In case you haven't heard the news, PAPER will be leaving the Tribeca/Chinatown 'hood that we have called home for 9 years, for a different ethnic enclave: The one in the 30s. Oh, yes, we are moving to Koreatown or K-town (if you are down with the lingo)! PAPER's own Kim Hastreiter dubbed the 30s the "new downtown" because it's the only place in Manhattan where the rents are not jaw-droppingly loco. Despite its scary proximity to Herald Square -- the most hairy square of them all -- K-town is two blocks of non-stop fun and food. Many of the joints are open 24-7. I, myself being of the kimchi blood, am a veteran K-street crawler and even though I'm not a carnivore, I treasure this delicious BBQ hot pocket with all my heart. So in tune with the upcoming overhaul and to jump-start PAPER's initiation into the 'hood, I took it upon myself to break down K-town for easy digestion and share my secret spots. In short, I'm giving you my key to the side door.
Koreatown is not a tourist stop like Chinatown. It's pretty insulated still and likes its aloofness. You won't find any souvenir shops that carry Korean tchotchkes except during the World Cup. (Koreans are nuts about soccer and during the Cup the national pride kicks into high gear and you'll see the streets flooded with people wearing "Red Devil" shirts.) Basically, K-town consists of restaurants, karaoke bars and spas, and they are, as I mentioned earlier, almost always open which is really great for de-toxing after a long night of eating and boozing. Korean food, for those not in the know, is best known for table-grilled meat, kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) and bibimbap (it literally means "mixed rice"), which my vegetarian friends love: a bevy of saut�ed seasonal vegetables and roots over a bed of rice served in a big bowl with chili paste and a fried egg. So without further ado, here's the cr�me de la cr�me of K-town!
RESTAURANTS
Kum Gang San, 49 W. 32nd St., (212) 967-0909
Though it's not the oldest chip on the block, this one is the mother ship of all Korean restaurants. Kum Gang San is the most beautiful and the most fabled mountain in all of Korea (it's in North Korea) and like the name, this two-floor restaurant is grand and sprawling with artificial falling rocks and a waterfall. There's also a baby grand and sometimes they'll bring in a pianist or a traditional Korean harpist to help you work up your appetite. Their gigantic menu, like a cruise brochure, is chock full of options and pictures. It's a good place to go when you don't know what you want because KGS is famous for serving up consistently good dishes for any mood and occasion. They also have really good "banchan," small side dishes that you get for free with every Korean meal. It's not rude to ask for seconds of banchan, just so you know. Koreans do it all the time!
Shanghai Mong, 30 W. 32nd St., (212) 629-6450
Shanghai Mong is my new favorite! It's only a couple months old but has already established a cult following thanks to the hip and cozy Chinoiserie setting and good food at good prices. As the name suggests, it serves Korean-Chinese cuisine. Chinese food is a staple in Korea but it tastes slightly different from the American version. There's a lot of "fried and sauced" varieties that are mouthwatering but I suggest you follow your "When in Rome" instinct and order JaJang Myun (noodles in black bean sauce) or Jjam Bong (noodles in spicy broth with seafood). They are just about the most popular dishes in Korea after kimchi. In America, they would be burgers and pizza. You don't get banchan here, just some kimchi and daikkon (pickled radish).
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