Korean near New Haven?

[Passadumkeg]

I will be visiting the New Haven area for a few days next week and wonder if there are any good Korean restaurants in the area. Also a rec for a liquor store that sells So Ju. Thanks! Carpe Chow.

[kattyeyes]

Hi, can't help with New Haven, but can give you a Hartford tip if you want to hit it on the way home--Ichiban. I haven't been in several years, but I remember it being good. I don't know a whole lot about Korean food, so I can't give you many specifics.

http://www.ichibanhartford.com/index....

I see there is now a Japanese-Korean place in Rocky Hill--I had no idea. Has anyone been?

Hazuki Japanese and Korean CuisineHazuki Japanese and Korean Cuisine
397 Cromwell Ave
Rocky Hill, CT
[phone]‎

Hey, CT hounds--is Seoul-Tokyo Restaurant in East Hartford on Silver Lane gone? The number is disconnected so I suspect so. I read that the Korean grocery store is gone. I haven't been to that part of town in a long time as evidenced by this post. Just thought I'd get the ball rollin'.

Connecticut Beverage Mart does not sell soju. I called to check. Try the liquor store down the hill from our buddy--they are just as big and may have a better variety.

[mmalmad]

There are 2 Korean spots in New Haven, neither of which I have tried. Seoul is on Crown ( I think) near York, and has been there forever. Soho is new and on my list, on Orange near Elm St, has had some godd reviews in the paper.
Not familiar with So ju, but I would check Amity Liquors

[kattyeyes]

Thank you. I spaced on the name--Amity Liquors is exactly what I meant!

[Passadumkeg]

We went to a Korean/ Jap restaurant in Cromwell, just off 91, in a strip mall, when David graduated Wesleyan. It was quite good. Is that the one in Rocky Hill/

[kattyeyes]

You're throwing me off. If it was off 91, you were in Rocky Hill. I used to live right near where you're describing, but think the place must have changed hands. Was there a pizza joint next to it?

[humuhumu]

New Haven has several options for Korean:

Oriental Pantry is my favourite of the three, but it's not really a restaurant, more of a Korean market that sells a few prepared dishes (and a lot of tasty groceries that are otherwise hard to find in the area). I believe a bibimbap here runs about $6.95 with a choice of beef, tofu, or house-made kimchi topping. I'm not kidding when I say the bibimbap is extremely fresh - the lady (nicest ever) who makes it includes fresh herbs from her garden and you can really taste the difference! They also have some fresh sushi, japchae, and varying daily items.

I like Soho - it's a small but homey place and they have free wifi. The portions are huge and the banchan are tasty (and include free miso soup). The menu is pretty small but it has several classic dishes (bibimbap, dukboki, bulgogi, etc). The service is amazingly friendly.

Haven't been to Seoul, but it's the most well known of the Korean places, and it's right in downtown on Crown St. They're the most pricey and they have a lot of sushi too, I think.

[Scargod]

Seoul appears to be the preferred and more upscale one in New Haven.

I have eaten at Soho (I think I reviewed it on Chowhound), and found it unimpressive, but it was lunch fare and I don't know Koren that well. As I recall the food (or both meal's entree), seemed too similar in taste, though they were fairly different. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/5360...

There is Oriental Pantry, a market on Orange, that has some prepared food. I do not know if it is all takeout, or not. 486 Orange Street New Haven, CT 06511 [phone]
Edit: just called and they have four tables. Hours 12-7PM on weekdays, 12-5 on Saturday. You can do BYOB. Woman was very nice on the phone.

[danieljdwyer]

I've gotten shochu at the Wine Thief before, but I don't know that they always have it. I'm also not sure if they carry soju, but it's worth a shot.
http://www.thewinethief.com/

[Scargod]

I found two brands of ShoJu or SoJu at Amity Wine and Spirits. They are in 750ml bottles and are from Japan, not Korea.
They have GINZA NO SUZUME KURO-KOJI and
Ichiro (?) brand. These are both barley based, not sweet potato versions.

[Passadumkeg]

So Ju is Korean national drink. I've never had a Ju-ish Nipponese drink.

[linguist]

In addition to the genuine Korean places already mentioned, I can note that Yooki Yama on the green in Branford is a not-bad Japanese place run by Koreans, which has some Korean dishes on the menu. No bibimbop, but some other things worth trying. No Shoju as far as I recall, but the best selection of premium sakes in New Haven county (maybe best in CT).

[Scargod]

Mentioned in late 2008, was Midori in Hamden: 3000 Whitney Ave. There was no reply.
What is the scoop on it?
Edit: I called and they are open 10-10 except Sundays. Can do BYOB. Any info on their food??

[Scargod]

OK, it's like we're talking to ourselves and answering our own question, since we went to Seoul a few days ago for lunch. It has a plain looking, deceptive exterior, but very nice inside. I can't tell you the number of times I have driven past it and never noticed...
Great food! I was amazed. Mark led me and SO through a plethora of foods.
We had:
#1, Yaki-Gyoza, which are finely ground beef filled dumplings, much like pot stickers. Very good!
#11, Haemul Pajun: seafood and scallions in wheat-egg pancake. Also delicious with a lot of squid in it. Made and cut like pizza!
#14, Raw cuttlefish "Moochim", raw fish and vegetables in a spicy sauce. I thought this was good, but unusual and hot.
**SP, Cod fish Geegae (that's how it is listed). A home-style stew of chopped cod with bones, in a spicy vegetable broth. A very nice dish.
#39, Bibim-Bap with Steak Tartar: finely sliced beef with many raw vegetables that is left for you to toss. It is a wonderfully flavored salad. My favorite dish of the meal. Had fish sauce in it. It came with a very good, very rich tasting miso soup.
We drank 50-50, which is a mixing of ginger flavored wine and So Ju. This is supposed to give you a long life. Be careful with So Ju! It is rocket fuel. Made with sweet potatoes it is 20% alcohol and the wine is around 13.
We had a really enjoyable meal and will return! Yes, they have sushi.
The female owner is very nice and was helpful!
She was helpful over the phone, too. [phone]
343 Crown Street
New Haven, CT 06511-5405
Building, owner, dumplings and pancakes

[kattyeyes]

Those dumplings looked exquisite--mmmm! But I'm missing the tartare...it looks like cooked meat (maybe I'm looking at something else in the picture). Have never had steak tartare in the Asian world--only tuna. Gotta try it. Nice job, Seoul men!

[Scargod]

Red stuff in the middle of the first two pictures. Reminded me of Thai larb.

[Scargod]

More pictures of our meal.
Steak tartar salad (#39), then it on plate, #14, raw cuttlefish w. veggies and sauce. sushi bar (appeared to not be serving here for lunch, but from other area.

[Scargod]

Lastly...cod fish stew and So Ju / Soju drinks. Note how steam from fish stew distorted the image! That stuff was hot ! d(not really that hot)

[Passadumkeg]

Great post! Who took the great photos? Iwasvery pleasantly surprised as I had just returned from a recent trip to Seoul and have trouble findig good Korean food in New England. the food was fairly authentic and the service and company was excellent. I really enjoyed the haemun paejung and the geegae. The so ju wine is called 50 years as it is supposed to add 50 years to your life. Then wine ios made w/ ginseng and is supposed to add 100 years to your life and when diluted w/ so ju, only adds 50! The bulgogi table top bbq, which we did not have looked great too.
The final photo is 50 years of collateral damage.
Here are a couple of photos from Korea w/ the same meals.

[Passadumkeg]

Missed 1 photo of hamuel paejun. I really enjpyed the ambiance of Seoul Restaurant. I'm getting too old to be sitting on the floor in Korea!

[Scargod]

I had so much So Ju that I'm not sure who took the photos. I think you took all the blurry ones. Being artistic?
A good meal and good company, who helped us eat good Korean food. Toast to Passadumkeg!