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'Baller' Korean Gastropub Opens in the Lower East Side

By Allegra Hobbs | July 22, 2016 2:28pm | Updated on July 24, 2016 1:11pm
 The Whales offers a $7 Cheese Ramen.
The Whales offers a $7 Cheese Ramen.
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The Whales

LOWER EAST SIDE — A real-estate veteran trying his hand at the restaurant business has opened a Korean gastropub — and has such high hopes for the cash flow of his clientele, he named it after the Korean slang for “baller.”

The Whales at 71 Clinton St. takes its name from a Korean term for someone who spends a lot of money, said Andy Kim of the BLU Realty Group, who says it can be roughly translated as “baller.”

“We want people to come in and drink like a whale and eat like a whale,” said Kim, who has been in the real estate business for more than 15 years. “We want people to come and have a great time, and when you come in and have a great party and have a great time you spend more.”

The eatery, which opened its doors on July 13, boasts some unique Asian fusion meals that blend American favorites with Korean flavors, such as the Cheese Ramen, Korean Fried Chicken, and the Rice Burger, which sticks a beef patty and a fried egg in a bun of rice with edible soy paper.

The Whales also serves up some "strong drinks" made with a coca leaf liqueur called Agwa — the Agwa Bomb mixes the liqueur with an energy drink and lime powder, while the Lower East Side employs lavender bitters, elderflower, and cider.