The Pint-Sized Palate — A Kid’s Take on Food

Ramen Get It

By Churchill Stone

Jeju Noodle Bar, 679 Greenwich Street (at Christopher)

If you walk past Jeju Noodle Bar, you might not notice it on the northeast corner of Christopher and Greenwich streets. Also, the shades are always down, and it looks very private. My dad told me that people think this space might have been an inspiration for the painting Nighthawks by Edward Hopper because it is on a sharp corner with windows on both sides. If you imagine the shades up, it does sort of feel like it could turn into that painting.

It was a Wednesday when my mom took me there after acting camp during spring break (where I was playing Akela in The Jungle Book). At first they tried to seat us near the staircase, which we didn’t want. But then they moved us to a better table next to all of their Michelin plaques from 2019 to 2025 which made it feel more important. This Korean restaurant is small, maybe around 16 tables, and most of them are tiny and for two people. It felt like a place where people go on dates or to Instagram, not really a place for kids. It’s pretty dark inside but there are a lot of hanging lights and glowing bulbs. Each table has a small golden lamp, and the plates have tentacle designs on them (their logo is an octopus). They give you chopsticks and a big spoon for the ramen, not a knife and fork.

One thing that confused me right away: this was a Michelin one-star restaurant, but we had to pour our own Coke? I tried to do it in a fancy way, but it did not go well. Also, they don’t really have kid drinks, just Coke and Diet Coke, which is not very kid-friendly since a lot of parents do not allow their children to drink Coke at all.

We started with the fried chicken, and it was really good. It came in a bucket like KFC, but much fancier. It was crispy and juicy and maybe my favorite thing we had. They served it with yogurt, olive oil, pepper, and Golden Osetra Caviar. I had never had caviar before, so this felt like a big moment. My mom said you’re supposed to put it on the chicken, but I wasn’t so sure about that, so I tried everything separately. Caviar (even if it’s “golden”) is just fish eggs that taste mostly slimy and salty. I liked the chicken best.

Our next appetizer was Gochujang Bokum. It had tiny crunchy potato strands on top that almost looked like pasta. It also had vegetables and some sweet and spicy meat, with rice at the bottom. It was good, but more for grownups.

The menu is small, which I liked because it made it easier to decide. The dishes are meant for sharing, which is good because they are expensive. For example, the fried chicken is three pieces for $35, but you can add one more piece for $5, which actually makes sense if you’re sharing with another person.

Then we got the Gochu Ramyun, which is pork belly ramen. This was my first time having real ramen, not from a package. It was so good. The broth was rich and a little spicy, but not too spicy. There was pork belly, vegetables, and noodles that I could actually eat with chopsticks, which made it more fun. Also, the portion was perfect for two people. Now, I’m a little worried because I loved it so much — but at $25 I don’t know if I can go back for ramen. I was full, but not too full, which I think is the best kind of full.

For dessert, they only have one thing: chocolate soft serve with shaved black truffles on top. Not chocolate truffles, but truffles that grow deep in the ground like mushrooms. They shave them at the table, which is kind of cool, but also a little intense. I tried it — the ice cream was a lot better without the truffles. Maybe it’s fun to eat if you’re an adult, but it’s not a kid-friendly dessert and a little strange.

At Jeju, there were other things that didn’t make sense. We had to ask twice for lime wedges. Then they took away our caviar before we were done with it. And they rushed us in and out, even though there were so many empty tables. At least, the woman who actually served us was very nice.

While we were there, I realized I kind of missed having my sister along, but honestly, this was probably not the best place for her. Still, it was a very interesting place, and if the shades were up, I think it might even feel like you’re sitting inside that painting.

I might go back. But probably still only with a grown up.