Bon Chon Chicken @ Boka - Does anyone order anything else there?

Besides the watermelon soju?  Last week I finally headed down to Boka in the east village on St. Marks between 3rd and 2nd Ave.  With a full menu of sushi and extras - $$$ extras - we stuck with the Bon Chon chicken, fries and watermelon soju.

And judging by the rest of the diners - this was the most popular order.  At this point, why not just take everything else off the menu and only serve Bon Chon?  Is it allowed?

For those who don't know - Bon Chon is the Korean fried chicken that took the city/country mad last year.  Super crispy, comes in a sweet soy glaze or a tangy spicy version - legs, wings, it's all good!  Paired with fries (I like the ones in midtown at Mad For Chicken more - thick cut steakhouse type fries with a super spicy mayo dip!) - it's the perfect meal for a Sunday night.

Which brings me to the all you can eat Bon Chon Sun - Thurs happy hour.  Chicken + Beer for $23?  What a deal...

Now if only they put in a couple more tvs and turned it into a sports bar...hrmm...there's a business idea!

Boka
9 Saint Marks, (between 2nd and 3rd Ave)
(212) 228-2887

Momofuku Ssam Bar - Pork buns rule the day as always

July 4th means being able to walk in to restaurants that usually have hour long waits and be seated immediately.

Last year I went to The Spotted Pig (which actually didn't follow my hypothesis since I still waited 1 hour - which was 1 hour less than normal still...)

This year having just moved downtown I decided to walk on over to Ssam Bar.

This isn't the first time I've been to Ssam Bar.  I went a couple years ago when it first opened and it was a VERY different restaurant.

In its first incarnation - Ssam bar was supposed to be a quick Korean takeout joint serving up wraps somewhat like a burrito with high end fillings like signature Berkshire pork and and kimchi puree along with shitake mushrooms and edamame.

This version of Ssam failed.  Burned out quickly and people were afraid wunderkind chef David Chang was a one-note show.

However, after a second try at a new concept - Ssam bar was born - centered around the bo ssam -pork butt for 10 - something everyone must try at least once.  Order ahead to reserve - it's perfect for a birthday party or other special event.

For ordinary nights - one of my favorites is the spicy pork sausage and rice cakes - but only if you are a fan of spicy.

They aren't kidding around - the red chiles really give it a kick - no need for extra sriracha on this one.  The rice cakes are crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside.

For a snack - the pork buns are always my go to choice.  Served at the Noodle Bar, Ssam and Milk Bar - they are a signature David Chang classic.  The pork belly pretty much melts in your mouth - Chang's version kicks all the rest out of the park.

Tomorrow I will be back for the Pork & Egg buns at Milk Bar (we know Momofuku does some of the best eggs in town) - insiders say it's the best hangover cure!

Momofuku Ssam Bar
207 2nd Ave (at 13th Street)

Yummy@Home Kimchi Noodles

Given we still have a lot of leftover kimchi from our kimchi making experiment last week, my boyfriend decided to make kimchi noodle soup.

His recipe calls for super soft Shanghai noodles that you can easily find at any market in Chinatown.

At 79 cents a batch - this recipe is a perfect cheap eat.

Boil the noodles just like you would any kind of spaghetti. Add some sausage if you want to go carnivore - drop in some kimchi and you have yourself a nice bowl of kimchi noodles.

The kimchi really gives it a nice spicy and refreshing twist - on a hot day drain the noodles and refrigerate for a cold noodle dish.

Yummy@Home Kimchi Quesidillas - Not quite Kogi, but close enough

After witnessing the stampede that was Monday's Kogi midtown BBQ stop, my boyfriend and I embarked on our attempt to recreate the kimchi quesidillas that were served.

We took a simple recipe from Serious Eats and modified it to our taste (as in doubled everything)- since we like things hot. Super hot!

After a quick trip to Whole Foods we embarked on the three day endeavor...

1. Making the Kimchi
Day 1:

• 1 large head Chinese cabbage (or substitute Napa cabbage)
• 6 tablespoons salt

Cut cabbage into 1-inch square pieces. Place in a bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Add water to cover, and mix well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let stand in a cool place overnight.

Day 2:

• 6 scallions, including tops (we love scallions)
  
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons Sriracha (the recipe says 1 tablespoon - but like I said, we like it hot!)
  
• 3 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• Added a secret ingredient from our Korean neighbors - Korean crushed red pepper spice from any Asian market. (If you can't find it just use crushed red pepper flakes)
• 1 tablespoon salt

Drain the cabbage and rinse quickly under cold running water.

Cut the scallions into 1-inch lengths, then cut lengthwise into thin slices.

In a bowl, combine the scallions with the rinsed cabbage, garlic, chili sauce, ginger, sugar, applesauce, salt and enough water to cover.

Mix well, and place in a quart jar with a lid. Close the jar, and let stand for a few days in a cool place.

Finally - Taste mixture every day, and when it has a good balance of flavor and acidity, place in the refrigerator.

So we were kind of impatient and shortened this and put it in the refrigerator after two days - if you wait a bit longer the flavor might be more potent...

The kimchi will keep for two weeks.

2. Making the Quesidillas
For our quesidillas, we used wheat tortillas.

Instead of cheese, we actually cooked up an egg (I think eggs make everything taste better!), some onions and put the kimchi on top.

Very simple and easy - kind of like a kimchi omelette wrap!

Overall, while it didn't taste exactly like the ones served by Kogi - it was good in its own way.

A little lighter on the stomach - I think our kimchi didn't have quite the same thickness to it - maybe because we didn't wait long enough...

Although our kimchi wasn't as "red" or "thick" - it definitely had a kick to it - a spicy aftertaste probably courtesy of the red crushed pepper flakes we added.

I would say it is perfect for a light snack or a brunch dish with an extra kick.

Give it a try - let me know how it goes!  We will probably continue to perfect the recipe...will keep you posted!

Midtown Lunch Craze - Kogi Truck Stops By for 1 hour

It was craziness at the Kogi Korean BBQ truck stop today on 55th and Lexington. Borrowing the Dessert Truck for the afternoon, the Kogi crew set up to serve kimchi quesidilla to a hungry crowd that rivaled the sample sale crowds I'm used to.

I arrived at just shy of 11:30am for the 12pm - 1pm Kogi truck to a line already 20-30 people deep. By the time 12pm rolled around, the line must have had in excess of 100 people. Quite the scene for 55th and Lex!

It was an interesting crowd - food trucks are where main street meets wall street I suppose, with suits lined up next to students and free lancers able to endure the long wait.

The offering was a $4 Kogi + Dessert Truck duo - a bit pricier than the expected $1-2. But nevermind that - it all went to City Meals on Wheels so no complaints from me.

Your $4 bucks got you 2 small slices of quesidillas filled with kimchi. A little underwhelming if you ask me - I was expecting some kalbi! But maybe that was asking for too much. We'll have to wait for them to roll into town full time for that. The kimchi quesidilla was a nice idea though - probably easily executable at home. You can bet I'll be trying that recipe soon!

For dessert - I was impressed. It was a chocolate mousse with peanut butter center and caramel popcorn on top.

This was a perfect complement to the spicy kimchi. It was sweet without being overpowering, light and cold for a summer day (although the overcast skies made me forget we were in June!)

All in all - I'd say it was worth the trek once - although with only 200 available, I'm not sure everyone in line left satisfied. Oh well - they will be in Rockefeller center this afternoon.

Happy Kogi hunting!