Takeout from Homung Nangmyun in Closter and Jerry's in Englewood

The Shrimp and Vegetable Dumplings from Homung Nangmyun Restaurant in Closter were still warm when I got them home.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

Closter Commons is the other shopping center in the wealthy Bergen County community, the one that isn't a big, noisy redevelopment zone, and it has a pronounced Korean accent.

That's good for me and anyone else who enjoys Korean food and services, such as the haircut I get once a month at Closter Dongyang Barber Shop, complete with a head vacuuming that usually puts me to sleep ($20).

A few steps away is Perfect 20 Nails & Spa, where you can follow the haircut with a manicure and pedicure, including a no-charge back massage.

Then there is a small restaurant, Homung Nangmyun, which specializes in nangmyun, chewy cold noodles in an icy beef broth.

For non-meat eaters, the restaurant serves tasty Shrimp and Vegetable Dumplings to eat in or take out (10 for $9.45).

The other dish on the place-mat menu that caught my eye is a Soft-Tofu Stew with clams and other seafood, served with several complimentary side dishes ($12.95).

You'll also find Gateaux, a Korean bakery and cafe, in one of the bigger spaces, usually filled with Korean housewives catching up on the latest community gossip.

Other businesses include a Korean-Chinese restaurant that I've never tried. 

Closter Commons

All businesses are at 570 Piermont Road, Closter.

Homung Nangmyun Restaurant, 201-750-1010,

closed Tuesdays.

Dongyang Barber Shop, 201-767-4541, closed Wednesdays.

Perfect 20 Nails and Spa, 201-750-7370, closed Sundays.

At Homung Nangmyun Restaurant, I was told a takeout order of dumplings would take 15 minutes, and given a cup of hot tea while I waited. 

I'm guessing Homung Nangmyun has about 30 seats, and if you are by yourself and want to eat in, you might be seated with another lone diner.

The House Salad from Jerry's Gourmet & More in Englewood includes a small cup of Italian dressing made with mustard, anchovies, garlic, vinegar and olive oil.

Salad, salmon and more

On my weekly visit to Jerry's Gourmet & More (410 S. Dean St. in Englewood), I picked up a wonderful dinner salad for me and a complete, restaurant-quality meal with salmon, beet salad and crabmeat-stuffed zucchini for my wife ($5.99 each).

The next night, the Eggplant Parmigiana side dish from her dinner made a light meal for me with some leftover whole-wheat pasta.

This Baked Salmon Dinner and other Meals To Go are marked down to $5.99 from $7.99 after 4 p.m., but make sure you remind your cashier about the discount, if the container doesn't carry a $5.99 price tag.

Jerry's has an incredible selection of Italian wines.

I saw one bottle of Italian wine for $6.99, but this Montepulciano d'Abruzzo elicited sticker shock.

Homung Nangmyun Restaurant in Closter

Image by stu_spivack via Flickr

Koreans eat traditional buckwheat noodles in cold broth year-round, but I wanted something a bit warmer when I stopped for lunch today at Homung Nangmyun in Closter. 

Despite the chill outside, the small restaurant in Closter Commons shopping center filled up quickly. This past summer, when I had the noodles in a hot and spicy cold house sauce,  I had to wait 15 minutes for a shared table. (Photo: Generic nangmyun with beef.)

Each table holds a thermos of hot, milky beef-bone broth and a cup. You are supposed to down a couple of cups to warm up your stomach against the shock of the cold noodles. I drank some anyway and really enjoyed it, even though I planned to order steamed mandoo, or Korean dumplings ($7.95).

In addition to the small salad the waitress gave me when I arrived, my side dishes were broad ribbons of  radish kimchi and stewed potatoes. I also got hot tea and, when I asked, a small dish of cabbage kimchi. Since the dish I ordered was considered an appetizer, I didn't get the full number of side dishes served to other customers.

The 10 shrimp and vegetable dumplings, which came in a steamer basket, were beautifully made, plump and delicious. The restaurant serves several other hot dishes, including short ribs and soft-tofu stew with seafood.

Homung Nangmyun,570 Piermont Road, Closter,
in Closter Commons Shopping Center; 
201-750-1010. Closed Wednesdays.