450323 Fri Oct 12 15:48:53 -0700 2007 2 18 Manhattan 0 3030076 this place looked relatively new, anyone been? just had lunch at shanghai mong and kinda boring tastes, and my old standby, hyo dang gak on 35th street, also disappointed. Fri Oct 12 15:48:53 -0700 2007 12656 bigjeff 1 3044970 ok just went to the place, would not recommend it. the place has been open for 2 weeks only, so that's why it didn't look familiar; there have actually been quite a few people in the restaurant each time I passed, and this time, it was the same when I decided to try the place out. I was by myself and ordered the jjajungmyun and the fried dumplings, a pretty standard order. the jjajungmyun was only $3.99 for their grand opening special (and for the next two weeks I think); the menu price is $5.99 (pretty much the same everywhere). the variation where they serve the noodle and sauce separately was $5.99 for the grand opening price, and $7.99 regular. I got the spicy seafood version, which, instead of chunks of pork, you get seafood in it, plus it has sliced jalapenos. the noodles, first of all, were terrible; regular spaghetti that was not able to soak up any sauce and anyway, was so mediocre to the noodles at Hyo Dang Gak which are nice and spongy. but really, some straight up spaghetti noodles. the sauce itself was watery, decent taste but not good by any means. the seafood was the $2.99 frozen seafood mix that you can get at most korean markets, and the jalapenos tasted like green pepper; no spice at all. two thumbs down for a noodle that couldn't hold the watered down sauce. the dumplings were precision-made, which makes me think they are pre-ordered, and not handmade. deep fried, bland, light-colored filling with lots of veg and filler, so unlike the fried dumplings at other korean-chinese places which are simply, way better. 10 to an order I think, for $7.95 which is aight but anyway, they were boring. so I could certainly try the jjambong next but I'm sure it will have the same ronzoni no. 8 noodles and the same frozen seafood mix, so, don't plan on returning anytime soon. but, very nice people there! might be worth it to go in a group and try a whole bunch of the entrees, but for me, a korean-chinese joint has to perfect the two dishes I had and they were far from perfect. Wed Oct 17 19:37:49 -0700 2007 3030076 12656 bigjeff 2 3045423 Too bad about Beijing's predecessor, Yangpyung Seoul Haejangguk, where I had some nice dumplings and a great goat stew a couple years ago. (Beijing has the same phone as before, and the name Yangpyung still appears on the bill.) Thu Oct 18 01:26:45 -0700 2007 3044970 10496 squid kun