E-MO KIMBAP.

Alright, so the pickle diet thing didn't really work out. But I managed to not eat out for the entire first half of the week!!! That's honestly a pretty big step for me. During that time period, I developed the absolute CRAZIEST craving for sushi. Like you have no idea. So...even though I told myself I wasn't going to eat out for dinner...I didn't tell myself I couldn't go all out during LUNCH. Lunch for me is about an $8-10 affair anyways - and I usually get the same old salad everyday (despite all the different things I eat, I am still very much a person of habit). So I thought- why not use that $10, and put it towards something ELSE to prevent myself from sitting at home and crying every evening while I spoon cereal over a bowl of Greek yogurt.

The cheapest food you can find in the city is usually of the Asian variety. I work a block away from the small Koreatown strip on 32nd street between 5th Avenue and Broadway. Usually I think of Korean fare as a bit too heavy for lunch time, but there are actually a lot of cheap lunch options that don't leave you in a food coma by 2pm.


E-mo is a literal hole in the wall joint that serves up freshly made rolls of kimbap - aka Korean sushi. The two-man line-up in the back works quickly and efficiently to assemble a variety of kimbaps for hungry lunchers, made-to-order.


Each 12-piece roll, ranging from $5.50-$6, also comes with a small bowl of warm soup (WOW). I ordered the Spicy Tuna Kimbap - which is made from canned tuna that is mixed with a spicy mayo. Even though I was impressed with the amount of food that faced me when I got back to my desk...I wasn't entirely blown away. Despite the hot feeling each piece leaves in your mouth after consumption, the roll is actually quite bland in flavor.


Of course I couldn't go to E-mo without trying two different kinds of rolls (hi fatty)...and good thing I did, because I liked the Kimchee Kimbap a LOT more, which was surprising!!! The kimchee gave the roll a ton more flavor and the kick that the Spicy Tuna roll really needed. Maybe next time I should ask if they can make me a Spicy Tuna Kimchee Kimbap!!

While it didn't really satisfy my craving for sushi (the kimbap rice is flavored with sesame oil rather than vinegar...which I think makes a HUGE difference), I would definitely recommend E-mo for a quick snack or light lunch (unless you buy two rolls like me ::embarrassing::).