K-Town maybe? It's going to be prime budaejjigae weather soon...
posted September 16, 2015 8:13 PM RSS | iCal | +googleCal
Sat October 10 at 6:30 PM, Soju Haus
315 5th Ave, New York, NY, USA (Map & Directions)
I haven't done one of these in a while, so wondering if anybody felt like doing a Pocha32 meet up again.
Update upon update: Pocha32 ended up being too crowded so we've moved to a new location. Soju Haus
I don't know if you noticed, but K-Town's changed a whole bunch in the past year or two. Some new joints, but mostly lots of restaurants and stores moving around like Monopoly pieces. The new, upgraded H-Mart blew my mind, yet somehow it still manages to not be big enough. And finally we have a Tony Moly. Ugh, after Missha didn't make it all we had was Face Shop for like, forever. It's about time we started getting more Korean make up stores, amirite? Anyhow, through all that Pocha32 is still there and rockin' steady on the second floor.
For those who haven't been to one of my Pocha32 meet ups before, Pocha's like the Korean version of going to a bar for beers, burgers, wings and nachos. There's pitchers of beer, bottles of soju and WATERMELON SOJU. Also most of the dishes basically are useless unless you plan on sharing with folks, in true Korean style, so it makes for a good group thing.
I know there's a couple of NY/NJ meet ups coming soon, so either we can try to squeeze this one in next week or just hold off until later in October? I just wanted to gauge if there was any interest for sooner or later.
Typical Pocha32 disclaimer:
As usual, I'm more than happy to translate, and help figure out menu stuff, but please keep in mind there can be a limit. If you have a very strict diet or specific food allergy either let me know ahead of time or definitely check out the menu or the Yelp link above to make sure we can find something for you. For example, I can try real hard to find veggie friendly options, but as it is with Asian foods I can't guarantee there isn't a fish broth or fish sauce hiding somewhere in a dish (most likely there is). I'll try and help, but also feel free to pepper me with any questions.
Also pleeease bring cash. Like I said, Pocha32 works better when you're sharing dishes, and it just makes it easier to figure out the check that way.
Update: Picked a day and time since there weren't a whole lot of opinions on what people preferred, but can be changed if this is THE WORST EVER date and time that I could've possibly picked, which is totally possibly considering how bad I am at planning.
I don't know if you noticed, but K-Town's changed a whole bunch in the past year or two. Some new joints, but mostly lots of restaurants and stores moving around like Monopoly pieces. The new, upgraded H-Mart blew my mind, yet somehow it still manages to not be big enough. And finally we have a Tony Moly. Ugh, after Missha didn't make it all we had was Face Shop for like, forever. It's about time we started getting more Korean make up stores, amirite? Anyhow, through all that Pocha32 is still there and rockin' steady on the second floor.
For those who haven't been to one of my Pocha32 meet ups before, Pocha's like the Korean version of going to a bar for beers, burgers, wings and nachos. There's pitchers of beer, bottles of soju and WATERMELON SOJU. Also most of the dishes basically are useless unless you plan on sharing with folks, in true Korean style, so it makes for a good group thing.
I know there's a couple of NY/NJ meet ups coming soon, so either we can try to squeeze this one in next week or just hold off until later in October? I just wanted to gauge if there was any interest for sooner or later.
Typical Pocha32 disclaimer:
As usual, I'm more than happy to translate, and help figure out menu stuff, but please keep in mind there can be a limit. If you have a very strict diet or specific food allergy either let me know ahead of time or definitely check out the menu or the Yelp link above to make sure we can find something for you. For example, I can try real hard to find veggie friendly options, but as it is with Asian foods I can't guarantee there isn't a fish broth or fish sauce hiding somewhere in a dish (most likely there is). I'll try and help, but also feel free to pepper me with any questions.
Also pleeease bring cash. Like I said, Pocha32 works better when you're sharing dishes, and it just makes it easier to figure out the check that way.
Update: Picked a day and time since there weren't a whole lot of opinions on what people preferred, but can be changed if this is THE WORST EVER date and time that I could've possibly picked, which is totally possibly considering how bad I am at planning.
I love Korean food, but am severely allergic to shellfish, so just need a heads up about foods that contain oceany things and I have learned my lesson the hard way, and am now fully aware that kimchi is not always vegetarian
I am 100% down for bibimbab, mandoo, dukboki and all the panjun we can order. mostly the mandoo.
posted by larthegreat at 1:53 PM on September 17, 2015
I am 100% down for bibimbab, mandoo, dukboki and all the panjun we can order. mostly the mandoo.
posted by larthegreat at 1:53 PM on September 17, 2015
Oh my goodness, it's been ages! We actually have a H-Mart and Picnic Garden out in the wilds of New Jersey now.
posted by Karmakaze at 2:29 PM on September 17, 2015
posted by Karmakaze at 2:29 PM on September 17, 2015
Hey, larthegreat, is it just shellfish or other types of seafood? For example, ddukboki usually has fishcakes in it, which while not necessarily real fish, has ground up fish things in it, but if we're talking like avoid blatant clams/crabs/shrimp/etc., I think there's definitely options on the menu. (Is kitchen cross contamination also an issue? I don't know how Pocha does things, like if they got separate cutting boards and things like that.)
posted by kkokkodalk at 6:07 PM on September 17, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 6:07 PM on September 17, 2015
I'd love to come. Definitely available next week. I'm going out of town for Halloween, exact dates uncertain, so I may not be around for a late October one.
If we are sharing dishes, wouldn't the equitable thing be to split the total bill between everyone evenly? This makes credit cards easy.
posted by unannihilated at 7:01 PM on September 17, 2015
If we are sharing dishes, wouldn't the equitable thing be to split the total bill between everyone evenly? This makes credit cards easy.
posted by unannihilated at 7:01 PM on September 17, 2015
unannihilated: The total bill is split equally, that's how we've done it at previous Pocha meetups. The reason I say cash is easier is based on experience and really just an Occam's Razor thing. I've been at Pocha before with different groups where there's been situations where everyone but one person had a credit card or the odd mix of card/cash holders and the establishment has also balked at splitting checks in large groups once or twice. S just everyone bringing the same type of payment usually makes for less hiccups, and I'm not really going to ask everyone to be sure to bring a credit card sooo *shrug*. It's worked out really smoothly previously.
posted by kkokkodalk at 11:38 PM on September 17, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 11:38 PM on September 17, 2015
Hm, well it looks like there isn't overwhelming preferences for when, so I'll just say Oct. 10 around 6pm so it doesn't get confused with all the other meetups being planned/set in place and isn't too late in the month. If that's terrible for a lot of folks we can always reschedule.
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:25 AM on September 18, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 10:25 AM on September 18, 2015
I've only had ddukboki made with beef and veggies, not fish cakes, so never had the issue there. I am severely allergic to shellfish (I carry an epi-pen), and have an intolerance to fish (I carry Imodium). I'm fine gambling on cross contamination, most kitchens are clean enough... As long as dishes with seafood, or potential seafood get pointed out to me, I can eat my way around them, and I'm not picky about any other food.
I should be able to make it on sat, so basically, count me in!
posted by larthegreat at 11:37 AM on September 18, 2015
I should be able to make it on sat, so basically, count me in!
posted by larthegreat at 11:37 AM on September 18, 2015
Oooh, if it was with beef and a more soy sauce based sauce then you probably had "Royal ddukboki", the ancestor of the now Common Ddukboki (ddukbokius red sauceus). But yea, despite being arguably the original, when you just say ddukboki most people think of the red version with fish cakes in it first. The red sauce version does get made with other meats or no meat at all, but cut up fish cakes (obviously cheaper than meat) is the usual (national??) protein that gets added if you go to not so fancy places to eat, and Pocha 32 definitely does fish cakes so we'll be sure to find the not fish stuff!
posted by kkokkodalk at 12:10 PM on September 18, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 12:10 PM on September 18, 2015
Oh, noooOOOooooOOoooo~ corn cheese is too delicious for its own good and I personally have a problem not shoveling it into my face when it gets ordered. It's just an artery-clogging combination of butter, mayo, and goddamn too much cheese cheese grilled with corn, but holy crap is it good with copious amounts of beer.
posted by kkokkodalk at 9:44 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by kkokkodalk at 9:44 AM on September 20, 2015 [1 favorite]
After excitedly talking about k-town food at home, it was just pointed out to me that this is Columbus day weekend, and that I have family obligations. *sigh*
sorry, I'll go next time!.
posted by larthegreat at 3:05 PM on September 22, 2015
sorry, I'll go next time!.
posted by larthegreat at 3:05 PM on September 22, 2015
I'd be fine moving it to another weekend if you'd really like to go.
posted by unannihilated at 12:20 PM on September 23, 2015
posted by unannihilated at 12:20 PM on September 23, 2015
I have not abandoned this meet up! I've just watched it from afar to only jump in if need be since it was a little far ahead. Sorry you can't make it larthegreat. I would've rescheduled if there was a huge response towards changing the date, but since there wasn't, we'll keep the date as planned. Hope you can make it to another Pocha meet up in the future.
Anyway with meetup coming upon us in the week I just wanted to check in to see if anybody had any questions or any other concerns. If not, that's fine too!
posted by kkokkodalk at 2:31 PM on October 4, 2015
Anyway with meetup coming upon us in the week I just wanted to check in to see if anybody had any questions or any other concerns. If not, that's fine too!
posted by kkokkodalk at 2:31 PM on October 4, 2015
I may be bringing a plus 1 or 2 (my best buddy co-worker/neighbor and his girlfriend) but I won't know for sure until tomorrow.
Anyone in camp Maybe, please make sure to update your status to yes or no tomorrow, or update the thread that you're enroute before you get trapped in a no-wi-fi transit zone so we know whether or not to wait for you or go inside.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:36 AM on October 9, 2015
Anyone in camp Maybe, please make sure to update your status to yes or no tomorrow, or update the thread that you're enroute before you get trapped in a no-wi-fi transit zone so we know whether or not to wait for you or go inside.
posted by oh yeah! at 5:36 AM on October 9, 2015
Thanks for getting the message out, oh yeah! And the more, the merrier.
But yea, just a heads up for those who are planning to come or still in the maybe:
Where to meet tomorrow
The upstairs where Pocha doesn't have a "waiting" area, so we'll all be gathering outside first before we head in. So don't go inside and upstairs.
That being said, if you are still a maybe, do be sure to come by 6:30 so we can count you in the head count if you're still on the fence. Or change your status from maybe to yes so I can have a better idea there are folks that we need to wait.
posted by kkokkodalk at 2:59 PM on October 9, 2015
But yea, just a heads up for those who are planning to come or still in the maybe:
Where to meet tomorrow
The upstairs where Pocha doesn't have a "waiting" area, so we'll all be gathering outside first before we head in. So don't go inside and upstairs.
That being said, if you are still a maybe, do be sure to come by 6:30 so we can count you in the head count if you're still on the fence. Or change your status from maybe to yes so I can have a better idea there are folks that we need to wait.
posted by kkokkodalk at 2:59 PM on October 9, 2015
Ugh, I just realized I typed utter non English up there. That's what you get trying to post online when you just wake up from a recovery nap when you're feeling unwell =(
posted by kkokkodalk at 3:38 PM on October 9, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 3:38 PM on October 9, 2015
Waiting for NJTransit to take me into the big scary city.
posted by Karmakaze at 1:49 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by Karmakaze at 1:49 PM on October 10, 2015
Getting on the PATH train now. (My work buddy has flaked, no plus-es for me.)
posted by oh yeah! at 2:41 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by oh yeah! at 2:41 PM on October 10, 2015
And now found super scary Urbanspace Broadway Bites.
posted by Karmakaze at 2:54 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by Karmakaze at 2:54 PM on October 10, 2015
On the way. Oh, I forgot about my dietary restriction! I can't do spicy food. It looks like the little chilI peppers on the menu will help me, but if we do the sharing thing can we order a couple more non-spicy dishes?
posted by unannihilated at 3:02 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by unannihilated at 3:02 PM on October 10, 2015
I am outside pocha. I have on a bright green shirt. Also having visited the beauty store I now know my skin is a horror and I should never have left the house.
posted by Karmakaze at 3:20 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by Karmakaze at 3:20 PM on October 10, 2015
Still outside waiting for stragglers, so we'll be out here for another 5-10 minutes.
posted by kkokkodalk at 3:34 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by kkokkodalk at 3:34 PM on October 10, 2015
We moved to Soju House, on 315 5th Ave @ 32nd St.
posted by 1970s Antihero at 3:56 PM on October 10, 2015
posted by 1970s Antihero at 3:56 PM on October 10, 2015
Thanks for coming out everyone. Apologies for the last minute venue change, BUT GOTTA ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES. It totally slipped my mind that Comic Con was happening this weekend and also the fact that K-Town seems to be a whole lot busier nowadays than it used to be. Either way it worked out, so go team!
posted by kkokkodalk at 7:30 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by kkokkodalk at 7:30 PM on October 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
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posted by oh yeah! at 4:29 AM on September 17, 2015