Do we have an H-Mart food court thread? I cannot go in the place to shop without getting something to eat. I always say those food court kiosks are better than some restaurants. I’ve had dishes from all of them, never a bad meal. Today’s stop was an Yimat House.
Rice cakes, fish cakes, and a hard-boiled egg in a sauce described as “very spicy”. I’ve had hotter but it was rich and flavorful. Halfway through it got kind of boring because the cakes (and even the egg) are so much the same consistency and not much differentiation of flavor when covered in the sauce. This would have been a better side dish than a meal. I wish they had beef in that sauce. Would have been a homerun. (And their was a hair in my pickled radish…)
Omelette over fried rice. For fried and fried, was very light. Rice was cooked very quickly. It was on the dry side and not greasy at all. That tiny salad really helped break the meal up. Good for a breakfast.
Whenever I shop at H-Mart, I usually grab lunch at the tofu house next door. They have similar offerings as the food court, but I like the banchan that the restaurant serves. And they offer a discount if you pay in cash
I love you abbreviate Korean Fried Chicken to KFC (to mix up Kentucky)
I have tried the Roosterspin in Westfield, NJ near the train station (only once). I didn’t even know there is one in New Brunswick. I thought Roosterspin has really cool atmosphere. Their fried chicken came in really huge drumsticks which I am not used to. A good interesting place overall with a wide range of foods.
I like the KFC at the Hmart food court …Boom Boom is good, I just like the food court better. Bulbap Grill
and Mogo serve a “wetter” glaze both really good. Mogos chicken has a real thick crispy coating and is very flavorful. My familys favorite. Funny thing about Roosterspin…setup and menu is very similar to a couple of restaurants in NYC called Turntable chicken Jazz www.turntablenyc.com Wings there are also very good!
I have two Hmarts within a 5 minute drive from me, both with food courts. Additionally, one of them has a separate food court right next door. I also have 2 Lottes (Lotte is a local Hmart competitor), within 5 minutes, with food courts and one of those also has a separate food court next door. Additonally, there are many, many, many KFC places near me, but I only eat halal meat so I’ve only had KFC at home. Yes, my location has spoiled me for Korean food.
However, none of these places are like what they were 10 years ago when everything was freshly prepared. Now everyone uses pre-made sauces/spices, pre-cut seafood, etc. Many places don’t even serve barley/corn tea anymore. And I can’t understand what happened to the kimbap, almost like it’s made the day before. I miss the old Korean food around Baltimore. It was spectacular. The plus is that the trend got me cooking Korean at home, and now a $10 Hmart run doesn’t turn into a $30 Hmart and food court run.
Until earlier this year, we had a great, unique noodle place at the food court next to one of the HMarts. They moved to another location which is just 5 minutes farther. Sadly, they also expanded the menu so they are not always spot on like they used to be. Speaking of which, just across from there new location is a shop specializing in kimbap. They are expensive now, but at least consistent.
We have many Korean bakeries here, too, both inside Hmart and next to Hmart. Some are chains, others are singular locations. I’m not so happy with these. There are just 4 or 5 items I like, but they are insanely popular. My favorite Korean bakery closed. It was a sad time.
Anyway, great topic. I always wonder what HO and Chowhound folks think of these places.
Since there is, as of now, no Baltimore board. Mind if I ask a question?
I have a wedding there in November and I have one meal free. So far I am thinking of heading to the market as that is the kind of foodie experience I like.
Yes, that is what I mean. Everything we write on here is subjective, of course. There are many small things that detract from the experience. I alluded to freshness and vibrancy above. There are other things, too, such as leaving out ingredients like kosari, which make me remember the good old days.
I’ve vehemently defended Lexington Market on Chowhound years ago, but no more. Either it has declined or I’ve become more picky. Recent press is also very negative. I never had chicken and waffles there, and it’s not really a wander and graze place. In fact, the only thing I would recommend at this time is the crabcake at Faidley’s. Coddies (also at Faidley’s) are a more acquired taste, so I recommend those with reservations. What day of the week will you be making your market trip?
