I've developed a love for Korean Cuisine since the first time I tried it a few years ago. Since my first try, I have always gone back to the same restaurant trying out their different items. And never once has this restaurant failed to impress me! Today's food adventure will be about the Korean restaurant near the Downtown of the city I live in.
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| A whole table of great food! Just like a banquet! |
Korean cuisine is known for its colourful appearance, bold, strong tastes of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. Every year when a special occasion comes up (whether a birthday, Mother's Day, or Father's Day etc.) we would go out to try the various cuisines that our city has to offer. Korean Cuisine has been one of our top favorites (maybe because the Hallyu wave is also influencing us in one way or another). After being introduced to the Korean culture, the first thing that catches the attention of my family and I is of course food.
Today, we decided to have a small celebration of Father's Day as a family, along with a very close friend of my brother as well as my friend. As always, our top choice is our favorite Korean Restaurant --Korean Village. We knew Saturdays would be quite busy, so I made a reservation the day before. So this time we didn't have to wait 20 mintues. Once we stepped out our van, the aroma of LA Galbi filled the air. Since I just finished church activities I was extremely hungry and couldn't wait to get inside the restaurant.
Korean Barbeque
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| Korean Barbeque |
As always, we order their set combos for 3-4 people and on top of it order some entrees and apetitzers. I really like their barbeque, there is a variety of meats or "gogi" including "Bulgogi" (marinated beef), "Ttakgogi" (marniated Chicken) and "Dwejigogi" (marinated pork), as well as "LA Galbi" (which are like beef ribs I believe).. In their barbeque, they always include fresh lettuce pieces for the pork so we could make our own "Samgyeopsal". (^______^) if you watch korean dramas you could probably guess what "Samgyeopsal" is. It is basically fatty pork grilled and wrapped in lettuce. Oftentimes, the dramas show people eating this along with drinking Soju.
Side Dishes, Soup, and Bibimbap
The next thing included in this combo is the pork bone and potatoe soup. I would have to say, I like this soup more in the cold winter, than the summer. As it is a pretty filling soup. Next, we also had the numerous side dishes including kimchi, kimchi raddish, eggplant, pickled radish strippes, and bean sprouts. the typical side dishes. The combo we ordered also came with deep fried "mandu" (dumplings) and a seafood pancake (filled with green onion and various seafood pieces). The first entree we ordered was Bibimpab, unlike the usual ones we see online, this one included a soup/stew-like seafood bowl that you use to mix with the "bap" (rice). It is perhaps one of the more spicier dishes of the whole meal.
Naengmyeon
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| Naengmyeon |
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| Mustard and vinegar for the Naengmyeon |
But today, the dish that I really enjoyed was not from the combo, rather it was one of the noodle dishes we ordered. Mul Naengmyun. Or Cold noodles in a broth. Now that summer is arriving and the weather starts to turn hot. I often look for more refreshing items when I eat out. I remember last year, I was on YouTube watching "Eat Your Kimchi" by Simon and Martina and they introduced 'Naengmyeon" in one of their videos. When I saw it on the menu today, I quickly made a suggestion to order it and boy I was super happy I Did.
"Mul Naengmyeon", if I did not recall the name wrong, is the non spicy cold noodles. Like Simon and Martina mentioned in their video, the large bowl of noodles came with the vinegar and mustard for you to mix in the soup. On top of the chewy noodles and broth are strips of cucumber and meat (pork) with a piece of egg. After mixing in the vinegar and mustard. I took my first bite. I have to say, I LOVE IT. The sweet and sour taste of the soup makes it really appetizing, as well the tangy sensation of the mustard makes you want to crave for more :) Super
짱!!!
Thanks and Have a great day!
Little Stars
