After a relaxing a bit in the tearoom, coffee shop, we made our way to the motel to check in. Having dropped off our bags, our host Mr. Cho asked us where we wanted to go for lunch. We said we don't care take us to your favorite spot. As we are walking to this restaurant, Kelly says to me, "I just don't want octopus." As we turn the corner, we see the sign for the restaurant and it has a cartoon octopus on the front. Uh Oh!
In the Korean restarants we have been to so far you take off your shoes at the front door. As I am taking off my shoes, I notice a waiteress bringing a dish to some people by the front door. I take a peek at their selection and of course it is octopus. The fascinating part was that the tentacles were still moving writhing and squirming around on the platter as it was being cooked.
I thought to myself at that moment, "We should have picked something ourselves." The discussion at our table was the squirming octopus at the other table and the way the waitress used scissors to cut the tentacles into smaller pieces. Our interpreter Mr. Han told us about the popularity of the dish in the country. In fact, in the two days we have explored Korea, we have seen many fish in aquariums outside of restaurants. The strangest was a hot dog with a mouth. I don't know what it was but I do know you could get it for a few dollars.
One big contrast between food from the states and food here in Korea I have noticed is in the preparation. There are a lot of soupy stews and broths. Very healthy, tasty and filling. Contrast that to the majority of foods prepped in the States. They are fried and greasy. I can see why costal diets are so healthy.
If you have never had Korean food, try Mama's Restaraunt on Pendleton Pike and 56th. It is authentic Korean cuisine. At the Korean table you have your main dish (which has been a lot of seafood.) Besides the main course are many at least five smaller dishes with various textures and flavors. Kimchi is the famous one. It is a feremented cabbage with a spice vinegar taste. Some of the other options we have sampled included shrimp with our breakfast, seaweed with our lunch, tofu, and radishes. They have their own unique features. The shrimp for example was teeny tiny and very salty. I like salt so I found them tasty. The seaweed was cut into 3 inch squares and it looked like green photo film. It was very slick and hard to grab with you chopsticks. Ultimately, the smooth texture was the draw because it tasted somewhat bland. At dinner we had a beef dish for the main course and it was accompanied with lettuce covered with a sweet sauce, kimchi, tofu, and silk worms, stomach, and livers. Anne described the silk worm as reminding her of bran cereal. I agree with that. I could could not stomach eating the stomach or the liver. Both were chopped up into bitesize morsels. The stomach had a spiny look to it and the liver is what you would imagine, meaty morsels in a red sauce. The rest of the meal was super tasty. Beef with garlic and you mixed that with the salad. Mmm. Mmm. Good.
Well that gives you a taste of the cuisine we have been eating. Two days in all of this has happened so far. Duwayno has some great pics including a video of the octopus dish he will be posting.
All the Best,
JASON
In the Korean restarants we have been to so far you take off your shoes at the front door. As I am taking off my shoes, I notice a waiteress bringing a dish to some people by the front door. I take a peek at their selection and of course it is octopus. The fascinating part was that the tentacles were still moving writhing and squirming around on the platter as it was being cooked.
I thought to myself at that moment, "We should have picked something ourselves." The discussion at our table was the squirming octopus at the other table and the way the waitress used scissors to cut the tentacles into smaller pieces. Our interpreter Mr. Han told us about the popularity of the dish in the country. In fact, in the two days we have explored Korea, we have seen many fish in aquariums outside of restaurants. The strangest was a hot dog with a mouth. I don't know what it was but I do know you could get it for a few dollars.
One big contrast between food from the states and food here in Korea I have noticed is in the preparation. There are a lot of soupy stews and broths. Very healthy, tasty and filling. Contrast that to the majority of foods prepped in the States. They are fried and greasy. I can see why costal diets are so healthy.
If you have never had Korean food, try Mama's Restaraunt on Pendleton Pike and 56th. It is authentic Korean cuisine. At the Korean table you have your main dish (which has been a lot of seafood.) Besides the main course are many at least five smaller dishes with various textures and flavors. Kimchi is the famous one. It is a feremented cabbage with a spice vinegar taste. Some of the other options we have sampled included shrimp with our breakfast, seaweed with our lunch, tofu, and radishes. They have their own unique features. The shrimp for example was teeny tiny and very salty. I like salt so I found them tasty. The seaweed was cut into 3 inch squares and it looked like green photo film. It was very slick and hard to grab with you chopsticks. Ultimately, the smooth texture was the draw because it tasted somewhat bland. At dinner we had a beef dish for the main course and it was accompanied with lettuce covered with a sweet sauce, kimchi, tofu, and silk worms, stomach, and livers. Anne described the silk worm as reminding her of bran cereal. I agree with that. I could could not stomach eating the stomach or the liver. Both were chopped up into bitesize morsels. The stomach had a spiny look to it and the liver is what you would imagine, meaty morsels in a red sauce. The rest of the meal was super tasty. Beef with garlic and you mixed that with the salad. Mmm. Mmm. Good.
Well that gives you a taste of the cuisine we have been eating. Two days in all of this has happened so far. Duwayno has some great pics including a video of the octopus dish he will be posting.
All the Best,
JASON
So after a long day's work spinning silk, the worms are also used as meals?! Are these edible silk worms different from the spinning ones? You and Anne are definitely way more adventurous than me!! I guess if you could stomach it, it's a "once in a life time experience."
ReplyDeleteAlthough, if you grow up eating this kind of food, you would not think anything of it. I grew up eating raw oysters and clams, and I love those kind of seafood.