At Golden HOF, kimchi martinis lead to wings and disco fries - Review - New York - The Infatuation
"If it doesn’t come smothered in a garlic cream sauce or gochujang glaze, your meal at Golden HOF will probably involve bacon, cheese, or a strong pour of gravy. The modern Korean pub near Rockefeller Center isn’t the best place for a well-rounded dinner, but if you need a few drinks and some snacks to soak them up, it’s one of the top options in the area. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Pause Unmute From the people behind Golden Diner, who also run NY Kimchi downstairs, this Midtown tavern serves reinterpreted Korean bar food in a cave-like room short on natural light. A booming sound system echoes off concrete floors while groups of coworkers share carbonara rice cakes and buckets of wings that crunch like Cheetos. When your pan of cheesy dumplings transitions to a mound of disco fries, you might lose stamina—but there are remedies for that. Try a glass of makgeolli or a martini that zaps your tongue with vodka and kimchi brine. If you want to avoid the melted mozzarella and squiggles of ranch altogether, you can also just pop in for lunch, when a few $26 sets with banchan, rice, and your choice of protein are available. The full Golden HOF experience requires soju and a crispy bacon pancake, but there's plenty of time for that after work. Food Rundown Cumin & Green Szechuan Wings You need to order wings, if only to experience the uncanny crunch. Start with the gochujang-glazed variety, and try the cumin & green szechuan flavor at least once. The spice blend is so heavy it sticks to your lips. photo credit: Kate Previte Bacon Kimchi Pancake This gooey bacon kimchi pancake with squiggles of ranch is an impeccable drinking snack. photo credit: Kate Previte Buldak Dumplings Incredible. Don’t skip these dumplings in a sticky sweet hot sauce that meshes perfectly with melted truffle pecorino. photo credit: Kate Previte Spicy Ddukbokki Carbonara Arguably better than the Italian version. The gummy rice cakes are lathered in a thick carbonara sauce with cubes of guanciale. photo credit: Kate Previte Jjajang Disco Fries Jjajangmyeon, but with fries and a thick cap of mozzarella. This isn’t a must, but if it lands on your table, it will be eaten. photo credit: Kate Previte Golden Cheeseburger A rare skip, Golden HOF’s cheeseburger is infinitely more generic than the rest of the menu. It’s fine, but nothing you’ll remember." - Bryan Kim
