GIVE ME THIS DAY...

3.051 Pan-Grilled Chadolbagi Sushi

2012-02-25T10:23:00.011-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 51-

25 (Sat) February 2012

-Korean-

Pan-Grilled Chadolbagi Sushi

* * * *

at Wooga (우가)

-Hoengseong, Gangwon-

With Dominic, the Ka and Shin families

On the way home from our trip to Alpensia Resort, passing by the region of Hoengseong (횡성), famed for hanwoo (한우), Korean beef, we stopped for dinner at a barbecue restaurant called Wooga. One of the dads in the group had been there before and raved about it and insisted that we have our final meal there. In sum, the dining experience at Wooga was simply funny at best, possibly fraudulent, certainly farcical, but any f-word would suffice, the point being that the whole thing was categorically foolish. Though I'm hesitant to devote too many words to it, it was all so ridiculous that I should share the highlights.

Early on, the first sign of bullshit was the 2-week reservation, long-advanced reservations virtually unheard of anywhere in Korea, much less at a beef joint in the countryside. I realized that it was bullshit when we arrived to an otherwise empty house at 7PM on a Saturday evening.

The celebrity Wall of Fame notwithstanding,

various internet blogs suggest that customers are generally polarized,

either regarding the owner as a genius or a douchebag.

The bullshit began in earnest as soon as we'd sat down. I ordered beer. No, the owner explained, due to the anesthetic properties of alcohol, even a sip of beer would deaden the taste buds and minimize the full sensation of eating his beef, so he would regretfully have to refuse until at least the first course had been properly enjoyed.

That first bullshit order, in terms of neither content nor amount, wasn't up for negotiation; it was ribeye, however much that the owner determined would be sufficient for the assembled party.

The top cut appears to be a sirloin strip, not a ribeye,

something I should've pointed out at the time but thankfully didn't.

But before we got to the first course, he launched into a bullshit lecture about the science behind tasting food, and about tasting beef in particular. Some of it was rather innocent, just not especially insightful nor appropriate in a room full of starving people and served only to showcase his not-particularly-impressive culinary vocabulary, like how taste is generally categorized as the obvious sweet, sour, bitter, etc., while the glutamate-something-or-other in beef contributes the lesser known umami component. Some of it was argumentative, perhaps even mildly insulting, like how marbling is a prized quality in beef, but fat is not a flavoring agent per se and merely makes the meat more tender and even masks true beef flavor, such that anyone who extols the virtues of marbling has never actually tasted really good beef. The lecture, likely the reason for the reservation requirement, to ensure that there's enough of him to go around on a given day, reportedly lasts only 40 minutes under normal circumstances.

However, it extended in excess of an hour once I started to challenge him after the bullshit got out of hand. With respect to the correct doneness of beef, his line of reasoning went as follows, paraphrased here, but originally laced with pseudo-scientific nonsense: (a) the flavors in any uncooked food are inert; (b) cooking opens up the flavors; (c) further cooking intensifies the flavors; (d) if the flavors are agreeable to begin with, then those flavors intensified are even more agreeable; (e) therefore, well-done beef is optimal. As analogical evidence, he cited rice: uncooked = inedible, steamed = edible, burnt = heavenly; also, he noted that raw vegetables are never consumed without supplemental dressings or dipping sauces, thus reinforcing his position on the necessity of cooking. He went on to say that people who take their beef rare do so only because of tenderness, fearing that well-done will result in a tough and dry texture, a problem that his perfectly aged beef is immune to. When I attempted to counter on various points, for example, that I could concede that cooking did intensify certain flavors but not that intensity was necessarily preferable, he turned red, probably not accustomed to so overt a challenge on his home turf, and accused me of being a contrarian.

At the core, the bullshit was centered on his aged beef, so highly self-touted. He claimed that he had studied all the different techniques throughout the world--again, with a lengthy discussion about dry vs. wet aging, the exact temperatures and humidities involved--but dismissed them all and developed his own secret proprietary system. He claimed that famous chefs from around the globe beg him on a regular basis to allow them to work at his restaurant, for free, just for a few weeks, so that they can learn from the master, but no. Anyway, whatever the process, the beef at Wooga was good, but not noticeably better than any other 1++ hanwoo that I've had elsewhere.

the owner, simultaneously cooking and spewing bullshit

(note the laser temperature gun in the background)

Even after the lecture, the bullshit wasn't complete. First, he assembled a pair of portable gas burners on the table and topped them with stone grills, explaining that other restaurants relied on the smokiness of charcoal to conceal their otherwise faulty beef. Second, he busted out some sort of laser temperature gun and made a big show of reading the tops of the stone grills several times until they had achieved the ideal level of heat. Third, he placed the ribeye slabs onto the grills and moved them around a bit with tongs, explaining that only aged beef won't stick on a hot surface. Fourth, he cut the ribeye into various sections, explaining that each part demonstrates a different flavor profile that should be tasted separately to appreciate the differences. Fifth, once everything had been cooked to well-done, he set the pieces aside, explaining that the tongue is a delicate organ capable of sensing the full spectrum of flavors when the food falls within a narrow range of temperatures, thus requiring the meat to cool down before digging in. Meanwhile, the children were, in some cases literally, crying in hunger; the adults weren't so far off. Sixth, when he was finally ready to dole out a piece of well-done-cooled-down beef to each of us, he insisted that we sprinkle a bit of salt on top rather than dipping the piece into the salt, explaining that something-or-other-I-wasn't-paying-attention-by-this-point.

the ribeye cut into various parts

Holy fucking crap, what a joke. I can look back on it in amusement now, but I wasn't laughing at the time.

Over an hour later, after all the bullshit,

this is the over-cooked and cold piece of meat that I got

(note the salt for sprinkling).

The one redeeming factor was the second course. After the mandatory ribeye, we were gratefully left alone and permitted to order either more ribeye, cooked by ourselves to our own liking, or--the only other item on the menu--an unusual dish consisting of pan-grilled chadolbagi (차돌박이) (see 2.298 Pan-Grilled Chadolbagi) over vinegared rice with wasabi. The sour vinegar and spicy wasabi provided a nice contrast to the fatty slices of beef. I was sorely tempted to inquire as to why the owner would deign to offer a cut of beef so laden with fat and then combine it with such flavors that threatened to overpower his preciously pristine beef, but I held back.

In the end, the final tab was complete bullshit: 496,000 won for 5 adults and 5 kids, most of whom could've had more. The ribeye alone was 28,000 won per 100 grams. (By contrast, our grocery bill for the preceding 6 meals came out to just under 480,000 won.)

3.050 Spaghetti with Provolone in Beef Meatball Mash

2012-02-24T09:38:00.006-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 50-

24 (Fri) February 2012

-Italian-

Spaghetti with Provolone in Beef Meatball Mash

* * * *

by me

at Holiday Inn

(Alpensia Resort)

-Pyeongchang, Gangwon-

With Dominic, the Ka and Shin families

The plan had been to eat out on the 2nd evening of our trip, but the logistical realities forced us to stay in. The pasta--a simple recipe currently a favorite in my repertoire (see 3.035 Animal Pasta in Pork Meatball Mash)--had been scheduled for lunch today but ended up being dinner. The adults had spaghetti while the kids had animal pasta.

I still can't get over how cute and awesome it is to see my kid on skis.

3.049 Pan-Grilled Scallops and Smoked Duck

2012-02-23T08:31:00.009-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 49-

23 (Thu) February 2012

-Korean-

Pan-Grilled Scallops and Smoked Duck

* * * *

by me

at Holiday Inn

(Alpensia Resort)

-Pyeongchang, Gangwon-

With Dominic, the Ka and Shin families

In Korea, a popular type of accommodation for vacationers is the time-share condominium. It's referred to as "condo" (콘도). Ranging widely in size and quality, a typical condo is pretty much exactly like a typical apartment: living room, bedroom(s), kitchen, bathroom(s), balcony. Prices also range, of course, depending on size and quality; here, we shared a 3-bedroom suite for 2 nights at 505,500 won, which was significantly cheaper than a hotel, not counting the cost of the membership itself. As far as I'm aware, condos were initially built in and around ski resorts. Now, they're everywhere.

The biggest benefit of staying in a condo, and the thing that sets it apart from a hotel, is the kitchen. At a minimum, the kitchen will be equipped with: refrigerator, rice cooker, microwave oven, gas range, kettle, 2-3 pots of various sizes, frying pan, chef's knife and cutting board, scissors, ladle, spatula, chopsticks and spoons, glassware, bowls and plates of various sizes. Guests often pack additional gear, such as a tabletop stove and grill for Korean BBQ. Most condo buildings or complexes have fully stocked supermarkets on the premises, with everything from instant noodles to raw meat and fresh vegetables. Not only do guests prepare their own meals in the kitchen for the obvious reasons of convenience and cost (though of course it can be more of a hassle and more expensive), some find it simply more fun to stay in and play house (these would be people who otherwise don't live together and don't have to cook everyday back in the real world).

For various reasons, the most important of which was capability, I took it upon myself to buy all the groceries and do all the cooking for a 2-night-3-day trip with 3 families consisting of 5 adults and 5 kids (the wife had to stay behind due to health concerns). We'll be saving a lot of money, and the quality is assured, not to mention the logistical convenience, but it means that I'll be in the kitchen for most of the time.

3.048 Mul Naeng-Myeon

2012-02-22T00:57:00.002-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 48-

22 (Wed) February 2012

-Korean-

Mul Naeng-Myeon

* * * *

at Woo Lae Ok (우래옥)

-Daechi, Seoul-

With Wife, Dominic, Mom & Dad

In various Korean dining situations, a staple is served at the very end, and only at the end. For example, at a barbecue restaurant, after the meat is said and done, a customer will have a bite of mul naeng-myeon (물냉면) (see generally 3.010 Mul Naeng-Myeon) usually to finish off the meal. The customer may ask for the noodles at any time, of course, though the server would likely do a double-take and ask to confirm that the request were being made for now, not later. Family-style broth dishes, such as jeon-gol (전골), are often completed by sauteeing rice in the remaining liquid after the main ingredients have been consumed (see most recently 3.034 Bulnak Jeon-Gol). The term "siksa" (식사) literally means "meal" in general but refers figuratively to the noodle or rice in these contexts, thus signifying the importance of that final morceau.

Several years ago, as part of some academic conference here that was attended by numerous overseas guests, I was at a banquet dinner consisting of over a dozen dishes. Each was brought out one at a time and preceded by a short explanation in English from the server. When it came time for the siksa, he began, "And now, for the main course of the evening...," prompting everyone in the room to gasp or groan in disbelief.

Anyway, where the aforementioned barbecue restaurants are concerned, I've decided henceforth to order the siksa right away, be it noodles or rice or whatever. Getting stuffed with red meat is never a good thing, especially for someone with elevated cholesterol. Regardless, I've always felt that Korean food tastes better with a starchy carb along the way to provide balance.

Incidentally, on my first visit to this branch of this famous restaurant, I found the food to be sadly disappointing. I'll reserve further comment for when I've tried the original location downtown.

Happy birthday, Mom!

3.047 Roast Chicken Quarters

2012-02-21T10:44:00.004-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 47-

21 (Tue) February 2012

-American-

Roast Chicken Quarters

* * * *

at Costco

-Yangjae, Seoul-

solo

Upon moving to Korea in 2003, I would visit Costco at least once a month, not only to shop for groceries and other miscellaneous products that were unavailable in mainstream markets but sometimes just to drop by for a slice of authentic American-style pizza. Back then, the empty warehouse seemed limited mostly to expats and people who'd lived overseas. On occasion, a newbie customer would ask me, pointing at a bottle of, say, capers, "What are those for?" In the past year or so, ever since the locals figured out what to do with things like capers and realized that they could be cheaply purchased in bulk at Costco, the swarming masses have made the place intolerable. From 10AM to 9PM, an hour after opening to an hour before closing, at any of the locations throughout the city, the line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot stretches into adjacent neighborhoods, prompting the city to install additional traffic signals and erect barriers to maintain order. The Yangjae location even has a shuttle bus to a remote parking lot to accommodate overflow. Once inside, the lines at the registers are interminable, as if customers were shopping in preparation of the impending apocalypse. Forget it.

For the first time in over 5 months, I risked a trip. I timed the visit to 9:30PM, thereby avoiding the crowds but leaving me with a scant 30 minutes to get what I needed. We were out of liquid laundry detergent and paper towels. Also, along with 2 other families from Dominic's daycare, we're scheduled for a 3-day ski trip later in the week, the plan being to prepare most of our meals in the kitchen of our residential-style hotel suite, a plan that falls entirely on me to design the menus and buy the food, and then transport and cook it--dinner, breakfast, lunch, breakfast, lunch, as well as beverages and snacks in between and booze and anju (안주) late at night, for 6 adults and 5 kids--so Costco seemed like a good start. At 10:05PM, I swiped my credit card in the amount of 699,040 won, an all-time single-stop grocery-shopping record for me. At 10:06PM, I received a call from the wife, who had seen the charge via linked text message on her phone and wanted to announce that she would be killing me when I got home.

Doesn't really look like 699,040 won's worth of stuff.

3.046 Cod Braised in Cream Sauce with Shiitake, Paprika, and Sprouts

2012-02-20T10:37:00.004-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 46-

20 (Mon) February 2012

-Miscellaneous-

Steamed Cod in Cream Sauce

with Shiitake, Paprika, and Sprouts

* * *

at Allen Hall (Yonsei University)

-Sinchon, Seoul-

with various members of Yonsei University Graduate School Department of Medical Law and Bioethics

In keeping with my tradition of trying to maintain some semblance of quality and control at buffets, I usually construct a simple "dish" with a select few of the better items being offered (see 1.152 Smoked Salmon Salad with Tomatoes in Balsamic Vinaigrette, 2.249 Smoked Salmon with Artichoke Hearts and Capers). Salad components, especially fresh vegetables that haven't been mangled in the process of mass-production, work well in this regard.

For the 15th anniversary of the department's founding, various members of Yonsei University Graduate School Department of Medical Law and Bioethics, both faculty and students, past and present, gathered to celebrate. Yay!

3.045 Shrimp Fried Rice

2012-02-19T10:36:00.005-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 45-

19 (Sun) February 2012

-Miscellaneous-

Shrimp Fried Rice

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Lately, whenever I make fried rice with Korean medium-grain rice, which is a bit wet and sticky compared to the long-grain rice used in Chinese or Thai food, I initially sear the rice by itself in a hot pan with oil to drive out the moisture and separate the individual kernels. This not only makes the resulting fried rice fluffier, but it also adds a nice charred/smoky flavor, similar to the flame-licked taste of a proper fried rice made in a wok over a roaring fire in a restaurant kitchen.

3.044 Bibimbap

2012-02-18T10:28:00.005-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 44-

18 (Sat) February 2012

-Korean-

Bibimbap

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

The essence of bibimbap (비빔밥) is the combination of namul (나물) that comprise the dish (see generally 1.043 Bibimbap). Namul is any kind of stringy vegetable or vegetable julienne that's typically parboiled or lightly sauteed then seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce or salt, pepper, and often minced garlic. In one of my prior posts, I noted that bibimbap always seems to taste "kinda the same" due to the overpowering flavor of the gochujang (고추장) sauce, as well as the additional sesame oil liberally poured on top of everything at the end, regardless of the main ingredients (see 1.269 Bibimbap). Still, a proper bibimbap represents a combination of certain flavors and textures--earthy/tangy/sweet/spicy/bitter/chewy/crunchy/soft--each derived from the individual namul involved.

The mix presented here, conveniently ready-made and on-sale from E-Mart, hits most of the necessary notes. Clockwise from bottom left (in main photo above): bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms, spinach, doraji (도라지) (bellflower root), gosari (고사리) (fernbrake), and radish. I would say that the first 3, or some reasonable substitution thereof, such as a different green for the spinach, are essential. Preferably, I would've included zucchini in lieu of the doraji, which I find to be a bit too medicinal. Overall, the namul had been prepared somewhat bland, but, as always, the gochujang and additional sesame oil made up for it. At 3,486 won, an excellent bargain for the package, which was enough for 2 (the photo shows 1 serving).

On his own blog, Seoul Food wrote about bibimbap as follows: "... When I think of bibimbap, I think of leftover day. It's when Korean moms feel too lazy/tired to cook or set the table, so they just throw all the banchan into a big bowl with rice and a dollop of gochujang. ... I'm pretty sure that's how it was invented. A Korean wife got lazy one day and just like that, the dish was born. ..." (see Seoul Food's post "Bibimbap is Overrated"). With all due respect to Seoul Food, I disagree on several grounds. While it's certainly true that bibimbap at home is often assembled with whatever happens to be on hand, given that most Korean refrigerators are stocked with a variety of namul at any given time as banchan (반찬) (side dishes for rice), I wouldn't characterize the situation so pejoratively or dismissively as one involving "leftovers" (not that there's anything wrong with leftovers). And even with everything available, getting it all together is no less labor-intensive than, say, making a sandwich or a salad. Also, the work required in preparing each namul in the first place, whether intended for bibimbap or otherwise (see 3.018 Bibimbap), whether in a home or in a store or in a restaurant, is extremely time-consuming, so I definitely wouldn't call it "lazy" (not that there's anything wrong with lazy).

3.043 Intermezzo Sandwich on Sourdough

2012-02-17T23:58:00.004-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 43-

17 (Fri) February 2012

-American-

Intermezzo Sandwich on Sourdough

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

solo

When I was an undergrad at Berkeley, my perspective on the sandwich was transformed by an experience at Cafe Intermezzo, a local landmark. Until that moment, I'd mostly regarded sandwiches as convenience items at home comprising whatever bread and meat and cheese happened to be on hand, maybe lettuce, along with a swipe of mayo. But then I tasted a sandwich at Intermezzo that included turkey breast, swiss cheese, avocado, sprouts, and mayo and dijon mustard, on their signature honey-wheat bread. Try as I might, I can't recall or imagine how such a sandwich had fallen into my hands, the combination of components being so alien and unappealing to me at the time. I'm wondering if perhaps I'd just sampled someone else's order, though even that action would've been wildly out of character. In any event, a single bite made me realize that sandwiches could be extraordinary, even mind-blowing upon the synthesis/synergy of seemingly incongruent ingredients.

I tried to recreate that sandwich here but failed in every respect. The turkey, not enough. The edam, too strong. The avocado, not quite ripe. The sprouts, which I chose for the color, too bitter. The bread, Fog City International Cafe's otherwise outstanding sourdough (see most recently 3.041 Grilled Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich: Edam/Sourdough), which I pan-grilled in butter, too greasy and crunchy for what is essentially supposed to be a light and airy sandwich. Oh well.

Much to my utter shock, in doing some background research, I discovered that Cafe Intermezzo burned down last November (see The Daily Californian's article "Raleigh's, Cafe Intermezzo destroyed by fire"). Reports don't say whether the owners plan to rebuild. Oh well.

3.042 Agu-Jjim

2012-02-16T23:29:00.003-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 42-

16 (Thu) February 2012

-Korean-

Agu-Jjim

* * * *

at Masan Agu-Jjim (마산아구찜)

-Sinsa, Seoul-

With Wife, Dominic, and the Ka family

One of my all-time favorite dishes (see generally 1.333 Agu-Jjim), alas, the wholly apparent spice factor prevents us from having it too often, what with a 4.5-year-old in tow, this being just the 2nd time in the 2-year-plus history of the blog.

The sauce at this restaurant, however, somehow, was mild beyond belief. It was so mild that we wondered whether the chili had been genetically engineered to eliminate any trace of heat or the chili had been replaced with something else but supplemented with red food coloring. It was pretty good, notwithstanding the disconcerting sensation of seeing all that red yet feeling none of it. I actually don't like food to be overly spicy, but spicy food should be spicy at least a little. That said, if one wants this dish but can't handle the heat, then this is the place.

3.041 Grilled Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich: Edam/Sourdough

2012-02-15T07:31:00.002-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 41-

15 (Wed) February 2012

-American-

Grilled Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich:

Edam/Sourdough

* * * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

With Wife and Dominic

On this second go at a sandwich that I created on the fly almost exactly 2 months ago today (see 2.345 Grilled Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomato Sandwich: Provolone/Wheat), I've come closer to perfecting it. The concept remains essentially the same: a grilled cheese sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes. But this time, I used sourdough from Fog City International Cafe (see most recently 3.033 Hearty Beef Stew in a Sourdough Bowl), bread that I recently described as "the best bread that I've ever had in Korea" (see 3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl). Pan-grilled in a dab of butter, slowly over low heat, with the lid on the pan, the sourdough transcended the ordinary. On the outside, it morphed magnificently gold and crisp, not brittle and flaky like typical toast, but chewy and firm. Awesome. On the inside, it became warm and squishy, as if the heating process had burst open dormant pockets of moisture within. This was especially astonishing as it had been sitting refrigerated in a ziplock bag for a week. Bob, Fog City's proprietor and baker, once remarked: "Due to the fact that we use home-grown yeast, the breads have remarkable keeping qualities." Indeed. In terms of taste, the tanginess of the sourdough paired nicely with the tart tomatoes while providing balance to the richness of the cheese. The edam was okay but a bit too cheesy; the previous provolone was better for its mildness. Definitely a signature dish, though I'm still grappling with an appropriately grandiose and ludicrous name for it.

3.040 Chicken Doner Kebab Wrap

2012-02-14T23:49:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 40-

14 (Tue) February 2012

-Turkish-

Chicken Doner Kebab Wrap

* * * *

from Kebab House (Yongpyong Resort)

[take-out]

on the bus

-Pyeongchang, Gangwon-

With Wife and Dominic

When it comes to the milestones in my son's life, the feelings that I've experienced have generally been somewhat prosaic thus far. The first time holding him in my arms, I failed to register any of those emotions that other parents seem to describe with such obvious inevitability, like a rush of rapture, a profound this-is-the-greatest-moment-of-my-existence epiphany, an overwhelming sense of resolve to fulfill my duty as a father. The same was true of his first locution, his first consumption of a solid comestible, his first perambulation, his first matriculation at daycare, his first recitation of the printed word, his first defecation on the pot, his first clandestine observation of porn, his first independent preparation of a meal. To be sure, I'm proud and relieved and fascinated by it all, but only on an intellectual level.

His middle name is Jet for good reason.

Witnessing Dominic ski for the first time, however, made my heart flutter with pure joy. While the plan for Yongpyong Resort had originally entailed sledding or just playing in the snow, he suddenly declared a desire to try skiing, much to our surprise. Where physical activity is concerned, until now, Dominic has taken after the yellow-bellied men on his mother's side; for example, a motorized tricycle that rolls at the breakneck speed of 1 kph, he's too afraid to ride it, a cautious temperament that I attribute genetically to his maternal grandfather, who drives 10% below the speed limit with both hands on the wheel at the 10/2 o'clock positions and frantically implores with bone-shuddering anxiety that I do the same whenever he's in a car that I'm driving. But apparently, the kid has some of his old man in him after all. After a single lesson, he was on the slopes and snowplowing like a champ. It was beautiful. I couldn't stop screaming from the elation, exhilaration, exultation, exuberance, euphoria, ecstasy. I can't remember ever being happier.

He was so adamant on skiing to the very last minute that we didn't have time to eat dinner before catching the bus back to Seoul. Fortunately, at the last minute, I ran across a stall selling kebabs to go, which turned out to be pretty good. 4,500 won.

An actual Turk (or so I assume).

3.039 Hanwoo Lady Burger

2012-02-13T05:54:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 39-

13 (Mon) February 2012

-Miscellaneous-

Hanwoo Lady Burger

* * *

at Lotteria (Yongpyong Resort)

-Pyeongchang, Gangwon-

With Wife and Dominic

The Hanwoo Lady Burger features a patty that's a combination of ground beef and bits of rice cake. That's right, rice cake. The beef was Korean beef (hanwoo). Together, the texture of the patty was disconcertingly crumbly-chewy. The official website refers to the concept as "fun." I thought it was weird. Indeed, I don't know if the name is supposed to imply that the item is a chick thing, or that the beef was sourced from a female cow. 4,600 won.

Now on Day 3 of The Plan and a Half, in Yongpyong Resort without a car at our disposal, the food court was as far as we were willing to go.

After dinner, Dominic had his first noraebang (노래방) experience,

where his first requested song was "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns 'N Roses.

3.038 Bok & Dodari Hoe

2012-02-12T00:18:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 38-

12 (Sun) February 2012

-Korean-

Bok & Dodari Hoe

* * * *

at Pado Hoe-Jip (파도 횟집)

-Gangneung, Gangwon-

With Wife, Dominic, Cho JH, Kim KH, Kim IT, Lee HS, Yun YH, MtG, Noh SJ, Yong I, Jeong D, and Choi SW

As mentioned in yesterday's post, the plan and a half was supposed to include some sightseeing in the interval between lunch and dinner. That's what I'd been told. After rendezvousing with the others sometime after 1 PM, we ate a quick lunch and proceeded directly to the beachside neighborhood where the restaurant for dinner was located. We strolled along the sand for a few minutes, it being too cold and windy to endure for any longer, loitered in an ocean-view coffee shop for a few hours, then shuffled into the restaurant around 4:30 and demanded service. Apparently, the beach is the only thing worth seeing in Gangneung.

Anyway, dinner was one of those overpriced multi-course extravaganzas, featuring a whole bunch of appetizers and side dishes prior to the main event, that always leave me wishing that they'd serve a bit less and charge a bit less (see generally 3.031 Steamed Lobster). Here, the main event was sashimi (회) (hoe) of two kinds: blowfish (복) (bok) and ridged-eye flounder (도다리) (dodari). The blowfish was good, delicately sweet and pleasantly chewy. One combined platter (as shown in the photo), intended to serve about 3-4 people, cost 150,000 won. I could've done without all the other crap, if they'd reduce the price by even 10,000 won.

all-purpose dipping sauce: sesame oil/seeds, gochujang, garlic, chilies

banchan: sliced chilies, sliced garlic, gari, wasabi, minced garlic, rakyo

more banchan: stir-fried anchovies, bean sprout namul, seaweed namul, pickled oysters

dried anchovies in soy sauce, deep-fried fish roe, salad with dressing, smoked salmon with fish roe mayonnaise

red snapper nigiri sushi, raw oysters, sweet pumpkin mash, boiled trumpet shells

NUTS!

In Gangneung, supposedly, copious amounts of seaweed wash ashore, where it's collected by local restaurants themselves and made into miyeok-guk (미역국), such as this; indeed, we encountered the soup at every restaurant that we'd been to, including yesterday's clam joint.

some kind of raw fish topped with gochujang and laver

roast gingko nuts, deep-fried squid

broiled pike mackerel

assorted shellfish sashimi: abalone, shrimp (boiled), squid, sea squirt, sea cucumber

fluke braised in soy-gochujang sauce

Every sashimi meal in Korea ends with a soup dish made from the bones of the fish,

most likely spicy maeun-tang (매운탕), such as this.

3.037 Jogae Gui

2012-02-11T00:14:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 36-

11 (Sat) February 2012

-Korean-

Jogae Gui

* * * *

at Dalseonine Jogae Madang (달선이데 조개마당)

-Gangneung, Gangwon-

With Wife and Dominic

Similar to other types of Korean BBQ, jogae gui (조개구이) involves grilling a variety fresh clams over an open flame at the table DIY. The name means "grilled (gui) clams (jogae)." The types of clams vary widely depending on the restaurant, availability, and cost. Once cooked, the clams may be dipped in either chogochujang or soy sauce plus wasabi. Most establishments also serve some sort of special dish, usually a concoction of chopped clams, cheese, onions, and chilies with gochujang in a large shell that's grilled until everything's all hot and bubbly. The entire setup is regarded more as an accompaniment for booze, an anju (안주), rather than a proper meal, such that rice dishes and sides are typically kept to a minimum. The orders are usually classified as small, medium, or large, ranging in price from about 30,000 won to 60,000 won.

Here, at the most popular clam joint in an area famed for clam joints, where we were fortunate to snatch the last available table and watch with glee as countless customers were turned away after us, the quality and quantity of the clams showed that the establishment had earned its high reputation. For a small order, such as this, most places would provide 2 maybe 3 scallops, a few other large clams, and then a couple handfuls of smaller specimens to fill out the plate. This place was all about the big stuff, including 6 scallops, the smaller specimens just an afterthought. At 35,000 won, plus 10,000 won for an additional serving, which turned out to be about as much as the initial serving, it was one of the best grilled clam values that I've ever experienced.

The plan is as follows. My camping crew chartered a bus to the ocean-side city of Gangneung (강릉), where they intended to climb a nearby mountain and sleep there overnight. Although my still-recovering knee prevented me from joining in, I took advantage of the opportunity and hitched a ride with the family in tow. Upon arrival, the whole group ate lunch together then split up for the night. While the others were camping out somewhere above, the gimp and the preggo and the munchkin found more structured shelter closer to sea level--in fact, within a 5-minute walk of the beach. For dinner, we took a cab to the aforementioned clam joint. We will regroup with the others tomorrow for lunch, some sightseeing, and dinner. When they return to Seoul that evening, the three of us will catch a shuttle to the relatively nearby Yongpyong Resort, hang out for a couple more days, then take a bus back to Seoul on Tuesday. Back in the day, I would've called that "a plan and a half."

Sometime in the last decade or so, the pension has become the most popular form of rental lodging among Koreans vacationing in Korea. The term originated in Europe, where it refers to a boardinghouse. Here, the typical pension is a 1 to 2-story structure comprising several units, or a cluster of free-standing units, each ranging in size from a single room to a large suite, and each equipped with restroom and kitchen facilities. Most commonly found in the countryside, it's usually designed to look rustic, which is essentially the only thing that differentiates a "pension" from a "condo." Prices range from 100,000 won per night to 300,000 or more.

My wife gets all giddy about pensions, though I don't share her enthusiasm. The appeal must be a chick thing, pensions being so cute and quaint and cozy and quirky, apparently. Personally, I find them shticky. Here, the name of the establishment was "My Aunt Sera"--I'll say it again: shticky. I'd be just as happy in a cheap motel, even happier if the motel were cheaper. Ideally, I'd rather be camping. Last May, we had a "compromise" trip in which I slept in a tent while she and the kid took quarter in a pension adjacent to the campsite (see photo at 2.136 Diablo Pork Pocket).

3.036 Chicken Burrito with Pico de Gallo Salsa Fresca

2012-02-10T07:35:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 36-

10 (Fri) February 2012

-Mexican-

Chicken Burrito with Pico de Gallo Salsa Fresca

* * * *

from Fog City International Cafe

[delivery]

-Oksu, Seoul-

With Wife and Dominic

On Fog City International Cafe's delivery menu, the most intriguing item is the burrito--not intriguing per se but intriguing by virtue of it being available for delivery all the way from Incheon. In the comments following the first post on the restaurant, I remarked that "I can't imagine anyone wanting a burrito after it travels here from incheon" (see comments at 3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl). Bob, the proprietor of Fog City, responded to explain that the burritos are vacuum packed and frozen and delivered the next day, alleviating my concerns about spoilage and sogginess. In fact, the lettuce and guacamole that come with the burritos served in-store are omitted from the delivery burritos, apparently for those very reasons. He said further, "Given the dearth of good burritos available in Korea, we think our customers will enjoy our offering." It was an offer that I couldn't refuse.

The burrito, specifically the chicken burrito, was something of a hit and a miss. Consistent with the other items that I've tried from Fog City (see most recently 3.033 Hearty Beef Stew in a Sourdough Bowl), the burrito was immaculately constructed, fundamentally sound, pleasingly simple. Chicken, beans, rice, and cheese in a flour tortilla. Fully frozen and foil-wrapped, I popped it into the oven at full whack for about 20 minutes, resulting in a toasty tortilla on the outside with juicy chicken, gooey beans, fluffy rice, and oozing cheese inside. In terms of taste, however, I found it to be rather timid, the way that the flavorings of many foreign foods are watered down here in Korea so as not to offend the local sensibilities. But then, topped with Fog City's fresh salsa, which was gorgeously chock full of cilantro, the burrito came alive. A vigorous dash of Tapatio hot sauce sealed the deal. So, in summary, the burrito was a bit boring on its own yet well made with the potential to be good when paired with the right toppings, such as salsa, hot sauce, or perhaps guacamole, sour cream. At 5,000 won apiece, not a bad deal, though I'd need at least 2 to constitute a full meal. I may order a few more and keep them in the freezer, just in case.

Incidentally, I had their vegetarian burrito earlier in the day for lunch, pretty much drawing the same conclusion. It featured small cubes of tofu, which didn't really taste like anything, but the squishy texture combined with the cheese made it feel like ricotta. Interesting.

3.035 Animal Pasta with Mushrooms in Pork Meatball Mash

2012-02-09T02:19:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 35-

9 (Thu) February 2012

-Italian-

Animal Pasta with Mushrooms in Pork Meatball Mash

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

With Wife and Dominic

This so-called "meatball mash" sauce originated from an accident. Some time ago, I made meatballs and tossed them into tomato sauce, only to discover 30 minutes later that they'd disintegrated and turned the whole thing into a chunky ragu. I'd forgotten to add an egg as a binding agent to the initial meatball mix. But the result was quite pleasing, the bread crumbs and milk providing a softer texture and rounder flavor. It was a big hit with the kid. Now, I add bread crumbs and milk on purpose to achieve the same effect.

3.034 Bulnak Jeon-Gol

2012-02-08T18:30:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 34-

8 (Wed) February 2012

-Korean-

Bulnak Jeon-Gol

* * * *

at Gwacheon Sutbul Galbi (과천숯불갈비)

-Cheongpa, Seoul-

with Cho JH, Kim KH, Kim IT, Lee HS, MtG and Noh SJ

MtG's girlfriend, who recently finished her master's in textile design, is holding an exhibition of her latest project at Sookmyung University. Contrary to what I'd imagined, textile design is not so much about developing new fabrics that will ultimately be used for clothing, upholstery, etc., but rather about creating art pieces with existing fabrics--at least, that's what she does. The project, entitled "Hallucinating Forest," involves leaf shapes cut from cloth and sewn onto cloth sheets, each hanging like a curtain from the ceiling. Interesting.

Incidentally, I should stop calling her "MtG's girlfriend." I should start calling her "MtG's fiancee." Yes, apparently, it's official. Now that she seems determined to be a permanent fixture in his life, and indirectly mine, and thus on this blog, maybe I should start calling her by name. For the record, her name is Noh Soo Jung (노수정).

Anyway, after the opening reception of the exhibition, she bought dinner for those attending.

Bulnak jeon-gol (불낙전골) is a great dish for large gatherings of (Korean) people in a festive mood on a cold winter evening. As described in a prior post, jeon-gol is a type of broth dish consisting of broth and various ingredients cooked in a shallow pan at the table (see 1.067 Mandu Jeon-Gol). This specific variety features a combination of beef bulgogi (불고기) (see generally 1.003 Bulgogi) and the small octopus nakji (낙지)--surf & turf. The name of the dish is a portmanteau of "bul" and "nak." Here, the jeon-gol also included noodles and tofu. To finish off the meal, a fried rice was made in the remaining broth. It's quickly served yet leisurely eaten, tasty and filling, and pairs well with all manner of (Korean) booze. And at 12,000 won per serving (the photo shows 3 servings), it's not exorbitantly priced.

3.033 Hearty Beef Stew in a Sourdough Bowl

2012-02-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 33-

7 (Tue) February 2012

-American-

Hearty Beef Stew in a Sourdough Bowl

* * * *

from Fog City International Cafe

[delivery]

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Following the resounding success of my first experience with Fog City International Cafe (see most recently 3.017 Pan-Fried Mandu), a restaurant in Incheon that delivers a variety of items from their menu, I could hardly wait for another go. This time, in addition to their signature baked-on-the-premises sourdough, I ordered the beef stew, chicken burrito, and vegetarian burrito. The package was delivered in person by Bob and his wife, the proprietors of the establishment, all the way from Incheon. Talk about hands-on service. And they were most generous in tossing in a tub of their pico de gallo salsa fresca, free of charge.

As with the clam chowder on the previous occasion (see 3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl), I dug out the insides of a bread round to make a bowl and filled it with the beef stew. The stew was delightfully simple, chunks of tender beef, potatoes, and carrots in a thick rich broth--in a word: hearty. Though a tad underseasoned for my palate, a dash of salt made it just right. I still can't get over how tender the beef was. The bread, this time fresh, was even better than before. At 5,000 won for the jar of stew, plus 2,500 won for the bread (1/4 of a 10,000 order), it was a great value, more than enough for 2.

The soups from Fog City have come in Classico's "Atlas Mason" jars,

which I happen to collect and use to store various ingredients on my kitchen shelf

--maybe it's a Bay Area thing.

3.032 Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloins di Mandorla with Mixed Greens and Cherry Tomatoes in Lemon-Oil Dressing

2012-02-06T08:09:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 32-

6 (Mon) February 2012

-Italian-

Pan-Fried Pork Tenderloins di Mandorla

with Mixed Greens and Cherry Tomatoes in Lemon-Oil Dressing

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

About 2 minutes ago, while looking up the Italian word for "almond," I discovered that the almond is not a nut but rather a drupe, a fleshy fruit with a central stone containing the seed. More accurately, it's the central stone of the drupe. Other drupes include olives, cherries, and plums, as well as peaches, which fall in the same genus as almonds. Now that I think about, an almond's rough surface does make it look somewhat like a peach pit.

The Italian word for "almond" is "mandorla," by the way.

3.031 Steamed Lobster

2012-02-05T21:27:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 31-

5 (Sun) February 2012

-Japanese-

Steamed Lobster

* * * *

at Haesin (해신)

-Bangi, Seoul-

with Wife, Dominic, and the In-Laws

For various reasons, all of them dumb, the in-laws suddenly decided to give me 1 million won in cash as a birthday gift. My birthday is December 28. I refused. They insisted. I proposed that they buy me dinner instead. Okay, but something special, they grudgingly conceded. Lobster, I suggested. Agreed.

This seafood restaurant came recommended, on the internet through a number of blogs that raved about it, for its extravagant Japanese-style full-course meals. In addition to lobster, the menu also offered crab and abalone. Prices ranged from 60,000 to 80,000 per person. We got 2 orders of lobster (60,000 each) and 2 orders of crab (70,000 each). As evident in the photos below (the only item that I didn't photograph was the final dish of pineapple), the food was certainly plentiful. It was all pretty good, though I couldn't help but wish that they'd reduce the number of dishes and give more lobster.

I only got to eat one piece of the tail, the damn kid hogging the rest. Later, he would claim that he didn't really like the lobster, the crab being much more suited to his tastes. Ingrate. I'm beginning to understand why my own parents consider me to be such an unappreciative brat.

3.030 Jjol-Myeon

2012-02-04T22:14:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 30-

4 (Sat) February 2012

-Korean-

Jjol-Myeon

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife, Dominic,

and the Ka family

Jjol-myeon (쫄면) is a noodle dish most commonly found in quick-fix restaurants. Made of potato starch, the chewy noodles--"jjol" derives from the word "jjolgit"(쫄깃), which means "chewy"--are dressed in a gochujang/sesame oil/sugar sauce and topped with various shredded vegetables, typically cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumbers, and/or onions, as well as a boiled egg. Light and refreshing, it's a popular item as a snack or light lunch.

A spur-of-the-moment dinner gathering at home with a family from Dominic's daycare had me scrambling to put food on the table. The main course was pan-grilled samgyeopsal (삼겹살) (see generally 1.005 Grilled Samgyeopsal), with all the standard fixings, which I was proud to cook and serve on my new Snow Peak IGT (Iron Grill Table) system in the living room. The jjeol-myeon was from a DIY package, which comes with uncooked noodles and sauce; I added the cabbage, bean sprouts, and perfectly boiled egg, and remixed the sauce with additional sesame oil and sugar. The fresh vegetables and spicy sauce of the jjeol-myeon went well with the greasy pork bellies.

3.029 Kimchi Dogs

2012-02-03T22:13:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 29-

3 (Fri) February 2012

-American-

Kimchi Dogs

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

A couple weeks ago, when I was inspired by the Kimchi Chronicles to create a sandwich (see 3.016 Pan-Grilled Pork Sandwich on Sourdough with Cole Slaw and JG-Inspired Dressing), I mentioned in the post that the program had also featured kimchi hotdogs.

Here is my version(s). The hotdogs were Hebrew National Beef Franks, the kind used by street vendors in New York City. Although I prefer hotdogs to be boiled, which keeps them plump and juicy, I followed Jean-Georges's pan-grilling method, which imparted a nice charred flavor but left them a bit salty. The buns were lightly toasted on a griddle. As for the topping, I made 3 kinds (see photo from top left to bottom right): (1) with kimchi, onions, and leeks, all sauteed in sesame oil with a touch of sugar; (2) with the kimchi cooked but the garnishes fresh; and (3) everything uncooked.

Years of experience working with kimchi as an ingredient scream for the kimchi to be cooked in a dish like this, such that the pungent flavors mellow out and harmonize with the meat, so I was surprised to see JG electing not to do so on the program, instead simply dicing it up as is, a move that I dismissed at the time as amateur. But then, I reconsidered, even if JG isn't a kimchi expert per se, he is an expert nonpareil on food in general. Thus, just in case, I tried it both ways. While the cooked kimchi did feel like a more seamless pairing, the crunch and tang of the uncooked kimchi provided welcome contrasts to the soft and salty hotdog. It also helped that the kimchi itself was excellent, the same stuff used at my buddy's restaurant The Kimchi Jjigae (see generally 1.364 Kimchi Jjigae). Version 3, perhaps not so surprisingly, won the most votes at the table.

3.028 Milk-Braised Pork Spare Ribs with Steamed Broccoli

2012-02-02T22:11:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 28-

2 (Thu) February 2012

-Italian-

Milk-Braised Pork Spare Ribs

with Steamed Broccoli

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

As described in a prior post, Man with a Pan is a collection of essays and recipes by men who cook for their families (see generally 2.353 Lemon-in-the-Ass Rosemary Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy). Ostensibly, the principal pieces--the long ones, the ones with titles, illustrations, recommendations for further reading--are those written by actual writers. Interspersed throughout the book are shorter vignettes--a couple pages at most, each presented under the uniform heading "In the Trenches"--by non-writers of various occupations ranging from carpenter and football coach to debt trader and math professor. The recipes from the writers tend to be elaborate and fancy (e.g., Bacon-Wrapped Duck Breast Stuffed with Apples and Chestnuts), writers apparently having more time and perhaps more creativity to come up with such things. By contrast, the recipes from the others tend towards the quick and easy (e.g., Surefire Broccoli), working stiffs apparently being less tolerant of culinary bullshit after long days on the job.

The ridiculously simple recipe for this dish, which falls into the latter category, is presented by firefighter Josh Lomax and attributed to the legendary Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. For practical reasons, I went with spare ribs instead of the recommended cuts. And despite only about 1 kg of meat (half the stated amount), I ended up using an extra cup of milk. Ultimately, I found the milk gravy to be far too rich for my palate, so I added steamed broccoli to help even things out. Quick and easy, yes, and tasty, yes. But creaminess has never really been my thing. Maybe next time with a leaner type of meat, like chicken breasts, and some fresh herbs or aromatics for garnish, like parsley or scallions.

3.027 Brisket Pho

2012-02-01T08:56:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 27-

1 (Wed) February 2012

-Vietnamese-

Brisket Pho

* * *

at What the Pho

-Bundang, Seongnam-

solo

In an exchange of comments following a prior post, reader DC questioned my decision to dine at a sushi restaurant called "Little California" (see comments at 2.326 Salmon/California Roll). She wrote: "Why would you want to go to a place where the owners couldn't even trouble themselves to come up with an enticing name? It points to an uncreative menu and food not worth tasting." Aside from the issue of whether "Little California" constitutes such a terrible name for a sushi restaurant, I replied that the notion of choosing/avoiding a restaurant on the basis of its name had never occurred to me.

Here, for the first time in my life, I chose a restaurant on the basis of its name.

Unfortunately, the name was the only value of the experience. While pho has undergone radical change in Korea, which I described before (see 2.335 Brisket Pho), the beef broth at this restaurant was dark and opaque to the point of being murky. It was a far cry from food worth tasting, enticing name notwithstanding.

3.026 Duck Legs Braised in Red Wine with Garlic Mash

2012-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 26-

31 (Sun) January 2012

-French-

Duck Legs Braised in Red Wine

with Garlic Mash

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

The duck part of this dish is the 3rd item that I've made following a recipe from James Peterson's cookbook Meat: A Kitchen Education (see most recently 2.354 Brisket Pot Roast with Red Wine Gravy). Coincidentally, all 3 have involved braising in red wine, each to varying degrees of success, this one being the best thus far.

Looking back, the quality of the wines have had enormous impact on the resulting dishes. Case in point, for this evening's dish, I used Argento Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, an Argentinian wine that retails for less than 10,000 at E-Mart or Costco. Just like the wine itself, the sauce ended up with a vaguely grapey bouquet that lacked body and depth.

Though the importance of wine as an ingredient is frequently asserted by the experts, sometimes emphatically, I've been reluctant to use better wines in cooking. The problem is that a decent bottle costs at least 20,000 in Korea, more than 30,000 won for a good one; when a recipe calls for wine, I hear the ka-ching of the cash register and the tinkle of coins as I pour the stuff into the measuring cup, each cup 1/3 of the bottle. I know that the wine can make or break the dish, perhaps even more so than the meat, so I shouldn't be skimping. But I'd rather be drinking it.

3.025 Odeng Fried Rice

2012-01-30T07:46:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 25-

30 (Sat) January 2012

-Korean-

Odeng Fried Rice

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

I can't fathom why I'd save half of a sheet of odeng (오뎅) in the freezer rather than just using it up along with the rest of the package. It's not like odeng--which may be the cheapest and most widely available animal-based food product in Korea, a beige and largely flavorless, more flour than fish--is particularly worth saving.

In any event, having saved it, I couldn't waste it. Fried rice seemed like an easy solution to finish off the piddling tidbit, even though I've never heard of odeng as a fried rice ingredient. It turned out okay, the odeng making scant difference either way.

Following up on yesterday's comments, the green flecks in this evening's fried rice were celery.

3.024 Doenjang Jjigae with Celery Leaves

2012-01-29T07:45:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 24-

29 (Sat) January 2012

-Korean-

Doenjang Jjigae with Celery Leaves

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

I can hardly resist incorporating celery into the Korean dishes that I make, despite the unorthodoxy of doing so. The compulsion comes from my prediliction for cooking in the Western style, which embraces celery as a fundamental ingredient, either on its own or as a component of stocks/sauces (e.g., mire poix). For me, even where Korean cuisine is concerned, the absence of celery feels inherently flawed. But in past year or so, after several people had commented that my attempts at authentic soups or stir-fries tasted "unique" or "different" or "weird," while I'd been pleased at myself for getting it just right, I've come to realize that the subtle yet distinct undertone of the celery imparts an incongruous shade to the traditional flavor profile that Koreans are accustomed to. As a result, I hold back when guests are involved and go all out when it's just me and the family.

In related news, I've been learning to use celery leaves rather than discarding them after trimming. The practice follows from my newfound fondness for broccoli stems (see most recently 3.022 Ramen Noodles with Broccoli Stems and Cabbage Stir-Fried in Oyster Sauce), which started as a cost-saving measure but developed into a genuine preference for the stems over the florets. Celery leaves are perfectly edible, especially in soups, such as this doenjang jjigae (된장찌개) (see generally 1.174 Doenjang Jjigae), where they wilt down yet maintain a good structure in the broth. Interestingly, in line with E-Mart's ever-increasing selection of newfangled and/or exotic and/or foreign food products, including vegetables, the store has begun to sell celery leaves in packaging that recommends using them as wraps (ssam) (쌈).

3.023 Pan-Fried Duck Breasts in Five-Spice Glaze with Shredded Leeks

2012-01-28T07:44:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 23-

28 (Sat) January 2012

-Chinese-

Pan-Fried Duck Breasts in Five-Spice Glaze

with Shredded Leeks

* *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

For the first time in my life, I bought a duck. It was a whole duck. Not quite confident enough to risk it all on a single recipe, I separated the bird into 4 components: the breasts (for this dish), the legs-thighs-wings (for a future dish), the carcass (for stock), and the excess skin (for the rendered fat, as well as the crispy skins themselves, which we ate as an appetizer dipped in sweet chili sauce). At 11,000 won for 1.5 kg, a pretty decent value. And fun.

After consulting several cookbooks, I settled on a recipe in Man with a Pan, a collection of food essays and related recipes that I referenced in a prior post (see generally 2.353 Lemon-in-the-Ass Rosemary Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy). Developed by contributor Adam Bonin, the recipe was the synthesis of two duck recipes attributed to the venerable Mark Bittman, whom I quoted in yesterday's post (on an unrelated matter), whose video podcast The Minimalist is conceived on the notion of simplicity in cooking (see 2.223 Sesame Shrimp Scrambled Eggs). Nevertheless, the ingredient list left me a bit skeptical as to whether the recipe would work as is. I mean, for a glaze based on 7 total tablespoons of liquid, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce seemed excessive. According to the author, however: "Everybody in my family knows--and most of our friends know--that Adam can make duck, and he can make this duck. And he can just nail it." Self-reference in the 3rd person is often a sign of spurious cockiness, but I gave it a shot, confident myself that I could adjust if/when necessary.

As anticipated, the glaze was mouth-puckeringly salty. Even diluted with some stock, it was still a bit strong. The shredded leeks, not part of the original recipe, helped balance things out.

Americans don't appear to regard soy sauce as being particularly salty. Years ago, while helping out at my aunt and uncle's sushi boat restaurant in San Diego, I noticed that the customers ate inordinate amounts of soy sauce as a condiment; they would drop a piece of sushi into the soy sauce dish and wait for the rice to sop it all up and turn black. "Doesn't that make it too salty?" I once asked. "Salty? It's just soy sauce," the guy replied, looking puzzled. Another example, though I can't recall the details, I saw a cooking program in which the host, who was making something Asian, took great pains to explain that soy sauce may register as "sweet" but actually has a high sodium content and warned the viewers against the "temptation" to add extra salt. Indeed.

3.022 Ramen Noodles with Broccoli Stems and Cabbage Stir-Fried in Oyster Sauce

2012-01-27T07:42:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 22-

27 (Fri) January 2012

-Japanese-

Ramen Noodles with Broccoli Stems and Cabbage

Stir-Fried in Oyster Sauce

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Hoping to get a bit of wok-charred flavor into the noodles, I stir-fried them first, but they ended up absorbing most of the oyster sauce and leaving the dish somewhat dry as a result.

3.021 Sundubu

2012-01-26T07:40:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 21-

26 (Thu) January 2012

-Korean-

Sundubu

* * * *

at Giwajip Sundubu (기와집 순두부)

-Seocho, Seoul-

with Wife, Dominic, the Ka family, and the Shin family

In a prior post, I described the different types of tofu in Korea (see 1.315 Sundubu Jjigae with Clams). In Korea, tofu is called "dubu" (두부).

This restaurant has them all. For 18,000 won per person, the dinner set menu features 7 dishes, including firm tofu with sauteed kimchi, soft tofu in a shrimp-stock soup, and the restaurant's signature silky tofu (sundubu) (순두부) straight up in its own cooking water as the final course, along with other non-tofu items, as well as rice and the standard side dishes. I love tofu of all kinds but found the silky tofu, as good as it was, to be a bit too subtle for my liking. But overall, the meal was characterized by quality grub, no frills, great value.

I once noted that "old Korean men are the most reliable bellwethers of good old-school Korean restaurants" (see 2.248 Mandu Jeon-Gol), a cultural phenomenon that I attribute to 3 factors. First, working Koreans regularly eat dinner right after work with their colleagues and/or clients, as opposed to going home for dinner. Second, a work-related dinner is often a drawn out affair that involves food and booze in copious amounts, both in terms of volume and variety, best served one plate and one bottle at a time so as to facilitate conversation and bonding. And finally, up until recently, men constituted the majority of the workforce. Thus, old Korean men, with decades of experience, know where to go for good eats and drinks at reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere. Here, the packed house had only one female customer other than the three women and three girls in our party.

3.020 Monkfish-Clam-Beansprout-Tofu Soup

2012-01-25T00:04:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 20-

25 (Wed) January 2012

-Korean-

Monkfish-Clam-Beansprout-Tofu Soup

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

In yesterday's post, I mentioned that my cooking style is largely characterized by improv.

This is what I was talking about.

3.019 Spaghetti Topa with Shrimp-Shiitake Scampi

2012-01-24T00:03:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 19-

24 (Tue) January 2012

-Italian-

Spaghetti Topa

with Shrimp-Shiitake Scampi

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

The vast majority of the dishes that I make don't involve set recipes. It's usually improvisation flowing from a few fundamental ingredients. With Italian, for example, my pasta sauces are some combination of olive oil, butter, garlic, onions, and a dried herb blend of oregano-basil-thyme-parsley-bay. Beyond that, it all depends on what I happen to have on hand, a bit of this, a bit of that, tasting at every step, adjusting at every step. This is why I tend to describe the dishes in general terms, while promising on occasion to post a recipe in the unforeseeable future, even though I probably never will because my impromptu process isn't particularly amenable to documentation and subsequent repetition.

Case in point, I've made several variations of this sauce, which variously involve olive oil butter garlic onions dried herb blend of oregano-basil-thyme-parsley-bay stock tomatoes tomato paste celery carrots bell pepper fresh parsley fresh basil parmesan, everything cooked for 2 hours on low heat until the components have broken down to mush and then blended smooth. Not quite ready to claim the sauce as a signature, hoping to nail down a recipe someday, I've been referring to it loosely as "tomato-parmesan sauce" (see most recently 2.316 Spaghetti al Peperoncino with (Baked/Refried) Gold Mountain Pork Bellies in Tomato-Parmesan Sauce). Henceforth, if only for the sake of brevity, I'll call it "Topa."

Perhaps I'm approaching what food writer Mark Bittman, in his piece "Finding Myself in the Kitchen," which appears in the anthology Man with a Pan, a book that I mentioned in a prior post (see 2.353 Lemon-in-the-Ass Rosemary Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy), refers to as the final stage of home cooking: "Stage four is that of the mature cook, a person who consults cookbooks for fun or novelty but for the most part has both a fully developed repertoire and--far, far more importantly--the ability to start cooking with only an idea of what the final dish will look like. There's a pantry, there's a refrigerator, and there is a mind capable of combining ingredients from both to Make Dinner."

3.018 Bibimbap

2012-01-23T23:50:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 18-

23 (Mon) January 2012

-Korean-

Bibimbap

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

In Korea, traditionally, when it comes to preparing for and participating in holiday gatherings, the sons-in-law are practically free of obligation. The patriarch of the family, and his sons by extension, are responsible for the ritual aspects of the occasion--this is relatively easy, given that very little actual ritual is required nowadays. The matriarch of the family, and the daughters-in-law by extension, are responsible for the cooking--this is the most labor-intensive and important part of the occasion nowadays. The daughters, who may be formally absolved of direct responsibility with the understanding that they will be required to work as daughters-in-law in their own husbands' families, are nevertheless obligated to pick up the slack and assist their mother when necessary, given the female-oriented nature of the food preparation. But the sons-in-law, who may otherwise have their own responsibilities at home, where they're the actual sons, aren't really expected to do anything except eat.

However, as my wife (the daughter), her brother (the son), and his wife (the daughter-in-law) were raised to be utterly incapable of fulfilling their traditional duties, I (the son-in-law) take it upon myself on every occasion to ensure that the table is set properly, both literally and figuratively.

On this New Year's day, I prepared all the goodies and invited everyone over for lunch.

radish

bujigaengi (부지갱이)

bean sprouts

microgreens in sesame dressing

kimchi

mushroom jeon

steamed squash/chestnuts/ginko nuts in honey glaze

japchae

boiled mandu

ddeok guk

With the leftovers--perfect for bibimbap (비빔밥) (see 2.002 Bibimbap)--I enjoyed a quiet dinner with the wife and kid later that evening.

3.017 Pan-Fried Mandu

2012-01-22T23:49:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 17-

22 (Sun) January 2012

-Korean-

Pan-Fried Mandu

* * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Having invited the in-laws for New Year's lunch tomorrow, I had to prepare a few things the night before, like these mandu (만두) (see 1.135 Steamed Mandu). Any home production of mandu (see photos at 2.297 Octopus/Sora/Minari/Sesame Oil/Salt/Pepper) inevitably results in a number of rejected units that are typically cooked and eaten on the spot. With the wife and kid working the line, the rejects were plentiful. We made dinner of them.

----

Earlier in the day, I'd invited Kiho and Jinhee over for brunch to show off my stash of sourdough from Fog City International Cafe. The remaining bread had gone a bit limp since being delivered 3 days before, but I managed to restore its crispy glory by wrapping it in moist parchment paper and popping it in the oven at full whack for a few minutes. In addition to the bread bowl clam chowder (see 3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl) and the pork sandwich (see 3.016 Pan-Grilled Pork Sandwich on Sourdough with Cole Slaw and JG-Inspired Dressing), I also served the sourdough in big torn chunks with my own spinach dip, another amazing accompaniment, maybe the best one yet, which showed how versatile a good sourdough can be. My guests, both of whom had never heard of nor tasted sourdough, were blown away by their first experience.

3.016 Pan-Grilled Pork Sandwich on Sourdough with Cole Slaw and JG-Inspired Dressing

2012-01-21T23:48:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 16-

21 (Sat) January 2012

-American-

Pan-Grilled Pork Sandwich on Sourdough

with Cole Slaw and JG-Inspired Dressing

* * * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

In my first post referencing the Kimchi Chronicles, I noted that their decisions to feature certain items to the exclusion of others seemed a bit arbitrary in some cases (see 2.361 Bulgogi). This is particularly true in the street food episode (Episode 12), which, for example, devotes a great deal of time to the strictly tourist neighborhood of Insa-Dong and a selection of gimmicky snacks (e.g., "dragon's beard") that the average Korean probably has never tasted. By contrast, bare lip service is paid to ddeokbokki (떡볶기) (see 1.161 Sundae in Ddeokbokki Sauce) and odeng (오뎅) (see 2.159 Odeng Skewers in Ddeokbokki Sauce), and no mention at all of sundae (순대) (see 1.048 Sundae & Ddeokbokki), arguably the definitive items where modern Korean street food is concerned. Stranger still, when the program shifts back to the host's home kitchen in New York, where Marja and Jean-Georges cook up their interpretations of the dishes shown in Korea, they make kimchi hotdogs and spicy chicken sandwiches.

My main regret is that I couldn't seem to make it look good for the photo.

But it prompted me to try my hand at a Korean-American fusion sandwich. Inspired by Jean-Georges's recipe for the dressing, I mixed gochujang (고추장), mayonnaise, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, honey, and sesame seeds. Instead of chicken breasts, I grilled slices of pork shoulder. Whereas Jean-Georges had gone with a simple topping of julienned Asian pear, I concocted a quick cole slaw of shredded cabbage, carrots, and onions in mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. And finally, I assembled everything between 2 slices of sourdough from Fog City International Cafe (see 3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl), which I described in detail yesterday--the tangy-chewy bread providing a perfect bed for the sweet-spicy-sour dressing, the crunchy-zesty cole slaw, and the smoky, fatty pork. It was one of the best sandwiches that I've ever made.

3.015 Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl

2012-01-20T23:47:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 15-

20 (Fri) January 2012

-American-

Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl

* * * * *

from Fog City International Cafe

[delivery]

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Sourdough is the bread of choice in the San Francisco Bay Area. Unlike leavened breads made with yeast, the lactobacilli involved in leavening sourdough produces lactic acid that imparts a distinctly sour taste. I mostly ate Wonder Bread while growing up in the South Bay, but I came to love sourdough while I was an undergrad at Berkeley, when sandwiches constituted a large portion of my diet. The bright acidity of the bread, as well as its chew, works especially well with meaty sandwiches. Whenever guests came to town, a default stop on the tour was Fisherman's Wharf, where restaurants serve clam chowder in hollowed out sourdough rounds ("bowls"), the zesty bread providing a perfect counterbalance to the creamy soup, and the dense texture being optimally engineered to absorb the liquid without succumbing to sogginess. Alas, yeast-based breads represent the norm throughout most of the world, including Korea, where sourdough is virtually non-existent.

A few days ago, in response to an earlier post on the outstanding baguettes from the Paris Croissant in the French neighborhood of Seoul (see 1.315 Smoked Salmon with Romaine and Capers on Baguette Slices), a reader informed me that he had "great bread" for sale by delivery. The reader, as I would soon learn, runs a restaurant/bakery in Incheon called Fog City International Cafe (see Fog City International Cafe's website and Facebook page). Sourdough is listed as the first item on the website's delivery menu. The menu also includes clam chowder, as well as a suggestion to eat the chowder with the sourdough in reference to the tradition of Fisherman's Wharf. I couldn't resist the offer.

After several email exchanges, which confirmed our mutual connection to the Bay Area, we agreed on an order for 4 sourdough bread bowls at 10,000 won and 2 orders of clam chowder at 5,000 won each. In addition to the agreed upon (i) 4 sourdough bread bowls and (ii) 2 orders of clam chowder, he delivered (iii) 2 additional large rounds (each the size of 2 bread bowls), (iv) 1 bottle of proprietary salad dressing made with blue cheese imported from the Cowgirl Creamery in Marin County, and (v) 1 bottle of chardonnay from the Napa Valley winery Cartlidge & Brown: all so that I could enjoy a thoroughly Northern California dining experience, as his note in the box explained. "The perks of being a power blogger," the wife said. "Yup!" I said, beaming. "But you're not a power blogger," she said. Bazinga. Anyway, in terms of volume, it was undoubtedly the greatest food value that I've ever purchased, even if I hadn't bargained specifically for it.

Without the freebies, a single loaf of the bread alone would've made the transaction worthwhile. Although a straight-up comparison to the aforementioned Paris Croissant baguette would be unfair, the latter being a yeast-leavened bread and therefore at an inherent disadvantage as far as I'm concerned, the Fog City sourdough now ranks as the best bread that I've ever had in Korea. Prior to tasting it, the tactile sensations-- the powdery flour lightly dusted on the outside, the rough surface of the crust, the rigidity that gave ever-so-slightly when squeezed--all suggested that something special lay within. It crackled when torn apart. Inside, the coarsely yellowish bread was uneven and ugly, like a beautiful handmade bread should be. At first bite, the exquisite tang immediately made my mouth water as the sense memories came flooding back; it's hard to believe that nearly a decade had passed since I last had sourdough. I finished an entire round just standing there over the box. Awesome. The only slight drawback is that, personally, I would've preferred it a bit tangier; I'm wondering if some of the zip had dissipated, the way that sour does over time, in the 24 hours that it had sat around before I got to it (we were away on the day of delivery). Now that I plan to be a life-long customer, I can taste it fresh the next time.

This was the original presentation, but the bread bowl looked better broken open.

The clam chowder was also excellent. Compared to the canned stuff, or even the mass produced stuff found in certain chain restaurants, Fog City's clam chowder was chock full of fresh clams that burst with actual clam flavor upon every bite. The only slight drawback is that, personally, I would've liked it a bit thicker; I'm wondering if it had been bottled somewhat loose to compensate for thickening upon reheating, which it did. And of course, as per the plan, the chowder paired perfectly with the sourdough.

Unfortunately, I couldn't incorporate the salad dressing or the wine into this first meal, but I'll get around to them soon enough. And I still have a lot of bread left.

3.014 Grilled Freshwater Eel with Ssamjang and Mukeunji in Lettuce Wraps

2012-01-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 14-

19 (Thu) January 2012

-Korean-

Grilled Freshwater Eel

with Ssamjang and Mukeunji

in Lettuce Wraps

* * * * *

at Jangsucheon (장수천)

-Bundang, GyeongGi-

With Wife and Dominic

On my first visit a few weeks earlier, I raved about the eel at this restaurant (see 2.362 Grilled Freshwater Eel in Hanbang Sauce).

I was disappointed to find that, for whatever reason, it didn't seem nearly as good the second time around. All else being equal, it might've been the eel itself, which wasn't as thick and juicy as I remembered. The wife commented that the eel lacked eel flavor. Even the kid, who usually goes gaga for eel, wasn't very impressed and declined to eat more than a couple perfunctory bites. Personally, I still thought it was very good, but not worthy of the prior 6-star rating.

The restaurant employs a nifty logistical system

in which the trays act as insertable/removable tabletop for quick service/cleanup.

Maybe my opinions are more capricious than I'd like to believe, even though I try to maintain objectivity and consistency where the ratings are concerned. Admittedly, I do tend to vacillate in the presence of a third party, as in my recent encounter with Lisa (see 3.007 Nokdu Bindae Jeon).

Getting back to the meal at hand, another thing that I like about the restaurant is their mukeunji (묵은지). Mukeunji is kimchi that's been fermented to the extreme, intensifying the pungency while mellowing out the sharp spiciness. It's typically used as an ingredient in certain kimchi dishes, such as kimchi jjigae (김치찌개), rather than eaten on its own. Jangsucheon pares down the mukeunji by removing the fillings and rinsing off the juices; the remaining cabbage leaves, now clean and tangy, provided a pleasing contrast to the fatty, smoky grilled eel.

3.013 Lemon-in-the-Ass Bay Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy

2012-01-18T23:22:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 13-

18 (Wed) January 2012

-American-

Lemon-in-the-Ass Bay Roast Chicken

with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Essentially the same dish as before (see 2.353 Lemon-in-the-Ass Rosemary Roast Chicken with Roast Potatoes and Pan Gravy), but without rosemary and, instead, bay leaves tucked under the skin. While I'm gaining confidence in my chicken roasting technique, as well as making pan gravy from the drippings, I still struggle to get the potatoes as crispy as I'd like. Also, I can't seem to find an herb combination that does it for me, neither the forest aroma of the rosemary nor the bitterness of the bay being particularly desirable to my sensibilities. But the dish is getting there.

3.012 White Pizza

2012-01-17T22:43:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 12-

17 (Tue) January 2012

-Italian-

White Pizza

* * * * *

at The Pizza Peel

-Itaewon, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Of the many pies that I've tried at The Pizza Peel (see most recently 2.178 Pizza Quattro Formagio), where the best Napoli-style thin crust in the city can be found, this "white pizza" demonstrates how delectable it is. With just ricotta, mozzarella, EVOO, oregano, and fresh spinach as toppings, the crust's toothsome flavor comes through. And the absence of tomato sauce, which can render the light crust a bit soggy, allows the texture to remain pristinely soft and chewy, even after several minutes of sitting on the table. Excellent.

Anderson Valley's Boont Amber Ale,

a nice hoppy accompaniment to the pizza.

3.011 Doenjang Jjigae

2012-01-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 11-

16 (Mon) January 2012

-Korean-

Doenjang Jjigae

* * * *

by Wife

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

Just 11 meals into Cycle 3, I'm already appreciating the freedom of allowing myself to eat whatever's on the table without worrying about whether it's a repeat of a prior dish or whether I should "save it" for the future. On so many occasions during Cycle 2, I would've been thoroughly satisfied with a bowl of simple doenjang jjigae (된장찌개) (see generally 1.174 Doenjang Jjigae) but abstained and went instead for something ostensibly "different" just for the sake of difference. What a relief.

3.010 Mul Naeng-Myeon

2012-01-15T20:30:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 10-

15 (Sun) January 2012

-Korean-

Mul Naeng-Myeon

* * *

at Myeong-Dong Hamheung Myeon-Ok (명동함흥면옥)

-Myeong-Dong, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

A couple weeks ago, after watching the beef episode (Episode 6) of the Kimchi Chronicles , which features bulgogi (불고기) at Hanilkwan (한일관), I ventured to the same restaurant and sampled the same dish (see 2.361 Bulgogi).

Likewise, the noodle and dumpling episode (Episode 10) led me to Myeong-Dong Hamheung Myeon-Ok (명동함흥면옥) for a bowl of their mul naeng-myeon (물냉면). Upon arrival, I realized that I'd been there before, probably on multiple occasions, back when my mother ran a coffee shop around the corner over 20 years ago.

As described in my first post on mul naeng-myeon, the dish comes in 2 different styles: Hamheung and Pyeongyang (see 1.118 Mul Naeng-Myeon). In summary, Hamheung has thin/chewy noodles in a beefy broth, while Pyeongyang has thicker and doughier noodles in a clearer broth. Although Hamheung is more prevalent/popular nowadays--as noted before, "This is the style of mul naeng-myeon that has come to dominate both the domestic and international markets in recent years. Unless otherwise noted, naeng-myeon is now Hamheung by default."--all the mul naeng-myeon covered on this blog have been Pyeongyang, which I'm overwhelmingly partial to.

Like any classic noodle shop ("myeon-ok"), the menu is limited to a handful of items,

including mul naeng-myeon, bibim naeng-myeon, mandu, and pyeon-yuk.

The mul naeng-myeon at Myeong-Dong Hamheung Myeon-Ok, as the name of the restaurant would suggest, is in the Hamheung tradition. True to form, the noodles were intolerably chewy, more like strands of rubber than noodles; unless cut via scissors into shorter bits, they're practically impossible to eat without choking. And the broth was too strong in beef flavor, stronger than usual, so strong that liberal amounts of vinegar and mustard couldn't cut through it. Moreover, the broth was distinctly sweet, a point that even Marja, the host of the program, picks up on at first bite. In fact, for several years now, I've been observing a trend toward making the broth increasingly sweeter by naeng-myeon restaurants in Seoul, especially those catering to younger crowds, and maybe tourists--which I've come to regard as the "Seoul style," a derivative of the Hamheung, similar to how the "Okcheon style" has evolved from the Pyeongyang (see most recently 3.005 Mul Naeng-Myeon). In any event, personal bias aside, I wasn't impressed by the mul naeng-myeon here. Certainly not worth 8,000 won.

The best part of the meal was this complimentary/refillable cup of warm beef broth

--called "yuksu" (meat stock)--a standard offering at most naeng-myeon restaurants.

bibim naeng-myeon (비빔냉명),

which here includes a few slices of beef and is called "gogi (meat) naeng-myeon" (고기냉면).

mandu

pickled radish sidedish

3.009 Family Set

2012-01-14T23:19:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 9-

14 (Sat) January 2012

-Japanese-

Family Set

* *

at E-Mart Food Court

-Seongsu, Seoul-

with Wife, Dominic, and Lisa

Among the many references to E-Mart on the blog, this is the first post featuring a meal from the food court. After several consistently less-than-optimal dining experiences there when we began shopping at the store years ago, we've opted for the on-premises McDonald's (see most recently 2.359 Mega Mac) or buying ready-to-go items from the supermarket and eating them at the tables (see most recently 2.104 Engawa Nigiri Sushi). But, long story short, we ended up ordering a few things from the food court, despite my better judgment.

(That's Lisa behind the shopping cart)

Still, I'd always been tempted to try one of the huge combination platters, if only to witness the sheer magnitude with my own eyes. Clockwise from bottom left: donkatsu, omurice, ddeok-bokki, kimchi, udon, assorted nigiri sushi, another udon, and masago temaki. 15,000 won. Authenticity aside--ddeok-bokki?!--it was pretty crappy, even though we finished most of it, as hungry as we were.

The sign reads:

"The displays are intended to help customers in making their orders

and may differ somewhat from the actual food."

On a positive note, in the absence of pressure to impress Lisa, who'd read the warning and provided informed consent, dinner was stress free for me.

3.008 Pork Schnitzel with Mozzarella in Tomato Sauce

2012-01-13T22:37:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 8-

13 (Fri) January 2012

-Austrian-

Pork Schnitzel with Mozzarella in Tomato Sauce

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

An all-time favorite during Cycle 1 (see 1.002 Pork Schnitzel with Garlic Mashed Potatoes), schnitzel makes a triumphant return. Inexplicably, I didn't touch the recipe once throughout Cycle 2. After over a year (see most recently 1.328 Pork Schnitzel with Tater Tots and Sauerkraut), it was as good as ever.

I still have yet to solve the sauce issue. The last-minute additions of mozzarella and tomato sauce here were okay, even though the resulting dish seemed more Italian or Italian-American than what I imagine schnitzel would be like in Austria.

3.007 Nokdu Bindae Jeon

2012-01-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 7-

12 (Thu) January 2012

-Korean-

Nokdu Bindae Jeon

* * * *

at Seolmaene (설매네)

-Sinsa, Seoul-

with Wife, Dominic, and Lisa

Previously, I noted that the name of this dish varies due to certain controversies concerning etymology (see 1.148 Bindae Ddeok). This restaurant takes a compromise position both by referring to the more technically precise descriptors--"nokdu" (녹두) and "jeon" (전)--while paying homage to the traditional term--"bindae" (빈대).

Lisa, the blog's Number One Fan, is back in town! While I always look forward to seeing her, as she is also one of my best friends, her visits here stress me out to no end because I feel the pressure of having to live up to the opinions that I've stated on these pages. For example, in response to a description of this dish at this restaurant in a prior post (see 2.248 Mandu Jeon-Gol), Lisa commented: "18,000 won seems like a lot for bin dae dduk even if it's really good...." In reply, I wrote: "...I didn't feel that these were very expensive, especially since they're so good." Upon tasting them herself this evening, she declared that they weren't worth it. Oh well.

In my defense, let me be clear that the nokdu bindae jeon here aren't spectacularly amazing. The taste rates a solid 4 stars, then and now. On other occasions, I would've given them an additional star in recognition of how they're usually prepared: extra thick with super crispy crusts. This time, however, for whatever reason, the crusts seemed less than super crispy--hence the 4-star rating. Even the wife noted that something seemed off this evening. As for whether they're "worth" the price of 18,000 won, I acknowledge that it's a bit steep for jeon; taste and texture aside, the order comes with 2 pancakes (the photo shows 1), and they're thick, so at least the amount is reasonable.

To make matters easier for everyone (me), I'm considering never to take Lisa anywhere or to cook her anything that's been covered on the blog.

3.006 Beef Sukiyaki

2012-01-11T23:08:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 6-

11 (Wed) January 2012

-Japanese-

Beef Sukiyaki

* * *

at Hakata Tatsumi

-Cheongdam, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

This beef sukiyaki dinner set was possibly the biggest ripoff that I've experienced in my life, certainly as far back as I can remember, undoubtedly in the 2-plus-year history of the blog. For 100,000 won, plus 10% VAT, it came with a few forgettable and/or unforgettably unpalatable appetizers, a raw egg, 5 paper-thin slices of beef weighing a measly 100 grams total (if that), the standard vegetables and noodles, and a lousy dessert. Volume aside, the broth was too sweet and too salty. To make matters worse, a uniformed server stood alongside the table and dipped the various ingredients into the broth, one piece at a time, and placed them onto our plates, which rendered the dining experience even skimpier while being ludicrously ostentatious; I couldn't help but wonder aloud, in the server's presence, how much of the tab went towards paying for the service--cut back on staff and give the customers an extra slice of meat.

Given my disgust with restaurants in Gangnam, especially in the back alleys behind the haute couture boutiques in Cheongdam (see generally 1.195 Sea Cucumbers in Oyster Sauce), I anticipated as much. But the wife, who'd recognized my need to get away--partially to get away from her--and had quietly given me a 3-night hall pass to go camping by myself, suggested that we splurge to celebrate my return. Supposedly, she'd once enjoyed a great meal at this restaurant for lunch, when the price are cheaper and the portions are larger, so she wanted to go back. She agreed, however, that dinner was a fiasco. Oh well.

----

Following up on comments made in yesterday's post, I visited a different naeng-myeon restaurant in Okcheon for lunch earlier in the day, after I'd packed up my gear and headed for home. The restaurant was Okcheon Halmeoni Naeng-Myeon (옥천할머니냉면). Per expectations, it fell short of the other place.

3.005 Mul Naeng-Myeon

2012-01-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 5-

10 (Tue) January 2012

-Korean-

Mul Naeng-Myeon

* * * * *

at Goeup Naeng-Myeon (고읍냉면)

-Okcheon, GyeongGi-

solo

To fulfill a long-standing vow to cover my favorite restaurant in the town of Okcheon (옥천) (see 1.261 Wanja), I present Goeup Naeng-Myeon (고읍냉면). The menu, like that of most restaurants in the area, is limited to just 4 items: mul naeng-myeon (물냉면), bibim naeng-myeon (비빔냉면), pyeon-yuk (편육), and wanja (완자). In my experience, having tried the items at other restaurants for the sake of comparison, I've consistently found that Goeup does them best.

Their mul naeng-myeon is especially good. Generally, the style of naeng-myeon served in Okcheon is similar to the Pyeongyang style (see 1.188 Mul Naeng-Myeon), only more so, which means the noodles have a higher buckwheat content and the broth is even clearer, which runs the risk of flabby texture and bland taste (see 1.286 Mul Naeng-Myeon). But Goeup's noodles are perfectly chewy. And the broth is virtually flavorless and yet remarkably crisp and refreshing, like a high quality vodka on ice. The toppings are as minimal as can be, just half of a boiled egg and julienned cucumbers, but the dish feels complete. 7,000 won.

pyeon-yuk and wanja combo

The solitary side dish is pickled radish in a gochujang dressing,

also an Okcheon standard.

After 2 days of cooking on a snow-covered mountain, I drove down for a bowl of chilled noodles. Naeng-myeon is said to be a winter item--probably dating back to a time when the broth was left outside to freeze in the natural cold--so it was an appropriate choice for my final dinnertime meal of the trip. Afterwards, I drove back and and zipped myself into my tent and cranked the heaters on high and settled in for the night. I was beginning to miss home.

Address: GyeongGi-Do Yangpyeong-Gun Okcheon-Myeon Okcheon-3Ri 604 (경기도 양평군 옥천면 옥천3리 604)

A marathon of Everybody Loves Raymond,

which made me even more homesick.

3.004 Grilled Duck with Char Siu Glaze in Romaine Wraps

2012-01-09T02:20:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 4-

9 (Mon) January 2012

-Chinese-

Grilled Duck with Char Siu Glaze in Romaine Wraps

* * * *

by me

at Seolmaejae Natural Recreation Forest

(설매재 자연휴양림)

[campsite]

-Okcheon, GyeongGi-

with Lee HS

When my camping crew got wind of what I was up to, they started calling me, at first to inquire if everything was okay with me, but then to offer their services in keeping me company. They couldn't seem to believe that I really wanted to be alone. By mid-afternoon, I stopped answering the phone and settled in for another night of blissful solitude. But it was not to be. Around 9PM, the silence on the mountain was pierced by the sound of an approaching vehicle. I unzipped the tent and peered into the darkness to see, with dismay, a black Veracruz equipped with a Thule rooftop gear compartment: Hoseop. "This is the first time that I've ever gone solo camping," he said, "thanks for having me." "Now that you're here, it's no longer 'solo' camping for either of us," I said, "thanks for ruining it." We had a great time, and I was glad for the opportunity to talk to somebody about my problems, but socializing wasn't part of the plan.

3.003 Grilled Pork Chops

2012-01-08T19:58:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 3-

8 (Sun) January 2012

-American-

Grilled Pork Chops

* * * *

by me

at Seolmaejae Natural Recreation Forest

(설매재 자연휴양림)

[campsite]

-Okcheon, GyeongGi-

solo

For reasons that I decline to share here, I needed to get away. I loaded the car with gear/food/booze/entertainment and headed for the hills.

My destination was Seolmaejae Natural Recreation Forest. It's a park on a small mountain with decked campsites and cabins for rent, along with meeting halls and sporting facilities and hiking trails, as well as a restaurant (closed during the off-season) and a convenience store that conveniently has a lending library--even a few books in English. Electricity and hot water are available and, unlike most forest parks, the burning of firewood and coals is permitted. Restrooms and showers are well-maintained. All in all, it's one of the best camping grounds that I've ever encountered in Korea. And it's a mere 50 km from home.

The best part of the trip was that I had the entire park to myself--exactly what I had in mind.

3.002 Shrimp with Broccoli in Corsino-5S Sauce

2012-01-07T02:00:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 2-

7 (Sat) January 2012

-Chinese-

Shrimp with Broccoli in Corsino-5S Sauce

* * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

with Wife and Dominic

What I said before about adding a dash of 5-spice to make it better, (see 2.358 Shrimp with Broccoli Stems and Cauliflower in Corsino-5S Sauce), I retract. After a second try, I've decided that I prefer the cleaner taste of the original corsino sauce.

3.001 Grilled Pork Galbi

2012-01-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 3, Item 1-

6 (Fri) January 2012

-Korean-

Grilled Pork Galbi

* * *

at Bon-Ga (본가)

-Oksu, Seoul-

with MtG and Kim K

Exactly 730 days ago, this blog was conceived at this restaurant while eating this dish (see 1.001 Grilled Pork Galbi). Fittingly, the name of the restaurant means "house (ga) of origin (bon)." Being my family's go-to neighborhood restaurant, I've eaten here during the past several years more than at any other establishment (see most recently 2.238 Grilled Samgyeopsal with Ssam and Haemul Ssamjang). While I finished out Cycle 1 last year with the final meal at Bon-Ga (see 1.365 Grilled Pork Galbi), I decided this time that starting the new cycle here would be more appropriate.

----

At the end of Cycle 1, I did a statistical breakdown of various categories. Since then, I've instituted several modifications to the classifications in some of those categories, thus rendering the prior numbers in certain cases obsolete per se and incompatible to this cycle's numbers by comparison.

By Rating. For the most part, I was satisfied with 190 items (52%) rating 4 stars or more; 119 items (32%) rated mediocre at 3 stars; and 58 items (16%) were disappointing at 2 stars or fewer.

By Origin. Korean topped the list with 113 items (31%), American and Italian each represented 52 items (14%), and Chinese came in 4th with 40 items (11%). I was happy to add 8 new countries to the list, including Brazil, Bulgaria, Egypt, Hungary, Paraguay, Philippines, Spain, and Vietnam.

By Ingredient. Pork was tops with 81 appearances, followed by beef with 65, tomatoes 59, fish 52, shrimp and rice 51 each, and chicken 45. I finally got to eat lobster.

By Source. 170 meals were home-cooked (139 by me), compared to 173 meals prepared by a restaurant of some sort. 18 meals in a camping situation.

By Location. 169 meals were eaten at home. While the entirety of Cycle 1 took place in Korea, Cycle 2 featured 15 meals eaten somewhere overseas, including Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, and quite literally "overseas" in one case.

By Companion. Perhaps the most significant stat of all, my son Dominic dominated the list with 199 shared meals. The wife came close with 174. I ate 79 meals solo. MtG had the most of other companions with 46 (a number that might've been higher had he not met his current girlfriend during the summer). And Lisa, the blog's Number 1 Fan, joined me on 5 occasions.

By Audience. The blog scored 8,042 page views from the US and 4,469 from Korea. The other 8 countries in the top ten included Canada (543), Philippines (454), Malaysia (398), Russia (393), Australia (387), UK (344), Germany (251), and Singapore (237). Overall, the blog had 16,156 hits during Cycle 2 (compared to 2,015 in Cycle 1!). Thank you all! But I wish that you'd leave comments so I know who you are!

FAVORITE BY-ME DISHES

2.187 Damn Yo Shrimp

2.226 Gold Mountain Pork Bellies

FAVORITE RESTAURANT DISHES

2.137 Gwang-Eo Mul-Hoe

2.290 Grilled Daechang

FAVORITE BY-ME PRESENTATIONS

2.176 Spaghetti Dominico with Cherry Tomatoes

2.154 Pan-Seared Scallops and Chicory Leaves in a Butter-Gin Reduction

WORST RESTAURANT DISHES

2.329 WTF?

2.260 (Regular) Chicken Wings

MOST MEMORABLE MEALS

2.045 Pan-Fried Pork Bellies: Dipped, Topped, and Wrapped

2.292 Beef & Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

MOST BIZARRE DISH

2.114 Grilled Pork Nipple in Soy-Wasabi Dipping Sauce

2.365 Perfectly Boiled Eggs

2012-01-05T23:53:00.000-08:00

-Cycle 2, Item 365-

5 (Thu) January 2011

-Miscellaneous-

Perfectly Boiled Eggs

* * * * *

by me

at home

-Oksu, Seoul-

solo

For the final meal of the cycle, I struggled to come up with something appropriate. Last year, for the final meal of the inaugural cycle, I went to Bon-Ga (본가) and had pork galbi, the very first restaurant and dish featured on the blog, thus bringing the whole thing full circle. This time, however, I decided that it would be better to save that meal for the actual anniversary tomorrow. I could've gone out with a bang--a grand meal at a grand restaurant, or one of my "signature" dishes at home--but, long story short, current circumstances prevented any such lofty ambitions. On my way home from work, I even detoured to Itaewon, thinking perhaps of getting something to go, like a donner kebab sandwich, but that just seemed weird on second thought, so I went home empty-handed. At home, standing in front of an open fridge, I settled on the simplest solution of boiled eggs. It seemed a quietly dignified conclusion to the culinary madcap journey that was Cycle 2.

----

How to (Perfectly) Boil an Egg

1 egg

1. Boil water in pot.

2. Add egg and boil for 8 minutes.

3. Remove egg from boiling water and shock in ice-cold water.

4. Peel and eat.

NOTES

(this is the important part, really)

- The eggs that I buy here are about 60 grams each, which is about the size of a medium American egg. Size is important, of course, because a larger egg requires longer cooking time to achieve the same level of doneness.

- The more water, the better. First, the amount of water needs to be enough to completely immerse the egg(s) throughout the cooking. Eggs that aren't fully immersed will cook slower and rattle around more, possibly resulting in cracking. Also, a greater volume of (hot) water will help to ensure that the temperature doesn't drop too much, and thus require additional time to reachieve boiling point, upon the initial introduction of the (cold) eggs.

- The size of the pot isn't important, per se, so long as the water reaches high enough within to cover the eggs, as described above. A thicker pot that better conducts heat may help to maintain temperature, as described above.

- The cooking time may vary depending on the source of heat and ambient temperature. But so long as a roiling boil is maintained throughout, 8 minutes should be enough.

- While shocking the eggs in ice-cold water will quickly slow the cooking process, it won't stop the cooking completely. Here, the eggs were peeled immediately after, such that the yolks were still a bit runny, the way I prefer them. Leaving the eggs to sit for an additional minute, at which time the cooking stops, the yolks will have firmed up while maintaining a moist center.