NYCReview
photo credit: Kate Previte
Olle
Need to have a long discussion with your roommate about whether they should quit their finance job and pursue van life? Or maybe list out the pros and cons of your best friend’s new romantic interest and discuss them at length? It might be time to make a reservation at Olle, a Flatiron restaurant with homestyle Korean food that strikes the delicate balance of serving comfort food in a trendy space.
Olle is dimly lit, but not too dark to read the menu or take a decent photo. It’s nice enough for a special occasion, but it doesn’t require a reservation or planning out a whole outfit. It’s quiet enough to have a conversation, but not so quiet that you can’t hear the hooks of the social media-famous songs playing in the background. Like ambient music, the elegant dining room fades away, allowing you to focus on the food and conversation. All of which makes Olle a great restaurant to land on when you’ve already spent the length of two meals trying to decide where to eat.
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
The unquestionable star of the menu is galbi jjim. It comes out on a giant, sizzling platter and is snipped into pieces tableside. Add a few other dishes—Korean classics, like bossam and naengmyeon—and a bottle or two of something to drink. We especially like the Red Monkey Makgeolli, which is sweet, fruity, and funky, and the dry, bracing Seoul Night Plum Soju.
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
photo credit: Kate Previte
Whether you need to tell your friend that you’re officially vetoing their crush, or are planning to make eyes at someone over a bubbling bowl of gamja tang while picking out names for your future kids, there’s really no wrong time to eat at Olle.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Kate Previte
Galbi Jjim
photo credit: Kate Previte
Bokkeumbab
photo credit: Kate Previte
Bossam
photo credit: Kate Previte
Honguh Jjim
photo credit: Kate Previte
Bibim Naengmyeon
photo credit: Kate Previte
Jang Uh
photo credit: Kate Previte
Gamja Tang
photo credit: Kate Previte
Kimchi Jungol