After dropping DV off for its yearly tune up, The L. and I realized we had not eaten all day. Where to go? Soram just down the road seemed worth a gander. Thanks trusty yelp app!
We were the only customers there as it was rather late, more of a dunching or linnering hour, but the gentleman there, who I think was the owner, while surprised to see us, almost everything decorative was written in Korean only :))), happily sat us and quickly brought over some beyond tasty smoky tea which I think was a roasted rice and tea combo. Anyhoo it was divine... Next time I bring a thermos! ;))))
Luckily for us the menu had English and pictures! ;))) Though three offerings seemed like a safe veggie friendly bet we double checked (so demanding!) and then ordered. While we were waiting for our mains we were brought two dishes of banchan, a spicy crunchy delish Kim chee and its plain but tasteful cousin non spicy cabbage with a crunchy heart of some veggie component, both pale in color and to jazz it up visually a crescent of  whole red hot pepper. It was a gorgeous presentation. (Please look at my pictures and if you know what this is please let me know so I may amend my description).
My BiBimBop was gorgeous to look at. So much so I seemed to have missed the point when the gentleman nicely told me to mix it up. I am a bit of a deconstructionist so this "challenged" me but when in Rome... It did taste better!
The L.'s dish, I forgot the name, was made up of cylindrical rice cakes served with peppers, mushrooms, scallions in a tasty brown sauce and was finished with a sprinkling of black sesame seeds. Not only was this dish appealing to the palate, we usually have those rice sticks elsewhere in a very hot thick red sauce, but it was beautiful to look at, the veggies were fresh with color and the shapes and smell of it was making us even more hungry. :))) (I have since heard this is called Dukboki. Thanks P!)
We were very pleased with all aspects of our visit. The food, service and details like the lovely dishes the food was served in to its clean minimalistic but warm modern decor.
Soram translates to "It may not be much but we hope this dish will bring a smile upon your face." They sure did but I think the saying should also mean "See you, again. Soon!!!!"
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came here with Korean friends which was a big help as the specials were only in Korean. Â The dumplings are amazing and are big enough to be a full meal. Â We had a combination of beef and seafood, and thought everything tasted great. Â Definitely go here if you would like to try something different like jelly acorns (they were actually very good). Â Some of the dishes can be pretty spicy so you may want to check before ordering. Â There was a steady crowd but you can definitely be seated without a reservation. Â Very simple, casual atmosphere.
Review Source:Clean and simple korean place.
"Soram" means something like "this food may not be much but we hope it brings a smile to your face", and that's really the atmosphere.
Simple, humble, and nourishing.
Try the mandu (dumplings) for sure.
I saw 2 ladies in the back hand making these plump little wonderfuls, and the filling was just awesome.
I had the spicy beef and cabbage stew which had a "soft" flavor as my friend put it. Very soothing and comforting.
My friend had the kalgooksu (noodle soup) which also had the same soothing taste.
The water kimchi at the beginning was so fresh and cool and makes your tongue ready for the main dish.
I don't usually wax poetic about my meals, but this one was not just a tummy filling, tastebud pleasing adventure.... it nourished my soul.
Thank you Soram!
Pretty authentic Korean restaurant, and definitely one of the most authentic ones I have been to in New York. They don't have a lot of your run of the mill Korean specialties, but the things they do have are very well prepared and well done. Â REVISED: Excellent kimchi now that I have had it a few times. Â Homemade as well. Dumplings are the size of baseballs and the mixture of meat is very good. High quality, clean, and authentic. Will be returning.
Review Source:Came here on a whim on a Monday afternoon for lunch...
Service: attentive + polite waitress
Ambiance: small restaurant; very clean + simple decor. maybe only 6 tables that seat 4-6 people each.
Food: Dumplings - They were good bec. I know they were fresh and made from scratch (i saw them wrap it!), however,  I can see how some people might think it was flavorless + bland like my boyf thought it was. However, it  was good w/the soy/jalapeno sauce.
Mushrooms wrapped in Kalbi - one word...YUMMMMY!!!!!!!!!
Dumplings in Soup - Soup doesn't taste like anything, even if you put hot sauce in it, it was still too diluted for my tastes. Â
Not the place to go if you like options. There are only about 12 choices of entree on this menu, so your options are pretty limited.
I second what S.L. said below me...This is not your typical Korean restaurant.
I took my parents for dinner...and we were all pleasantly surprised at how delicious and authentic the dishes were...
simply the best dumplings i've ever had...hands down...
these are a "must" if you go...
(i had the dumplings in the house broth...)
the broth was also fantastic....
the main dishes are family style...
the stir-fried rice cakes were flavorful and sweet...
we had the green pea jelly salad dish which I've never seen offered before at a Korean restaurant...just loved it, simple and straight forward~
the place is a gem....the dishes really had that 'home-made' taste that other Korean joints lack..
Went to this place after one of close friend's recommendation and it was simply one of the best Korean dumplings(mandoo) I ever had. The waitress said they make them fresh everyday. There weren't too many items on the menu as it was a small place, but everything we tried was very good and clean. Very different from typical Korean places in K-Town.
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