Remember Ambrosia, that generic deli on 45th street that we once said had the best bibimbap in Midtown? Then, there was talk of a decline in quality and they raised their prices out of ML range, so we sort of stopped writing about it. Well, I’d like to bring it back, and here’s why…
I can’t really explain why I went back the other day. But, I did, and was totally surprised to find that the Bibimbap is now $7.95 plus tax — welcome back to ML range! Sadly, the Dolsot Bibimbap (served in a hot stone bowl and looked amazing), is still over the ML limit- but beggars can’t be choosers. I ordered the special of the day with beef, and it was extremely reasonable.
In the above picture, you wouldn’t know I ordered a dish with beef, because the soft-cooked egg completely covered it, but if I had to guess, the amount of meat was a descent amount but definitely less than the size of my fist. The Bibimbap itself looked pretty similar to this shot from August, 2007, and didn’t have the egg strips that drove people way in 2008. In fact, the egg was perfectly runny, much to my delight. In terms of banchan, some of the containers have actually grown in size, but the amount in each container is definitely uneven. I got more beansprouts than I wanted to eat, but I would have loved more marinated tofu strips.
I wouldn’t by any means go crazy and immediately re-crown this the best bibimbap in the area — in fact, I’m not even sure whose dish would earn that title these days — but Ambrosia has begun to redeem itself in my book. Pricing themselves back as a Midtown Lunch is an obvious attraction. In fact, their Korean menu now includes a surprising number of options under $10 that I may return to try.
Ambrosia, 45th St. (btw. 5+6th)
