HNIH is a lively casual hangout for some elevated yet seriously tasty Korean food.

Unlike your average Korean BBQ joint, there is nothing for you to cook. You can relax and have it all served to you like the royal bastard that you think you are.

We started with a carafe of the insanely delicious grapefruit Sowuju (which isn’t really a real word if you Google it, sounds like HNIH made it up) which is a large handful of grapefruit slices marinated in a ton of Soju (the Korean version of Sake – something I just learned while I was Googling that other word).

While I’m sure we ordered all the wrong things, my favorite items were the potato and corn croquettes, the bulgogi (so freaking flavorful) and the sesame ice cream in a field of green tea biscuit crumbles.

We seriously debated on ordering a second one!

Until our complimentary birthday cheesecake came out….

Everyone in the joint had ordered some kind of large format soup, which is fun to eat. However, I found the broth to be a bit one-sided (kimchi overload) and I didn’t really taste the beef.

Something to note: don’t show up without a reservation.  Also, don’t show up early.

There is not a bar to sit at and they’ll probably not be able to seat you early anyway because loud, obnoxious people like us are there and won’t leave until the kitchen staff are cursing under their breath for us to maybe stop it with the 37 selfie attempts.

17 E 31st St
New York, NY 10016 b/t 5th Ave & Madison Ave
Midtown East

hernameishan.com

Before

After   (We closed the place down!)

Grapefruit Sowuju – $36

Boiled Dumplings – $8

Corn and Potato Croquettes – $14

Fire Grilled Bulgogi – $23

Banchan that comes with the Bulgogi

Hot Pot – $35
Pork Ribs, Homemade Kimchi, Potatoes, Enoki, Bok Choy, Korean Gnocchi & Organic Tofu in Beef Bone Broth

Homemade Green Tea Biscuit Crumbs with Black Sesame Ice Cream topped with Dried Strawberries – $9

I came here for one, solitary reason.

That cheesy as hell burger above.

Now, I’m often disappointed by these enormous, gourmet burgers that run you $29 bucks and leave you dreaming of Burger King.

The patty is way too thick and rare and is surprisingly under seasoned. I like an old school diner burger. Thin, char-broiled within an inch of it’s life patty, special sauce, some pickle situation, super soft bun. Something I can actually eat with my hands.

This burger is none of those things.

But it’s delicious and I want another one right now!

The beef patty was definitely on the rare side but I ate still every single bite. The cheese (an aged cheddar) and those little blistered tomatoes tied it all together and created something magical.

If you’re also in the mood for a starter, you could do worse than order those simple but tasty deviled eggs.

Don’t be fooled at first glance by Suprema Provision’s faux artisan storefront. It’s not exactly set up to push your shopping cart down the aisles.

305 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014 b/t Grove St & Barrow St
West Village       

(646) 964-4994

supremaprovisions.com

Black Truffle Deviled Eggs – $9

Braesola, Lemon Aioli, Arugula Sandwich
$9.50

Suprema Burger
short rib, brisket, iberico jamon bacon jam, black garlic sauce
$19

Ichiran is, for now, the best bowl of ramen I’ve ever had.

At around $20 a bowl, it’s also the most expensive bowl of ramen I’ve ever had.

BUT SO WORTH IT.

The overall experience is a bit frantic, however.

There was a little line outside to get in but you can spend this time admiring the Freddy Krueger red and white color scheme.

Once inside we were handed our order forms where we could customize your ramen from the doneness of the noodles to the richness of the broth.

I was hungry but not starving so I didn’t order a second helping of the noodles (which has to be done ahead of time and no matter where you turn, you are visually reminded that ordering extra noodles (called Kae-Dama) is an option).

The seating situation is unique as it is meant to cater to the individual diner and each counter seat is divided by a partition but the hostess will still seat you next to your party and it’s still easy to converse.

Once ordered, your food and drink will be slid under a partition in a similar fashion to what I imagine how a low-security prison in Tokyo would serve their inmates.

After you enjoy your insanely flavorful and utterly perfect bowl of ramen, you will receive this odd little tray which must have some kind of James Bond microchip imbedded inside, which you will bring up front to pay your bill.

HELPFUL HINT: The Tonkotsu Egg is sort of a letdown. It’s just a regular hard-boiled egg and not really the yummy, ooey, seasoned egg you might be used to.

132 W 31st St
New York, NY 10001 b/t Fashion Ave & Penn Plz
Midtown West

en.ichiran.com/index.php

Classic Tonkotsu Ramen – $18.90 (Egg is $2.90 additional)

I must admit that I haven’t tried a ton of Thai food in NYC. I live a few blocks from some really solid choices and I really hate commuting far distances for a $7 meal.

That being said, Uncle Boons Sister is probably my favorite.

The Thai Basil stir fry was bursting with flavor and just the right amount of spicy where I wasn’t panicking about the whereabouts of the nearest bottle of Sriracha.

The Mataba (curried lamb pastry) was definitely on the Indian side, in case those flavors frighten you, but it was also quite nice.

The Laab (fried chicken) wasn’t as glorious as the stir fry but it was what everyone else in that teeny tiny ass place was ordering (only 5 little round tables – it’s more of a takeout joint) so definitely order that if you go with another person.

203 Mott St
New York, NY 10012 b/t Kenmare St & Spring St
Nolita       

(646) 850-9480

uncleboonssister.com

MATABA – Curried Lamb Pastry with Sweet Chili Sauce – $7

PHAT BAI HORAPHA – Thai Basil Stir Fry with Beef Shortrib and Crispy Egg – $15

LAAB – Fried Chicken with Herb Salad, Cucumber and Toasted Rice Powder – $14

I’m a HUGE fan of Top Chef’s Dale Talde.

I still have wet dreams about this pretzel pork and chive dumplings served at his Brooklyn restaurant. I don’t care how overpriced they are. And they also make the best Pad Thai in existence.

So, when I heard he was opening up a new spot in Manhattan, I knew I had to take a quick shopping trip to REI to buy a sleeping bag so I could camp out the night before.

And by camping out, I mean show up a month later so I could read if the reviews were any good. I’m loyal but not a schmuck.

The star of the show at Rice and Gold is not the rice (it was just ok) but the Pho Soup Dumplings. Do what I say and order two orders of them. Don’t argue with me. They’re so tasty, you’ll be pissed at whomever eats the last one. Even if it’s you.

The cocktails and service were both top notch and the place is spacious and funky, great for large groups or just large personalities (good for those loud ass friends of yours).

50 Bowery
New York, NY 10013 b/t Canal St & Bayard St
Chinatown

(646) 630-8055

riceandgoldnyc.com

Pork Buns
adobo pork belly, red cooked onion, garlic & laurel aioli
$8

Pho Soup Dumplings
bean sprout, holy basil
$8

Sizzling Adobo Pork Fried Rice
garlic, egg, bean sprout
$17

Tea Smoked Branzino
caper-ginger relish, citrus ponzu, almond
$22

I was a little nervous to come to Dead Rabbit for brunch on a whim.

I had only done 2 instead of the usual 5 hours of online research so had just barely memorized the complete menu and my knowledge of the exact square footage was sadly lacking (but still solid – and I could find the bathroom with my eyes blindfolded).

However, I’m always up for an adventure, so here we are!

We were able to snag the last two seats at the bar before a crowd descended on us waiting anxiously for us to get the hell out. Until the upstairs dining room finally opened.

The Dead Rabbit, an Irish pub having been voted the Best Bar in the World a few years in a row, is a tiny three story establishment in FiDi.

Our waitress was friendly but just the right amount of cold that we didn’t incorrectly assume we could stay all day. Our expiration date was the very moment we took our last sip.

The cocktails were delicious just creative enough but no so esoteric that you wondered how many pretentious, obscure Italian liqueurs they could cram into one drink.

The food matched the drinks in terms of quality and flavor.

The corned beef sandwich on buttery grilled rye was the best I have ever had.

And the Chicken Pot Pie, while it didn’t have the usual creamy white sauce, was packed with flavor and that crust was perfection.

If there could be one complaint, it would be our bartender did not seem to want to bring us a water.

Which is completely understandable.

I’m sure her inner monologue (replete with a light Irish accent) was something along the lines of “I’m not here to hydrate you pieces of shite”.

30 Water St
New York, NY 10004 b/t Broad St & Coenties Slip
Financial District                   

Phone number (646) 422-7906

deadrabbitnyc.com

Scotch Egg
Organic egg, Cumberland sausage, Colman’s mustard, hash browns
$15

Chicken Pot Pie
Braised chicken, peas, carrots, mashed potatoes and gravy
$22

Corned Beef Sandwich
House made coleslaw, gruyere, chips
$19