I was in NYC over the weekend only for one night with our son and his roommate and they really wanted me to try this new place they found in their 'hood, which was 2 blocks from my hotel to boot. C AS IN CHARLIE is simple with a crammed feeling inside and there were folks spilling out onto the curb as well with outdoor seating! We had been told that for three people we were allotted 90 minutes, and this is not my favorite approach, but the food is so good and service very good that it does work, provided everyone arrives on time!
Our server Kyle brought us small tastes of complimentary sake that was woody in flavor and fun, but we ordered a bottle of Niwa No Uguisu 60 ("Garden's Nightingale") a superb Junmai Gingo with a hint of spice and beautifully smooth.
I think Sam likes this place because there are many veggie options, but the menu is hugely varied and all over the place. The restaurant was apparently started by Koreans who were trying to raise money to pay for school, and as the letter "c" was very hard for them to pronounce, they chose it for the name of the restaurant!
We each ordered a couple of plates as everything is shareable, like tapas. The Fluke Ceviche with Clementine, Leche de Tigre pickled tomato, chili oil and micro cilantro was as good as ceviche gets and full of flavor with great spiciness. The Popcorn Chicken was a revelation served in a popcorn box and perfectly fried nuggets with a spicy killer Gochujang Glaze! It was indeed irresistible!
Sam had the Corn-Y-Salad with corn relish and Gem lettuce with pecorino cheese and it was indeed delicious, but not super exciting. He also had the Green Tomato Hot Pocket filled with Mozzarella and Basil with a Balsamic Soy dipping sauce which he loved.
He also ordered the amazing Potato Nuggets with Truffle Mayo!
Seoul's Bury Steak was a fun name for a ground beef patty which sat on Gruyere Grits with Galbi Jus. The burger was okay, the grits were divine!
Oxbone Pasta was another revelation with spaghetti meeting bacon and scallions in a carbonara-like preparation that was loaded with flavor. Kyle explained that this was a take on a Korean dish, but that the ingredients were not found when the folks came here, so pasta was used instead! This, along with the chicken and ceviche were my faves. The Mushroom Bibimbap was made with Hen of the Woods Mushrooms and had a Shimeji egg on top and while it was good, it needed more spice or kick.
We loved the place, the food, the fun and then came the little "scratch book" that came with the check where they asked you to write whatever you want. Check out my FB photos as there are some really great sketches I took pics of.
How lucky Sam is to have this place only 10 minutes from his apartment.
