NYC – Haenyeo in Park Slope – Tasty food and good cocktails

Park Slope in ​​Brooklyn has a great selection of restaurants, so when Sue and I were planning our night out last month, we decided to go to Haenyeo, which is one of her old favorites in that area. On the subway, on my way to Haenyeo, there was a signal error, so I was late. I ran the short stretch from Union St. station, and got to the restaurant 10 minutes late, and rather short of breath.

Haenyeo is a Korean restaurant with an interesting mix of traditional Korean dishes and modern Korean food side by side in the menu. Even though it was just an ordinary Tuesday, the restaurant was completely full that evening. Haenyeo is known for good cocktails, so Sue suggested that I tried her favorite, The Squid and the Whale, with shochu, egg white and sesame oil. It may sound like a weird mix, but it was really good.

Sue also suggested that we ordered the grilled oysters with seaweed butter on brioche toast. It is one of Haenyeo’s signature dishes, and it was amazing. I usually prefer to eat oysters raw, but the grilled ones at Haenyeo were excellent. I was in the mood for kimchi chigae, which is a traditional Korean soup with kimchi and tofu, and which Haenyeo made to perfection.

When I was younger, a night out often meant dinner at a restaurant, followed by drinks at a bar and then clubbing until the wee hours, but now when I’m older, I prefer to stay at the same place the entire evening. I also don’t want to stay out too late, so a late dinner at a restaurant like Haenyeo, which also serves good cocktails, is a perfect night out for me.

Haenyeo, 239 Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn, New York