Posts Tagged ‘illustration’

Restaurant Review: Beatnic – West Village

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022

College midterms are full of papers, tests, group projects and, if you’re like me, countless painstaking drawing and painting assignments. Now that they’re over though, I feel comfortable enough to reflect on them without any of the immediately impending stress. 500 dollar loan. Usually I’m the kind of person who considers myself good at staying on top of my diet. Moving out of my home and living on my own in the city starting at seventeen I have found it important to make sure to balance my food and make sure that I’m eating enough of the right things. Still, when midterms roll around I always find myself falling back into some old, less healthy habits. Thus, I’m glad that I recently had the opportunity to visit Beatnic, a vegan restaurant in the West Village that offers deliciously healthy food. The inside was super spacious, and gave us a good view of the streets outside. I don’t live close to the West Village, but my friend, Adrienne, does and she pointed out some shops and told me some stories about it while we ate.

Interior of Beatnic

Catching up with friends after weeks of stressing out over work is nice, and getting food with them is even better. The first item we ordered came highly recommended, and is definitely one of the things here I’m most excited about. Beatnic has an item called Chicky Dippers, which is obviously a spin on your typical chicken tender, but made completely vegan. Just based on first impressions, the two look similar. The Chicky Dippers have that same kind of elongated, round shape and a fine breading coating on them that looks like it has a nice crunch. Much like the outer appearance, the first bite does not disappoint. The taste is more or less what I expected. It’s honestly quite similar to chicken tenders, but it has a unique texture that highlight’s its ingredients. It also comes with a nice dipping sauce on the side that definitely adds some extra flavor. Overall, this item went beyond my expectations and I was really happy with it. I feel like it’s the kind of thing you might like if you’ve gone vegan but miss some of the old classics, or even if you eat meat but are looking for a healthier option to the deep fried chicken options you find elsewhere.

For the main part of the meal, I went with a salad. Pretty classic. The one I ordered is Beatnic’s popular Quinoa Taco Salad which had a perfect combination of ingredients. Honestly, I probably haven’t put this much greenery in my body since before midterms, so it felt like the right move for me. The base of the salad is, of course, lettuce, but there’s a wide range of other ingredients and also a great dressing to top it off. As someone who lives off tortillas, my favorite part was the taco component; they added a wonderful, crunchy selection of colorful tortilla chips that really made the salad for me. There was also a healthy portion of avocado on one side. Personally, I eat almost everything, but I tend to avoid avocados when I can. However, I’m probably pretty isolated in my dislike, so it was easy to remove them from my salad and pawn them off to Adrienne, who I guess is a big fan. I did have to play it careful with my tomatoes though. We both love them so I had to keep an eye out and make sure she didn’t try and make any moves.

Breakdown of Beatnic’s Quinoa Taco Salad

Adrienne gets a bit more adventurous with her order by trying one of their vegetable burgers. The Guac Burger is another popular item at Beatnic, and I can see why. Again there’s a lot of levels and flavors at play. The base burger is made from black bean, mushroom, and brown rice. It’s really incredible to see how all those ingredients can come together and make something so cohesive and delicious. The toppings also work really well with the burger. On it there’s classics like lettuce, tomato, onion etc. and then some fun items like the taco chips from before and guacamole. It tastes just as good as any other burger out there in its own, unique way and also leaves you feeling much better afterwards. No heavy ingredients and loads of grease that are hard to digest.

Overall, Beatnic was a great experience for me, even as a non-vegan. I think eating green is something everybody should really remember to try every once in a while. It’s always good to eat food that makes you feel good, especially in the midst of midterms (and upcoming finals) because that’s usually when you need it most. Plus, to any vegan friends, they have a great range of menu items that’s hard to find at other restaurants, so be sure to pay them a visit!

Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, or just looking for something healthy, be sure to use this coupon and your student ID when you visit in store: 

If you want to see more about my trip to Beatnic check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As a sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 6: Cuban/Mexican Food (Café Habana)

Monday, October 17th, 2022

For as much as I loved to complain about the summer heat, the first wisps of fall are already in the air, and I can’t help but start to miss the warmer weather займ на карту мгновенно без отказа 10000. On this particular Wednesday afternoon it’s only the end of September, but the short walk from my apartment to Café Habana already leaves me feeling a bit chilly. I typically walk past Café Habana with some degree of frequency during my regular week. There’s always a lot of people surrounding it both inside and outside, so I’m excited to finally go and give it a try. Today is no exception to my past experience– even though it’s a bit later in the afternoon the store is still basically full. Once inside, I stop by the counter first where the friendly staff directs me to a table in the corner. Right off the bat, everyone there is super nice and helpful. From the workers behind the counter, to the lady taking my order, and the servers walking past who check in on me, the whole staff seems really welcoming. With such a great environment, and colorful walls decorated with lively paintings, I can already feel my excitement about the meal growing even more.

Interior eating area of Café Habana

After a few minutes inside it’s easy to let this exciting atmosphere (and the protection from the wind) start to warm you up. With one worry out of the way, it’s time to take a look at the menu. Café Habana has a wide range of items; from burritos, to tacos, to platos fuertes, Café Habana even has breakfast until 1 pm on weekdays and brunch on the weekends. But of course, I have to start with their famous corn which perfectly combines flavors like cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime. It’s easy to see why this item is so popular. Everything mixes together perfectly making it both unique and delicious! But grab your napkins because it’s the kind of food that gets on both your face and your hands when you’re eating. It’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed the actual process of eating food so much though. It reminds me of being young eating corn on the cob on a hot summer day with my family. Just like the rest of the restaurant, Caf´é Habana’s corn is fun and energizing from start to finish.

Café Habana’s famous seasoned corn

After eating the corn I almost feel warmed up like normal, but it’s time to move on to the main event. Their next famous item is the Cubano, a sandwich that flaunts Cuban classics like roast pork with chipotle mayonnaise and fries on the side. On days like this, it’s hard to beat such a classic sandwich. Much like their corn, the flavors are all familiar, but they make it special. Nothing is unbalanced and all the different parts work in harmony together. The Cubano is also another item to pick up with your hands- but hold on tight! The pork wrapped in ham is likely to fall out if you’re not careful about it. The pork is so soft that it just melts in your mouth and completely compliments the smooth ham around it. But not only is the meat inside steaming hot and delicious, the bread around it is toasted as well. Just holding it already alleviates any lingering cold feelings and eating transports you back to summer days. 

Cubano sandwich with meat inside and fries on the side

Overall, both the corn and the Cubano are instant classics. I really love their handheld vibe because it warms you up fast on a chilly fall afternoon– but don’t be afraid to get messy with them! Café Habana has a great and welcoming vibe that warms you up in more ways than one. It’s a perfect place to visit for the start of fall!

If you’re planning on making a trip to Café Habana soon make sure to use this coupon with your student ID to get 15% off your order of anything on their menu!

And to anyone looking to see more of the inside of Café Habana or clips of the food they serve there make sure to check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 5: Japanese Food (J’s Kitchen)

Wednesday, September 14th, 2022

It’s officially the start of September which means that it’s also officially the start of the fall semester! Recently I finally moved back into the SVA dorms after four months away, and I was shocked at how hard it was to transition back. It feels like I was just here, but yet it’s also completely different. For me, one of the biggest adjustments is losing access to a kitchen. Yes, my dorm has a kitchen for the whole (20 floor!) building, but it’s just not quite the same. SVA also has no dining halls, which means a lot of my meals this semester will involve my small dorm fridge and microwave. Even if you do have a college dining hall, it’s still easy to miss getting meals straight from the kitchen during the school year. That’s why I’m at J’s Kitchen New York this Wednesday to seek out some of that more homey cooking that’s so hard to get once school is back in session.

Right off the bat the interior of J’s Kitchen has the perfect, inviting vibe I’m looking for. Throughout the restaurant there are plants everywhere: hanging from the ceiling, decorating the tables, placed on the floor, etc. Beyond that, the rest of the store is very simple. The decorations are few and far between, but it doesn’t feel empty or anything, just neat and welcoming. Furthermore, another nice thing about J’s Kitchen is that you can actually see their kitchen in the back behind the counter. The cooking area there is also very clean and neat, but obviously much more lived in, with signs of the chef moving about to make the food. It’s definitely exciting to be able to see people actually cooking once you order your food bringing a certain personal quality to eating out that you don’t get everywhere.

Interior of J’s Kitchen with kitchen area in background

Once said kitchen finishes preparing your food, they bring it out to you, which was also very nice. We ordered at the counter, so I was expecting to have to go pick it up. Instead, the staff was super friendly about it and both brought out our food and took it back when we were finished. As expected, the food is steaming hot when it arrives at our table. It already smells more delicious than anything I could procure in my dorm room, so I’m excited to dive in. For my lunch I ordered the main star of J’s Kitchen, the Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce. Just to start, the size of it is impressive. I feel inclined to ask for a fork and knife just to deal with all of it. Still, not only is the burger seriously tall, they provide you with a side of fries and (very cutely) two mini pickles. Lots of food. The teriyaki sauce was definitely a solid call because it is so good and adds a really great layer to the burger which is super soft and warm and delicious inside. It’s totally the kind of food that warms you up and makes you feel better if you’ve been missing home. Their curry is also another favorite. For me, it feels like the more classic comfort food that I would seek out. It’s similarly very flavorful and warm– and it comes with a lot of options for cutlet you can pair with it, like chicken, pork, and beef. If you’re still looking for vegetarian options, they have those too with the same great quality and taste. Everything comes direct from their kitchen, so you can be sure that it will satisfy any craving you have for homey cooking. 

Tokeru Wagyu Hamburger with Teriyaki Sauce

Overall, J’s Kitchen is perfect for any student looking for some high quality meals in the midst of leaving home and going back to living on their own at the start of the year. Their food is delicious and the atmosphere in the restaurant is really welcoming. I absolutely recommend people to go there for their classic Japanese food favorites, or look for something new if you’re up to it! You can’t go wrong!


Planning a visit to J’s Kitchen New York? Be sure to bring your student ID and show this coupon when you go to get 10% off your order:

If you want to see more about my trip to J’s Kitchen check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 4: Japanese Fried Chicken (TORI BIEN)

Thursday, September 1st, 2022

With September just around the corner I’m sure a lot of my fellow students are starting to feel the pressure of returning to school after these months away. For unfortunate students, like me, you might be cramming trying to brush up on some necessary skills again before the fall semester starts. Still, it’s important to take breaks and always good to spend time with friends before seeing them off to wherever they might be studying. Most of my friends leave me alone in New York once the school year starts and travel to different states for university, so the end of August always feels like a bit of a goodbye. As a (albeit temporary) goodbye to the city as well, it feels only right to have a day on the streets with good food and good company. On Tuesday I’m with my friend, Catherine, who won’t be far from New York this school year, but also won’t have the time to visit often for the next few months. I alone in my friend group enjoy walking tens of thousands of steps across the city, and since she’ll be gone, I make it an excuse to drag her around for the day. We stop into a lot of cute shops to cool off from the heat, but for lunch we make our way to 9th street and drop in to TORI BIEN for some food. The inside of the store itself is rather small– there’s no seating there, but conveniently they have benches placed outside, so you can choose to sit on those and eat if you want. It’s a cute restaurant with the perfect vibe for our afternoon out! 

TORI BIEN exterior with benches for customers

Despite not having indoor seating, the food at TORI BIEN comes already packaged once it’s cooked, so it’s not inconvenient to bring it somewhere else. My main meal, the Kara-age Onigiri Bento comes in, well, a cardboard bento box with all the components neatly separated. It’s cute and reminds me of the lunches other kids used to get when I was still in school. Catherine’s meal also comes partially in a box, but the fries she ordered are separate from it in a little paper bag that reminds me more of the lunches I used to get when I was younger, with my mother’s signature, disposable paper bag. Still, everything is easy to grab and take with you. The food itself also has more of a handheld vibe. My box of food comes with items like onigiri, a triangle shaped rice ball, and boneless fried chicken. The onigiri is super delicious. It’s perfect because the seaweed wrap gives it a nice crunch, but the rice inside is the perfect, soft consistency. It has fish flavoring too, so it’s not bland. The fried chicken is super crispy and I love that it’s boneless because that makes it easier to clean up when I’m done!

Handheld fish onigiri with seaweed wrapper

Catherine and I decide to rest on the bench for a few minutes and eat there before we continue our journey through the streets of New York, but there’s also a couple of nearby parks if you’re looking for more of a true picnic vibe. Catherine also orders fried chicken, TORI BIEN’s specialty, but it comes in a sandwich instead of loose, like my box. There’s a layer of sauce on the top of the bun, but the meal still isn’t messy. It’s similarly good to just grab and eat; and even if it wasn’t, they definitely provide you with sufficient napkins. The sandwich itself is wrapped up in a nice, thick sheet of paper that makes it convenient to hold as well.

Kara-age Sandwich with sauce, fried chicken, lettuce, and pickles

Overall, no matter where you chose to eat your meal from Kara-age, the flavors are delicious and it’s perfect to enjoy with friends. They offer an assortment of fun options and everything is perfect to take on the go!

Planning on taking your friends out on an end-of-summer picnic or just looking for some great Japanese fried chicken? Use this coupon code when you visit TORI BIEN to get 15% off your order with your student ID:

If you want to see more about my trip to TORI BIEN check out my video on the Campus Clipper TikTok page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 3: Egyptian Food (Zooba)

Thursday, August 18th, 2022

Somehow, even the city that never sleeps manages to feel lethargic as heat continues to roll in throughout the early weeks of August. Still, sitting across from Zooba on Kenmare street I can feel the afternoon taking on a hint of excitement looking at the brightly colored murals and illuminated interior of the restaurant. The shade of the park across the street gives me a bit of relief from the brightness of the sun, and it’s a perfect waiting spot for me while my sister comes to meet me. Once she makes it, it’s time to get back up and finally go into the actual restaurant that’s been catching my eye for the last ten minutes. Right off the bat the interior is like a breath of fresh air from the summer heat. There’s a lot of space in there and it’s definitely adequately air conditioned. But more importantly there’s an energy in the restaurant that the streets outside were lacking before. Every wall is plastered with brightly colored images and the station in the middle is lit up with LED lights that blink and flash wildly. Zooba absolutely has some of the most fun restaurant decor out of the many NYC restaurants I’ve been to since I moved here– and that’s quite a lot. I’m already feeling excited about the atmosphere, but the food is what I’m looking forward to most!

Interior of Zooba with seating and decorated wall

As a native New Yorker and an adventurous eater, my sister has also tried food from (basically) every continent before, but Egyptian food is new to both of us. As per employee recommendation, we decide to order some customer favorites to try out the cuisine. To start out both my sister and I immediately gravitate towards the same brightly colored beverage. The hibiscus limeade at Zooba is a striking fuchsia color with an equally striking taste. Still that isn’t the only thing on the menu that comes in flashy color. My sister practically lived off hummus when she was younger, so ordering the fava bean hummus is a no brainer. When it comes it’s a nice, bright green which actually goes quite well with the color of our beverages. Green and pink. Always a classic color combo. To accompany our wonderfully colored hummus they provided us with a couple pieces of round, flat bread. Honestly, I’ve put a lot of things in hummus before, but this one is one of the best. It has enough texture to get a good grip on the hummus, but it’s not totally bland like some store bought pita chips you usually get. 

After wrapping up with the hummus it’s time to unwrap our main meals. The sandwiches at Zooba come covered up by paper that is just as creatively decorated as the store itself. My main item also came recommended to us by store employees and is something I’m particularly excited about. I decided to order a hawawshi burger, which is a typical Egyptian street food dish. It usually comes with meat and an assortment of toppings inside a piece of pita bread, but mine also has a truly incredible amount of cheese on it. Likewise, my sister’s order comes stuffed into a round pita. However, instead of the thin meat that comes with the hawawshi, hers has three round pieces of Egyptian falafel inside. According to her it’s very similar to falafel she’s had before, but there are definitely different flavors in there: like roasted harissa cauliflower. The toppings are also a bit different, which gives Zooba’s falafel a unique quality over some of the other more common falafel sandwiches in the city! 

Cheese hawawshi wrapped in paper and fava bean hummus

Overall, Zooba is a great restaurant to check out if you’re looking for something you can’t get anywhere else in NYC. All the food was super great and the atmosphere was perfect too. I definitely recommend visiting and ordering something you’ve never had before!!

To those who are looking to try some new food, or just want a great deal, use this coupon and discount code when you visit the store or order online:

If you want to see more snippets of the food and interior of Zooba you can also check out my TikTok on the Campus Clipper page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC, from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services. At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 2: Middle Eastern Food (Naya)

Friday, July 22nd, 2022

July is finally making itself known in New York City this week as the heat rolls in through the streets and the air takes on more and more oppressive humidity. Standing out in the sun feeling the sweat roll down my back, it’s easy to imagine getting away and finding somewhere to finally cool off. My imagination transports me to a faraway place where the food compliments the weather and can help me relax in this overbearing heat. Seeking this out, I decide to duck into a restaurant and reset. Naya has several locations across Manhattan, but the one I manage to stumble across on this sweltering afternoon is located on University Place– just a step or two away from some of NYU’s main buildings. Right away entering the restaurant is a sigh of relief; it feels so good to finally be enjoying the air conditioning and protection from the sun inside a nice building.

Interior of Naya with seating (left) and bar for ordering (right)

My first impression is that the whole store is really spacious with a lot of seating options. There’s a large area next to the bar to order food that’s full of tables and chairs, but customers can also sit at the window and face out at the street if they’d prefer. Sitting here gives customers a full view of Naya’s outdoor seating, though there’s a notable lack of people enjoying the tables out there today. Whether or not the weather makes it unbearable to take the food outside, the air conditioning inside keeps food and people alike nice and cool! At Naya, ordering said food is also quite simple. There are three main bases to choose from for your meal: roll, bowl, and salad. From there you slide down the counter, pick out a protein for your meal, and then finally choose from a wide range of toppings.

As a die hard pita fan I, of course, have to go with the roll for my main base; it’s truly the perfect way to enclose any combination of food. Easy to eat and easy to enjoy. Still, the pita is just the base and there are countless possibilities for what to put in it. The employee helping me gives me a hint by suggesting that the chicken shawarma is a customer favorite, and who am I to break the norm? That, along with the tahini sauce and an assortment of vegetables like cucumbers, and cabbage, makes up the refreshing roll of my aforementioned, overheated dreams. If the roll isn’t refreshing enough though, then the salad bowl is sure to resolve any remaining issues. My friend, Alex, is feeling the heat as much as me apparently, as she orders that with a large assortment of cool vegetables. 

Wrap with chicken shawarma and tahini sauce

Once our main meals are all put together all that’s left is to grab a drink and take our seats. Most of the options are pretty familiar brands, but there is an organic peach ginger black tea that catches my eye. The flavors are perfectly refreshing and the natural fruity quality also goes well with the sweet flavor of fresh tomatoes in my roll. It also has a lovely little haiku written on the side of the bottle to remind you that life is beautiful sometimes and not always gross, and sweaty, and hot. I guess. Still, in the middle of a long day looking out the window at New York and enjoying a fresh meal, the heat doesn’t seem so bad. Thanks to the good food and the relaxing vibe, once I’m done with eating I feel rejuvenated and ready to brave the suffocating heat again.

Overall, Naya is not only a great casual spot to take shelter from the weather, it’s also nice to just simply sit and enjoy the food there. They offer a lot of customizable options for everyone with fresh produce and great flavors!

To those looking to cool off, or just anyone excited to give Middle Eastern food a try, be sure to use this coupon along with your student ID:

If you want to see more snippets of the food and interior of Naya you can also check out my TikTok on the Campus Clipper page!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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The Art of Eating Chapter 1: Korean Food (Bonchon on 23rd)

Tuesday, June 28th, 2022

Welcome! I’m excited to get the opportunity to share my love of different cultural cuisines on here and hopefully introduce some people to new foods (along with getting introduced myself!). As much as I am eager to dive in and begin trying food I’m unfamiliar with, I am grateful to be reviewing Korean food today because it is a long time favorite of mine. Bonchon on 23rd Street is just a step away from the SVA studios (where I spend far too much of my time) as well as a short walk from Manhattan’s Koreatown. Still, it competes with any of the restaurants there just as well and surpasses my expectations for most of the Korean food I’ve had before.

It’s Monday afternoon when I manage to drag my friend, Dilan, into the city with me for our meal. He’s not so familiar with Korean food, so I’m enthusiastic about bringing him with me and giving him the full experience. Already when we step into the restaurant it gives a strong first impression with a welcoming waitstaff and an open space full of tables for customers. 

Illustration of the interior of Bonchon

For a beginner, a meal of Korean food wouldn’t be quite complete without some of the main staples. One of the first dishes brought out to us is kimchi, a traditional cabbage dish that ferments in a mix of Korean seasoning for a couple days before it’s ready to be served to customers like us. Kimchi is one of the most well known banchan (or Korean side dishes) and for a good reason; it’s got a satisfying crunch, a refreshing flavor, and a slight heat all in one bite. In addition to that, the manager, Susanto, also recommended we try japchae, which happens to be a personal favorite of mine. Japchae is unique because the noodles are made from sweet potato starch instead of egg and flour like Italian noodles or rice like noodles typically used in asian stir fry. Sometimes this starch can give the noodles a sticky quality or an overwhelming sweet taste, but the ones at Bonchon suffered from neither such conditions. It’s a perfect glass noodle to accompany an assortment of vegetables like peppers and onions.

Japchae (left) and kimchi (right)

However, in addition to serving more traditional Korean dishes, Bonchon also has its own distinct specials that set it apart from other Korean restaurants and give it a more modern edge. Their main item is fried chicken which comes in a variety of shapes and is served with two different special sauces (both imported here from Korea itself). The first of the sauces is the spicy sauce. I’m glad Susanto recommended this one to us because Dilan loved it, but after a piece or two I can feel my whole face heat up to the point both Dilan and Susanto laugh at me a bit when he comes over to check in on us. Despite this the flavors are still great and sweat or no sweat I wouldn’t hesitate to try it again. However, the second sauce, soy garlic, is much milder and doesn’t leave me with a bright red face. The slightly sweeter flavor contrasts with the spice of the other sauce and goes well with the crunchy texture of the battered wing.

Fried chicken in spicy and soy garlic sauce

Overall, Bonchon is a super convenient place to satisfy Korean food cravings, as it’s within just an arm’s reach of most of my classes, as well as a gateway to Korean food for those who are eager to try the cuisine. They offer a range of dishes from traditional to their own unique Bonchon flavor, but either way there’s something for everyone. 

To both students who are looking for a handy place to satisfy their cravings for a cuisine they love, or those who are looking to experience something new, make sure to use the student discount below when you visit!

For more about my experience you can also check out my TikTok video on the Campus Clipper TikTok!


By: Peter Schoenfeld

Peter Schoenfeld is an illustrator and self proclaimed food fanatic from New York. If he’s not trying new food, he’s drawing it (and if he’s not doing either of those things, then you can probably find him curled up on the couch watching dramas). As an incoming sophomore at the School of Visual Art he focuses on creating art that connects people to his personal passions– like eating!


For over 20 years, the Campus Clipper has been offering awesome student discounts in NYC,  from the East Side to Greenwich Village. Along with inspiration, the company offers students a special coupon booklet and the Official Student Guide, which encourages them to discover new places in the city and save money on food, clothing, and services.  At the Campus Clipper, not only do we help our interns learn new skills, make money, and create wonderful e-books, we give them a platform to teach others. Check our website for more student savings and watch our YouTube video showing off some of New York City’s finest students during the Welcome Week of 2015.

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