Dakgalbi

I had no clue what to expect when I came here. The only thing I heard was that they ate dog. They being all Koreans and dog being man's best friend. My vision of restaurants depicted my friend Kenny being quickly ushered behind an tattered afghan hanging on the wall to a red room in dim, red lighting. It was in this room where all Koreans ate their dog.

Unfortunately I have yet to find this room and taste this dog. I have however broadened my vision of what Korean food is and can be. My first meal here, right off the bus, at 10 o'clock at night, was a soup made of congealed blood. Not dog but probably cow. Since then I've had the luxury to try most of Korea's traditional dishes. And while there are too many to list and too few words in my brain to convey their deliciousness, I do have a favorite.

Dakgalbi is a dish, like many, cooked on an open flame right at your table. Diced chicken and rice cake ,marinated in a spicy pepper paste, sit atop cabbage and sesame leaves. The ingredients vary but I can only describe what's in my heart when I think of my favorite meal in Korea. The ingredients are heated up in a pan until the chicken is cooked and the leaves are withered. This is a gui dish so a bottle of cold beer or makgeoli compliments perfectly. Once you've finished about three quarters of the pan you ask for a bowl of rice with carrots, dried seaweed, and cheese. Cheese is a western twist since it is rarely used in any Korean dishes but it makes this comfort food even more cozy.

The dish is reheated and mixed with the remaining chicken, rice cake, and leaves until everything is covered and marinated in the chili pepper paste. The second course is ready to go after a few minutes and your bill will probably come to $6-7 a person. Knowing you just ate perfection for the price of a Burger King value meal is the best dessert you could ask for.

Dakgalbi, check

Thomas Tried Out