Korean Noodle Soup Cart 05-04-2010

Location: 49th St between 6th and 7th Ave.
Time: 12pm
People: RRo, MKang, and myself

Feelings: When I heard about the new Korean noodle soup cart next to the popular bulgogi cart on 49th street, I was rapturous. We don't have enough Korean joints in the area, and if it specializes in noodles, it's even better.

They had soba, udon, and ramyun available with various broth and protein, including seafood! I wasn't brave enough to order seafood at a food cart, so I went with Ja Jangmyeon ($7, ramyun with black bean sauce). I absolutely love the Japanese-Chinese version, Jar Jar Men, so this seemed like a no-brainer. MKang also ordered the same dish, and we were both disappointed that the noodles were not as chewy as we had hoped. It might be difficult to for a food cart to whip out perfectly al dente noodles. The sauce was flavorful, but a little bit on the salty and watery side, and the potatoes and onions gave a good texture and flavor. "Overall a lot less oily than the ones back home. I would like to go back to try new things," MKang said.

RRo's Beef Udon ($7) smelled amazing when he opened the lid. But he said the two small pieces of beef were chewy and bland, and sadly, he had to add a lot of small packets of salt and pepper.

This cart is not perfect by any means, but where else would I go for Ja Jangmyeon in the area? It is convenient and reasonable, and I welcome this addition to my limited lunch options.