GC stands for Greeshma Countdown. The next few posts will be part of the series that counts down Greeshma's final meals with me during her last full week in the City prior to her move to Philly - insert tear here ;(.
The first meal: BCD Tofu House. We spotted this place on 32nd St when we caroused around K-town for Swarna's birthday. (Which I still have to post about. Aah!) BCD Tofu appears to be a West Coast chain with multiple locations in California and Washington; this K-town location appears to be its first deviance onto the East Coast.
BCD Tofu House is fairly non-descript, located along a street with dozens of other popular Korean barbecue houses. They have a huge sign in the window that boasts 100% Organic Tofu, and inside they have a sign with a shrimp poking its head out of a bowl saying: "No MSG!" They clearly know what New Yorkers want to hear.
Inside, the place was bustling with Asians. While soft tofu is surely their specialty (being a tofu house and all), they also do korean barbecue. I like how every table has a vent above it to help suck up all the food scents, although I kind of like smelling like meat. :- )
After we all placed our orders, the waitress came back shortly with one of these for everyone !
Whole, fried yellow croaker. Deeeeelish ! I think Thanan and I were the most excited to be served these, and we cleaned our fish spotlessly. The skin was lightly salted, hot and crispy. Yum ! I also like how my fish here has a tasty little beard. I have had soft tofu at other Korean places, but I have never had fish served as a complimentary appetizer. Greeshma says they do this at Seoul Garden as well though. Whatever the case, this alone is enough for me to return here again and again.
The other banchan:
While Greeshma and I both went for the soft tofu, we both also had a huge hankering for some MEAT, because it does go with the tofu oh so beautifully. So we got served a huge platter of brilliantly marinated, grilled galbi.
And of course, the other star of the show:
And here is everyone with their Korean eating faces on:
This was a really fun spot for a group, and the food was solid. I haven't eaten at Seoul Garden yet, but knowing about the yellow croaker here and the potato salad, I am hard pressed not to keep on returning here for some awesome soft tofu soup.
The first meal: BCD Tofu House. We spotted this place on 32nd St when we caroused around K-town for Swarna's birthday. (Which I still have to post about. Aah!) BCD Tofu appears to be a West Coast chain with multiple locations in California and Washington; this K-town location appears to be its first deviance onto the East Coast.
BCD Tofu House is fairly non-descript, located along a street with dozens of other popular Korean barbecue houses. They have a huge sign in the window that boasts 100% Organic Tofu, and inside they have a sign with a shrimp poking its head out of a bowl saying: "No MSG!" They clearly know what New Yorkers want to hear.
Inside, the place was bustling with Asians. While soft tofu is surely their specialty (being a tofu house and all), they also do korean barbecue. I like how every table has a vent above it to help suck up all the food scents, although I kind of like smelling like meat. :- )
After we all placed our orders, the waitress came back shortly with one of these for everyone !
The other banchan:
Kimchi.
Interesting Greeshma factoid: she does not like sliced pickles! She will, however, eat pickle spears. I will find her forever fascinating! Needless to say, neither of us ate this.
Banchan offering. Greeshma and my personal favorite is that Japanese mashed potato salad concoction in the middle, that we also loved at Shimizu. It's so light and creamy without any hint of mayonnaise. What I loved about BCD is that they keep replacing whatever banchan you are running low on...which meant we totally got a second helping of that potato salad. Happiness.
While Greeshma and I both went for the soft tofu, we both also had a huge hankering for some MEAT, because it does go with the tofu oh so beautifully. So we got served a huge platter of brilliantly marinated, grilled galbi.
I heart galbi. So. Much. The galbi here was perfection, absolutely tender and flavorful.
And of course, the other star of the show:
Soft tofu soup !
Soft tofu soup with my egg cracked in it (I love interacting with my meals!)
I got the oyster soft tofu, and it came with at least a dozen plump, good sized oysters. I was in heaven. My belly was already expanded to maximum capacity after sharing half that giant galbi platter with Greeshma, but I kept finding more and more oysters in my bowl to eat - which is a freakin' awesome situation to be in. The bowl seemed like a bottomless pit of tofu (very generous serving) and the broth was hearty and flavorful. The spice level was spot on: nice burn without being excessive. I would get this again and again.
And here is everyone with their Korean eating faces on:
The ever lovely Greeshma with kimchi soft tofu soup
Swarna who totally dug her tofu dolsot bibimbap
Diveena (I totally am butchering the spelling, I am sure) who ordered this really tasty looking pork dish, but I have no idea what it was
Julian, Greeshma's Malaysian comrade rockin' the seafood soft tofu
And Thanan, who moved to NYC just in time to immediately partake in some feasting of vegetable soft tofu soup
This was a really fun spot for a group, and the food was solid. I haven't eaten at Seoul Garden yet, but knowing about the yellow croaker here and the potato salad, I am hard pressed not to keep on returning here for some awesome soft tofu soup.
17 West 32nd Street New York, NY 10001
(212) 967-1900
dude i totally need to go to a place that serves yellow croaker!! amazing that you each got one. looks so good.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE SOONDUBU!! ymmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
and your galbi (lots of galbi!) looks DEElicious, too!
*sad about greesh* but looking forward to the other GC posts!