Arirang 32 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001, a third floor Korean noodle restaurant, was hard to find (no signage on the first floor). The servers smile more than the standard K-town staff, and things started out decently well with some complimentary kimchee, kimchee radish, and barley tea. The seafood pancake was fresh, crisp outside, and a bit chewy inside.
But, what you come here for (or what they’re supposedly known for) is the noodles, two types, handmade long noodles and dough flakes. Basically, it’s a pulled noodle and a cut noodle (dough cut in wide slices). They are served in soups, choices of chicken, anchovy, seafood, kimchee or vegetable. Two of us got seafood and two of us got anchovy. All were surprisingly unimpressive.
None of us could taste anchovy. That one tasted like a pure onion/scallion and garlic stock. It was quite bland and the spicy red pepper paste only helped a little. The dough flakes had a nice doughy texture to them but the pulled noodles were pretty mushy. The seafood version is similar, with the addition of seafood and a huge pile of spinach on top, but still surprisingly bland.
Sure, the portions are huge for somewhere between $9-$11 per bowl, but what’s the use when no one likes it enough to even finish half. Seriously, no one even came close.
Lon added the Korean meatballs, a handwritten addition to the menu. The pork patties, flavored with garlic and MSG, were fine but nothing special.
4 people, 8 thumbs down.
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Yah T and I went last week and I thought it was sort of bland. Comforting in a chicken noodle soup kind of way, but weirdly flavorless overall…even the kimchee!
That was a zinger. Going to avoid this place. I was hoping for a new addition to my staples in Ktown.
Soop and Tim, thanks for telling me ahead of time.
Edgar, yes I’m glad I can save some people.
Actually this is my favorite kal koosoo (knife cut noodles) place. My grandmother made these by hand when we were kids and the real dish is the anchovy base one. It’s not supposed to be impressive, it’s a simple meal, and is spot on. It’s not an anchovy soup, but an anchovy stock base that’s supposed to be light.
Then chicken soup base is whack, avoid at all cost. However the kimchi base soup is really good.
Also consider getting the one that has noodles and the “flakes” which is essentially the equivalent to Korean gnocchi.
I don’t recommend eating anything else there though (hence why everything else was blah). I only go there to eat the noodles and only the noodles.
The thing about kTown is just like restaurants in Korea. Each restaurant does 1 thing incredibly well, other things are just ok. Most restaurants usually have very small menus, maybe like 5-6 things, but they do those things damn well. LOL
My ktown list (I’m korean BTW):
Soondooboo: Seoul Garden
Kalbi and other korean BBQ: Wonjo (just because it’s the only one that still does wood charcoal grilling, but only at night)
Kalkooksoo: Arrirang
Pojang Macha food: Pocha 32
Kimchi Tofu: Pocha 32
Sulang Tang: Kam mee oak
Best Kimchi: Kam mee oak
Samkeh tang: NY Komtang house
-Eddie