Left-Handed Cook

[JimGrinsfelder]

After reading Dara M's report on it, I had to have lunch at Left-handed Cook in Midtown Global Market.

The food was very good. Tasted their brussel sprouts (Muscles from Brussels), a rice bowl and a crab sandwich on the Salty Tart milk bun that Sonora Grill uses. I want to go back and try some more stuff from their menu.

There are now three top-notch stalls in MGM, Sonora Grill, Salty Tart and Left-handed cook.

[mangosteentime]

Just wanted to add to the love for this place, which I think it really deserves. We've been there twice now and had rice bowls both times. Their rice bowls are crave worthy. I found that each topping on the rice bowl had excellent flavor, which is hard to do; most pickles/veggies on rice bowls, and even panchan at many Korean places around town, are adequate but one-note. The toppings here are anything but. The meat was delectable. The portion size on the meat has been criticized as being small, which I think is fair, especially to more traditional American palates. However if you look at the way it's presented I think the portion size reflects a different philosophy- this bowl is all about the interplay of all the toppings; the meat is one feature, and it is excellent, just not a predominating portion.

The staff are genuinely nice and super helpful, which for me also is a huge plus for a place.

We'll be back soon. Keep meaning to try other things but the rice bowls just keep calling.

[eastlakovore]

Went over the weekend for a quick lunch and some groceries at El Burrito Mercado, got the special - Boba Fett-uccine. Delicious. Pork ragu on fettucini with shaved parmesan and some arugula. Usual go to has been the pork belly bowl, and I love coming back to it (runny egg, pork belly, and pickled veggies - are they the triefecta of foodie cool in the past two years??? but so darn good), but I need to explore more...
I feel bad because they've elbowed out Sonora for my semi-regular MGM meals.

[bkmnus]

I often find myself taking a long out of the way route to get to Sonora Grill so that Kat doesn't know that I am cheating on TLC!

I base my choice on how hungry I feel. If not too hungry go with Sonora and have a single caramelo, if starved it is TLC for a rice bowl.

[getgot211]

your starved is pretty light, I had the fried chicken bowl, the flavors were fantastic but I was disappointed with basically one chicken nugget sized piece in an $8 'meal'.

[alpa chino]

has anyone tried their "fried chicken"

Someone mentioned that before. Curious about that one.

[St3ve]

I tried the 21 spice fried chicken and really liked it. It was delicious! …but not spicy like the name would suggest. There were three boneless white meat fillets. The chicken was moist and tender. The breading was so good and provided just the right amount of flavor. I would definitely get it again. It came with rice, a cute little side salad and one side ( try the brussel sprouts ).

[kevin47]

It's perfectly cooked. I only wish the spice mix were a little more pronounced. My only complaint about LHC is that their food lacks kick.

[bkmnus]

Next time just ask for some of their gochu sauce (their version of a Korean spice sauce), that will give it some nice kick for you.

[sandylc]

Saying something has spices is not the same thing as saying it is spicy hot - ? There are hundreds of wonderful spices in this world that have no heat at all.

Does food always need "kick?"

[kriminalrat]

Never been there..where is parking for fri/sat night?

[semanticantics]

There is street and a lot with meters. LHC is inside the Midtown Global Market.

[The Dairy Queen]

There's also the ramp across the street to the east of MidGloMa. You can have your parking validated.

~TDQ

[kriminalrat]

This is good to know...I wonder why people feed meters when ramp parking is validated?

[EricShawnSmith]

Usually when someone says food needs a kick, at least for me it means the food was lame or bland. Which was totally the case when I visited The Left Handed Cook last weekend. The Bip Bowl with this 21 spiced Chicken was underwhelmingly bland and needed a certain "KICK!" The only item on the dish that stood out was the Kimchi which I unfortunately only received about a teaspoon of. Also I only received about a BK sized chicken tender bit of this 21 spiced chicken which I found to only be mediocre. I'll be sticking to Sonora Grill thank you very much. Tastier food with more concentration on quality and quantity and less focus on the gimmick.

[bkmnus]

I'm really looking forward to the rolling out of his "chef's table" concept where you will be able to watch the team work. Haven't heard a firm date of when that is coming though.

I also had Papa's Hash - a bed of mashed potatoes covered in short rib gravy with carrots, potatoes and kimchi in the gravy. True comfort food with a twist. I told Kat to be sure to have that on one of our -20 degree days.

[sandylc]

REALLY like LHC.

[steamer]

It's all good a LHC. I've always wondered why we haven't seen more on Chowhound about this place.

[JimGrinsfelder]

Why didn't you write about it? I just heard about it and rushed right out and found a few moments of bliss.

[steamer]

I probably should have. m(_ _)m.

[bkmnus]

Agreed, three solid stalls, and to make my weekly lunch stops there complete I rotate in a torta from Manny's between Sonora and LHC.