Miku Restaurant – Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 20 BEST ASIAN/FUSION Restaurant Dishes & Food in Vancouver:

Suika – Beef Short Rib

Being in Vancouver, we’re spoiled by great Asian/Asian Fusion cuisine, so I decided to make it a separate category. Vancouver dominates and excels when it comes to Asian/Asian fusion cuisine.

Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Suika – Beef Short Rib

2. Aki Japanese Restaurant – Black Cod (Sable Fish)

3. Pho Tam – House Special Pho

4. Wing Kee – Fresh Steamed Scallops with Vermicelli and Garlic

5. Dan Japanese – Tuna Chili Sashimi

6. Wang’s Beef Noodle House – Beef Brisket Noodle

7. Kirin Seafood Restaurant – Black Cod Braised with Squash and Roasted Pork Belly

8. Jade Seafood Restaurant – Steamed Mushroom Dumpling

9. Rainflower Restaurant – Pan Fried Tiger Prawns with Basil

10. Tokyo Joe’s Sushi Factory – Volcano Roll

11. Empire Chinese Cuisine – Alaskan King Crab Dinner – 4 ways

12. Red Star Seafood – Dungeness Crab with Wild Rice

13. Motomachi Shokudo – Bamboo-Charcoal Dark Miso Ramen

14. Tokachi Japanese – Tuna Gomaae

15. Empire Chinese Cuisine – Deep Fried Alaskan King Crab Knuckles

16. Ichiro Japanese – Dragon Roll

17. Delicious Cuisine – Deep Fried Shrimp with Salted Egg Yolk

18. Hapa Izakaya (Kistilano) – Salmon Shooter

19. Suhang Restaurant – Steamed Soup Buns with Pork Filling (XLB)

20. Jade Seafood Restaurant – Jade Smoked Grandpa Chicken

Honorary Mentions from 2010 list: Miku Restaurant – Aburi Salmon Oshi Sushi, Top Gun J & C Restaurant – Baked BBQ Pork Bun, Hakkaido Ramen Santouka – Toroniku Shio Ramen

See “Follow Me Foodie Best of 2010 Asian/Fusion Dishes” here.

See the full “Follow Me Foodie Best of 2011″ here.

Making Croissants at Bouchon in Las Vegas

2011 Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Yearblog

Happy New Year! Welcome to my Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2011! This is a recap and yearbook/yearblog of the BEST Follow Me Foodie (FMF) Food and FMF Foodie Moments in 2011.

I wrote a Follow Me Foodie Favourites & Best of 2010, so I decided to do another one this year. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a crazy year, and I’m so grateful for everything that has happened with this blog. I’ve loved every minute of it (even the parts where it hurt to laugh because I was so full) and I’m so happy to have shared these delicious moments with you. Thank you for following me foodie and cheers to another year of gastronomic indulgence!

NOTE: IT’S NOT NECESSARILY “THE BEST“, BECAUSE FOOD IS PERSONAL AND I CAN ONLY DISCOVER SO MUCH IN A YEAR. THESE ARE JUST SOME WORTH MENTIONING IN MY BOOKS… OR BLOG? BLOG. IT’S MORE OF A 2011 RECAP/SUMMARY. ALL EXPERIENCES ARE FROM 2011 ONLY.

Top 25 Most Memorable/BEST Dishes Internationally:

At the 5th day of the opening for the first ever Ladurée in the United States in New York

Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee on Blue Mountain, Jamaica

Food is undeniably a focus when I’m traveling. This year I was grateful to take Follow Me Foodie to Bowen Island, Seattle, Las Vegas, New York, Portland, Los Angeles, Montreal, Quebec City and Jamaica.  Here are some of my best international indulgences this year. So Follow Me Foodie to some of my favourite foods and restaurants abroad with just one click!

Listed in no particular order. Based on the menu item, not the restaurant.

1. Pine State Biscuits – The Reggie Deluxe Biscuit Sandwich – Portland, Oregon

2. Pambiche – Masitas – Portland, Oregon

3. Local 360 – Fried Chicken – Seattle, Washington

4. Beecher’s Handmade Cheese Cafe – World’s Best” Mac & Cheese – Seattle, Washington

5. Nove Italiano - Shrimp Francaise – Las Vegas, Nevada

6. Bouchon – Truite Grenobloise – Las Vegas, Nevada

7. Traif – Crispy Pork Belly – Brooklyn, New York

8. The Spotted Pig – Gnudi – Manhattan, New York

9. Katz Deli – Pastrami Sandwich on Rye – Manhattan, New York

10. Jean-Georges – Manhattan, New York

11. BonChon Chicken – BonChon Chicken Wings – Manhattan, New York

12. Peasant – Cannolichi, Suckling Pig (Porchetta) – Manhattan, New York

13. Boqueria – Croquetas Cremosas – Manhattan, New York

14. Blue Hill – Chilled Corn Soup, Berkshire Pig - Manhattan, New York

15. Scotchies – Jerk Chicken – Ocho Rios, Jamaica

16. Blue Mountain Coffee – Blue Mountain, Jamaica

17. Schwartz’s – Smoked Meat Sandwich – Montreal, Quebec

18. Le St-Urbain – Coffee Glazed Sweetbread – Montreal, Quebec

19. Van Horne – Melon Canari (Canary Melon) – Montreal, Quebec

20. Le Bremner – Kimchi Snow Crab, Lobster Toast Au Gratin – Montreal, Quebec

21. Café Clocher Penché – Duck Confit – Quebec City, Quebec

22. Laurie Raphaël – Apple Crumble, Carrot Cake – Quebec City, Quebec

23. La Traite – Wendake, Quebec

24. Au Goût d’Autrefois (Dining at the Duck Farm), Quebec

25. North End Caffe – Kahlua Pig Egg Rolls – Los Angeles, California

Restaurant: BonChon Chicken
Cuisine: Korean/Fusion
Last visited: September 4, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (Midtown West)
Address: 325 Fifth Ave
Nearby subway stops: 34th St – Herald Square
Price Range: $20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4 (based on what I tried, but 6 for wings)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3.5
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Since 2002
• Started in Seoul, Korea
• Few locations in New York
• Korean chain restaurant/bar
• Famous for fried chicken
• Organic chicken
• Modern Korean fusion menu
• Moderately priced
• Local favourite
• Posh/lively atmosphere
• Good for groups/snacks
• Good for the game
• Good for drinks/beer
• Lunch/Dinner
• Open late

**Recommendations: BonChon Chicken Wings, Drumettes & Drumsticks

I didn’t get to explore too much of New York’s Korea Town also known as “K-Town”. It’s a great area if you’re looking for good eats at affordable prices, but you are limited to Korean cuisine. The street is lively and busy with Korean locals and tourists and it’s hard to determine what’s a good restaurant since they’re all pretty packed. But, I came in search for one specific restaurant, or one specific thing.

BonChon Chicken! This is a chain restaurant that started in Korea in 2002, and there are locations in the East Coast and a couple in LA, but this was my chance to actually try it. I know it’s a chain, but there aren’t that many of them… yet. They’re famous and successful for making one thing in particular.

It is fried chicken. This isn’t just any ordinary fried chicken though, this is a must try fried chicken. For me it’s equivalent to the Phnom Penh Chicken Wings we love so much in Vancouver, BC. They’re very different, but the love for them goes that far. I actually might even like these better if I had to choose. I hope that doesn’t make me a traitor… but traitor or not, I’ll gladly trade almost any other chicken wing for a BonChon chicken wing!

The restaurant is more like a modern bar and it’s great for watching the game or drinking. The style is of an upscale pub, or late night lounge, and the menu items are more fusion Korean than they are traditional. It is frequented by both Koreans and non-Koreans and everyone shares the same love for these fried chicken wings, drumettes, and drumsticks.

It may surprise you, but Koreans are known to make good deep fried chicken. I don’t feel like many people know that, as it’s often overlooked on the menu at Korean restaurants. They even make them well baked – see my visit to a baked chicken restaurant in Korea here. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d come here for anything else but the fried chicken. Every single table was just plates of non-stop chicken wings. These are magical chicken wings… they’ll make you fly higher than Red Bull. I can’t wait until the day we get BonChon Chicken in Vancouver, BC… on the west side of Robson Street.

On the table:

**BonChon Mixed aka Fried Chicken Wings, Drumettes & Drumsticks – 6/6

• Crispy double fried wings, drumettes and drumsticks with soy garlic sauce, hot garlic sauce, or both sauces.
• Small: 4 wings and 1 drum $8.99 Medium: 6 wings and 2 drums $12.99, Large: 12 wings and 4 drums $21.99
• This is the signature item and what made BonChon Chicken so famous. It’s in the name! This is a must try!
• Even if you come just for this, it is worth it.
• In case you didn’t know, I repeat, Koreans are pretty well known for making excellent fried chicken, but these are the best I’ve had them to date.
• These aren’t your normal chicken wings and it wasn’t just the marinade that was good, it was the execution that was impressive.
• They have a special recipe and I don’t know how they do it. It’s meant to be a “healthy” fried chicken.
• The chicken is fried in canola oil and it’s not greasy! It’s a non-greasy deep fried chicken wing! How does that happen? I don’t know!

• The chicken was extra crispy since they were double fried. They were very crunchy without the heavy batter and every bite made me go “wow”.
• The special house made marinade was very good, but it was something I’ve had before in Korean cuisine, so the highlight was the execution and technique for me.
• The skin was like a crunchy Miss Vickie’s Chip and it almost detached itself from the meat (look at the photo). It was the strangest thing ever and I loved it!
• Since there was a gap between the skin and the meat it was even crunchier! It wasn’t even heavily battered either.
• The skin was very thin, not soggy or chewy and it was hand brushed with sauce after the deep frying.
• It was sweet and savoury house made garlic soy sauce that was more like a glaze.
• There could be some honey, sugar and mirin in it, and maybe sesame oil, but it wasn’t too sweet or sticky.
• It didn’t taste like Chinese honey garlic chicken, but it was sweet and then savoury and the meat was incredibly tender, juicy and moist.
• Even the quality of the chicken was good and it’s organic too! I could taste chicken flavour. I know that sounds weird, but some chickens can taste very bland.
• The drumsticks were plump, juicy, healthy and quite large in size and I liked them more than the wings, but both were excellent!
• The spicy chicken marinade was just as tender and moist and it had a gradual heat and spice that would make your tongue tingle, but not burn.
• I think the spicy sauce was Korean chili soybean paste. It was either Bibimnaengmyung or Gochujang sauce, and I love both of these sauces.
• This fried chicken was one of my highlights in New York and I wanted to pack these home for people to try!
• Added note: These go great with beer, and I’m not even a beer drinker.

Korean Scallion Pancake – 3/6

• Traditional Korean scallion pancake, lightly glazed with our soy garlic sauce and served with a house dipping sauce $10.99
• This was another “Staff Pick” on the menu, but it wasn’t really “traditional Korean”. Yes it is a very traditional and popular Korean dish, but the execution was more modern.
• I was not a fan of their pancake, although it was still good and edible.
• Just for reference, I prefer traditional Korean pancakes like these – see the pancakes from When the Day Comes in Korea.

• These ones were a bit chewy like a pizza and not very crispy on the exterior. It is usually a bit chewy and gummy, but this one was a bit plastic-like.
• I found it overcooked and too doughy and I prefer much more green onion, but it was well flavoured with the additional soy garlic glaze.
• There was also some carrots and onion in the mix and it was a vegetarian version of the pancake.
• It was served with a very thin house dipping sauce that could be what they used to brush their famous chicken wings with.
• It was sweet and savoury and slightly tangy, but not like vinegar. It was more sweet than acidic, but not too sweet and syrupy either.
• It almost tasted like a watered down plum sauce meets a honey garlic sweetened soy sauce. There may have been some garlic infused into it too.
• I’m used to the dipping sauce being heavier with sesame oil and actual minced garlic, sesame seeds and sometimes chili flakes floating in it as well.

Bul-Go-Gi Taco – 4/6

• Marinated rib eye beef sauteed with scallions and onions, served in a warm soft tortilla topped with lettuce and spicy dressing $10.99
• Another “Staff Pick” and this was meant to be a main although I found it more of an appetizer.
• Of course this is Korean fusion and inspired by Mexican cuisine. It reminded me of the Korean BBQ Burrito at Coma Food Truck in Vancouver, BC, but I liked that one better.
• The taco was more like a burrito and it was very expected, but still saucy and good.
• It was warm with very tender, soft and thin slices of Bulgolgi beef marinated in soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and sugar. I swear everything is made in their secret house sauce which is some combination of the listed ingredients. The beef didn’t taste barbequed though, but instead sauteed.
• The beef was sweet, and the fat was very well marbleized, but I couldn’t really taste how good it was in the context of the burrito.
• I wouldn’t have minded a stronger marinade or sauce, or just more beef, especially for the price.
• It had sauteed scallions and onions for sweetness and crunchy fresh romaine lettuce, and I almost wanted some cheese. Okay, I did want some cheese.
• It was a medium spicy and the spicy dressing was almost like a chili mayo, but better and more dynamic.
• It had other seasonings in it to give it more flavour than a basic chili mayo, although it was similar. It almost looked like there was creamy Italian salad dressing mixed in it. It was really different, but good!
• The beef and sauce were the highlights, and it was enjoyed, but I found it overpriced. $8.99 I could see, being that it is rib eye beef, but I’d rather spend it on another order of fried chicken!

Restaurant: Momofuku Noodle Bar
Cuisine: Japanese/Asian/Noodle Shop/Fusion
Last visited: September 5, 2011
Location: Manhattan, NY (East Village)
Address: 171 1st Ave (Between 10th & 11th St)
Nearby subway stop: 1 Ave
Price Range: $10-20 (Closer to $20-25/person)

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5-4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 3.5-4
Additional comments:

• Since August 2004
• First Momofuku restaurant
• Famous for ramen & pork buns
• Steamed pork buns originated here
• Asian fusion menu
• Modern feel/food
• Seasonal menus
• Daily specials
• Very popular to locals/tourists
• Long waits/lines
• Very casual
• Beer/wine
• mon – fri / 12 pm – 4:30 pm
• sat + sun / 12 pm – 4 pm
• sun – thurs / 5:30 pm – 11 pm
• fri + sat / 5:30 pm – 2 am

**Recommendations: Shrimp Buns, and Steamed Pork Buns, and Pork Kimchi Tamale. I didn’t find the ramen a highlight (surprisingly) and I would recommend going to Ippudo for ramen, but if you order it here then just go for the  signature Momofuku Ramen.

I saw the crowd outside before I saw the actual restaurant. The crowd never went away and you can expect long lines especially at peak hours. I waited about 30 minutes, but it’s typical to wait for 45 minutes to an hour. I had to do it though. I had to try the Momofuku flagship restaurant. It’s where it all started.

Just like Momofuku restaurants Má Pêche and Milk Bar, and many other good restaurants in New York, the signage sucks. They do it on purpose and as a tourist it drives me insane, but you’re sure to find the line up of such a successful place.

So what’s the big deal? What’s the hype about Momofuku Noodle Bar? Well, it’s David Chang’s very first Momofuku restaurant leading to his empire. It’s where everything started. It’s where ramen was first introduced and made popular to New York. It’s where the Steamed Pork Buns got famous, which also launched David Chang’s name and his Momofuku brand to international recognition. It pretty much started the craze and love the city has for these two items to this very date.

You don’t understand, or maybe you do, but let me put it into perspective so that we’re on the same page. Steamed pork buns and ramen are equivalent to the cupcake cult of 2002-2009. Momofuku Noodle Bar is the Sprinkles Cupcakery, and they’re the apparent ones to start it all in their respective categories.

Okay, now after I’ve hyped you up, let me bring you back down to Earth. Yes, it was first to introduce these items to New York and make it popular, but it wasn’t the first to introduce it ever. No. Ramen and steamed pork buns have existed for centuries in Japanese, Chinese and Taiwanese culture. Anyways it’s great that they have become mainstream and enjoyed by various cultures, but now there’s competition and there is better than this.

Momofuku Noodle Bar is good and it was a New York foodie experience, but you will be paying for the brand. In a nutshell, they’re serving the same thing but everything has increased in price, and likely not because the ingredients have gotten more expensive.

The food is catered for Western tastes, so don’t expect authentic, although some of it is supposed to be. They do specialize in modern Asian fusion cuisine, so it is understandable that it won’t be traditional of one cuisine. Even the majority of staff and chefs aren’t Japanese, or Asian, much like the clientele, but it doesn’t mean it’s not good.

My experience here was more satisfying than Má Pêche, because it wasn’t as overpriced, but the food was stronger there, but also smaller portions. I did more or less enjoy Momofuku Noodle Bar, but I did leave thinking “it must get better than this in New York”. I wouldn’t oppose to trying more things, but I just expected everything to be great for being such a Mecca.

On the table:

Tamales (Daily Special) – 3/6

• Pork kimchi, chicken mole verde, jalapeno queso $3 each/$8 all
• This sounded so interesting to me and it was the first time I’ve come across the menu item.
• It’s obviously a modern dish which combined Mexican and Asian cuisine. It was like tamales meets steamed sticky rice at dim sum.
• I loved the concept, but it wasn’t very well executed, especially the tamale dough.

**Pork Kimchi Tamale – 4/6

• The tamale dough was dense and a bit dried out so that they broke apart instead of being creamy and tender.
• The filling was great though and this was easily the best of the 3.
• The pork was melt in your mouth tender, juicy and fatty without being chewy or gelatinous, or overly greasy. I just wanted more of it.
• It was pretty much pulled pork marinated in kimchi sauce, which is new to my palate, and again I give Chef Chang credit for introducing this to me.
• The pork was sweet, tangy, garlicky and a bit spicy and just well made, and I wish I could say the same for the tamale dough.

Chicken Mole Tamale – 2.5/6

• I’m not sure where the “mole” part was because the sauce seemed like a salsa verde or tomatillo sauce.
• I was expecting chicken in a nutty chili chocolate sauce (what mole is), but there was none.
• The chicken was good though and it was almost like pulled chicken. It was moist and tender and a bit lemony from some fresh lime juice marinade.
• The green sauce tasted like a spicy salsa verde, which is different since salsa verde is usually mild.
• Again the tamale dough was dense and a bit dry and bitty rather than creamy, soft and tender. It was almost like what would happen if they were frozen…

Jalapeno Queso – 1.5/6

• The tamale dough was very dry with this one and it was extra thick and lacking roasted vegetable filling and queso (Mexican cheese).
• The dough was breaking into chunks and I really feel like this one was previously frozen.
• There were some sweet peppers and spicy roasted jalapenos and it was a bit cheesy, but I pretty much ate the filling and left the rest.
• Besides being a vegetarian option, I just didn’t get where it was going.

Corn Chawanmushi – 2.5/6

• Duck prosciutto, plum, almond $10
• I love authentic Japanese Chawanmushi (savoury egg custard or pudding), and I thought this would be at least similar to that, but it was pretty much a new dish entirely.
• I wouldn’t call this chawanmushi. It was more like a tofu salad.
• It was served chilled, and chawanmushi is always served hot, so that was unexpected.
• I thought the ingredients would be more incorporated into the egg custard, but it was placed on top like a salad.
• It was almost like eating two dishes. The topping was one and the custard seemed like another and I couldn’t find the connection.
• I’m a fan of sweet and savoury and  interesting and unusual sounding dishes, but this one was just a bit all over and I was excited to try it too.

• The chawanmushi was stiffer and not as silky as chawanmushi usually is.
• There’s usually some broth (dashi) after you break into the custard, but this one had none.
• I thought it was going to be sweet from the corn, but the flavour was almost like black sesame with plum wine.
• I think it could have been made from boiled corn husk, which doesn’t carry much flavour. It was slightly savoury, but bland.
• The flavour was very je ne sais quoi, but not really in a gourmet kind of way. The colour of it was throwing me off too.
• Everything eaten together had textural contrast, but it was also a bit random and deconstructed.
• It was like eating tofu with chewy salty prosciutto that wasn’t fried crispy, but as is. I love duck prosciutto, but the buttery texture together with tofu was a bit odd.
• There was some pickled sweet plum slices, but eating that with a tofu like base was kind of unusual as well.
• The nuts added crunch but it didn’t play into any of the other flavours.
• I ate it, and each individual ingredient was good, but I was left confused overall.

**Steamed Pork Buns – 5/6

• Hoisin, scallion, cucumber $10
• I tried them first at Má Pêche (see here) and I found them a bit underwhelming and overpriced so I wanted to give them another try since they did look better here.
• They were better here. They had more colour and ingredients and the pork wasn’t all fat this time. They’re are meant to be fatty, but last time was too much.
• This is the signature Momofuku dish that made David Chang so famous and it is a must try item if you come.
• Of course it’s good, it’s fat, and I think it just made people realize how much they like chunks of fatty pork.
• It is considered to be one of the best in the city, although it may not be the best in the city. It’s like debating the best pizza in New York.
• For reference sake, here an authentic version, see Taiwanese Steamed Sandwich (Koah-Pau) at Delicious Cuisine in Richmond, BC.
• Totally different styles, but the Steamed Pork Buns from Redd in Yountville are memorable as well.

• These are pretty small and extremely rich and indulgent, so I can handle only one of them. It is a treat!
• The pork was creamy and buttery moist pork belly and it was so tender it almost seemed sous vide.
• It is roasted, but it’s not smoky and there’s no crispy skin. It comes across as braised.
• They are fatty, and they’re supposed to be, but there was a decent amount of meat to balance it out. The fat is not chewy at all.
• They marinate in a brine so they’re infused with flavour, but it’s just savoury and slightly sweet and it still carries its natural pork flavour.
• It really is likely one of the most tenderest pork bellies you’ll come across, so they are executed very well.
• I liked the refreshing crunch of cucumbers and then sweetness of the Hoisin under a soft pillowy light steamed bun, which was a highlight.
• If you’re familiar with the dish it may not surprise you, but for what they are, they still are excellent, but just overpriced.

**Shrimp Buns – 6/6

• Spicy mayo, pickled shallot, iceberg $12
• I actually enjoyed these more then the pork ones! It’s a bit comparing apples to oranges, but I found them more flavourful.
• It was almost like Ebi Mayo in the same light and thin pillowy soft and tender steamed bun that was used for the pork.
• The shrimp was executed as a terrine.
• It was well marinated in perhaps a sweet Thai chili sauce and it was all shrimp with no fillers.
• It was sliced into patties so the shrimp wasn’t in its whole state, but it was in whole pieces.
• The patty breaks into pieces of shrimp and it was very lightly deep fried with a very light dusting of flour if anything.
• The shrimp almost seemed loosely stacked upon one another and it wasn’t doughy, floury or pureed. It was simply savoury, sweet, tender, juicy and crunchy shrimp pieces! I loved it.
• It was slightly crispy and then the sweet and spicy mayo gave it a nice kick and the pickled shallot brought a great tangy balance.
• Some crispy fried shallots would have been a great addition, or maybe even garlic chips for extra crunch.

Momofuku Ramen – 4/6 (as a modern ramen)

• Pork belly, pork shoulder, poached egg $16
• The Momofuku Ramen is known to be the first to be introduced to New York.
• The ramen is good, but it is catered for Western tastes and I did find Ippudo in New York better and more authentic. It could get better than Ippudo, but I didn’t have time to explore and Ippudo was satisfying enough that I could stop there.
• On the other hand I found Ramen Santouka in Vancouver, BC just as good if not even better than Ippudo.
• This was Western in style because of the broth and even the toppings used. You can tell just by looking at it.
• The broth was mild and not nearly as rich, creamy, milky and greasy with pork fat flavour as an authentic Japanese ramen would be. This was much healthier.
• The broth was savoury and clear but not as obvious with pork flavour. It was there, but compared to traditional Japanese ramen, it was light.
• The real pork bone flavor had oddly sunk to the bottom of the bowl, and that’s when I could actually taste strong pork flavour.
• They didn’t roast the pork bones, so it was a Northern Japanese style ramen bowl.
• The toppings were modern and it had Napa cabbage, which is very Chinese.
• It also didn’t have any traditional black wood ear mushrooms or bamboo shoots.

• The egg was bubbly and almost poached or maybe sous vide. A traditional one would have a soft boiled egg more like this, so this was new.
• I did miss the orange colour of an organic egg, but I’ll let it go.
• The egg was still fantastic with a runny yolk, but it was just different and modern for ramen.
• The noodles should be thicker, but with how they executed the broth, the thinner version was okay. It was chewy, nice and firm, and that was quite good.
• The pork wasn’t slices of BBQ pork (authentic style), but it was a piece of pork belly and a pile of pork shoulder.
• The chunks of pork shoulder were creamy, juicy, tender and full of moist pork flavour, and the pork belly was also tender, but the piece was so small.
• Overall I wanted more pork, and although this was good ramen, I prefer the traditional version. I guess it’s incomparable, but if this is meant to be authentic, it’s not, but it can be still enjoyed with the appropriate clientele.
• It’s almost like Pad Thai made with Ketchup, not authentic, but it can be good.

Hanger Steak – n/a

• Kimchi, potatoes, watercress $16
• I didn’t try this, because it was an order from the table beside me who let me take a photo. It was a “big plate”, but it was very tiny.

Pretzel Cake Truffles - n/a

• $4
• These are from Momofuku’s Milk Bar, which I tried (see here).
• This also wasn’t my order, so I didn’t try it.

The table never finished them and said they were too sweet though. I found the other desserts at Milk Bar to be sweet as well, so I take their word for it.

If you want  another type of dessert, I would also suggest going around the corner to Veniero’s Pasticceria & Caffe (342 E 11th St), which is one of New York’s oldest and most beloved family owned bakeries. They’re famous for cannoli and cheesecake, but offer a lot of other pastries and desserts. I had dessert elsewhere, but I did always see this place packed. Next time!

Restaurant: Coma Food Truck
Cuisine: Korean/Mexican/Fusion/Food Truck
Last visited: July 29, 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC (Robson Street/Downtown)
Address: Outside Library Square – 730 Homer Street, Homer & West Georgia (On Homer)
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: n/a
Ambiance: n/a
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Korean-Mexican-American fusion
• Lots of variety for food truck
• Affordable menu
• Good portions
• Some authentic Korean dishes
• Korean chef and owner
• Home made kimchi and sauces
• Quality ingredients
• Beef and pork menu
• Vegetarian options
• Daily specials
• Cheap eats/budget friendly
• 15% off with own plate
• Some packaging is biodegradable

**Recommendations: Kalbi Burger, Korean BBQ Burrito

I’ve been meaning to try Coma Food Truck since it opened. I was invited for the opening, but unfortunately I didn’t have time to check it out until now. With @DennisPang‘s last minute organization for a foodie get together, and an extended invitation from the chef and owner of Coma, I finally made it! It’s so embarrassing it took so long, but all that matters is that I made it. I actually like trying places after they open anyways because the menu often changes and recipes and prices are still getting tweaked, so I find later experiences more representable. That’s not my reason for postponing my visit though.

So why Coma? At first I thought it was referring to food coma, which I’ve experience all too many times, but I’m actually way off track. The “Co” is for “Korean” (yeah that’s a confusing one), then the “m” is for Mexican and the “a” is for American. It’s a fusion or words which represent the food and flavours at Coma Food Truck.

Fusion. It’s a popular concept in Vancouver, but so few so restaurants can do it right. Quite often our concept of “fusion” is actually just a switch up of ingredients rather than fusing the techniques of two cuisines together. To be fair, I’m not going to get that technical at a food cart, but I do find a lot of the offerings Mexican items, but made with Korean ingredients (switch up).

Personally I’m not a huge fan of any Asian fusion except for Japanese, just because I usually find any other attempts at Asian fusion overpriced and under delivered. However keeping an open mind and knowing what to expect, I was looking forward to Coma Food Truck and its Korean-Mexican-American menu.

I was anticipating everything to be fusion, so I was surprised to see a couple very traditional Korean items. I was told by chef, who is formally trained in French cooking, that his mother actually helps him out with the Korean side of things since it’s not his specialty. I actually really respect that because it just shows that extra effort of trying to bring traditional Korean flavours to a presumed non-Korean clientele.

I didn’t have much expectations for the food, but when I go to food carts, I’m a lot less picky and I look at it more from a portion and value perspective. Of course flavour has to be there, but when I’m going for street food, I go in with a different mind set. With that being said his biodegradable products and 15% off offer for bringing your own plate didn’t go unnoticed.

I found the prices generally fair and the portions generous, and it’s a respectable attempt to popularize Korean cuisine without “dumbing it down” too much. At times I did feel it was a bit repetitive with “mix and match” ingredients, and I did get lost in the concept of whether it was more traditional Korean of Korean fusion. Some of the Korean-Mexican food just seemed a bit Mexican to me, although nothing I had was bad.

As for the Korean items, I found it was more finely executed and there was more to show off, but I was perhaps more satisfied with the heartiness of the fusion stuff. It was definitely more on the sweeter side compared to most authentic Korean food, which is perhaps even tangier and spicier than this was, but it was still good. I use the word “authentic” lightly, but if something is called “authentic” I will compare it to authentic. Oh and just a side note, but Korean food is spicy and quite garlicky, so be prepared with your mints.

On the table:

**Kalbi Burger (Special of the Day) - 5/6

• Kalbi marinade 100% brisket, pickled cabbage, red onions, pickle, brioche buns, chipotle mayo & vine tomatoes (Korean-American fusion) $8.99
• He only made 8 for the day, and I was very happy to get one. This was my favourite item.
• The burger seemed so predictable and without the recommendation I wouldn’t have ordered it.
• I wasn’t expecting any fireworks and it looked really ordinary, but it knocked my socks off!
• I’ve had a Kimchi Burger before from Celadon Fine Korean Cuisine – see here, but this one was even better and half the price.
• I found this burger absolutely delicious, although overpriced. I would definitely order it again in a restaurant, but at a food truck I’d order it for $7.
• Of course the ingredients and labour were there, and the standards met restaurant potential, but still.
• The meat was incredibly tender, chunky and definitely on the sweet side. It was juicy and the most prominent flavour.
• There were sweet pickled cucumbers and pickled red onions to give it a good tang to cut through the sweetness so it’s also quite a tangy burger. A lot of Korean food is very tangy.
• The vine ripened tomatoes were a step up and appreciated although regular tomatoes would do the job if that meant lowering the price.
• After the sweetness was a slight heat from the chipotle mayo, but it was never really spicy and quite mild.
• Although soft, the only thing I didn’t like was the brioche bun which I honestly thought was just a regular sesame burger bun. It was a bit sweet, but it just wasn’t a great quality brioche bun and it’s likely a generic wholesale one.

**Korean BBQ Burrito – 4/6

• 12 inch tortilla with vegetables, kimchi, corn, tofu, cheddar Jack cheese. Choose your Korean style of proteins (spicy pork or BBQ Bulgogi beef) wrapped as burrito. (Korean-Mexican fusion) $5.99
• This didn’t sound odd to me at all and I didn’t even question the combination of ingredients.
• This was very good, but I didn’t find there was anything really Korean about it.
• It just tasted like a breakfast burrito with maybe a little Asian flavour from the sauces.
• It was almost last night’s dinner wrapped in a burrito. It was filling, satisfying and good, but also something I could make at home.
• I loved the layer of melted Cheddar cheese, sweet onion and corn and crunch of kimchi and shredded carrots, but the flavour of the kimchi wasn’t noticeable and I just thought it was sauteed vegetables with a bit of heat and mild pickled flavour.
• I was happy to see no rice as a filler and there was a ton of meat and I didn’t even know that the fluffy soft tofu was tofu, and I though it was scrambled egg. It would have been even better with scrambled eggs!
• It wasn’t a soggy or wet burrito which I really liked, but I did find the beef quite chewy and dry, but in the context of the burrito it wasn’t as noticeable with all the other ingredients and sauce.
• The kimchi in this compared to a more traditional style kimchi was a bit mild, although I could see why it has to be less spicy and garlicky for the clientele.
• It’s not really spicy at all, but there’s just a warm heat that lingers afterward.
• It may sound “fusion”, but it doesn’t taste very fusion. It’s really non-offensive and easily enjoyed even by non-adventurous eaters.

Bibimbap – 3/6

• Korean Healthy Rice Bowl – 7 varieties of vegetables, Korean ground beef, and an egg with rice and spicy Kochujang (Gochujang) sauce (fermented chili paste) and hint of sesame oil. Served with Korean miso soup. $6.99
• This is a really popular item, but personally it’s not something I would order.
• I’m more of the type to go to an actual Korean restaurant and order this as take out if I were to order it “on the go”.
• Since it’s a traditional Korean dish that’s authentically served in a hot sizzling stone bowl, which helps with the flavour and texture of crisping up the rice, it was hard to let go of those cravings.
• Being that this was coming from a food truck, it was a respectable attempt and version, but personally I’d chose something else.
• It’s wood ear mushrooms, bean sprouts, Shiitake mushrooms, sweet marinated cucumbers, pickled carrots, picked daikon, ground pork, Gochujang sauce and a “fried” egg (which seemed microwaved) on top of rice.
• All the components are premade that morning and assembled upon order, and kudos to the amount of ingredients and presentation, but it was served almost room temperature and I prefer it hot.

• You mix everything together before enjoying it, and traditionally I would press the rice to the sides of the stone bowl to let it crisp up.
• It was a salad on top of rice and there’s a lot of rice, so it’s as “healthy” as not taking the rice into consideration.
• The rice was chewy and almost like a Japanese style rice, but without the flavourings of sugar and rice vinegar. The texture was the same though.
• I could have used more ground beef which was topped with Gojuchang sauce and found underneath the egg.
• For some reason the egg just looked and tasted a bit plasticky, but after it was mixed in I didn’t notice it as much.
• I loved the crunch and variety of the vegetables and if I didn’t see the pork, I might have thought it was vegetarian. It’s still enjoyable vegetarian though.
• The Gochujang is what makes this rice bowl.
• If you’ve never had Gochujang sauce, it’s pretty much one of the best hot sauces ever.
• It’s one of my favourite sauces in general and it makes everything taste good.
• It’s a spicy fermented soy bean paste and it’s one of Food Network’s top 5 ingredients of 2011.
• It’s very potent, sweet initially, very salty and a flavourful spicy. It’s rich, creamy and relatively thick and if Frank had this, he’d pour this s*** over everything.

Korean Miso Soup – 3.5/6

• It’s a small cup of Korean style Miso soup and it’s richer and creamier than the Japanese kind.
• For what it is, it’s a well made Korean Miso soup, although not something that’s a must try alone.
• It’s a bit sweeter and rich with mushroom flavour and has the background of seafood from the fresh kelp.
• The  Enoki mushrooms and fresh kelp are naturally a bit slimy in texture and there’s also bits of firm tofu throughout.
• It wasn’t too salty and it’s actually a very flavourful soup and I’d consider it quite hearty as a Miso soup.

BibimNaengMyun (Cold Soba Noodles) – 3.5/6

• Cold Soba noodles with cabbage, pickled daikon, cucumber and egg with Korean fermented spicy and sweet sauce $6.99
• It’s a cool down dish on a hot summer’s day, but I’m used to getting these noodles after Korean hot pot.
• Authentically it’s made with potato noodles, or buckwheat noodles which helps with digestion, but the soba was I guess the fusion twist.
• There were big round ice cubes floating in the sauce which really caught me off guard and I wasn’t expecting them. I can’t say it was too appetizing, but I guess they served a purpose and had to be there to keep it cold on a hot day.
• This one had a ton of noodles and usually there’s much more sauce or soup, like the one below. (The one above and below are two different orders of the same thing.)

• The noodles were a bit overcooked and too soft for my liking, but they were previously chilled which was great.
• It was another sweet dish and this one I would actually consider spicy.
• It’s not hot, but it’s very flavourful spicy and initially you would just think it’s sweet until the heat picks up afterward.
• It’s more sweet than anything at first, but it was spiciest of everything I tried.
• It was very refreshing and cooling and the crunch of the pickled daikon, julienne carrots and sweet cucumber slices were a fantastic contrast to the noodles.
• The broth is essentially made from Gochujang paste and perhaps some ground sesame seeds because it had texture along with lots of flavour.
• I could certainly drink the sauce and it tastes almost just like a spicy nutty version of a Japanese sunomono meets Szechuan or Shanghainese tan tan noodles, but less creamy and nutty than the latter.
•  The sauce is a bit thicker and richer than a sunomono base, but it’s not oily, greasy or heavy so I really liked that.
• This also had a lot of aromatic sesame oil and garlic which is delicious, but I guarantee garlic and sesame breath after this… so bring your mints.

KIMCHI Quesadilla - n/a

• Chipotle tortilla with sauteed vegetables, corn, cheese, my home made kimchi, tofu, and my own salsa roja (spicy with hint of Korean flavors). The item credit goes to the famous Chef Roy Choi, the inventor of Kogi BBQ truck, however this is a reinterpretation of my own style of quesadilla. (Korean Mexican fusion) $5.99
• I only had a bite of this which isn’t enough to actually “rate” it, but I felt like it was the most regular and predictable of everything I tried.
• I’d rather go for the burrito, since this was similar, but this had less filling and the quesadilla got a bit soggy.
• It was not bad, but not special so I probably wouldn’t order it.

“We are noodle folk. Broth runs through our veins.”
—Mr. Ping

Enter to win 2 tickets to the advanced screening of Kung Fu Panda 2!

Ticket details (valid one night only):

Date: Tuesday May 24
Time: 7pm
Theater: SilveryCity Metropolis (Metrotown Mall)

How to enter:

1. Send the following tweet: “I entered to win Kung Fu Panda 2 tickets on @followmefoodie‘s contest! What’s your favourite Asian Noodle? http://goo.gl/TKYPt“
2. Comment on this post with your favourite noodle dish in Vancouver.

Contest ends Sunday May 22 at midnight. Thank you and good luck!

And remember to visit Follow Me Foodie Facebook Page!

The Noodle Series – 20 Asian Noodle Dishes

In celebration of Kung Fu Panda 2 I’m featuring Mr. Ping’s favourite food! NOODLES! Here are some delicious noodles that come to mind for me. They’re not all necessarily my favourite or the “best”, but it showcases a variety. This is only within the Asian noodle category too. There are so many more choices and these 20 noodle dishes just touch the surface! Now how big of a noodle fan are YOU?!

The Vietnamese Noodle

Pho Tam – House Special Beef – Combination of Beef and Rice Noodle in Soup

The Beijing Noodle

Beijing Cuisine – Tossed Mung Clear Noodles in Sauce, Sesame Paste & Shredded Meat

The Chinese Noodles

Michigan Noodle Shop – Traditional Wonton Noodle Soup

Michigan Noodle Shop – Lo-Mein with Shredded Pork in spicy Brown Sauce

Rainflower – Hometown Style Pan Fried Silver Needle Noodle

Rainflower – Scrambled Egg & Scallop Fried Rice Noodle

The Thai Noodle

Khunnai Chang Madame Elephant Thai Cuisine – Pad Thai

The Japanese Noodles

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka -  Toroniku Shio Ramen

Miku Restaurant – Soba Pepperoncino

Aki Japanese Restaurant – Nabeyaki Udon

The Taiwanese Noodle

Wang’s Beef Noodle House – Beef Brisket Noodle

The Shanghainese Noodles

Northern Delicacy – “Dan Dan” or “Tan Tan” Noodles in Black Sesame Soup

Northern Delicacy – Shredded Chicken with Glass Noodle

The Malaysian Noodle

Seri Malaysia – Mee Goreng Mamak

The Singaporean (Malaysian) Noodle

Bo Laksa King – Laksa

The Korean Noodles

Jang Mo Jib – Jab Che or Jap Chee  (Potato Noodles)

In Korea (but available in Vancouver) – Stir Fried Korean Rice Cake Noodles with Gochujang Sauce (Ddeokbokki)

Celadon Fine Korean (whistler, BC) – Chilled Pink Angel Hair Noodles

The Szechuan Noodle

Sichuan Da Ping Guo Restaurant – Sichuan Glass Noodle with Soy Nuts

The Persian Noodle (Dessert)

The Apron – Faloodeh

Restaurant: Celadon Fine Korean Cuisine Whistler
Cuisine: Korean/Fusion
Last visited: November 22, 2010
Location: Whistler, BC
Address: Unit 300 – 4293 Mountain Square, in the Hilton Whistler Resort & Spa
Price Range:$20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: n/a
Service: n/a
Ambiance: n/a
Overall: n/a
Additional comments:

• Brother and sister operation
• Executive Chef Sonny Huh
• Korean family owned
• Modern Korean cuisine
• Eclectic
• Casual fine dining
• Private dining available
• Wine bar
• See my video here.

**Recommendations: Soju Cocktail, Korean Burger, Home made Kimchi

My Video with Owners of Celadon Whistler

Celadon Whistler specializes in modern fine Korean cuisine. It offers an eclectic menu that hopes to bridge the gap between Canadian and Korean culture and food. The idea of modern Chinese food rarely works for me, however when it comes to modern Japanese, there’s something magical that happens. Now how about Korean? I can’t say I’ve tried much contemporary Korean cuisine, but I am an avid fan of authentic Korean food which is incredibly difficult to find in the city. Looking at the menu, Celadon does have quite a bit of Japanese flavours and ingredients going on, but nonetheless I was excited to see what they could bring to the table.

I was invited to Celadon Whistler’s Books to Cooks event held at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks bookstore and demonstration kitchen in Vancouver, BC. Therefore I am unable to comment on the food, service, or overall experience at Celadon Whistler since I have never been to the actual location.

Celadon Whistler Restaurant

The following photos are from Celadon and are a general representation of what is actually served. My comments will be based on the samples Executive Chef Sonny Huh prepared for us that evening. Giving the traveling aspect and circumstances, what I had is still not a proper representation of the quality or portions served at Celadon. However it did give me a taste of what they’re trying to do and the approach they’re taking to provide locals and tourists a unique ‘Koreanadian’ experience. Given that it is in Whistler, the prices are on the pricier side.

On the table:

**Soju Cocktail

• With fresh cucumber and pomegranate $6.50
  
• This cocktail was amazing! It reminded me of the delicious Aloe Grey Goose L’Orange Vodka Cocktail from Terracotta Modern Chinese.
• It’s dangerous because you can’t taste the Soju (Korean Vodka) but it creeps up on you and it does have a high alcohol content.
• The drink was light, crisp, refreshing, fruity and clean in taste with a cooling cucumber finish. It was mixed with some San Pellegrino and I think some lime or lemon juice because it carried tang as well.
• My only issue is that while the pomegranate seeds add a great visual affect, I find the flavour wasted since they were hard to get to in the drink. I think muddling the seeds and adding some of the juice to the cocktail would have incorporated the flavour better.

We also enjoyed some great non-alcoholic tea drinks from Dao Tea. The owner actually meets all the farmers in Asia that provide his tea leaves. His tea concoctions are Asian inspired and incredible in flavour and taste. They’re all very natural, creative and well infused drinks.

**Homemade Kimchi

• $3.50
• The Korean girl beside me and I quietly discussed amongst ourselves and both agree that the Kimchi was fantastic. It’s a must have on any Korean table and eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• There’s many forms of kimchi, but the most common is made with Napa cabbage leaves.
• I could taste the pungent garlic infused cabbage leaves, the fermented pickled flavours as well as the spice from the chili. It was a great balance, not too sweet or tart, well aged and bang on.

Jalapeno Kimchi

• Jalapeno tossed in Chef Huh’s signature chili vinaigrette dressing $3.50
• This kind of Kimchi is perhaps more favoured to a Western market that is unfamiliar with kimchi. I still liked it though.
• It was a juicy tangy burst of tender jalapeno and it was very spicy, but still sweet. It was saucy with a ton of flavour and it definitely woke up all my taste buds within the first bite.

Haemul Pajun (Pajeon)

• Crispy seafood crepes with spring onions $16
• This is a very typical Korean dish commonly known as a Korean Pancake.
• I’ve had my fair share of home cooked ones as well as some from Korea (see here).
• The one from Celadon is definitely a gourmet one with lots of octopus and seafood. It’s also served in a rectangular form rather than the traditional circular form.
• It’s a chewy pan fried pancake with a crispy crust, sweet strands of long spring onions, spicy home made kimchi, a little jalapeno spice and topped with lots of seafood, predominantly octopus.
• There were big pieces of octopus, but sometimes they got a little tough in the cooking process.
• It’s more of an egg and potato batter rather than a flour batter so it’s more gummy in texture (as it usually is) although very flavourful.
• It’s dipped into a tangy, savoury, sweet and spicy garlic sesame sauce which had a strong orange flavour which was from the yuzu (a common Japanese condiment). The orange taste was unexpected and modern, but it worked and it brought a nice citrus complement to the seafood.

Angel Hair Noodles (Name being changed to “Pink Angel”)

• Angel-hair noodles in cold kimchi soup with Alaskan king crab meat $18
• This is good as a light appetizer or summer lunch. For me, I wanted it after greasy Korean BBQ.
• Traditionally, this is a very peasant style dish and not something served to guests. However Celadon makes it all pretty and pink and with the added Alaskan King Crab, it was good enough for royalty.
• The pink colour is purely for effect and it’s just the juice of beet roots. It’s not intended to add any flavour, and it doesn’t.

My sample portion and how it’s served at Celadon, except a bit bigger.

• It’s a cold dish and the broth is very tangy and refreshing with a slight sweetness. It’s made with a water based daikon kimchi so there was a slight spicy kick with the radish slices underneath the noodles.
• The angel hair noodles were slightly overcooked for me, but maybe it’s different at the restaurant.
• I wasn’t a fan of the apples, which I was actually most excited about at first. Eaten with the noodles they added a rough straw like texture, although I appreciated them for their tangy sweetness. I think a mix of pickled sweet cucumber and raw cucumbers would have done the trick over the apples.
• I loved the addition of the quail’s egg and I liked eating the dish with the Kimchi appetizer better.
• I found it visually more appealing, but otherwise it reminded me of a Japanese sunomono in flavour.

**Korean Kimchi Burger – See video

• Bulgogi sauce marinated Pemberton natural beef patty, a slice of Swiss cheese and mild kimchi on ciabatta. French fries and chef’s yuzu infused sauce $19
• Currently they are serving it with fries, but I strongly suggested them serving it with lotus root chips! Be contemporary, but stay true to your philosophy… and what better way to stick to your roots than to serve a root! A lotus root! I hope they go with it

• The burger was honestly delicious. Fantastic incorporation of East and West ingredients that married well.
• It had a nice juicy tender and soft beef patty (that I would have requested medium rare if I was at the restaurant, but it wasn’t dry). It was the dominant ingredient, but not overwhelming.
• It was almost Californian in style because of the creamy avocado.
• It was savoury and sweet Bulgogli marinated beef balanced with a tangy and slightly sweetened 2 year old semi-crunchy kimchi. It also had a thin layer of homemade yuzu sauce that had a basil base, slight orange taste and spicy kick, but I wanted more of the sauce because I couldn’t really taste it unless I looked for it.
• It’s a store bought Ciabatta bun, and since the patty was quite thick the denser bun actually worked to match it. However I suggested them to slice it down the middle so that the bottom portion is equal to the top portion. There’s a bit too much bread otherwise, and it made it difficult to eat.

Miso Soup

• $3.50
• I know. What is a Japanese soup doing on a Korean menu? This is a Korean Miso soup, and it’s actually not invented by Celadon. I guess it’s true that Asian cuisines do borrow from each other too.
• This Korean version is saltier and much darker and richer. I feel like they used dried anchovies as a base to give it an added saltiness, but I’m not sure.

Bibimbap Salad

• Bibimbap salad: cornucopia of fresh garden greens with bc sockeye salmon, sea urchin, tobiko and quail egg on barley rice. Chef’s chili vinaigrette dressing $24

This was a sample, so it’s not representable of the actual serving size. I’m not sure if their photo is either though.

• I found it more like a salad than a bibimbap especially with the spicy and tangy dressing. I did miss my actual bibimbap, but this would work for summer lunches or a shared appetizer for dinner.
• It was Korean in serving style and it also had similar veggies used in a bibimbap, but it was very Japanese with the Wild Sockeye Salmon sashimi, uni (sea urchin) and tobiko.
• If you’ve never tried sea urchin it has the texture of soft creamy rich butter and the taste of salty fish. It’s almost like the foie gras of the sea to me, at least in concept and texture, but not in flavour.
• It’s still hearty because it’s served on a bed of Korean barley rice which was almost like brown rice, but puffy, firm and almost snappy and bouncy in texture. It’s a bit earthy in flavour so you feel very healthy eating the dish.
• It was all very crunchy especially with the crunchy raw veggies and barley working together.
• It was all very simple, so I would prefer the stronger Korean flavours and the other more creative items Celadon offers.

Restaurant: Bizeun: The Premium Riceteria
Cuisine: Korean/desserts
Last visited: April 5, 2010
Location: Myundong (Seoul), Korea
Address: 51 Myungdong (Centre of Seoul)
Price Range: $10CAD or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: Drinks: 3 Rice cakes: 1.5
Service: 2
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 2
Additional comments:

• Traditional Korean tea time
• Famous for home made rice cakes
• Variety of traditional Korean drinks
• Drinks have health benefits
• Rice cakes to go
• Home made rice cakes
• Made fresh daily
• Moderately priced
• Good for snacks/drinks/dessert
  

**Recommendations: Sikhye Tea, Cinnamon Tea (and I guess a rice cake just because… but they weren’t good)

Bizeun is a famous tea house in Korea that is also known for producing premium rice cakes (almost the same as the Japanese mochi). They actually have an in house mini factory in the store that produces the rice cakes daily.

The downstairs is where you can purchase Korean rice cakes to go or to bring upstairs to eat at their restaurant. The upstairs is the restaurant which only serves traditional Korean drinks.

If you’re visiting Seoul, Korea and you’re looking for a traditional experience than this place is fun to check out. But if you’re here to try the best rice cakes I don’t think this is the place.

I don’t know if they were having a bad day or what – but nobody I was with (Korean locals) and myself thought the rice cakes were good. I can’t say I like rice cakes in the 1st place (unless they’re filled with ice cream, but that’s a different story)…but the ones here were just poorly made and inconsistent.

Its a traditional experience and it’s full of locals, so it was nice to visit but if I go again it would only be for the traditional Korean drinks they serve.

On the table:

**Sikhye Tea

• Served in a big bowl with a spoon $5.00CAD
• This is the most traditional and authentic Korean drink out of all the drinks they offered. It’s usually served as a dessert.
• It’s made out of malt water and cooked rice, but it tastes like sweet water. It’s usually served after a meal.
• There was some crushed ice cubes in it so it was served cold. It was like cold watery sweet congee.
• I wasn’t necessarily a fan, but I think it’s acquired. If you like Sikhye than you’ll like the one here.

**Cinnamon Tea

• Served in a big bowl $5.00CAD
• This is the one I ordered and I’m not a big fan of cinnamon.
• The locals told me it was VERY Korean and that it helped with the digestive system so I decided to try it.
• It’s served cold with ice cubes and it’s different than most cinnamon drinks I’ve tried.
• This is like cinnamon in liquid form with boiled down ginger. It’s very pure and quite spicy. It’s sweet and then the spicy kick comes right after.

• They also brew it with dried persimmon which was stuffed with tons of whole walnuts. I loved this dried persimmon. It was chewy like a big candy especially after being soaked in the tea for so long.

Omija Tea

• Served in a big bowl $5.00CAD
• Omija is a type of berry in Korea and they boil it down to create this sweet and tart Korean tea.
• It tastes like hot cranberry juice.
• It’s supposed to be sweet, salty, tart, and bitter but I only tasted sweet and tart.

Quince Tea

• Served in a big bowl $5.00CAD
• This is made from the skins of fresh and dried Chinese quince – a Chinese fruit.
• It’s sweet and it tastes like a mixture of apples, pears and dates.
• There were actually some dried dates in the bowl as well.
• I found it one of the sweeter drinks out of the bunch, but there is incredible health benefits with this drink as well.

Bizeun Premiem Rice Cakes

• I tried a variety of their rice cakes and none of them were good.
• They were really inconsistent and some ere softer than others.
• They’re made fresh daily and in house too so I don’t know why some had really hard and crumbly skins while others were nice and chewy.
• Top left corner: Pear Rice cake - had no pear taste. It was chewy dry and very bread like. It was like a loaf of bread made out of rice and inside there was a little pear jam (the only pear flavour in the whole thing).
• Middle: Steamed rice cake (non-glutinous rice & pumpkin – $1.80) – I was not a fan of this one but at least it wasn’t overly sweet like the others. There was thin slices of Japanese pumpkin aka Kaboocha in them. The rice cake was rolled in a non-sugary bean powder that was nutty and crumbly in texture. It was like unsweetened streusel topping.

• Lower left corner: Apple mochi ($0.80) - no apple flavour and it was stuffed with a thick walnut cinnamon paste. It was very sweet and chalky.
• The mochi skin was the best on this one though. It was nice and soft, but not as soft as the mochi from Japan.

• This was from the tray of rice cakes on the very right - Filled rice cakes.
• The rice cake skin was a bit hard and it wasn’t sweet. The sweet part was when you bit into the mochi. They were filled with this honey and sesame liquid syrup.

Restaurant: Sinpo Woori Mandoo
Cuisine: Korean
Last visited: April 6, 2010
Location: Insadong (Seoul), Korea – Multiple locations
Address: 2 floor (Address is Korean)
Price Range: $10CAD or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5 (based on what I tried)
Service: 3
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 4
Additional comments:

• Since 1971
• Korean chain restaurant
• Popular to locals
• Famous for Korean dumplings
• English on menu!
• Great for snacks
• Casual/Fast/Quick
• Cheap eats, good quality
• Shareable portions
• Complimentary appetizers
  

**Recommendations: Gogi Mandoo, Jjol Bokki

Sinpo Woori Mandoo is a popular Korean eatery that is famous and well known for their home made Korean dumplings. Sinpo is a small town in Incheon, Korea and the dumplings originated in this part of town.

Sinpo Woori Mandoo is a well established family store that has now expanded with many locations throughout Korea. My Korean friends took me here for a mid-afternoon snack so it is a popular restaurant for locals to grab casual eats. It looks like a fast food restaurant but the food is home made and really good.

It’s one of the VERY few places I went to where there was English on the menu. In this case it also didn’t mean it was a tourist trap/not authentic…it was still traditional Korean food but established enough for a fancy menu. Insadong, where Sinpo Woori Mandoo was located is also a touristy location and this is one of the non-touristy restaurants.

I only came here once and it was just for a snack, but based on the items we ordered I would definitely com back. For cheap eats it was a hit…even for not cheap eats I still think it was great!

On the table:

**Gogi Mandoo (Korean Dumplings) – 6/6

• Pork and vegetable dumplings (8peices) – $3.00CAD (Cheap right?!)
• These are the home made authentic Korean dumplings that made Sinpo Woori Mandoo famous!
• It was my 1st time trying Korean dumplings so I have nothing to compare to, but these were good and even in Korean standards (from my Korean friends) they are good!

• The dumplings were stuffed with juicy ground pork, chives, and  clear thin vermicelli noodles. The skin was quite thin and I found them delicious!
• They were really tender and the noodles helped keep them even more tender and moist. The technique reminded me of the stuffed squid aka Pla Muek Pad Keaw Wan from Thangthai Thai Restaurant in Vancouver, BC.

**Jjol Bokki (Rice Cakes) – 5/6

• Rice cakes with spicy sauce served with fried dumplings and egg (hard-boiled) on the side $4.00CAD
• DROOL! I really enjoyed this dish. I had this dish about 3 times while I was in Korea, but this place was the best. It’s probably not the BEST in Korea, but it’s a good one!
• I ordered it at this other cheap hole in the wall popular to locals Korean place and it wasn’t as good as this place. Those ones are reviewed here.
• This one was spicy, creamy, and also slightly sweet. The flavour was more well rounded not just spicy.  I think they added some tomato paste in it to give it a richer flavour. It was almost like the canned Alphagetti sauce, but better and spicy.
• The rice cakes are the long tubes you see underneath the triangular slices of fish cakes. The rice cakes are delicious, chewy and quite filling. They’re perfect match with the spicy chile sauce.
• The deep fried dumplings are equally as amazing as the steamed ones! They’re so crispy and crunchy I loved them! Almost like deep fried won tons.

I was in Seoul, Korea for the 1st week of April and I was lucky enough to stay with a wonderful Korean family. This meant that I was able to experience traditional and authentic home made Korean food. It’s nice to have something to compare to since restaurant food is usually different than the food people eat at home.

Here are some examples of home cooked traditional Korean dishes I had during my visit in Seoul, Korea. I also put examples (for some) of the same dishes I ordered at restaurants for comparison’s sake.

On the table:

Home Cooked Traditional Korean Breakfasts

Korean Pumpkin Congee

• Home cooked Korean breakfast
• I honestly didn’t know that there was such a thing as “Korean congee”. I always thought it was a Chinese thing.
• This was home made so I’m not sure what it’s like at restaurants.
• I’m not sure if pumpkin congee is a popular flavour there because it was the first time I’ve ever heard of it. It was delicious though!
• It was made with half sticky rice so the texture is thicker, creamier, and sticker than the tradition Chinese congee people are probably more familiar with.

Korean breakfast

• Home cooked Korean breakfast: sticky rice, home made kimchi, and fried tofu slices dipped in egg.
• Talk about authentic huh? This almost felt like lunch! This is a traditional Korean breakfast, but it’s also not what they eat every day for breakfast.

Home Cooked Traditional Korean Dinners

Not only was I able to try home cooked Korean breakfast, but I am very appreciative to have tried a traditional Korean dinner as well. This was nothing fancy but something “mom would make at home”…comfort food! Korean comfort food…which means everything is spicy, which I like!

Home Cooked VS Restaurant

Traditional Korean Acorn Jelly Salad (Home made)

• Acorn jelly, mixed greens and cucumbers with a spicy sesame soy vinaigrette.
• This is a simple salad that they serve at home. Anything you search on google you probably won’t find this. This is authentic!
• The acorn jelly is almost like jello but firmer. It’s not sweet or savoury, but it doesn’t have much flavour itself. It almost has no flavour.
• The dressing is a sweet, tangy and spicy vinaigrette which I loved.
• I like it more than the other Korean salad I had served with ice cream on top. Korean salad with ice cream.

Traditional Korean Acorn Jelly Salad (Restaurant)

• From When the Day Comes Restaurant in Seoul, Korea
• It was saucier/saltier/spicier than the home made version. It also had more vegetables like carrots and onion.

Variations of Home Made Kimchi

Traditional Kimchi (Home made)

• This is the standard home made kimchi.
• There’s actually a separate fridge in the house just for kimchi. It helps keep the smell in one area since it’s so strong. Garlic + chili + pickled veggies…it creates quite a strong and pungent smell.

Radish Kimchi (Home made)

• This is a shredded radish (daikon) and dried mushroom (wood ear mushroom) kimchi. Nice and crunchy good with soup and noodle dishes.

Cucumber Kimchi (Home made)

• This is a cucumber kimchi with cilantro welsh onion. I could eat it as a salad.

Soy Bean Perilla Leaf Kimchi (Home made)

• This is probably my least favourite of the bunch. The soy bean leaves are really big and they have a bitter after taste. The bitterness is not as strong in the kimchi since it’s being preserved but I could still taste it.
• I loves the salty soy beans though! It’s salty and fermented so the taste is strong and acquired…meaning not for everyone.

• This is a picture of the soy bean leaf raw. In Korea it’s also served as a side dish during Korean BBQ for the purpose of making lettuce wraps.

Korean Pancake – Pajeon (Home Cooked)

• Lots of green onions, chewy and gummy in texture. Love these!

Korean Pancake – Pajeon (Restaurant)

• From When the Day Comes Restaurant in Seoul, Korea
• These were huge! There’s a lot of different type of Pajeon and the ones at home are usually more simple. Definitely comfort food!
• The ones at the restaurant were served with a spicy chili sauce too.

Bulgolgi (Home cooked)

• Marinated barbeque beef.
• It’s definitely a lighter version they make at home. It’s not as greasy, saucy or salty which is expected if it’s home cooked.
• I don’t think they barbecued it either just because the process is more time-consuming and this was a casual dinner.

Kimchi Hot Pot (Home Cooked)

• So this is a traditional Korean dish that they make at home and order at restaurants...not bibimbap. =p
• Slices of Spam (how Asian!), slices of beef, Korea rice cakes (noodles), onions, cabbage, lettuce, green onions, turnips, leeks, and other vegetables.
• Pretty much anything goes but the kitchen sink when you make it at home.

• They put ramen in at the end and it’s eaten last. It reminded me of Chinese hot pot except everything is already thrown into one big pot.
• The white tubes are the Korean rice cakes which are also a type of noodle. They’re chewy and pretty filling. I love them!
• It was fun to have 2 different kinds of noodles going on at once.