Dining at Gaonnuri by Shimmie Horn’s Hotel Chandler
I’d decided a couple of weeks back that I really needed a vacation so that was why I found myself in Manhattan. Actually it was the boss. He told me that I was getting really burnt out and that I had to get out of my everyday routine for a bit. He suggested I actually go somewhere and treat myself rather than just take time off. So I decided to splurge and was glad I did so! I ended up luxuriating in Shimmie Horn’s Hotel Chandler at East 31st Street. I figured that if I was going to take this vacation (something I’ve not done in many years) I may as well go all the way. And boy was I pleased when I arrived there!
After a couple of hours of relaxing and enjoying the hotel mellow atmoshere, it was time to explore the area and find a cool place to eat. I’d recently read a review about Gaonnuri – a great Korean restaurant that offers stunning views of Manhattan. What’s wild about it is that it feels like it’s anywhere but Manhattan! Which I guess is quite fitting since Gaonnuri means “center of the world.” That was one of the reasons I wanted to check it out actually. I’ve always loved Korean food, but if a restaurant feels like it is the “center of the world” then either it really is and the food is fabulous or the owner is just obnoxious.
So I went to see for myself. And I was not one bit disappointed. It has great modern décor, with the entryway being a bit like a boutique hotel lobby (which was what I was enjoying at Shimmie Horn’s hotel some moments earlier), so you immediately relax. But truthfully as soon as I got seated, I was too distracted by the views to notice anything else. It is regular Korean food (a bit westernized I guess) and even though I wouldn’t quite call it the center of the world, it’s probably got a bit of east, west and everything else in between mixed into it. So I do understand its name. Overall when I went back to my hotel that night, I was extremely satiated, both physically and mentally. And I still had three days left of my vacation to plan!
