Bonchon in Arlington, VA

I love me some good fried chicken. Salt + crunch + fat + protein (that means it's healthy, right?). What else more do you really need in life? Answer: cookies, a pint of ice cream or two, chocolate. Did you really think I would say nothing?

Now Colonel Sanders can argue with me all he wants, but I strongly believe that KFC should really stand for Korean fried chicken. It's pieces of double-fried wings and drumsticks with a remarkably thin yet crisp skin that holds up its insane crunch factor under a messy, saucy, sweet + spicy gochujjang-based glaze. 

With DMV locations in Fairfax, Annandale, the Navy Yard, Arlington, and Rockville (not to mention other states and internationally), Bonchon makes KFC incredibly accessible for the DC food lover. Fun fact: my university has a bus that stops right in front of the Arlington location. My friends and I have dubbed it the Bonchon-bus.

Ddukbokki // 12

Now the ddukbokki was more of an appetizer than anything else and since none of my dining companions had tried it before, I insisted that we order a plate. It's a bit more expensive than what you would ordinarily pay for a platter of chewy rice cakes and fish cake drowned in a blood red sweet-and-spicy sauce, but they all loved it and hey, this girl hasn't had ddukbokki in months so I was happy. If you're short on money or mouths though, I'd skip it.

Medium wings + legs // 12.5

Now we're getting into the good stuff! If you're super hungry, plan ahead and order before you arrive because trying these monsters takes 20-30 minutes. And you're not getting those little drumlets either - Bonchon is known for their massive pieces of chicken and each "drum" is actually a whole drumstick. One drum and two wings (plus all of the complementary pickled daikon since no one else wanted them - more for me!) and I was full. This is coming from someone who can inhale 20 wings without batting an eyelash.

You can order the wings spicy, soy garlic, or a mix of the two. Between the five of us, we got a medium combo just spicy and then opted for a small set of drums in soy garlic. If you can't handle heat extremely well, I'd say steer clear of the spicy! It may look innocent enough but that stuff packs a major punch. I've noticed that Bonchon's sauce is more of a thin, watery coating (though the chicken is still fabulously crispy) while the Korean fried chicken I'm used to eating at home has a thicker, glossier glaze. I'd prefer the glaze, but nonetheless, Bonchon's rendition is pretty darn tasty.

I've eaten at other locations in Fairfax and Annandale as well and have noticed that the menu and pricing does change from location to location. Annandale offers additional things like takoyaki and bibimbap while Fairfax has katsu entrees, all of which are absent on the Arlington menu.

But for some KFC? Bonchon is not a bad choice.

Bonchon

Korean | $$

 

2201 N. Pershing Dr. Suite E

Arlington,VA, 22201

Sakuramen in Adams Morgan, DC

Confession: I've been on a major Charmed binge lately.

So of course right now I'm on a total "power of three" kick and if there is any power of three manipulating the ramen game in DC, they would be Daikaya, Toki Underground, and Sakuramen (hereafter referred to as "the ramen 3").

While the Charmed Ones are well protected by the Book of Shadows and all the magic of the Halliwell line, the ramen 3 have impossibly long wait times, elbow-to-elbow seating, and the hoards of raving Yelp reviews. Clearly they are doing something right.

Kimchi // 2

Sakuramen's menu offers appetizers such as buns and potstickers as well as pickled side dishes, but what you're really here for is the ramen (and all the toppings of course!) Whether you're in the mood for shoyu, miso, a meat-lover's dream, or vegan Sakuramen has it covered.

Sakuramen // vegetarian kombu broth + menma + corn + green onions + mushrooms // 11

Shoki bowl // chashu + bulgogi + seasoned egg + green onion + sprouts + nori + ninniku dare // 15

Some bowls offer the thick and wavy noodles while others offer thin and straight. Personally I thought that the thick noodles stood up better to my ramen's spicy flavors, but if you want something a bit more mild, thin is the way to go.

Spicy miso // menma + scallions + corn + nori + fireball // 12

Spice levels are totally customizable and I take my spice verrrryyyy seriously. When I told my server that I wanted level 10, he look at me with an "are you sure? this is your time to rethink that decision" warning, making my friends scale down their spice levels. Nonetheless I stuck to my guns got the 10.

Spicy? Yes. For sure. But I loved every single bite of it. Then again, I'm a little insane. The spice is a clean, straight burn rather than the oilier or mala-style spicy flavor I'm used to and I'm glad because the lightness of the soup was still able to shine through!

Compared to Daikaya, Sakuramen's broth is much lighter, less salty, and less oily - undoubtedly the cleanest bowl I've had in a long time. I think next time I'll try a non-spicy version to taste all the complexity of the broth. 

To be honest, I wasn't completely, completely, completely blown away by Sakuramen's food, not enough to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a table at least, but I have to give a quick shoutout to our server Tony. He was attentive, energetic, and made the experience beyond enjoyable. I'm definitely returning again just for the service alone. 

Sakuramen

2441 18th Street NW
 Washington, DC 20009

Takorea in Atlanta, GA

I think I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of fusion cuisine. That being said, Mexican/Tex-Mex is not really my thing either (psst, I don't like Chipotle). 

Okay.

Now that you are all revived from the shock and horror of those two pieces of information (don't worry guys, I'm CPR certified! I got you), let me tell you why I'm lovin' on Takorea.

Located within walking distance of Georgia Tech (yes, ya girl has personally tested this out for you), Takorea is a fast paced casual restaurant with locations in Midtown and Dunwoody with an energetic flare bringing traditional Korean flavors to the general public. I can't help but think that with its dim lighting, eclectic decor, and of course clientele, the Midtown location absolutely screams "college bar," not that it's a bad thing. 

I dropped by (or rather coerced -ahem-forced-ahem- some friends to take me) for dinner when I was home for spring break and spending a day at Georgia Tech. 

Sesame fries // chipotle ketchup // 4.25

Drizzled with fragrant sesame oil and tossed in a salty-sweet-spicy seasoning base, these fries were at the top of the recommendations list my friends armed me with. I really couldn't tell the ketchup was all that different from my trusty ol' Heinz, but trust me when I say that these babies don't need anything else. The seasoning coating gave the fries an extra layer of crunch that held up down to the very last one (not that these lasted all that long). 

Gogi nachos // pork belly + jack cheese + jalapeños + tako sauce + red sauce // 8.5

Remember the orange wanna-be cheese sauce that came with public school nachos? Turn your noses up all you want, but I absolutely love that stuff. Topped with a generous squirt of gochujang-based sauce and a heaping helping of grilled pork belly. Fatty, crunchy, smokey, sweet, spicy. I think you get the picture.

Chicken and fish tako // 3.25-4.25

Personally I didn't think the takos were all too special and a bit hefty in price for what you get, but then again I'm just not a huge fan of tacos in general. However, they were quite filling and one on top of all the appetizer munchies was enough to fill me (and I'm a bottomless pit, so that's saying something!)

Banchan // tako salad + sesame spinach + napa kimchi // 5

Maybe it's just a personal thing, but no meal feels complete without a bit of crunchy fiber (vegetables for all you normal folk), so a trio of banchan were in order. Of course, I couldn't expect flawlessly fermented kimchi, but the plate was tasty and nice to offset all of the heavy pork belly and fries I shoveled down my mouth hole.

I can see why Takorea is so popular with my friends back home: it's cheap, delicious, and caters to a whole range of tastes. If I were in Atlanta, I'd be back more than a handful of times.

Takorea

818 Juniper Street
 Atlanta, GA 30308

Ippudo in New York, NY

I feel like ramen is like the social butterfly of the food world; it can jump from 50 cent blocks of sodium-ladden, health-concious-heart-stopping, college budget food (though I am proud to say that in my two years of higher education, I have yet to resort to ramen) to $20 a bowl, imported, fussed-over, long-simmered, two-hour-wait-time cuisine. Talk about that social climbing. 

Ippudo falls closer to the latter end of the ramen social spectrum. At around $15-$17 dollars a bowl before toppings ('cause you know I gotta load 'er up with the extra trimmings), a hour and a half wait time, over six thousand Yelp reviews, it's eating high on the hog. Pun intended.

Ippudo gives traditional Hakata tonkotsu ramen a chic, jet setter facelift; noisy, hectic, and just a bit eclectic, it's a spot that the young professional crowd would love. Don't come expecting a traditional bowl, but trust me, it's still pretty darn tasty.

Tako spicy grill // Grilled Spanish octopus + potatoes seasoned with Ippudo chili sauce and cilantro // 10 

Hirata buns // Steamed buns filled with pork served with Ippudo’s original spicy buns sauce and mayo // 9

Hakata tonpu yaki // A savory pancake with sliced pork belly + cabbage, topped with okonomiyaki sauce + Japanese mayo + hanakatsuo // 10

Because we had a long day of eating planned, my group decided to split two bowls of ramen and get a few appetizers to fill in the gaps. Of the three, my favorite by far was the hirata buns: sweet, slightly smokey, and melt-in-your-mouth fatty - that's all the necessary (delicious) food groups. Sign me up, please!

Akamaru modern // original tonkotsu soup noodles + "umami dama” miso paste + pork chashu + cabbage + sesame kikurage mushrooms + scallions + fragrant garlic oil // 15

Karaka men // original tonkotsu soup + Ippudo’s special blend of hot spices + pork chashu + sesame kikurage mushrooms + onion + minced pork + scallions // 15

Ippudo uses the thinner, straight type of noodles. They aren't as chewy as I like, but the depth of the soup more than makes up for it. It's rich with fat and collagen without feeling too heavy. the akamaru modern is a bit saltier, but I absolutely loved the garlic oil on top. It's like the ramen was kissed with a wet, sloppy, mellow garlic essence.

The karaka men's heat hit slowly. On first bite, I mentally scoffed at the weak kick, but after five or so sips of broth I was feeling it, and I was feelin' it hard. And yes, call me a masochist but I dug that pain. 

I'm not going to lie: Ippudo really is all that people rave it up to be. It's a $15 bowl of ramen, but it's a life-changing $15 bowl of ramen.

Ippudo

East Village

65 4th Ave
New York, NY 10003

Hell's Kitchen

321 W 51st St
 New York, NY 10019

Snowdays Shavery in New York, NY

Oh man, this stuff takes me back to Taiwan. 

I know that Italian ice is definitely more well known and mainstream, but I'll let you in on a little secret: Taiwan does it so much better. The one thing I never really liked about Italian ice is that no matter how much flavoring and syrup you add, it always ends up being a bit icy and dense. Take a block of frozen sweetened condensed milk, shave it into a bile frozen fluff, and you're left with a bowl of soft, creamy snow just begging to be eaten. It's called snow ice for a reason

Snow days Shavery is a dessert spot in East Village that is introducing a common Taiwanese dessert to the New York population. I know that snow ice is pretty common in California, but I have yet seen many places offering it on the East Coast. 

First let me just say that portions here are massive and it's definitely for sharing. BF and I got the smallest size and even then we were both more than satisfied. There are a couple different flavors on offer from typical ones like sweet milk, green tea, coconut, and black sesame to more "Americanized" ones like NY cheesecake and Yeti tracks. Pick your base, a drizzle, load on the toppings, and you get the the fluffiest bowl of magic and unicorns imaginable. 

If you're extremely indecisive like me or just don't know what will go well together, you can decide to get one of their pre-made bowls. 

Made in Taiwan // green tea + condensed milk + grass jelly + mochi // 6

The fluff, oh the fluff. The snow here falls in sheets (indicative of good shaving technique), melts slowly, and is just mildly sweet. While the toppings were plentiful and I got some on each bite, the drizzle was extremely skimpy and after the top layer it was all gone. For the price though, I do wish that they had a bigger variety of toppings, especially if they are going to call it "Made in Taiwan." I missin' the sweet beans, jellies, and fruits that are typically found in Taiwanese snow ice.

With its artsy (read: hipster) decor and ample seating, I can see this are a common haunt for NYU students. Or at least, I'ld frequent here if I went to NYU. While the snow ice isn't perfect, Snowdays definitely hits the spot when I'm a bit nostalgic for Asian desserts. Light yet decadent, it really is my type of dessert.

Snowdays Shavery

241 E 10th St
New York, NY 10003

Simply Banh Mi in Georgetown, DC

I think I just found my new go-to place in Georgetown.

Inexpensive food + homey vibe + nice owners, Simply Banh Mi just does it right.

After hearing about it from a couple of friends, I was determined to cross Simply Banh Mi off my to-visit list. Truth me told, I am a bit of a banh mi snob. I've had a lot of them in my life and I know exactly what I like. While Simply Banh Mi can't offer the $3 sandwiches like those little huts in Little Saigon and Asian grocery stores back home - I mean, this place is Georgetown - for $6.50-$8.50, it is still extremely competitive for DC standards.

Located on Wisconsin Avenue, Simply Banh Mi is quite a small, cosy place. It seats about five to six people but they do offer take-out and delivery which appeared to be quite popular. Because I was the only person in the restaurant, I decided to just eat in. My dining partner and I ordered three sandwiches to split between us: lemongrass chicken, roasted pork belly, and beef chuck.

Sandwiched between a baguette and accompanied by crunchy pickled daikon, cucumber, jalepano, and cilantro, the meats was still wonderfuly warm and moist when they were served to us. While I do wish for the baguette to be a bit crispier (my dining partner thought it was perfect as it) and the carrots and daikon to be a bit more pickled, the over-all sandwich was absolutely delicious. The warm meats contrasted perfectly well with the cool, crunchy veggies and the spicy jalepeno and (self added) sriacha helped cut through the aioli nicely.

As for the meats, my standard for banh mi have always been either lemongrass chicken or pate and vietnamese cold cuts and I was delighted to find the chicken to be extremely generous and moist - probably some of the best chicken I have had in a banh mi. 

As for Mama Tran's "world famous" pork belly, warm, juicy, melty, porkiness...yes, yes, yes, yes please! If you are only going to get one sandwich here, this is the one to get. It's world famous for a reason.

The last sandwich to arrive was the lemongrass beef chuck, was is a meat I've never seen used in a banh mi before. The beef was stewed with carrots and other veggies until impossibly tender before being added to the sandwich, which made this sandwich the most moist and hefty out of the three. It reminded me of a Vietnamese beef stew, which is usually served with a baguette on the side, but made portable.

But the food aside, can I just take a moment to give a shout-out to the owners? Simply Banh Mi is owned and ran by a brother-sister-mother trio and they are positively some of the nicest people I have met. Seriously, they absolutely made my day. Even if you don't like sandwiches, go give Simply Banh Mi a visit just to chat with the owners. And tell them I sent you.

 Look! They'll even gave you cookies. John (one of the owners) told me that they give "ugly cookies" to all their customers who order a meal. Oh, and he made sure to assure me that the cookies were still delicious. And yup, they were.

I'm definitely going back.

Simply Banh Mi
Menu
1624 Wisconsin Ave. N.W.
Washington D.C. United States 20007

Boiling Point in Gardena, CA

I. WAS. OBSESSED. (And I still am).

The majority of this post was written a day after getting back from  a weeklong family trip to Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas, but being a lazy college student on summer break, I didn't want to upload my pictures. So here I am, several months later, pictures finally uploaded, and the post is finally going up.

After over 24 hours of traveling (two flight delays, a rebooking, scrambling around the Dallas Fort Worth airport, spending the night in Dallas, waiting an hour to pick up the rental car, and changing 4 hotel rooms), I was (predictably) starving (and irritated) and ready for something warm and comforting.

I stayed relatively close to LAX while most of the places I wanted to try out where around the San Gabriel Valley or downtown, but because we didn't want to deal with LA traffic, Boiling Point was the best choice.

Even though we were there at about 1:45 in the afternoon, the wait was still 30 minutes long. While I was waiting, my parents talked to some of the locals and the wait today was actually surprisingly short. Sidenote: the wait system is a bit different from what I'm used to. There is a cute little table that you sign in with your name and number of people in the very front, you put down your info, and then wait outside for them to call your name.

After we were seated, we got seated and immediately place our orders (like I said, we were starving). For lunch, the combo is $9.99 for regular sized pots, plus rice or noodles, and black or green tea and $13.99 for large sized pots. My mom ordered the Taiwanese Spicy, my dad had the Lamb spice level medium, and I had the House Special spice level flaming spicy. We decided to order two green teas and one black tea and rice for everyone.

Quick side-note: See the sauce on the table? You have to use them. They are absolutely delicious.

My parents' two orders came out relatively quickly, all hot and bubbly, but unfortunately something went wrong with front and back of house communication, and my order was never put in. The server was extremely apologetic though, quickly informed me of the situation, and about 10 minutes later, my food was out in front of me.

The reason I wanted to get the House Special pot was the stinky tofu. When I was younger, I had the strongest aversion to stinky tofu, but after trying it in Taiwan a few summers ago, I was hooked and unfortunately it's just hard to get in the States. While the ones in my pot did have the distinct, fermented taste, it was definitely really weak and probably palatable to the general population.

And the spice level. Oh. My. Goodness. That hit the spot reeeeallllly well. If you are at all weak about spice, get either mild or the lowest spice level. While I could handle the flaming spicy reasonably well, my mom was nearly crying with hers. My dad, who is Sichuanese even agreed that the medium spice level was the most appropriate.

All in all, Boiling Pot is a great deal to come for during lunch. The pots are all chuck full of ingredients (with plenty of meat and not too much cheap fillers) and the extra free drink is a nice bonus. One thing I want to point out though is that I don't think the large sized pots are worth it. The only difference between my mom's pot and mine/my dad's was that it had ramen noodles added into it. For $4 more? Probably not.

Yes, I was absolutely stuffed by the end of my meal. Yes, I went back multiple times during the same local. Absolutely no regrets.

Dear Boiling Point gods: please open up a location in Atlanta or Annandale?

Boiling Point

Gardena

15488 South Western Ave
Gardena, CA 90249

Hacienda Heights

2020 S Hacienda Blvd Ste E
Hacienda Heights, CA

Monterey Park

153 Garvey Ave
 Monterey Park, CA 91755