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Korea House, a closer look
Aloha!
8/2/09 - Yeah, I know I've mentioned on several occasions about Japanese yakiniku being superior to Korean yakiniku, but just know that I've always been careful to stress the fact that I'm talking strictly about quality, not necessarily taste nor over-all satisfaction, two aspects that can often be considered more significant than quality itself! After all, even in the highest-quality cuisines - if it don't taste good, or if you're gonna break the bank in the process, what's the sense, right? There are yet lots of reasons why many may consider Korean yakiniku better than Japanese, and I'll get into a whole slew of reasons for that throughout this Closer Look, as it comes from a particularly wonderful evening down at Korea House, one of the more authentic Korean spots on the island.
Nestled between Pho 1 and the seedy area housing adult shops, hostess bars, and other seedy-looking establishments on Kapiolani Blvd., fronting Ala Moana, there are actually two great one's in the vicinity - Seoul Garden and today's subject, Korea House (Yakiniku Migawon is also nearby, but across the street next to Rock-Za). The former borders Femme Nu while the latter is located just Ewa and right next to Pho 1. Watch the parking there, as each slot is marked with a particular name - not sure how good they police the lot, but I wouldn't wanna see your car getting towed or cited.
Oh, and just to confuse things further, the sign out-front now says Korea House, but that wasn't always the case! Over the years, they've also flashed the titles Koryowon and Korea One in bright neon, as well, so who knows what it'll be named down the road. Whatever the case, you can be sure of one thing, and that's great Korean cuisine, especially - yakiniku!
Despite their location and appearance from the outside, the inside is quite clean and welcoming, and the hosts and waitstaff are generally helpful and accomodating:
As always when going Korean, the first things to arrive were the banchan, and lemme tell ya, like the best of 'em out there, these guys don't hold back!
In fact, that's not even the whole of what arrived! To tell you the truth, I just got so slammed with new dishes arriving at the table, I couldn't even get around to the raw crab in Korean chili sauce, miso soup, and large plate of mixed green salad that also came! Well, I did take a shot of the raw crab, but deleted it because it was so covered in chili sauce, you could barely tell there was any crab at all - not very appealing to the eye, it was. Furthermore, neither of us really care much for raw crab, as we both prefer the crawling critters cooked. I always initiate token tastes of just about everything, though (except maybe natto, which I've just about given up on!), in hopes that someday, somehow, some way - a bolt of lightning will strike the chords of my palate, and the taste of exotic foods like uni, frog legs, escargot, organs, fresh grubs still pulsating, and yes, raw crab, will suddenly be found appealing to my relatively tame and unsophisticated taste buds, transforming me into a true connoisseur, a true seeker of culinary oddities, a genuine lover of the uniquely ground-breaking. I do yet have hope...
But then again, I also know that in different parts of the world, many even consider the above banchan items as very exotic, even though we in the islands have long-been familiar with them - hae cho (seaweeds), baby choi sum greens, kimchee, and the two you see next, a bit closer, muk (a gelatin-like dish made from a variety of grains, nuts, etc.) and fingernail-length, tiny fish in seasonings and sauces:
But moving on to the main attraction, wifey and I ordered the mixed yakiniku set, which, at $44 for two people, came with four different cuts of beef - two from the rib section, one either skirt or flank, and one tongue. Exotic? Maybe. But the taste of beef tongue is actually not too gamey nor exotic, being kinda similiar to regular cuts of beef, with the biggest difference coming from the noticeably crunchier texture, even though here at Korea House, the pieces were cut very thin, which negated the crunchiness even further. Nevertheless, there is, still, a slight difference in taste to more normal cuts of beef, and wifey, who, as you know, is more inclined to wild and extreme tastes, consumed the much larger portion:
The longer, even thinner cut you see in the center is not tongue at all, but I forgot whether it was a flank or skirt steak. Both are very similiar in taste and texture, coming from the same portion of the cow called the flank, which is the lower belly area of the cow. Both are fatty, tough, and historically inexpensive, but that's changing quickly, as many people are catching on to preparing and cooking them correctly, by either braising for long periods of time, marinating in acidic sauces, or slicing in sections across the grain and cooking quickly, all of which serve to mitigate the fibrous connective tissues that make them so unappealing. Taste-wise, however, it's hard to go wrong with either of 'em.
Here's another shot of the two cuts, this one coming when, without saying a word, one of our kind host's cranked-up the flame momentarily and politely hand-motioned me to take a picture, after which he prompty returned the flame to its regular setting and left as quickly as he came. Thanks, fire-handler dude!
After grilling, neither the tongue nor flank (skirt) were tough at all, but full of beefy flavor, and the sauces they give also serve to heighten the entire experience immensely. There are three different dips, all of which you'll normally find in Korean yakiniku restaurants - a slighly spicy teriyaki, a Korean miso paste called ssamjang, and a sesame/salt mix, along with whole leaves of lettuce used for wrapping meats hot off the grill - place a piece of sizzling beef, apply a little ssamjang, wrap it all up, and if you want, dip in the two other sauces - sooo dee-lish!
You know, I'm really beginning to fall in love with the versatility of a simple salt/sesame oil mix. As you may know, it's one of the two major bases for a good poke, the other being shoyu, but you can use it for just about anything. Recently, instead of the normal shoyu/wasabi dip for ahi sashimi, I'm often using salt/sesame, instead. But be careful - don't use just any ol' stuff - I'm sure there are many gourmet versions that are better, but Kadoya is generally a really good sesame oil for the price, and as for salts, make sure you use natural, un-iodized salt for optimum flavor and better health benefits.
By the way, have I not yet revealed how much meat was actually encompassed in our $44-for-two-set? Check this next shot out, but don't worry about that huge piece of fat on the lower right, as that was just a piece used to grease the hot grill:
The rolled strips consisted of the skirt (flank) and tongue, the tongue being a bit darker-red and with lots of speckled-white marbling, while the two others were different kalbi (literally means rib in Korean) cuts, one found a bit higher up on the rib, and nearer to the shoulder than the other, as explained by our kind waitress. I was hoping for a name instead of a general location, but didn't wanna push things too far. All I know is that while both were very fatty, one of them had more pronounced, longer sections of fat that reminded me of chuck, while the other looked very much similiar to the regular kalbi we find everywhere and use at most hibachi times, except without the cross-cut bones. See the differences?
Actually, even the two rib cuts are considered tough and on the fatty side traditionally, at least in the West, but with all that luscious fat, you just can't deny the taste, and have both become favorites of Korean and Japananese yakiniku restaurants. Besides, in small pieces like this, it's not like you'll have to rip pieces apart with your hands and teeth, and when you throw them whole into your mouth they actually don't seem tough at all as compared to the even-tougher molars in your own set of chop's! Furthermore, when these kalbi pieces are of a particularly high quality, most often in Japanese yakiniku restaurants, where the use of Kobe and other Wagyu cuts is commonplace, you won't exactly be needing your molar's very much at all, as they will melt in your mouth easier than a Prime tenderloin.
Here's the first of the two kalbi cuts doing their thing on the hot grill:
Regarding both of these kalbi-style cuts, you don't want to grill them for too long, as they do have a tendency to get tough, but as for the flank (or skirt!) strips, I like to char them well, until they are slightly blackened, just for a crispy charcoal-like taste. They are sooo thin, so don't worry at all about them becoming tough!
Here's a shot of the other kalbi cut, along with the flank (skirt), crisping-up well:
So very quickly, in case you're still unclear, here's the major differences between Korean and Japanese yakiniku:
- Korean: way cheaper, way larger portions (even without all the free banchan!);
- Japanese: higher quality but less portions.
- Korean: ssamjang miso paste, sesame/salt for dipping;
- Japanese: ponzu, teriyaki, and other shoyu-based tare for dipping.
Furthermore, Korean spots are generally less-inclined towards good customer service and have much more casual atmospheres, while Japanese spots are a bit more hip, swank, and modern, with better service. If you're the type that can't stand fancy restaurants with high costs and large plates with only tiny servings of food, no matter how much skill it took to prepare, then places like this will probably suit you better. If you're into the latest culinary trends and spend hours watching the Food and Travel Channels, perhaps Japanese spots like Yakiniku Hiroshi's, Toraji, and Gyu-Kaku are better.
Me, I find both types of yakiniku very appealing, depending on what the mood is. I don't know what it was, but I just had had a sudden, strong and inexplicable urge for Korean yakiniku on this particularly fine evening, and when you follow your heart that way, things always work out for the better. Wifey and I left well-satisfied with our meal, and with a good-sized portion of extra meat we couldn't finish - remember, even if you can't complete the mission, be sure to cook everything that's meant to be cooked and ask for a take-out box, as it'll all go to waste if you don't. It still tasted mighty darn fine the next day!
Oh, and did I say earlier that banchan was the first thing to hit our table? I lied. After all, you can't have yakiniku without beer! Without thinking, we automatically ordered Kirin, but quickly changed to an order of OB, which is one of the top-selling beers in Korea. You know I always follow the do as the natives do rule!
And with that, hope you've enjoyed a closer look at Korea House. It really is a great place for yakiniku, or even other traditionally-minded cuisine and great bbq plates, as well, if you want someone else to do the cooking. It's about as authentic as it gets here in the islands, so please do yourself a favor and come check this place out.
Me, I'm excited about this coming week! You'll see why before the week is over!
Take care, and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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