Review by Aniesia Williams
On Sunday, September 25th the East Village phenomenon Mono + Mono will celebrate it’s one year anniversary. Heed has a full review of this swanky hot spot in its Fall issue set to release October 10th. During the interim check out a few of the delicious dishes we sampled while we were there.
Vinyl & chicken wings?! A match made in heaven as the scent of Korean food and the sound of jazz floated throughout the atmosphere. That was my thought as we experienced it for ourselves at Mono + Mono in the East Village. As we dined and interviewed Chef Myung J. Chung, we found the winning combination of a vast record collection and Korean fried chicken has given the Chef a mission: to give customers a place to break barriers…by using chicken & music. Chef Chung has always held jazz in a high regard, and knew eventually he’d find himself in the music scene. What was so fascinating was that he expressed seeing music first and then hearing it – living out every moment that he heard vinyl played. His personal music/jazz collection (which is over 150,000 records) attests to his passion, and it’s showcased within the walls (and the sounds) of the restaurant.
But there’s more to Mono+Mono than just music and chicken. Not to sidestep the monarch Mono+Mono Fried Chicken, we sampled several dishes and, I must say, they were equally divine. Here are some of the dishes that were sampled and we encourage you to try something outside the box the next time you go and visit. The piano, vinyl records, and jazz are waiting for you. It made us feel right at home and we know it will do the same for you.
Foie Gras Meat Ball
(Crispy beef meat ball is stuffed with foie gras in strawberry sauce and house raspberry compote with ginger jelly.):
Potato is a bit sweet but the foie gras doesn’t overpower the potato. The texture is beautiful with the potato chip. ~ Must Try
Infused Soje samples: Grapefruit, apple, pomegranate, fresh mint
Mung Bean Pancake (Jeon) Sampler
(pan-fried Korean pancake of freshly ground green beans topped with bean sprouts, scallion, garlic and sesame oil)
1 of each flavor — plain, Kimchi, bulgogi
The cakes have been seasoned enough that it’s palatable for those who aren’t accustomed to the standard flavor.
Regular Pancake (Jeon) Sampler
(pan-fried Korean pancake)
2 of each flavor – pepper, squash, fish, and shrimp.
Slightly crispy with a melody of vegetables and seafood. Soy ginger pronouces the flavor profile well.
Creole Calamari & Asparagus
Smooth sambal sauce. A fiery pepper relish oil. The roe appears as a deep dimension to the overall dish.
Dduk Gaibi Skewer
(Marinated beef galbi with rice cake on sticks.)
High quality beef, gently seasoned. Soy brings out the natural season of the beef. Rice cake is crunchy and sticky internally. The sweetness of the rice cake adds to the flavor of the beef.
Photography © Walker Esner for Heed Magazine Inc. 2011
