Korean lunch at Don's Bogam in Murray Hill, NYC, New York

On Christmas Day, we decided to eat in the city before going to see the second installment of The Hobbit, with Jodi's cousins Jessica and Michael, their sons Alex and Brian and their friends Andrew and Manuel. As I was not sure what was open, I went to open table to try to find a good place to go. That is how we ended up at Don's Bogam, a Korean restaurant we passed by several times but never tried before. The name is interesting and I asked the waiter who was not sure how to explain it, so here is my interpretation: Don is the name of the owner; Bogam is an ancient medicine. Therefore, Don's Bogam is Don's medicine.

It is a BBQ and Wine Bar and for sure, you cannot miss the wine part when entering, with its modern L-shape bar, and the dining room sections separated by empty wine bottles.

The main dining room is big and had some warmth thanks to all the wood, from the floor to the tables.

The seating is interesting though, as it is floor level with chairs without legs to be comfortable. Going in and going out was a bit challenging, though entertaining...

They first brought the banchan, these small side dishes that are always exciting to see: you never know what you will get.

It was composed of:

Some Korean zucchini or Chosun Hobak:

Eggplant:

Seaweed:

Soy:

Potato Salad (always surprising to have that!):

Kimchi cabbage:

Kimchi radish:

Spicy squid:

My favorites were definitely the squid and two kimchi, all of them having a nice kick.

Then came our entrees: all of us ordered bibimbap, these rice dishes that come in a very hot bowl. Don's Bogam has a nice selection, either with meat or vegetarian.

Jodi ordered the Dubu-beoseot, made with tofu, mushrooms and vegetables:

On my side, I ordered the Galbi bibimbap, made with short ribs:

The galbi bibimbap had this fantastic smell coming from the meat that emanated from the bowl. The meat, although slightly overcooked, was delicious and tasty. In the bottom, the rice was already burnt, making a crust that was deliciously crunchy.

I loved the galbi bibimbap and the photo below can attest on how good it was:

The food was delicious and everybody liked Don's Bogam. The service though was just ok and I am not sure if it was because our waiter was not happy to work on Christmas Day: we ordered tea and never got it. We asked for an egg in the bibimbap and when the dishes came, he simply say "No, no egg". But, despite that, I would definitely go back! Oh, I forgot to mention that they have a gluten free menu too!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!