On the Table – Seohyeon

One should never live too far from a decent food court. Fortunately in Korea, that’s not something you have to worry about. I love On the Table for nights where we’re feeling indecisive or when the group can’t agree on a type of cuisine.

I guess I also like being able to get a side of wings and an oatmeal stout with my pad thai.

Korean, spare ribs, bibimbap

The veggie bibimbap was excellent and the spare ribs were incredibly spicy and tender.

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Burgers, Fries, Wings

Really good burgers. Seasoned patty, spicy sauce, plenty of cheese, salty bacon and a soft fresh bun. Eric thinks that out of all the burgers in the area, Brooklyn has the best quality meat and the some of the better topping options.

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Sandwiches, salads, fresh fruit juice, tea

Try the camembert panini. Decent bread and great cheese topped with honey and sliced almonds – almost more of a dessert than a meal.

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Korean, stir fry

I have yet to try this place. The spicy stir fry looks tasty.

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BATTERY PARK

Pasta, Sangria

The pasta’s pre-cooked, but the sauces are good. The sangria is very sweet.

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Chinese, fried rice, sweet & sour

Yummy Korean-style Chinese food – the fried rice was fresh and the sweet and sour pork was crunchy and a bit more sour than sweet, but still quite enjoyable.

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Japanese, donkatsu

Another I haven’t yet tried – this place is mostly donkatsu.

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Japanese, udon, donkatsu

The udon is just ok, but the bento boxes are a good deal for the price. The beef was cooked very well.

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Pancakes, waffles, omelettes

The pancakes had a re-heated texture, but the toppings were good – syrup, strawberry sauce, and extra sweet cream.

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Fruit bingsu

I haven’t tried this yet either, but looks to be pretty straight-forward version of the popular dessert.

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Steak sandwiches, wings, fries

I love their cheese steak with provolone – tasty beef, melty cheese, and sauteed onions, mushrooms and peppers on a soft Italian bread bun. The wings are also pretty decent.

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Tempura, fried food

I haven’t gotten to this place yet, either. The window is full of pre-fried tempura style offerings.

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Burritos, nachos, tacos, margaritas

Mediocre Mexican food – light on meat, heavy on lettuce, and everything seems to be served colder than it should be. Ok for a burrito fix, but don’t expect greatness.

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Fried rice, noodles

Perfect take-out level noodles and rice. If the menu says spicy, they really mean it – my favorite is the delicious burn-your-mouth Thai rice. Don’t let the gimicky box presentation fool you – the food is much better than the serving vessel would imply.

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Most, if not all these places are chains, but don’t let that deter you. Despite the cafeteria style seating, you can find some really good food here.

Sa Wat Dee Thai – Osan AB/Pyeongtaek

Shinjang shopping mall is right outside the south gate of Osan air base. Like any neighborhood that caters to a military base, it’s crowded, and full of cheap goods and English friendly menus. You won’t get life changing cuisine here – instead, you get good ole gut-busting American style junk food of all types.

Sa Wat Dee Thai is to authentic Thai food what Panda Express is to authentic Chinese. It’s the Western take out ideal. It’s not haute cuisine, but sometimes you don’t want a fancy meal – what you need is a tall Thai iced tea with heavy cream and mediocre but yummy American style Thai.

The fresh rolls were not only cooked, but full of glass noodles and covered in a thick, overly sweet sauce. Not at all what we were expecting, but I’m not one to look a noodle-horse in the mouth.

The chicken pad thai was spicy and full of peanut sauce flavor. It was a solid and satisfying binge meal – plenty of meat and egg in a sauce that slow burned and noodles that were slick and tasty.

The curry was heavy in sweet cocunut and spice, and while not a sophisticated or palate-challenging dish, it certainly satisfied my inner fat kid.

Don’t go to this restaurant expecting the best food you’ve ever had – go when you miss that Thai you had in your old, small-town neighborhood joint. Sometimes you just crave cheap take-out quality food, and Sa Wat Dee Thai fits the bill nicely.