To learn more about the art of bibimbap, we’ll be visiting various restaurants to try different interpretations of this classic Korean dish. We’ll post our thoughts and photos after each visit.

Restaurant: Gahm Mi Ok
Location: 43 W 32nd St, New York, NY 10001

What We Ordered: Bibimbap

Toppings: seaweed, zucchini, shittake mushrooms, carrots, burdock weed, acorn jelly, ground beef, spinach, bean sprouts, red pepper leaves, cooked egg strips, black sesame seeds (all toppings were seasoned)

Rice: white seasoned with sesame oil

Our Thoughts: The rice to toppings ratio was very good this time, with a generous amount of toppings for each spoonful. We missed the sizzling stone pot hotness of a Gobdol Bibimbap, and for $11.95, we felt overcharged for the unheated fare. The rice was lukewarm at best and with strips of fully cooked egg, the mixing wasn’t as smooth as it would have been with a raw or yolky egg. It was nice to see the acorn jelly strips (especially its texture) in the mix although its presence was easily lost amid more powerful flavors. The red pepper leaves, however, were well-seasoned and present in each bite. Once again, the ground up beef was flimsy and easily lost in the mix. The seasoning of almost every topping made us yearn for a bit of untouched freshness in the dish.