It usually takes a bit of motivation to make it to Allston coming from South Campus. However, me and my roommate Joe decided to leave the comforts of Audubon Circle and make the treacherous ‘- possibly life-threatening – journey into the bowels of 02134 to sample Korean treats at Myung Dong 1st Ave, a new Korean restaurant on Harvard Ave.
‘ ‘ ‘ Although there isn’t usually anything exciting about a new ethnic restaurant in Allston, Myung Dong specializes in Soju, a light sake-like drink that is mixed with different nectars and juices to give itself more of an authentic Korean dive vibe.
‘ ‘ ‘ A timid but friendly waitress hosted my Joe and I to our seats in the spacious dining room, painted a bright green with the restaurant’s name spray-painted towards the back, named for one of the busiest shopping districts in Seoul. The d’eacute;cor lends a cool, urban feel ‘- a great place for a casual date or a group of foodie buddies to discuss the merits of kimchi.
‘ ‘ ‘ The extensive menu with hand-made doodles on the cover offers classic Korean fare such as tripe soup and American favorites like teriyaki. We shared the stir-fried rice cake with mixed vegetables as an appetizer, which came in a spicy, tomato-based sauce and a medley of salads, including cabbage, kelp and saut’eacute;ed mushroom.
‘ ‘ ‘ The Peach Soju, a sweet but not cloying cocktail, neutralized the heat of the dish and helped cut the spice of both the kimchi salads and the sariachi sauce. Pear, cucumber and watermelon (served in a carved out melon) were also on the menu, as was a Soju Yogurt cocktail in either strawberry or peach.
‘ ‘ ‘ Miso soup came with our dinners ‘- the fresh scallions and flavorful fish broth was a nice escape from the world of blas’eacute; broth we’re all too used to.
‘ ‘ ‘ I ordered the ox-blood soup with blood sausage and pieces of paper-thin beef. It was really spectacular ‘- blood sausage has a tendency to be overwhelming, but the masses of cabbage and the lightly-salted soup complemented the strong flavors. My other entr’eacute;e (note: fatty) was a spicy octopus dish with vermicelli noodles. The spice was just right, not overpowering the protein but infusing the octopus with enough flavor to not be jarring.
‘ ‘ ‘ Joe is on a secret diet, so he ordered the salad with seared beef and easy-over egg. The runny yolk played the part of a dressing, mixed in with the cabbage and carrots.
‘ ‘ ‘ For three entrees, an appetizer and a pitcher of Soju, the dinner cost us $70 ‘- not bad for a night out and enough left-overs to make a spicy octo-omelette tomorrow morning.
‘ ‘ ‘ Myung Dong is definitely worth checking out, especially if you find yourself on Harvard Ave., scratching your scalp trying to figure out which Korean place is worth a shot.
‘ ‘ ‘ Be sure to stop by Myung Dong weekdays from 5-7 for their ‘after school’ special ‘- dishes only will run you 8-11 dollars. And hey ‘- it’s happy hour.
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