Jana, meet Kimchi

En route to the new accommodation today, JW and I stopped off at the shopping mall. (HUGE place)  We originally planned to buy some groceries, but we opted instead to have lunch first.  I assured him I was ready to try some Korean food.  I’ve heard and heard of Kimchi.  I’ve read warnings about the spices.  It was time.

We went to what was called “Korean Restaurant.”  No, really.  Okay, so it had another name, posted smaller next to the large “Korean Restaurant”:  Bulgogi Brothers.  I asked JW to order for us.  And he did a fine job.

We started with a salad---with strong onions but cooling carrots.  Next was a beef appetizer with lettuce and tomatoes, with a rice porridge served shortly thereafter.  Then the main course arrived…..to be cooked.

Each table has a flat burner in the middle.  So the main dish comes out raw, and the server turns up the burner and tends to the dish from time to time.  Ours was beef with some onions and glass noodles (I think).  It smelled wonderful, and indeed, tasted so as well.  JW had made a point not to go too spicy; it wasn’t at all.   (Beef is a very popular thing here, imported mainly from Australia, but the US imports are growing again.  (they reduced after mad cow disease issues.))

Then there was the Kimchi.  Finally, it was there to try.  And try I did!  I sampled five different types over lunch.  The traditional one has a unique spice.  Not too much so, but not my favorite.  But the plain cabbage was especially good. 

Another dish arrived to finish off the meal.  This was a spicy soup-like something that I think involved bean curd.  And spice.  Lots of spice.  I enjoyed a bit with the steamed rice that accompanied it, then I had a bit more.  And a bit more.  And then too much of a bit---of pepper.  Yow.  I do believe I broke a sweat.  ;-)

And to finish off the meal, we enjoyed another tea.  I’m not sure what was in it, but it was wonderfully refreshing and quite earthy. 

Oh – and JW said I did a fine job with my chopsticks.  (they are all metal here.)  Okay, I know I was by no mean a pro, and if I had to use them much longer today, my hand would have seriously cramped.  But I vowed to practice, and he promised to make sure there were some in my apartment.