Yeah, yeah, I’m supposed to write about games here and nothing else, I know, I know. But, sometimes you just HAVE to blab to anyone within shouting distance about something else that knocks your socks off from the first time you experience it.  Finding cheap, good food in New York City isn’t impossible unless you’re determined to make your trip here as pricey as can be because you think it’s SUPPOSED to be expensive. Silly rabbit – avoid that trap and poke around for all sorts of deals, I say. Woorijip appeals to me for a few reasons: it’s got a nicely priced selection of hot and cold Korean meals, you can get some decent alcohol to go with your meal (if you like) and the noodle bar in the back whips mean and spicy bowls of soup for an ridiculously cheap price while you wait…

Some people go there for the VERY tempting hot buffet, but I say many of those people are real suckers. At $6.99 a pound, the average American fat ass tourist type will probably be griping about their fat tab here if they pick out a portion size they’d normally scarf down at home. The trick is to go for the prepared meals in the hot boxes to the left of the buffet, grab something tasty for between $3.50 and up (you get a free soup or salad with certain items or combos of items) pay up and hoof it to a seat before the place fills up. As for drink choices, if none of the huge selection of common to obscure beverages thrills you, go for the free filtered water in the big canteen near the noodle bar (knocking off that soda for a day won’t kill you, y’know?), then tuck in and enjoy your meal. I had the spicy/crispy garlic chicken over rice (nicely spicy, but not TOO spicy), a salad (that vinegary dressing’s got a tangy kick to it) plus a cup of refreshing water all for under $6 with tax and nearly needed a nap afterward.

Sure, the place can be overwhelming at first, gets jam-packed quickly at certain times and I’d imagine dropping by too late at night means you’ll probably miss out on the noodle bar’s $7 bowl of spicy pork and tofu soup (with kimchi, a fried egg and pickled veggies on the side) and some other goodies. On the other hand, it’s hard to pass up a place that has cheap eats that are worth trying even if you can’t pronounce the names correctly plus surveys you can fill out and drop in a box with the hope of scoring $20 of that free food you can’t pronounce (but will keep coming back for even if you don’t win). I’d always passed by Woorijip on the way to some press events, but it looks as if I just may be dropping by more often when I’m in the mood for some decent K-food and don’t mind a poke in the ribs from a fellow cheap-eater…