As the Lunar New Year approaches, the Korean American community in eastern Queens finds a touch of tradition at Yedang, a cafe renowned for its handcrafted tteok—an artisanal rice cake essential to numerous celebrations. According to Gothamist, owner Hee Soon Kim, age 81, is the force behind the beloved cafe, providing a taste of authenticity for nearly two decades.
The intricate process of making tteok, which can take up to two days, involves using high-quality rice grains that are steamed, blended, air-dried, ground, and finally steamed again to achieve the desired texture. Kim, who learned her craft in Seoul, sources special ingredients like mugwort and jujubes directly from Korea to ensure the highest quality for her rice cakes. "But the tteok was so bad," she once reflected on her initial experiences with tteok in the U.S., a sentiment, that led her to take the plunge into the tteok-making business herself, as she told Gothamist.
Recognition of Yedang's expertise comes not just from the local community but also from critics at large. Editors at Eater recently named the cafe among NYC's 18 best spots for "excellent" Asian desserts. Standouts include the soft, honey rice cake with a sweet honey sesame filling and a more glutinous offering containing chestnuts, jujubes, and nuts.
The cafe's dedication to traditional methods and flavors sets it apart in a bustling culinary landscape. Kim's perseverance, and skillful adoption of high-quality ingredients—such as dried persimmons, black soybeans, and red bean paste—have cemented Yedang's reputation and garnered the adoration of dessert aficionados. Jeong Un Park, manager of the Bayside cafe for over two decades, praised Kim's tenacity and can-do attitude, saying, "Even at 81, she's still healthy, energetic, and keeps on working," as mentioned in the Gothamist interview.
Yedang doesn't only cater to the sweet tooth, as it also offers cultural staples for occasions like the Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Fall Harvest Festival) celebrations, providing a culinary connection to tradition that extends well beyond the cafe's Queens location. With another outpost in New Jersey, Yedang ensures that a crucial piece of Korean culture remains accessible and appreciated by communities within the tri-state area.
