Restaurant Review - The Hungry Nomad

Leziz Turkish Cuisine- South Street (Philadelphia, USA)

May 29, 2013 1 Comment

One thing I love about Philadelphia’s dining scene is the wide range of restaurants you can find. On any given night you can choose from anything from Vietnamese, Korean to Turkish. With Turkey on our mind (given our talk of travels to Turkey) we found the best rated Turkish BYOB restaurant in Philadelphia and headed over. It was a Wednesday night and the restaurant was quiet. We were one of only two patrons there but this didn’t take away from the environment. Turkish music played in the background while a large framed photo of Ataturk greeted diners.

Dinner consisted of a combination kabob platter, Turkish pizza and several bowls of thick yogurt. I once had the Turkish pizza in a restaurant in New York and quickly fell in love. It has very distinct flavors and is unlike any other pizza making it uniquely Turkish. The doughy bread is slathered with generous amounts of flavorful spiced meat and tomatoes topped with garden herbs. The dish is served in three. The combination kabob platter was just the right choice for us as it gave us a variety of each kabob: chicken, iskandar, and lamb on top of their house red rice with a side of necessary yogurt dip. Overall, the food was not only delicious but cost less than $30. On the weekends I’m also told that they have live belly dancing entertainment and hookah.

Food, New York, USA

Dinner at Daniel Boulud’s ‘Boulud Sud’- UWS (New York City, USA)

May 27, 2013 No Comments

On a cold, rainy sunday evening this spring, the Count and I headed to Boulud Sud to celebrate our one year anniversary. It was to be the first Daniel Boulud dining experience for me and I was giddy at the thought.

We were warmly greeted by the hostess and promptly taken to our seat walking through the crowds of diners filling every seat in the large dining area. It was also our fist time dining on the Upper West Side which had a notably different and older crowd than the one we are use to seeing downtown. The beige paneled walls were covered with photographs inspired by impressionist painters, tables placed close to one another and covered in white linens giving an overall Mediterranean vibe.

The menu was broken down into three sections and subsections ranging in Mediterranean flavors from Sardinia, Greece, Tunisia, Morocco to Lebanon: ‘From the Garden’, ‘From the Sea’, and ‘From the Farm’. [See Menu].

The menu favored sharing many of the small plate dishes while ordering one larger entree to share. The first item that was brought out to us was a complimentary stack of crispy roman style artichoke hearts with a side of creamy aioli dipping sauce. The dish can be found under the subsection portion which includes a variety of Mediterranean mezzes (like the hummus and cauliflower tabbouleh). And while our taste buds were adjusting to the range of textures and flavors we were served one after another amazing plates. Some of the most notables of the night included the steak tartar which was possibly the most exquisite and distinctly Middle Eastern tasting piece of raw meat I’ve yet to taste.

The House-made Greek version of Taramasalata consisted of a smoked cod roe dip served with the most delicious dill covered potato chips. It was a delightful little treat and a great presentation of the traditional Taramasalata. For those who have a soft spot for sea urchins, the Sea Urchin and Crab Tartine should not be missed. Tender pieces of crab topped with sea urchin were served on tiny pieces of rye bread. Next on our list of orders for the night was the Octopus A la Plancha, grilled pieces of octopus served in a bed of almonds and arugula; the Lemon Saffron Linguini and Gambas al Ajillo.

From the farm side of the menu we ordered the Arabic Lamb Flatbread and were also served with the Harissa Spiced Beef Tartare. Both were quite exquisite. I guess I’m a big fan of the ‘harissa spice’ as this dish really did it for me.

The best part of the meal had to be the Grapefruit Givre served to us as a complimentary anniversary treat. The icy treat was made with grapefruit sorbet, and a topping of spun sesame halvah. It was so beautiful presented. The flavors were so intricate and so complex. I am certain I will never taste anything quite like it anywhere else.

Overall, I could not think of a better place than Boulud Sud to have spent our anniversary. The over the top service and friendly staff, and the amazing culinary experience made for the most perfect evening. After having the Boulud experience I’m afraid I will never be able to dine at another restaurant ever again… for my expectations have now raised dramatically.

Food, Philadelphia, USA

Dinner at Audrey Claire- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

May 23, 2013 5 Comments

Audrey Claire is one of the most charming BYO restaurants in Philadelphia located on the character filled corner of Spruce and 20th. The Mediterranean decor of white washed walls and apple motifs give it just the right touch. The menu is phenomenal with some great options to choose from. We went on a week night, a party of 5, and were surprised to be seated right away. Usually there is a minimum 2 hour line up on the weekends. Yet, I learned that reservations are taken during weekday hours (so make sure to get those reservations in before you go).

Our meal started with an order of the antipasti sampler, a wide tray of fresh grilled vegetables, mozzerella, olives and more. Usually a plate of grilled veggies does not excite me but this dish was so tasty. Each vegetable was grilled to perfection covered in buttery goodness. Next came the watermelon, feta and arugula starter. What a treat on a hot day in Philadelphia. It was the perfect combination of sweet and savory and something I’m used to having at home. It is a staple summer dish in my motherland.

Next came the sizzling fried Greek haloumi cheese on a sweet layer of whole fig jam sprinkled with candied figs. Again, a mix of salty pieces of haloumi cheese mixed with the sweet aromatic flavors of the jam compote made for a perfect combination.

For our main course, we ordered the feta crusted rack of baby lamb, oysters, crab terrine and grilled octopus salad.

The grilled octopus was served on a bed of salad, tossed with olive oil, feta and lemon. The octopus itself was extremely tender and cooked to perfection.The rack of lamb was also a big hit with tender pieces of lamb meat in a feta and garlic crust served with a side of green beans and couscous.

The jumbo crab terrine was served on a layer of tomatoes with pieces of granny smith apple (usually topped with avocado but on this particular night they had run out).

The Prince Edward Island mussels were served in a large bowl in a spicy chili flaked broth. Make sure to dip your bread in the broth and make good use of the aromatic flavors. Overall, our party of 5 was very impressed with every single dish we ordered. The ambiance, attentive service and amazing food made it a perfect meal for our out of town guests. It’s no wonder that people wait hours to be seated at this little neighborhood gem.

Philadelphia, USA

Power Lunch at Rouge- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

May 14, 2013 2 Comments

Okay, so I finally went to Rouge but didn’t have the burger. Some say it is the best burger in town. I can’t attest to the burger but having the Nicoise salad and a side of french fries I am sure the burger is delicious too. My meal was really tasty and the ambiance was even better. There is no better place to be on a sunny spring afternoon than in one of the many restaurants lining Rittenhouse Park. Having a drink while watching the stylish Philadelphia clads walk by is a perfect way to spend the day. The restaurant is also quite the scene once the sun sets being one of the hottest spots in town to see and be seen.

French food, Philadelphia, USA

Bibou-rilliance- Bella Vista (Philadelphia, USA)

May 10, 2013 2 Comments

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve died and gone to heaven. At least, that is how I felt after dining at Chef Pierre Calmels’ Bibou– the tiny 30 seat French BYOB in Bella Vista. Reservations at Bibou are hard to come by considering I have been trying to go since my arrival on the doorsteps of Philadelphia last summer. After having dined there shoulder to shoulder with other diners I learned that most at the restaurant are die hard regulars and usually make their reservations for their next meal on a weekly or monthly basis. It’s no wonder the restaurant is always full (word to the wise: make your reservations well in advance).

Chef Pierre Calmels is no stranger to the Philadelphia dining scene. He was the long time executive chef of the renowned Le Bef-Fin mentoring some of Philadelphia’s finest chefs. Prior to which he worked in some of the best kitchens in the country including those of Daniel Bouloud and under Georges Perrier at Le Bec-Fin. He opened Bibou in 2009 and immediately gained loyalist amongst the city’s gourmands.

The menu changes often to offer the freshest seasonal ingredients and innovative dishes. Yet, some dishes are staples. This includes the ever tender and flavorful escargot. On first thought, one might not think twice about ordering escargot, especially those who are put off by images of snails. Yet the escargot at Bibou proved to be quite extraordinary. Perhaps it the fact that the snails are slow poached and cooled gradually in the most flavorful broth made up of butter, beef stock, mousseron mushrooms and fresh garbanzo beans. Eaten with a side of french bread, these snails were to die for.

A seasonal dish which was appetizing and visually stimulating was the soft-shell crab. A crispy and tender crab presented itself to me covered in chopped tomatos and a citrusy based sauce. The dish is offered as an appetizer or an entree and was an instant hit. Next was the country paté dish- a delicious slab of mixed meat with sundried tomatos, dried apricot and rosemary; with a cassis reduction. For those who love a good paté, here is a warning: this dish will leave you wanting more and will remain with you and your taste-buds for days to come. In fact, it’s been a week since our visit to Bibou and I have been dreaming of this plate ever since. It is not to be missed.

The bone marrow, another stable Bibou dish, was served in a split bone stuffed with a rather salty mix of bone marrow with toasted bread crumbs and a range of herbs along a side of potatoes. Being a big fan of anything to do with bone marrow, I loved the buttery and strong marrow flavors of this dish yet found it to be just a tad bit on the salty side. The Onglet de Boeuf was one of the most tender and meaty hanger steaks I’ve yet to taste served in a green peppercorn sauce with a side of fingerling potatoes and green asparagus.

Dessert as usual consisted of most of the offerings on the menu: the floating island, dark chocolate tort and lemon souffle glace. All three amazing and perfect. The dark chocolate tort is what every warm chocolate cake should aspire to be: warm, soft texture with just the right amount of sweetness and the taste of bittersweet chocolate. The floating island, a classic french dish that I became quickly addicted to in my years in France was so good that I was tempted to order another. A fluffy, light meringue floating in a sauce of creme anglais made with goat’s milk. And while the two vanished within minutes if not seconds, we contemplated a third. Our server recommended the lemon souffle glace: An ice-cream like texture with creamy tart lemon flavor served with a berry reduction on the side it did not disappoint.

Our dining experience was so lovely and we were so satisfied that neither of us wanted to leave. We quickly made friends with our neighbors and together revelled in the extraordinary brilliance of Bibou. I only wish they would expand their space so that more diners can have access to Chef Calmel’s magic.

Food, Italian food, Philadelphia, USA

Rustic Italian at Melograno- Rittenhouse Square (Philadelphia, USA)

May 3, 2013 No Comments

Melograno is an Italian restaurant located in Center City close to Rittenhouse Square. We went on a Friday night without reservations (which they now take despite being informed otherwise online) with high expectations. The rustic Italian decor adds to the great ambiance. Our table lined against the wall was very close to our neighbors which made it a bit uncomfortable given that we arrived early and there were not too many diners so the noise level was down leading to an uncomfortably intimate dining situation. Our server was nice and attentive. The food was good yet nothing particularly stood out.

For our starter we shared the Prosciutto di Parma e Rucola. A plate of arugula prosciutto and shaved parmigiano served with a lemon vinaigrette. It was a really nice consistent dish that I would order again. For our entrees we ordered the Pappardelle Tartufate and Risotto ai Gamberoni (See Menu).

The Pappardelle Tartufate is usually a favorite of mine. The ingredients in this one happened to be ground up to a paste mixture consisting of wild mushrooms, walnuts, truffle oil and pieces of pecorino. I was not a big fan of the mixture in this form nor was the Count who was forced to switch his plate with mine halfway through the meal.

The Risotto ai Gamberoni was a delicious plate of fennel risotto served with fresh shrimp, goat cheese and wine reduction. It was very creamy and fragrant without tasting too fishy.

For dessert we shared a warm chocolate cake with strawberry reduction. It was served within minutes leading me to believe that these are pre-made and microwaved. I am sure I was not wrong because it was too hot and did not taste like it was freshly baked.

While the meal at Melograno was okay, it certainly did not stand out amongst the many restaurants in the city serving Italian Food. It is more an institution serving faithful diners that come back year after year who refuse to dine elsewhere.

Food, Philadelphia, USA

Foodopia at the new Fitler Dining Room (Philadelphia, USA)

April 26, 2013 1 Comment

Dinner at Fitler Dining Room can be summed up as having been one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in Philadelphia. The intimate 32 seat bistro might be a new name on the Philly dining scene but the staff sure aren’t. Chef Marzinsky was formerly a chef at Pub & Kitchen, Stateside and the Diving Horse and is certainly making some magic at FDR.

The food alone is worth visiting this small hidden gem for. But everything else about the experience happened to also be perfect. From the beautiful decor consisting of white subway tiles, low voltage lamps over each tabletop, white marble counter facing the open kitchen to the amazing french playlist playing in the background.

Our friday night meal started off with an order of the beau soleil oysters served plain and simple on a bedding of crushed ice. The oysters smooth, silky and fresh. (See Menu)

Next came the roasted and pickled beets served with bottom mushrooms, fried onion rings, black truffle and buttermilk dressing. The earthy flavors of the bright beets were pleasantly complimented by the crispy onion rings.

While not a big fan of steak tartar after a very unpleasant experience back in Paris (details which I’ll spare my dear readers) I was hesitant to try the beef tartar at FDR. Yet, the Count who is a serious carnivore insisted and minutes after my first bite (but too late to have another one) I found myself secretly wanting more. This dish made up of lancaster beef filet mixed with crunch walnuts, piave vecchio cheese, sunchoke-chips and chanterelle mushrooms was so good. The combination of textures and tastes was perfect.

The Potato Gnocchi with the burgundy snails, butternut squash and chartreuse butter was consistent. Although next to the other dishes it did not particularly stand out for me. I found it to lack a bit of flavor.

For our entrees we ordered the beef cheek, stuffed skate and fluke. The Skate consisted of truffle and leek stuffing glazed with marble potatoes and a vermouth nage poured tableside. Wow, was it ever amazing. The strong flavors of the truffle was balanced by the nage, but the depth and variety of flavors resulted in one of the best seafood dishes I’ve yet to taste in a restaurant.

The beef cheek, a new addition to the menu was wonderful and was practically inhaled by the two diners at our table who ordered it. Braised with a tasty barbecue sauce served with greens and pan fried potatoes.

The Rhode Island Fluke was cooked to perfection and served on top of broccolini, cauliflower, winter citrus, chive emulsion and a salsa tonnato. The sauce is what really made these dishes so delicious and alluring.

Dessert consisted of everything on the menu. The Banana pudding, early grey creme brulee, chocolate cake and carrot cake. I am personally not a fan of bananas and can only eat them in a shake where the flavor is drowned out. But I had to try this pudding after every one at our table raved about how good it was. And yes it was good. Just not for banana-phobes like myself.

The warm chocolate cake served with a crunchy peanut butter ganache disappeared within seconds of hitting the table. It was that good.
The carrot cake was served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, raisins and caramel sauce. The cake was very sweet and syrupy. If you don’t like your dessert too sweet you wont like this one. But it was an instant hit at our table (in fact all 4 desserts were big hits).
The earl grey creme brulee served with a hard sugar top was also great. My favorite part is cracking the hard sugar with my spoon and mixing the crunchy sugar with the creamy smooth filling. The earl grey flavor was definitely there although not too strong to drown out the taste of the velvety creme brulee.

As the photos will show, we arrived at 8 pm and were the last ones to leave the restaurant. It was such a warm, inviting atmosphere that it was really hard to leave. In fact, the experience was so good I almost hesitated before writing this review because I don’t want to let the secret out (although I’m sure the restaurant opening is not much of a secret amongst the foodies in Philadelphia).

Asian, Philadelphia, USA

Dinner of Contrasts at Fire and Ice Restaurant- Old City (Philadelphia, USA)

April 15, 2013 No Comments

I was invited to Fire and Ice to try their new menu created by Chef Chris Nguyen. Driving by to find the restaurant I saw a neon blue sign. My first thought was that it was surely a club with the same name not the restaurant I was searching for. My second thought was that I was going to eat bad bar food. By the end of the night, I had learned an important lesson: never judge a restaurant by it’s kitsch decor.

The friendly host at the front of the restaurant greeted us and walked us to our table lining against the cushioned white wall shining with dim blue lights across from the long bar. Loud hip hop music bumped through the cushioned walls and we learned that there was a private party in the back lounge area. The ambiance was definitely that of a club, and I’ve never dined in a club before. We were reassured by our server that it was a lounge and not a club, although I’m not sure how to differentiate between the two. The neon blue lights definitely gave it a club feel.

Our server was attentive and knowledgeable and really went out of his way to accommodate us. Shortly after our drinks were served, the Chef himself came out to tell us about the cuisine and his new menu which is his version of Asian comfort food that he grew up on. He was a very passionate man who through the new menu has implemented a fusion of Thai, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian flavors. The result: delicious, innovative and unique.

I was really surprised at how good everything tasted. Every single dish we ordered was perfect and you could see the passion that was put into it. Others who were invited had the same prejudice only to be pleasantly shocked by the dining experience. However, in the end there is a steep contrast between the food served and the decor and ambiance of the restaurant/bar/lounge. Perhaps it compliments the theme of the restaurant, ‘fire’ and ‘ice’. The contrast between amazing cuisine, served in a neon blue disco setting. I won’t be surprised to hear that he opened his own Asian restaurant in the future, because, Yes- he is that good!

The Food:

We ordered a little bit of everything including the tom yum soup (Rice noodles and a spiced lemongrass broth), the Shaky Beef (wok seared sirloin, wilted watercress, pickled onions, peppered vinaigrette), Kim Chi Trilogy (cabbage with ginger, marinated crisp tofu and spicy radishes), char-grilled chicken satay served with spiced peanut sauce and a turmeric fried rice, the Char Sui Pork Loin (a deconstructed barbecue pork bun), Kal Bi lettuce wraps, pad Thai and phad kee mao (egg noodles, egg, julienne vegetables, red curry and chicken).

The tom yum soup was very authentic and tasted like many I had in Thailand- spicy yet simple.

The Shaky Beef was the chef’s take on the Vietnamese Bo Luc Lac, chopped steak served with watercress with the addition of fries and an egg.

I love kimchi and loved the Kim Chi Trilogy starter dish. The Chef pickles his own kimchi and and has created a lovely small dish as a result.

The chargrilled chicken satay reminded me of an Indonesian dish I had not so long ago. Generous portions of grilled chicken were served alongside a tasty turmeric fried rice and peanut sauce.

The winner had to be the Char Sui Pork Loin, a deconstructed pork bun which was so rich in flavors that we both wanted more (although we resisted the temptation).

Kal Bi lettuce wraps was the chef’s version of the Korean Kal Bi. I loved his rendition of this dish.

The shrimp pad Thai was one of the tastiest we’ve had to date. It was very well prepared and was completely authentic and close to those we tasted on the streets and restaurants of Thailand.

We also really enjoyed the phad kee mao which was egg noodles mixed with red curry, chicken and vegetables. Hints of spice from the curry were in perfect harmony with the noodles and vegetables.
For dessert we had the flan, chocolate cake and fried donuts. The fried donuts were served with a chocolate and orange sauce and were very good.
The Flan was my favorite. It was prepared well and served beautifully.

The chocolate cake served in a raspberry sauce was also delicious and was the perfect end to an interesting evening.

Verdict:

While the decor of the restaurant, crowd and decor threw us off, we loved the food so much that we were raving to our friends all weekend and will definitely be back for more of chef Nguyen’s creations.

Philadelphia, USA

Kanella- Washington Square West (Philadelphia, USA)

August 19, 2012 2 Comments

It was a Monday afternoon and word got out that Anthony Bourdain was in town. If you follow me on twitter you will know that I am slightly obsessed with Bourdain. Therefore, it was no surprise that I was on a hunt to ‘run’ into him and casually offer my eating and travelling services. It was a guessing game on where he would end up for dinner and out of all the choices we decided to go to Kanella restaurant hoping to find him there. He ended up at Marc Vetri’s Amis. I can’t say I was disappointed with our choice. We discovered a true gem and had one of the best meals in a long time. We may not have met Bourdain but we did meet Chef Konstantinos Pitsillides who after our meal came to our table, asked where we were from and told us about himself and his cuisine. I respect a chef who treats his patrons as guests in his home and that is how Chef Pitsillides was. Friendly, charming and humble.

Chef Pitsillides is a proud Cypriot. Bringing home style Cypriot flavours from the beautiful island of Cyprus to locals in Philadelphia. I’ve never been to Cyprus but was a frequent travel to the Greek Cyclades islands while living in Europe and thus familiar with the regions food. (see menu)

As soon as I walked into the white washed stucco walls of the restaurant I felt like I was once again on the blue roof top islands of the Cyclades. Cyprus has a deep history of battles between the Turkish and the Greeks and is therefore equally influenced by each culture and their foods. Which is great for me because I love both.

This BYOB uses mostly organic ingredients plus makes everything in-house. I wanted to try as many dishes as possible so I opted out of the entree and instead ordered several appetizers. For our main dishes we ordered the calamari, saganaki and bureki and the lamb kofta entree. The Calamari was served with a side of Armenian tomato dip. It was perfectly cooked and tasted light, crispy and tender.

Next up was the Saganaki- a favorite of mine. The pan fried halloumi cheese was served in ouzo and lemon sauce with a delicious caramelized fig and side salad. This was one of the best I’ve had…including those which were devoured in many restaurants in Athens, Mykonos and Paros.

The Bureki was served next: a fillo pastry parcel stuffed with feta and thyme drizzled with honey served with a side of roasted beets. The presentation was so beautiful with a taste to match. Crispy layers of fillo oozing with feta cheese. The Count found that the honey made it more appropriate for dessert but I loved it, especially the presentation.

The lamb kofta was served next. It was a skewer of ground lamb mixed with apricot and pistachios served with a side of pomegranate salad, lentils and Greek yogurt. The lamb was excellent filled with magic flavors. But what truly made it special were the side dishes. The pomegranate salad was so original. I’ve never had pomegranate served as a salad as in Iran it tends to be eaten as a fruit or juiced. The mixture of pomegranate with onions and spices was excellent. Then there was the lentil salad which was again a first for me. I mixed spoonfuls of the kabob, pomegranate and lentil salad together and found the combination to be intoxicating.

The quality of the ingredients are present in each spoonful. You can tell that the chef really prides himself on his food.

For dessert we ordered the pistachio and olive oil cake and warm chocolate mousse. Both desserts were out of this world. I really loved the pistachio cake it was light yet intense in flavors served with a side of pistachio ice cream and cherries. The Chocolate mousse was baked to perfection oozing with warm gooey chocolate served with a scoop of ice cream.

Wow is all I can say about this restaurant. I loved the food, the presentation and the friendly chef.I was very impressed and can easily say this was one of the best places I’ve yet to dine.

Korean food, Philadelphia, USA

WaJoe Korean Restaurant- Rittenhouse (Philadelphia, USA)

July 27, 2012 No Comments

Korean food is one of my favorites. In fact, if I had to choose between all Asian foods I would choose Korean and Japanese as the top two. I can’t believe I just said that because I also love Vietnamese and Chinese. How about we forget this favorites thing all together. I’ll just restart by saying I love Korean food. Vancouver has a large Korean community and growing up there meant I am completely spoiled when it comes to authentic Korean food (and all other Asian food). It’s funny how I learned to love Korean food since my first exposure to Korean was completely through smell. Ah yes, the infamous Kimchi. In College I lived in an all girls dormitory and on our floor there lived a Korean exchange student. Having a communal kitchen and fridge meant that everyone stored their exotic foods in the fridge. None of us knew what Kimchi was at the time, we just knew that the pretty Korean girl had something really smelly in the fridge all year. As soon as you opened up the fridge door, the smell of Kimchi would permeate the entire floor and linger there for days. Oh kimchi. The not so great odour of pickled Kimchi tickled my olfactory senses in the worst way possible and remained there for years.

It was not until a few years later that I discovered just how amazing Korean food was. I also fell in love with Kimchi to the point that I now store bottles of pickled kimchi in my fridge. I also introduced Korean cuisine to the Count who having similar taste in food also fell in love. We now make regular trips to Korean restaurants where ever we can find one. New Orleans was lacking in Korean cuisines (and many others in fact). So, you could understand how excited we were when we arrived in Philadelphia and realized that there is such a large pocket of all different types of international cuisine. Within our first week we made our way to WaJoe Korean restaurant.

Wajoe is one of many Korean restaurants in Philadelphia but we mainly chose to go there based on the proximity to our home. We went around 3 p.m. and the restaurant was empty. Each table has an installed barbecue in the middle. But we weren’t there for Korean barbecue. We were there for bibimbap and Japchae.

Once you place your order, it is customary to be served several small side dishes including fermented tofu, potatoes and bean sprouts in gochujang (chili paste).

And of course, no Korean meal is complete without a side of Kimchi.

For starters, we ordered the spicy rice cake. For a starters dish, it turned out to be quite large but so delicious that nothing remained except maybe a few rings of onion.

Spicy Rice Cakes

We ordered the Japchae. After I had half of it I realized there was no beef and the menu included beef in the description. When I brought it to our servers attention she said that most people in America don’t eat beef and that is why it was served without it. Never heard that one before. Needless to say she brought a small plate of fried beef to add to the dish. I thought that was a bit unprofessional. If you are going to list an ingredient in your menu then you should serve the dish as described. If I ask for no beef then serve the dish with no beef but don’t assume.

Japchae

Japchae is made with sweet potato noodles or glass noodles, stir fried in sesame oil with various vegetables and served with beef. It is very tasty. Our next dish was the traditional beef bibimbap. Bibimbap literally means ‘mixed rice’. It is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with sauteed vegetables and chili paste. A fried egg and sliced meat are also optional additions. The ingredients are stirred together in a hot stone bowl right before eating.

Bibimbap

The result is shown in the photo below! A mixture of rice, beef, eggs and vegetables for a mouthful of bursting flavors.

Mixed Bibimbap

WaJoe met our expectations. We went there craving Korean food and left with our bellies full of Kimchi, bibimbap and other Korean delights. In terms of quality, I would not say that it is the best Korean food I have ever had but it certainly does serve staple Korean dishes. It was good enough that we have considered going there again.

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