Koreatown, NYC :

Cook-It-Yourself Korean Food
Widely considered to be among the city’s best Korean restaurants, Madangsui focuses on barbeque. On typical evenings, you’ll see crowds of friends packing tables inside the long, minimally decorated space. They come for the do-it-yourself ethos; diners cook thinly sliced pork belly and boneless beef short ribs on tableside gas grills, before wrapping up the delectably juicy meat in fresh lettuce leaves. Each entrée comes with unlimited refills of banchan, which are Korean side dishes, such as kimchi (fermented cabbage) and crisp bean sprouts. While you’re here, nosh on grilled goodies, but plan on repeat visits – this will allow you time to sample the selection of traditional Korean dishes like yook-hwe, shredded raw beef dressed in sesame oil and egg yolk. Madangsui is located at 35 West 35th Street. Call (212) 564-9333 for reservations.

Cozy Korean Comfort Food
If you’re in the mood for a more intimate scene, head to Kunjip, a barbeque and Korean comfort food mainstay located at 9 West 32nd Street. Compact and comfy, this restaurant offers a slew of soothing soups and casseroles, including the aromatic beef soup sulungtang. While there on a blustery January day, I tucked into budae chigae, a generous stew filled with three types of meat—beef, sausage and bacon—as well as onions and peppers in a delicately spicy red sauce that’s flavored with kimchi. On a second visit, I made sure to try the highly lauded Bibimbob, which is served in a hot cast iron bowl. Beneath a raw egg yolk (which is meant to be broken and mixed in with the steaming contents), you’ll see sticky rice and ground beef, sharing space with a colorful mix of steamed vegetables. Be sure to pace yourself, as this dish is so aesthetically enticing that you may rush to devour it and miss out on the subtle flavor combinations. Between bites, try the side dish of bean curd casserole, known as deonjang chige.

Koreatown’s Handmade Dumplings
Mandoo, the Korean word for dumplings, are made to perfection at Mandoo Bar, at 2 West 32nd Street in Koreatown. Lunchtime is quite busy inside this bright and unassuming café, decorated with simple wooden tables and a neon green wall. Join the crowds inside, or take your dumplings to go – consider walking 10 blocks south to Madison Square Park. If you stay, watch the black-clad servers as they maneuver between tables, delivering plates of multicolored dumplings filled with a variety of savory options: pickled radish and cabbage, pork or vegetables. The mandoo come steamed or fried, and you can watch these tiny masterpieces being handmade by women in the front of the café. A front window also affords passersby a glimpse of the dumpling action.

The Tastiest Koreatown Noodles
Shanghai Mong may resemble a fun house, with small mirrors dotting the walls, red lamps and bubbly pop music on the stereo. But when it comes to noodles, this place is seriously good. The most popular dish is Jajang Myun, a generous bowl of long, thin noodles with thick black bean sauce. Shanghai Mong serves Chinese-Korean fusion, which amounts to a varied menu of familiar sweet and sour and Szechuan-style dishes, as well as unusual items like sea cucumber and shark’s fin. An added bonus: several lunch specials are less than $10, and sweet, colorful Bubble Teas are available for a refreshing dessert. Shanghai Mong is located at 30 West 32nd Street.

Frozen Treats
There are other frozen yogurt chains in the vicinity, but Crazy Bananas was the first on the Koreatown scene, serving cups of lip-puckering plain and flavored yogurt topped with fresh fruit, nuts and cereals. Cozy inside, the cafe is decorated with ornate red wallpaper illuminated by a simple chandelier and a large front window.  Cafe tables and bar seats with street views, plus Wi-Fi access and numerous coffee drinks encourage lingering guests. Crazy Bananas also serves pastries, from brioche to chocolate chip cookies, as well as freshly squeezed juices and fruit smoothies. Visit the yogurt haven at 315 Fifth Avenue at 32nd Street.
 

Secret Spa
Tucked away on the fifth floor of an unassuming building smack dab in Koreatown, Juvenex Spa is not to be missed. Prepare to be pampered in soaking ponds filled with soothing ginseng and sake, before fully detoxifying in the glamorous igloo-shaped sauna constructed from semiprecious jade. If you have a special event coming up, try the Korean Salt Glow Scrub – you’ll leave radiant and relaxed, and may just rub elbows with Broadway performers who often flock here after work. Juvenex spa, located at 25 West 32nd Street, is open 24 hours.