The Stern Opportunity

Je Yook Gui at 8 St. Kitchen

Sometimes I forget that I'm a poor student with no income. This especially happens when I'm browsing menus trying to find a place to eat dinner. Dollar amounts tend to fade into the background as I get seduced by various things slathered in butter or covered in bacon. So this week I made an effort to be budget conscious in my search for places to eat, and I looked for restaurants that hit the student trifecta: cheap, good, and close to school.

My first stop was 8 St. Kitchen in the West Village at 22 W. 8th Street near 6th avenue. 8 St. Kitchen offers authentic small plate Korean dishes at a reasonable price. The restaurant opened in early November and is a pretty good-sized space so you won't have to worry about fighting the crowds just yet.

We ordered three dishes for 2 people, which was about enough to leave us comfortably full. To start we had the Hae Mool Pa Jon (The names of the dishes are all in Korean on the menu, with English descriptions) which is a pan-fried seafood pancake with squid, shellfish and green onions. The pancake was crispy but light and not greasy at all. After that we had the Jap Chae, wok-fried glass noodles with carrots, onions, and shiitake mushrooms. Despite having no meat, the dish was both flavorful and fulfilling. For the meat dish we ordered the Je Yook Gui, thin sliced pork-belly marinated with pepper sauce. The pork was very tender with a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. Overall everything was well cooked, fresh, and surprisingly light. Total cost of the meal for two people was about $35. I would definitely go back again, especially to get an extra dose of some much needed vegetables. Right now 8 St. Kitchen only offers dinner, but they will be adding lunch service in the future.

On the east side of the KMC I stopped by the Mermaid Inn, at 96 2nd Avenue between 5th and 6th Streets. Seafood is the specialty here, with a raw bar featuring a variety of oysters on the half shell, and various sea-based entrees priced at around $20-$25. I chose to go with the Blue Plate Special, which is available every night from 5:30-7:00. It includes a lobster sandwich, Old Bay French fries, and a Blue Point beer for $20. The lobster sandwich is served on a nicely buttered brioche bun, but I found the filling to be a little heavy on the mayo. Still, there's enough lobster to make it a satisfying meal. The fries are skinny fries seasoned with Old Bay. They weren't bad but I could have done without the seasoning. Basically it wasn't the best lobster roll I've ever had but it was still definitely a satisfying meal, and you can't argue with lobster and a beer for $20.

So if you are looking for a good meal after a hard day's work at the KMC, don't always settle for the Golden Arches or football sized burritos. Try one of the affordable and high quality restaurants within walking distance of school.

Article Tools