Another University City Korean Place
One of my favorite dishes to eat over the summer is Bi Bim Nang Myun, a type of chilled Korean noodle mixed in a spicy & sweet chili paste sauce. I love the sauce the most, although the last time I ate it was at Woo Ri Jip, and I had nearly vomited from the intense spiciness. Yet, the spiciness is often balanced very well with sweetness, which is paired with the refreshing coolness of cucumber and cold buckwheat noodles.
Bi Bim Nang Myun (unmixed)
However, the Bi Bim Nang Myun at Han Wool was somewhat a disappointment. If I could eat the chili paste sauce straight out of the spoon without wincing, then it is definitely not spicy enough! In fact, I had to ask for more sauce and after dumping the whole thing in, it was just alright. The spice factor was definitely watered down and a higher sweetness proportion was added. I suppose this was adjusted to fit the milder taste buds of Pennsylvanians? I don’t know…
Bi Bim Nang Myun (mixed)
Furthermore, the noodles seemed slightly icy at first, which made me suspicious about whether or not they had completely thawed. Nonetheless, it was still quite refreshing and enjoyable on a hot summer day, especially since I love this dish.
My order came with miso soup, which tasted like it was made from mix. There was also some banchan, one of the main traditions of Korean restaurants. I love banchan, but out of Han Wool’s banchan, I only really liked the kimchi and small marinated fish.
Banchan!! (including kimchi, weird leek stuff, seaweed, marinated fish, and weird bean stuff)
Quality-wise, Han Wool definitely overcharges at $12.95 for my order. I wouldn’t mind paying that amount for some nice restaurant in K-Town that actually makes it authentic, and I remember Woo Ri Jip’s was cheaper. If I wanted Korean food in University City, I would much rather go to Koreana. But given a choice between Philly and NY, I would choose K-Town anyday!!
Grade: C+/B-
Conclusion: Overpriced and not too impressive, although I do always enjoy a good bowl of Bi Bim Nang Myun. I wonder if Koreana serves it too…
Location: Map
Other Opinions: Yelp, Citysearch, Urbanspoon
not a fan of cold noodles, but nice pictures!
LikeLike
Pingback: Cold Dishes for a Hot Day « Munchi Monster