Restaurants – ZenKmchi

9 Great Korean Restaurant Franchises (and bad ones)

Joe McPherson — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 23:31:00 +0000

There’s something I’d say for Korea that I wouldn’t say for America–there are some freakin’ good restaurant franchises that I’d recommend even over independent restaurants. Their quality is consistently good. These Korean restaurant franchises would also be great brands to export.

I’m leaving out the fried chicken and non-Korean-food franchises as they require separate posts. There are many other franchises out there, and some are good. But they’re either not great (Bon Juk, Baekje Samgyetang), or they are inconsistent (Andong Jjimdalk, Omogari Kimchi Jjigae).

Maetdollo-man 맷돌로만

Even though the name sounds like a superhero, it means something like, “Only from the Millstone.”

This is my new favorite franchise, and they’re expanding rapidly. They specialize in tofu. Housemade tofu. They make it out front behind the window for everyone to see. Korean tofu converts people who hate tofu. It has a rough masculine quality.

Get their Dubu Bossam set, which includes some tender pork belly with tofu and wraps. Also get their Dubu Jeon, which is a crunchy pancake made solely out of tofu. Pure protein.

I can’t find a website for them, and it looks like each one of their storefronts is slightly different. Just copy and paste 맷돌로만 on Google and Naver.

Won Halmoni Bossam 원할머니 보쌈

Source: bossam.co.kr

Yeah, it’s just bossam. But it is consistently good. We tend to get it delivered, but I think it’s best in the restaurant itself. The banchan is always diverse and tasty, including that sweet, fruity fresh kimchi. They have lunch specials that will fill you up.

Sae Maul Sikdang 새마을 식당

Source: newmaul.com

This Korean restaurant chain has been getting quite popular with Koreans and expats. They are part of this 1970s nostalgic trend. Look at the lattice-work on the doors and the general feel of the place. Some locations even have marshaling anthems blaring outside, harkening back to, um, simpler times?

I’ve been a fan of their hangjeongsal and geopdaegi (pork skin), but the thing to order (thanks, Lisa Kelley) is the Yeoltan Bulgogi 열탄불고기. It’s shaved pork smothered in spicy sauce. Toss that on the grill and make sure you have your favorite bev handy.

This is the star franchise of celebrity chef Paik Jong-won. This guy is notorious for sticking his face on EVERYTHING. The guy has franchises for most any product, including coffee. Most of his franchises suck, but this is the one good one.

Look for the place with the yellow roof.

Jaws Tteokbokki 죠스 떡뽂이

The legend of Jaws goes like this. A guy quit his job and wanted to start a tteokbokki hut. Yet he didn’t know the first thing about making it. He spent months in the kitchen perfecting his recipe. The result is a spicy and addictive tteokbokki. But Jaws doesn’t stop there. They also serve a meaty soondae sausage, hearty odeng fish cakes, and super light and crispy twigim (tempura). I like mixing it all together with the thick tteokbokki sauce.

Orai Sutbul DalkGalbi 오라이숫불닭갈비

When I was in Chuncheon, the DalkGalbi capital of the world, I noticed that there were restaurants serving a sutbul (charcoal-grilled) version. Soon after, this Orai opened in my town of Anyang.

This is great stuff! Dark meat chicken marinated in a sweet spicy sauce and thrown on the charcoal grill in front of you. Yes, you don’t get the usual fried rice at the end, but by then you’re on your third order. It’s reasonably priced as well. One order will feed two people–or one Joe. I’ve had this at another location in Seoul, and it is just as good there.

Nolboo 놀부

Credit: Xin Li 88 on Flickr (cc)

Nolboo is hard to peg. They’re a brand that has many different types of Korean restaurants. Some do Budae Jjigae, some do Clay Pot Duck, some do Galbi Jjim. In most cases, they serve high quality versions of whatever dish they specialize in. The Clay Pot Duck, Yuhwang Ori 유황오리, is the closest you get to Thanksgiving dinner in a Korean restaurant. The duck is stuffed with rice, various seeds, fruits, and Chinese medicinal ingredients. It’s then baked in a clay pot for a few hours. The result is this steamy tender meat with this aromatic stuffing. Bring a bottle of pinot noir for this one.

The Budae Jjigae restaurants do the classic “army base stew” with the classic spam and hot dogs. But they also add little bonuses like pepperoni. Their Galbi Jjim restaurants serve taste-bud-obliterating spicy ribs that I can’t get enough of.

O’Sulloc 오설록

Credit: fabonthemoon on Flickr (cc)

They’re not really a restaurant. They’re a tea purveyor. They have cafes in Insa-dong and around town. They open booths in high end department stores. O’Sulloc is a Jeju-based green tea producer that has shown how world class Korean tea can be. They’re not cheap, but unlike many Korean companies that sell products at premium prices, O’Sulloc’s teas are truly premium. Their basic green tea, which they roast and brew for free samples in Insa-dong, packs so much of a punch that you won’t return to the sawdust in the teabags. The complexity makes it so interesting. They don’t just do green tea. O’Sulloc carries a large swath of flavored and themed teas. They even have some super posh black box teas. Most of them would make perfect gifts.

Gogung 고궁

Based in Jeonju, home of the pinnacle of bibimbaps, Gogung brings this famous dish in its most Platonic ideal. When you see gorgeous colorful photos of bibimbap, this is the type they serve. The signature Jeonju bibimbap comes in a brass bowl and is chock full of little goodies, complete with the raw egg yolk that binds it together after mixing. You usually find branches in department stores. If you can’t make it to Jeonju, try it here.

Bukchon Son Mandu 북촌손만두

Bukchon Mandu makes their dumplings fresh. You can see them wrapping them in the open window where people pick them up to eat on the street or take home. Their Manduguk (mandu soup) warms you up and fills you up for the afternoon. Make sure to get some of those Sae-oo Mandu (Shrimp Mandu, pictured above). Likely, you’ll get more.

Not-so-great Korean Restaurant Franchises

And these either suck the soul out of Korean food or are just poorly executed.

Bibigo

Oh, the things that continue to be wrong with this concept! I had already told you the story on how CJ approached me and a few others to help organize market testing with westerners for a bibimbap concept they were planning to take overseas. The original restaurant was Cafe Sobahn, which was pretty cool. The sprouts they grew hydroponically in the shop. You could see them. After trying and rating different dishes, they ended the testing by saying, “We’re thinking of going with the name Bibigo. What do you think of that name?”

The group unanimously said it was a horrible name. The CJ manager took the results to his superiors. The superiors looked at it and tossed the results away, along with Cafe Sobahn itself. They didn’t fit with what they planned.

A disaster

The result has been one of many money pits for the CJ conglomerate. The only reason the Bibigo branches in the U.S. and even in Seoul have stayed afloat is that CJ’s deep pockets are patching the holes. They use the franchise to boast to the Korean public that they’re spreading Korean cuisine. But few have asked them whatever happened to their prediction to have many more restaurants open than they have now.

It’s a money suck. The exec in charge of this has famously compared herself to Steve Jobs, which is her excuse for not paying attention to market research. She doesn’t realize that Steve Jobs could get away with it because–he was Steve jobs. Every move they have done has been crass and out of touch with the market. But hey! They had Psy!

(What’s funny is that Psy was the face for Nolboo before he came out with Gangnam Style.)

Since I first posted about this, they had a disaster of a restaurant in London, and the chain is dying out. But now they’re known for their frozen mandu.

Bulgogi Bros.

Korea’s answer to TGI McChilibee’s. They try to do the chain casual dining fern bar concept a la Outback. This could have worked. Unfortunately, like so many prepped up Korean endeavors, they somehow surgically removed all the fun, flavor, and excitement of Korean BBQ while upping the price, pairing it with Yellow Tail Merlot.

Myeong-dong Gyoja

Oh, I’m going to get my ass chewed for this one. But I seriously don’t see what the hype is about this beyond being an institution. It’s like how I don’t get The Varsity in Atlanta. Everyone says you have to go there, but unless you’re sentimental for it, it is disappointing.

I’ll say this, the broth in the Kalguksu is fine. But that’s about it. The meat is grisly and low quality. The dumplings are just the same as you’d get anywhere else. And that kimchi–it’s god awful! It’s like they put no jeotgal in it and just doused it in raw garlic and gochugaru. You only eat the kimchi because there’s no other option. There are many much better kalguksu joints in Korea, like Hwangsaengga Kalguksu in Bukchon.

Myeong-dong Gyoja is just hype for tourists.

Chef’s Guksu 쉐프의국수

If you’re easily impressed by gimmicks, this is your place. Their fire beef sushi isn’t bad. But the namesake noodles are dull, dull, dull. It should be a blinking warning when a restaurant imprints their logo on the egg in your bowl.

Shinpo Uri Mandu 신포 우리 만두

Just ralph on my plate and serve it with rice, why don’t ya!

They supposedly specialize in mandu. It’s in their freakin’ name! The frozen mandu given out as free samples at E-Mart are better.

Grainy. Mealy. Tasteless.

So you know it’s only downhill when you try their non-mandu items.

What great (or bad) Korean food franchises am I leaving out? Say so in the comments.

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Nashville Hot Chicken in Seoul: Rocka Doodle vs. Brave Rooster’s

James Chung — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 02:19:52 +0000

Nashville Hot Chicken has hit Seoul. There’s been buzz about this new style of fried chicken in Seoul, a feat that is hard to imagine in a country that alleges to have more establishments selling fried chicken than there are McDonald’s worldwide.

What is Nashville Hot Chicken?

For those of you who don’t know, hot chicken is a Nashville specialty, where crisp battered chicken meets fiery chili-infused butter and lard. Unlike buffalo wings, it lacks the acidic tang from vinegar-based hot sauces and stands in stark contrast to typical Korean fried chicken, where most flavors are variations on sweet and syrupy coatings. Hot chicken truly is a distinct preparation of the popular meal. It has incredible flavor when done right.

The Entrants

Rocka Doodle

Rocka Doodle was created in part by Tyler Sohn, a former Manimal team member whose childhood was dotted with frequent tips to Tennessee (Sohn’s parent’s were from Nashville). To recreate the classic Nashvillian dish and keeping in line with the Manimal ethos, they did research, pouring over videos and articles on hot spots like Prince’s and Howlin’ Rays. In June of this year, Rocka Doodle launched a one-day pop up at Vato’s Urban Collective space and used that feedback to tweak their menu before finally soft-launching a permanent location in the Itaewon area in September.

Brave Rooster’s

Brave Rooster’s [sic] had their soft launch in November before finally having their grand opening at the beginning of December. In the month prior, the Brave Rooster’s team had traveled from L.A. to Nashville, visiting many popular fried chicken establishments in hopes of gaining insight into the essence of hot chicken. With their opening timed dubiously close to Rocka Doodle’s, some folks were tempted to call out Brave Rooster’s efforts as a clone of Korea’s first proper hot chicken restaurant. I don’t necessarily believe this was the case. Aesthetically, it’s pretty clear that Brave Rooster’s roots come from benchmarking the unbelievably popular Howlin’ Ray’s in Los Angeles, perhaps as an effort to emulate the 2-3 hour wait times at the small Chinatown restaurant. Homage is further paid to Chef Johnny Ray Zone’s Los Angeles establishment with Howlin’ Ray’s merchandise and videos posted proudly on the wall.

The Ambience

Rocka Doodle

Every inch of Rocka Doodle oozes a distinct sense of personal taste. You walk in: skateboards, school cafeteria trays and other trinkets intersect American nostalgia with a modern street wear flair. The music selection is curated with a mix of old school hip hop, soul, R&B – the likes you’d never see in a hof. The space is small, and the seats tend to fill up.

Brave Rooster’s

Photo: Melissa Nguyen

Located in a huge space on the second floor of Garosugil, Brave Rooster’s venue captures some of the vibe from the famed Howlin’ Ray’s, featuring large white walls and bold typography.

Photo: James Chung

Brave Rooster’s further replicates the Howlin’ Ray’s style by serving their food in paper takeout boxes. The staff even borrows the scripted call-and-response shouts typically heard from Howlin’ Ray’s kitchen when expediting orders. Don’t be startled when the staff loudly calls back to the manager indicating that an order has been placed, it’s just part of the process. Despite going there during lunch time, club music was blasting from the speakers, beats dropping like Itaewon nightlife.

The Chicken

For hot chicken you’d want to look for something that is “served glistening red from the cayenne & lard based paste, smoky not obviously sweet, with an option to have it extremely spicy with just pickle chips and white bread.”

Rocka Doodle

Photo: James Chung

For Rocka Doodle, it begins with a labor intensive endeavor to craft each bite. Every piece of chicken takes up to two days of preparation, spending a day in a brine before going into buttermilk for another. This extra work pays off in the final product: juicy, crispy and flavorful. Or, what some might call the platonic ideal of chicken. Even the white meat, which I tend to avoid at at most restaurants, is juicy and flavorful; it’s truly one of the best executions in recent memory. The fried chicken is then dipped in a chili-infused butter and lard combination, which is smoky and fragrant. The batter is light, elevating the moisture saturated chicken while acting as a ideal vehicle for the spicy oils.

Brave Rooster’s

Photo: James Chung

Though Brave Rooster’s imports a lot of Howlin’ Ray’s visual experience, the flavors of a Michelin-restaurant-experienced trained chef are obviously harder to replicate. In general, the standard fare is okay. The chicken is moist, suggesting a thorough brining process. The breading lacked any distinct crunch, while the chili flavor was simple, if lacking nuance. They follow traditional preparation and serve the chicken on top of slices of plain white bread (which Rocka Doodle ditched from lack of customer interest). It should be noted, however, that even though pickles are an integral part of the Hot Chicken experience, the pickles served at Brave Rooster’s are sweet, which some might not appreciate.

The Sandwich

Rocka Doodle

Photo: James Chung

Rocka Doodle varies whether they serve white or dark meat depending on the sandwich and its toppings. In general, all the flavors complement well, the individual ingredients don’t feel out of place. The boneless meat in the sandwiches get the same treatment as the normal chicken, I particularly enjoyed the skin-on thigh meat, which added an extra textural component to the sandwich. Rocka Doodle has so far been releasing new creations every month or so. Therefore, anticipate a growing menu as time passes.

Brave Rooster’s

Photo: James Chung

Brave Rooster’s offers two sandwiches. We ordered the Rooster Burger, which is essentially the Brave Burger with added egg and bacon. The oblong piece of white meat was admirably moist, but didn’t quite fit the bread, meaning awkward filling-less bites were common. The bun probably would have been well paired had it been toasted (it wasn’t). The bacon is topped generously, but is pale pink and limp (not crispy). Furthermore, the expectation of a runny over easy fried egg (like the promotional photos) was quashed when I found a fully cooked egg tucked away under the breast meat. Despite the strong effort, none of the components seemed to work with each other, owing to misses on crucial details.

The Spice

Rocka Doodle

Photo: James Chung

The chili grease at Rocka Doodle is delicate and fragrant. The Carolina Reaper imbues with butter and lard giving it a definite heat. There is a hint of brown sugar sweetness, but it’s subtle and works as a nice complement to the spicy grease. If you are a serious chili-head in search of the face ripping Carolina Reaper experience, even the newly minted level 4 might not be the spice you were looking for. They have added higher levels of heat since opening, so it’s fair to assume that spicier levels might be on the horizon, but you could always ask for an extra shake of cayenne or Carolina Reaper if you’re really in need that extra heat (I know I did). For most, the spice levels offered at Rocka Doodle will be plenty spicy, however.

Brave Rooster’s

Photo: James Chung

The hottest level at Brave Rooster’s is “crazy hot”. As a preface, the spiciest level at the benchmarked Howlin’ Ray’s in L.A. features an undeniable amount of heat, bringing even the toughest spice eaters to their knees. Despite the heat, the blend of Carolina Reaper, Bhut Jolokia and Habanero is smoky, bright, complex and delicious, making the challenging venture worthwhile in the end. Brave Rooster’s “crazy hot” begins with a waiver, which is followed by a loud alarm and red sirens that ring and flash throughout the restaurant. The staff stared at us as we scribbled our names on the form (we were apparently the first ones to ever order this level). The Crazy Hot chicken is served, blackened from caked on chili peppers. Visually, it is reminiscent of the preparation at Prince’s (the original hot chicken restaurant, though Prince’s only uses Cayenne peppers, if I recall correctly), and the fruity scent of hyper spicy chilies hits the nose immediately as the boxed food is set on the table. Served on the side is a digestive aid packet (so your stomach gets protected, they told us). You grab the wings and realize there is as much chili powder on top of the breading as there is flour in the batter. You take a bite and the only flavor you register is aggressive grainy bitterness before an intense heat builds up. It’s easily one of the spiciest things I’ve eaten in Korea. Even for a spice enthusiast it will likely be a challenge. Honestly, disregarding the heat, the flavor is completely awful: very bitter with no balance otherwise. Furthermore, the jump in heat between the highest and penultimate levels is probably in the orders of magnitude. I don’t recommend this level, even for those looking for a challenge.

The Conclusion

I, for one, am very excited about the rise of hot chicken in Korea. Rocka Doodle’s careful execution of Nashville hot chicken definitely puts it among my favorite new places to eat in 2018. Even while making minor changes to localize the experience, they’ve managed to faithfully recreate the essence of hot chicken in Seoul. On the other hand, I can appreciate Brave Rooster’s for putting in a real effort to bring the Nashville classic to Southern Seoul, investing in a chance for their team to travel all the way to Tennessee through California to give Gangnamites a chance to appreciate a non-sweetened but spicy fried chicken option. The menu at Brave Rooster’s also features a number of sides as an option, which are honestly pretty good (though small in portion). The chicken is just okay. Perhaps they’ll need some time to work out some kinks. It’s still early for both of these restaurants, having only been a few months since hot chicken hit the scene. So expect some refinements and perhaps some more competition (I’m looking at you Lords Chicken), along the way.

Rocka Doodle (aka Rockadoodle)

롸카두들 내쉬빌 핫치킨 서울 용산구 녹사평대로40나길 9 Near Itaewon Station

Brave Rooster’s

브레이브루스터스 서울 강남구 강남대로156길 40 Near Sinsa Station

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Blomster’s opens second Korean diner ‘popup’ in California wine country

Tammy — Wed, 02 Dec 2015 03:59:08 +0000

It doesn’t seem to make sense that a 40-plus-year-old San Francisco Bay-area brunch joint is sharing valuable restaurant space with a fusion diner known for its Korean fried chicken and Los Angeles galbi with mac and cheese. It might be even more surprising that the owner of the Korean diner has never stepped foot in Korea, yet the breakfast baron has racked up many frequent flyer miles to Korea — particularly, Jeju Island.

David Blomster prepares to cut the ribbon for his second Korean diner, located in Santa Rosa, Calif., on Nov. 17, 2015. (Tammy Quackenbush photo)

David Blomster opened his second Dick Blomster’s Korean Diner officially Nov. 13 as the afternoon and night shift in Don Taylor’s Omelette Express, located in the historic Railroad Square district of Santa Rosa, a city about an hour north of San Francisco. During the ribbon-cutting party Nov. 17, I caught up with Blomster and Taylor, as the latter was pouring shots of homemade 12-year-old ginseng-infused soju for his business partners to celebrate the new collaboration.

Don Taylor, owner of the Omelette Express, shares shots of ginseng soju with business partners as he celebrates his new business venture with David Blomster. (Jeff Quackenbush photo)

Blomster opened his first pop-up Korean diner, called Dick Blomster’s, in Guerneville, California, in 2012, sharing space with Pat’s Diner, a Guerneville institution since the 1940s. For the first six months or so of his enterprise, Korean-American chef Eugene Birdsall helped him develop the menu for the restaurant and got the concept moving. Local residents embraced the restaurant so much that after a couple of years as a renter, Blomster made enough money to buy Pat’s Diner outright. A “popup” restaurant can be a one-off event, a market test or a business strategy to save money on rent and startup costs. So it’s unusual for a popup to buy its own landlord.

A rustic yet classy way to celebrate a new Korean restaurant venture: 12 year old ginseng soju. (Jeff Quackenbush photo)

“I knew there was a need in West County for Korean cuisine,” Blomster said, referring to western Sonoma County, located just west of Napa Valley. At the time of his debut in 2012, the nearest Korean restaurants to Guerneville were Tov Tofu in Santa Rosa, which is a half hour drive east of Guerneville, or Bear Korean in Cotati, which was about 40 minutes away until it closed in 2014.

David Blomster is the restauranteur behind Blomster’s Korean diner. (Jeff Quackenbush photo)

Although Blomster knows that popup restaurants are a hot trend in culinary circles, he doesn’t believe the term fully explains his restaurant concept.

“I don’t like being referred to as a popup, because popups lack permanence,” he said. “I consider Blomster’s Korean Diner a permanent popup.”

Blomster’s expansion to Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square district brings it among several high-end hotels, but there are few Asian restaurants within walking distance.

Taylor reached out to Blomster a few months ago to see if they could find a way to share his space with the Korean diner.

“This is a 40-year-old family restaurant that is not open at night, in the middle of Railroad Square,” Taylor said. “It’s a fabulous location.”

Blomster didn’t have to order up any Korean-style decor for his new popup. Omelette Express is already covered in Jeju-inspired items from Don Taylor’s frequent trips to Korea. (Tammy Quackenbush photo).

Blomster couldn’t ask for a better place for his second location. This Omelette Express restaurant is partially decorated with mementos from Taylor’s frequent trips over the last 15 years to Jeju Island, a popular vacation spot off the bottom of the South Korean peninsula. As a former Santa Rosa City Council member, Taylor has been instrumental in fostering Santa Rosa’s sister city relationship with Buk Jeju–Jeju City, the capital of the island province.

“I love Korean food,” Taylor said. “I am excited that David was making Korean food more accessible. He figured out how to make Korean food successfully.”

Blomster’s menu is partly inspired by his college years. He lived near L.A.’s Koreatown, with its mix of traditional Korean restaurants and more modern, hip noodle places.

“I wanted a playful combination of Korean, American and noodle dishes,” he said. “Ingredients like kimchi, ssamjang and gochujang are a starting point for the other items on the menu. We have a few traditional Korean dishes, like tteokbokki, which is a Korean street food, but I don’t claim to be or desire to be a traditional Korean restaurant.”

With dishes like mac and cheese, fried pickles and fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on menu, this Korean diner is equally inspired by Blomster’s roots in the U.S. heartland.

“I grew up in the Midwest, where ‘ethnic food’ was spaghetti,” he said.

One of Blomster’s favorite signature sides is buttered bread: sourdough slathered with butter and fried on a griddle. That’s inspired by his Detroit hometown.

Blomster’s Korean-style restaurant commands a 4 out of 5 rating on Yelp.

Dick Blomster officials opened his second Korean Diner on Nov. 13 at Don Taylor’s Omelette Express, located in the historic Railroad Square district of Santa Rosa, California. (Jeff Quackenbush photo)

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Dick Blomster’s Korean Diner

112 Fourth St.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
www.dickblomsters.com
707-525-1690
Hours: 5–10 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 5–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday

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Linus’ Bama Style BBQ 라이너스 바베큐

Joe McPherson — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 03:47:29 +0000

Location: Itaewon
Cuisine: American BBQ
Reservations: Taken
Suggested Items: Pork, Brisket, Ribs, Fried Mac & Cheese Balls, Skinny Fries… EVERYTHING
Birmingham, Alabama, native Linus Kim started making his mark in Seoul by holding BBQ pop-up restaurants for a few years. He then went to America to learn from the best. He returned and opened this permanent location. Since he started his popular pop-ups, an American BBQ trend has taken root in Seoul. But most of the copycats take shortcuts, like boiling their ribs or cooking their brisket at too high of heat.

Linus cooks his meat slowly. The result is tender Q that is perfectly seasoned. It comes with a tangy spicy pork sauce and a sweeter brisket sauce, but the mark of a good BBQ is that it doesn’t need the sauce. As an Alabama native who grew up in Decatur (home of multi-award winning champion Big Bob Gibson BBQ) I’d say that the pork resembles Decatur style while the pork sauce is very similar to Dreamland in Tuscaloosa. A perfect combination.

The sides are Southern soul food standards with a few playful surprises. The Mac & Cheese Balls have a touch of jalapeno and come with a marinara dipping sauce. The Mashed Potatoes and Gravy have just the right amount of lumps. There’s a fried rib on the menu that you just need to try. The cole slaw is vinegary and bright, which is perfect on the pork. The Skinny Fries are best slathered in the pork sauce. They even have the elusive Fried Okra.

Constantly looking for ways to improve, the bar is developing a comprehensive Southern inspired cocktail menu emphasizing bourbon and rye whiskies.

The decor is whimsical. A marquee hangs up top with ribald jokes about meat. During the winter a tent covers the patio that resembles a tent from the TV series M*A*S*H.

Speaking of which, the joint is popular with American army personnel, expats, and Koreans equally. That’s also a sign of greatness.

Other Amenities: English menu, English spoken

Phone: 02-790-2920

Location

56-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu

Twos Platter with Pork, Brisket, Buns, Dill Pickles, and 3 sides (Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Cole Slaw, Skinny Fries), Mac & Cheese Balls

Pork Platter with Skinny Fries & Slaw. Mac & Cheese Balls. Fries Okra. Crack Iced Tea.

Pork Sandwich with Skinny Fries, Slaw, Baked Beans

* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

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Grilled Intestines in Gangnam–Yeontabal

Joe McPherson — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 02:45:57 +0000

Location: Gangnam, Sinsa, Jongno
Cuisine: Korean BBQ
Reservations: Recommended
Suggested Items: Hanu ribeye

Other Amenities: English menu, Valet parking

Phone: Check map

Location

* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

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Myongwolgwan 명월관

Joe McPherson — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 08:24:11 +0000

Location: Sheraton Walkerhill
Cuisine: Korean, Fine Dining
Reservations: Recommended
Suggested Items: Beef Galbi, Yukhwe

Other Amenities: English spoken, Valet parking

Phone: 02-450-4595

Location

* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

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PIERRE GAGNAIRE à Séoul

Joe McPherson — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 07:57:52 +0000

Location: City Hall, Lotte Hotel
Cuisine: French, Korean, Fine Dining
Reservations: Recommended
Suggested Items: ANYTHING

Other Amenities: English, French spoken, Valet parking

Phone: 02-317-7181

Location
https://www.google.co.kr/maps/place/Pierre+Gagnaire+%C3%A0+S%C3%A9oul/@37.5649945,126.9791803,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x357ca2f1fc15d861:0x3257ad22358dccec!8m2!3d37.5649903!4d126.981369?hl=en

* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

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Review: Dick Blomster's Korean Diner, Guerneville, Calif.

Tammy — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 19:14:44 +0000

Finding California wine country’s hottest new 한식 hanshik (Korean food) can be as challengingly fun as discovering next pinot noir wine sensation, but it’s equally well worth the effort.

Dick Blomster’s Korean Diner, formerly known as Hi Five Korean/American Diner, began pleasantly piquing the palates of locals and visitors to the Russian River Valley winegrape-growing region of western Sonoma County an hour north of San Francisco late last year.

You’ll find the diner on Main Street of the riverside community of Guerneville. Yet you won’t spot a large neon “Blomster’s Korean” sign. That’s because this Korean hot spot is a popup restaurant in Pat’s Diner, a fixture of downtown Guerneville since 1945. And it shows in the decor of the 70-seat diner, which shares space with the bar next door.

The name change is only a a month old, but the birth of Blomster’s came in December 2012. According to a waiter who served us at the counter, the owner plans to purchase the building. That’s a sign of success and future job security.

The owner, David Blomster, and chef Eugene Birdsall are alumni of Boon Eat + Drink, which is located next door to the current restaurant. Chef Birdsall was blessed with a Korean mama who taught him how to make traditional Korean cuisine.

The best description of Blomster and Birdsall’s take on Korean cuisine is fusion diner food. It’s American diner food with Korean ingenuity.

The menu was a bit confusing for Hubby and I to navigate. We couldn’t tell for a while whether many of the items were separate or part of a combo.

I normally don’t buy appetizers at a restaurant, because the main course usually is more than enough. Yet this appetizer menu was intriguing enough to warrant ordering more than one.

Hubby really wanted to try “Hand-cut Seoul Fries” ($5). The homestyle fries were smothered with minced garlic and topped with toasted Korean chilies, green onions, thin strips of roasted seaweed, and black and white sesame seeds.

Accompanying the basket of fries was a small dish of kimchi-topped aoli for dipping. As someone who loves to dip French fries in mayo, this aoli was a fun kick in the pants.

The minced garlic on the fries had been massaged with 고추가루 gochugaru (spicy red pepper powder), doubling the lip-tingling fire. I liked the savory saltiness brought by the the seaweed rather than just salt.

Shortly after we put in the order for the Seoul Fries, the entire restaurant smelled like garlic. I wouldn’t be surprised if our clothes smelled of garlic when we walked out. Our breath certainly did and the diet coke and water I drank with my meal did not put a dent in that breath.

Korean pickling is something I’ve come to love in the past decade and a half, but traditional Euro-American cucumber pickles are my comfort food of yesteryear. So I really wanted to try “Fried Sonoma Brinery Pickles with Sausalito Springs watercress” ($5). The batter was delicate and crisp, and the pickle slices were not soggy or greasy.

With more kimchi aoli for dipping, this was not a low-calorie start to our meal.

For the main course, I ordered “LA Kalbi Mac & cheese” ($10). Instead of the typical yellow cheddar macaroni sauce — or otherworldly neon orange-yellow of box-based preparations — this dish topped the hollow pasta elbows with with white cheese sauce.

Topping the noodles were Los Angeles-style 갈비 kalbi (barbecued beef ribs), generous garnish of fresh 고수 gosu (cilantro or coriander), sliced green onion, buttered toast. The onion and cilantro thankfully provided extra character to what can be a bland noodle dish.

The kalbi was grilled — with the smokey char marks to prove it — yet the meat was still tender and succulent, while still being cooked completely. A hint of fruitiness, particularly cherry, in the marinade makes me think it contained Dr. Pepper or a similar soft drink. That certainly would match the diner theme of the decor and the menu.

Hubby ordered Blomster’s–Hi Five’s signature dish, “KFC (Korean Fried Chicken/Crack)” ($15). The teriyaki-style barbecue sauce on the crisp-breaded leg and wing was thankfully more honey-like in flavor and texture, rather than overly sweet.

Accompanying the chicken was a soy, ginger and vanilla coleslaw, garnished with sliced radish.

Dick Blomster’s Korean Diner

16236 Main St., Guerneville, Calif.
707-869-8006
Hours: Sunday–Thursday, 5–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday, 5–11 p.m.

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Vintage Review: Gringos Burritos

Joe McPherson — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 22:13:09 +0000

The post Vintage Review: Gringos Burritos appeared first on ZenKmchi.

Charlie’s Hot Dog Grill

Joe McPherson — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 17:59:10 +0000

Location: Hannam-dong
Cuisine: Hot dogs
Reservations: No
Suggested Items: Like the Zen master, ask him to make you one with everything

Other Amenities: English menu, English spoken

Phone: 02-794-9888

653-103 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

More pictures on Flickr.

* Please help complete this review by adding information in the comments

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