. The must get at Sapporo of course is the ramen, but they have a bunch of appetizers and rice dishes worth trying. You can start off with one of their basic ramen noodles and create your own by adding on a bunch of toppings of your choice. Another way to go is to order their signature dishes which are customer’s favorites.

I’ll be honest, I forgot the name of the ramen noodle I ordered but it is the Pork Katsu ramen, one of the recommended dishes. Texture of the ramen noodle was bouncy, not overcooked like many noodles I have had before. The overcooked taste is something that becomes soft and mushy, not what a lot of people look for in their noodles.

Food took a little while than expected to prepare, but I guess that means it is freshly made on the premises. I did feel a little rushed out of the restaurant, but that is probably because it was dinner time around seven. There’s a big influx of locals who feed off the cheap prices. I’ve heard complaints about the service, but I didn’t seem to have a problem. In conclusion, I recommend the restaurant for cheap eats, but the food was not so great that I must return again.