Hae Woon Dae (food, MomVisit09)

After the US Open, we didn't feel like going into Flushing, so we went back to the Elmhurst/Jackson Heights area where I used to live, and had Korean food at one of my favorites, Hae Woon Dae on 75th St and Broadway. The place is kind of expensive for the area, with an order of the kalbi (beef short ribs) costing about $25. However, the place is open 24 hours, there's a big screen tv inside, it's clean, and I frequently see Koreans eating inside, which is a good sign. The best thing here is the terrific selection of banchan. I frequently come here by myself and I get just as many dishes. Whenever I eat in Koreatown with friends, I'm always disappointed by the banchan selection. Then again, maybe if we spoke Korean we'd get better banchan.

Besides the ubiquitous kimchi, there were fresh and pickled vegetables, and these three non-vegetable dishes. The one on the left is a tasty block of tofu with soy sauce, scallions, and sesame seeds. The one on the top is fried fish with tartar sauce, and the plate on the bottom right contained a fried beef and leek thing and an egg patty with some vegetables. I especially like the tofu and they almost always have it.

We ordered the kalbi, the ox tongue, and an appetizer portion of japchae. There was so much food that we ended up taking the japchae home without even touching it.

Here's the ox tongue on the grill, which we dipped into a salt, pepper, oil dipping sauce.

Our server grilling and cutting the kalbi for us.

This bowl of steamed egg with scallions on top is another complimentary dish that came with the bbq orders.
Also complimentary was this tasty stew with beef, tofu, scallions, peppers, and potatoes which had a nice spicy kick.

Again, it was by no means a cheap meal, especially for the neighborhood, but there was plenty of tasty food and we got to watch the first set of the Nadal match on the nice tv.