39 K Food — Restaurant in New York

I feel very conflicted about posting this as this is a small Asian owned business but would hate for others to go without seeing my review.

I got a sandwich and the soon dobu stew which Heidi prepared. She was very nice but there were a few things about my experience I didn’t feel comfortable with. She asked if she could add various things to the stew and sandwich as she was preparing. I at first did not realize that everything she asked about adding would be at an extra charge. I only realized as she checked me out and added all the add on costs about halfway through her already preparing the food. There’s also a sign behind the register noting a free can of soda with sandwiches between the hours of 1-5pm. I grabbed a can of soda per the sign but when ringing me up she asked if I was also getting the soda I placed on the counter to charge me for it. I asked her if it wasn’t included which is when she told me I could just take it.

Also halfway through her preparing the food, there started to be a very unpleasant/rancid smell. Multiple people who walked in while I was waiting immediately left, commenting on the smell and even one person noting “I’m gonna throw up”. This made me hesitant about trying the food I paid and waited a decent amount of time for. I wanted to leave before my food was ready but decided to stick it out as I had already paid. I’m unsure if there was a plumbing issue or what was going on, but shouldn’t they have turned me away if they were not in the best sanitary position? After smelling it when I got home, I did not notice that the food had the same smell so I could infer that the food was not the source of the smell. I still gave it a try hoping they could redeem themselves. I also did not want to be wasteful as I paid almost $40 for the two items.

The sandwich and soup did taste okay but i also want to note that the soon dubu is probably not what most people expect. I got beef and egg in mine. Typically I expect tofu, beef, onions, and egg to be the only things in soon dubu but this version contained carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, zucchini, cucumber, bell peppers, burdock root, and (maybe) ginger. It tasted fine but it definitely did not taste like soon dubu and the mishmash of all these different ingredients altered the expected flavor.

I most likely will not be ordering food from this...

I had a strong craving for a Philly Cheese Steak, but I wasn’t in the mood to head uptown for one. After spotting it on the menu at 39K Food Organic Deli and Kimchi, I decided to give it a try, hoping it would satisfy my appetite. Upon entering the deli, I was greeted by a very friendly lady who identified herself as the cook. Curious about the quality of the Philly Cheese Steak, I asked her if it was good, and she confidently assured me that it was one of their best offerings.

However, as our conversation continued, it became evident that she wasn’t particularly familiar with the specific sandwich listed on the menu. Instead of the Philly Cheese Steak, she recommended a Bulgogi Beef with Cheese Sandwich, claiming it was similar in style and flavor. Trusting her recommendation, I decided to give it a shot, even though I was hoping for the original choice.

When I arrived home in Brooklyn, I was taken aback by its appearance. The Bulgogi Beef was kind of thin between the bread, but first bites revealed a major issue: it was overwhelmingly salty. I could barely taste anything beyond the intense saltiness, and to my disappointment, the sandwich was devoid of any cheese—something I had expected, considering the name and my appetite for a Philly Cheese Steak.

Regrettably, I couldn’t enjoy the sandwich at all and ultimately had to discard it. It felt like a waste not only of my money, which totaled $17.30, but also of my time and appetite. Looking back, I wish I had sought out a different Deli that could have delivered a more satisfying dining experience. I would strongly advise against ordering the Bulgogi Beef Sandwich instead of the Philly Cheese Steak at 39K Food...; it simply wasn’t a good choice...

When you come into the store and stand in front of the counter the people working there often don't notice you. They are off to the side preparing food. You could be standing there for 2 minutes waiting to buy something and nobody comes. This happens a lot. You can get get their attention by saying "excuse me, hello" or you can go to the deli across the street where if you are at the counter you get instant attention. Also, they have an awning that says in big letters "39 K FOOD ORGANIC DELI AND KIMCHI" Yet they have absolutely nothing on their menu that is organic. People who buy organic food are serious about it. It is not some ambiguous marketing term without meaning. Most food in supermarkets is not organic. Organic means food grown without synthetic (human-made) pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. The food must also be free of artificial food additives. This includes artificial , preservatives, coloring, flavoring. If you look at their menu is mainly American deli food, cold cut sandwiches, burgers, Philly cheese steak, chicken salad, French fries, etc. There is not even any pretense of healthy items, virtually nothing even vegetarian. They also have a Korean menu, again, absolutely nothing organic on their Korean menu either. The owners of the store have no idea what "organic" means and are just exploiting and misusing the word as advertising. I don't see this going on in other stores in New York. I had sent them a letter about this a long time ago when they were at their old location across the street and printed the word "organic" at the top of their menu....