Hanbat

53 West 35th Street between Fifth and Sixth
212/629.5588
about $30 for two, with two drinks, without tip
♥ ♥ ♥

If you tell any New Yorker Korean that you like Hanbat, they’ll tell you that it’s “peasant food” because their vegetables are traditionally from the mountains of Korea. I love the bibimbap, or mixed meal, which is a large bowl of rice topped with different kinds of root vegetables, shredded beef and fried egg, all brought together with gochujang or chili pepper paste. It can be served either hot or cold. I prefer it hot because I love watching the egg cook on top of the newly-cooked rice. My tongue burns every time I try to eat the first few spoonfuls but I can’t help myself from digging in.

Peasant food has never been this good.