Autumn in New York Delicatessen

Location:  Behind the Hamilton Hotel. Itaewon exit 2, take the first left, turn right at the dead end and it will be on your left past The Crow's Nest and Superhero Coffee.  Phone:  02-794-6888

Ambiance:  The restaurant is nicely decorated and lit, making it very inviting. The music matches the setting except that it is overly loud such that you must yell at your guest and the waiter in order to be heard.

Food:  The menu and food are good, although not well thought out in terms of details. They have great breakfast items including pancakes, french toast and egg skillets (think Denny's) and specialize in pastrami. The french toast, with and without almonds, was very good and similar to what you would expect from an American-style diner.  

The problem came with pairing, as it is served with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy, which are good in their own right, but fail to compliment french toast.  The mashed potatoes are the default side, though there are two other menu options: one with scrambled eggs and one with bacon. This is a Korean-style restaurant in the sense that you cannot substitute or change the menu. I say this because I tried to order the French Toast and Scrambled Eggs plate with eggs over-easy instead, impossible. Not an actual problem, but good to know.

The Open Pastrami Sandwich (name?) actually comes with a full plate of sides, including toast if you want to make a sandwich. Note, they also have a pastrami sandwich option. Table side condiments include ketchup, mustard, salt and pepper, but there was no mayonnaise in the restaurant (we asked). My friend who actually ordered the pastrami suggested that a horse radish and mayonnaise sauce would go nicely, as it was a bit dry and the mustard wasn't quite the right match.  

Overall you will receive a tasty meal for a decent price., though it seems they fail to understand how to put their foods together and perhaps they simply paid for a pre-planned menu. 

Won:  11 - 20,000 per person (including drink)