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Yu Chun, a closer look
Aloha!
2/27/09 - Most folk paying a visit to Yu Chun Korean restaurant have one thing in mind, and surprise, surprise - it ain't bbq meats! It's not that they don't have a great line-up of char-grilled kalbi, bulgogi, boneless chicken, and other such meats, all marinated in the typical Korean base of shoyu/sugar/sesame oil, because in this regard, they suffer no lack. It's just that they happen to be even more famous for a unique dish called chic naeng myun, or arrowroot cold noodle. This bulbous root vegetable, also known as kudzu, is similiar to the conjac plant, which is used to make konyakku in Japanese cuisine. Both are ground into powders, then mixed with various other ingredients, heated, and cooled to create a gelatinous-textured, brownish-colored substance that is cut and sliced into bricks, noodles, and other forms. This particular type of noodle at Yu Chun is extremely dark, and often known simply as black noodle. It is well-known in Korea for being extremely beneficial to ones' health, and credited for everything from lowering blood pressure to losing weight to being a potent detoxifier against the effects of alcohol! Hmmm, I wonder how it stacks up against milk thistle?
But we'll see this unusual-looking noodle in just a bit.
Yu Chun is actually a fast-growing family of restaurants based in Korea but with outlets also taking hold in several large cities across the US, including two on the island. The first has been open for quite a while, nestled in one of those seedy areas of Keeaumoku St., while the new location, right next to Mckinley Car wash on Kapiolani Blvd., is much nicer, much cleaner, and much more comfortable. I can imagine parking may become a problem during busy hours, though, as wifey and I pulled in at about 1pm and found only two stalls left in the lot despite the dining room being less than a quarter full. In fact, it looks even less crowded in this next shot because it was taken even later, near the end of our meal and after many diners had already left.
And here's a shot of part of the small parking lot, along with the entrance and sign touting their specialty to non-Korean speakers like me - black noodle.
One thing I was very much surprised at during our stop here was how little there was in the way of banchan, or the side dishes that usually come complementary with Korean meals. My good friend Andrew, who was born, raised, and married in South Korea but spent much of his adult life on the Mainland, says that in finer restaurants in Korea, you'll often find up to fifteen, even twenty different banchan dishes, each coming in their own separate plates! The most I've seen on the island so far was eight, both coming from two excellent restaurants each within a ten minutes' drive of here, Shillawon and Choi's Garden.
There were only two banchan items, to be exact, and almost as surprising was the fact that neither of them contained any red! Red as in Korean-style chili paste, that is. Who knows, maybe this is some new style, some new order of trying to distinguish themselves from everyone else? I dunno, it's all a mystery to me.
Despite only two items, I must say, wifey and I were still happy because they both tasted great, both simply pickled and presented plainly, but matching perfectly with the well-flavored items soon arriving. They were both crunchy, mildly seasoned, and coming with a very healthy, fresh approach that wifey just loves (me, too, but not anywhere near her level!), with just enough vinegar zing to perk up the taste-buds and whet the palate. The first was a Chinese cabbage and the next, thin-sliced daikon.
Dishes here arrive promptly, and before we knew it, a sizzling-hot, cast-iron serving tray full of kalbi ribs was placed on our table, the smell of Korean bbq permeating the air. The slices were thin but in ample amounts, especially since it was actually only half of my single combination order. Short ribs are not the softest cuts on the cow, but boy, are they tasty, coming with a good deal of juicy fat and also with close proximity to bone, which always makes a more flavorful meat. A bed of sliced onions lay underneath, grilled to perfection and soaking up those delicious, slightly-sweet kalbi juices on the still-sizzling plate.
The other half of my combo meal was the feature dish, chic naeng myun. Often billed as a health food, naeng myun literally means cold noodle, and is not only cold, but ice cold - quite literally. The beef broth comes with cubes or, as is the case here at Yu Chun, with crushed ice. If anything, it sure is novel, and as you can imagine, a bit of a different experience biting into a savory soup noodle that doesn't come piping-hot.
The noodles themselves are gelatinous but very firm, with a crisp texture different from other, softer, more familiar types of noodle like pasta, ramen, soba, or Vietnamese pho, which, along with the ice, both combine for a refreshingly different meal perfect for hot summer days. See the crushed ice in the broth?
A squirt of hot mustard and splash of vinegar are provided on each table, which can both be added directly into your broth for an extra punch of flavor. I ended up using a healthy dose of each, but no such additions were needed with wifeys' order, which also came with the same black noodle, only instead of just beef broth it also came mixed with a spicy-red chili paste. We both enjoyed this version much more!
Oh, and by the way, the reason you're not seeing a whole lot of ice is because for some reason, this version comes with ice in a separate bowl. You can choose to pour it directly in all at once, or as a dip incrementally.
Both versions are usually placed on your table and snipped into quarters (speaking of the mound of noodles) for easier eating. Quick-draw that our kind waitress was, she almost chopped-up our noodles before we could get a clear shot in! We called her back after my camera was satisfied, however, and she happily made things easier for us with the help of a hefty pair of kitchen scissors. Here's a quick shot of the noodles from wifey's bowl a few moments later, and with the extra bowl of ice added, as well:
I'm always surprised at the number of Japanese tourists that find Yu Chun Korean restaurant, both at this location and at the other store on Keeaumoku St., despite both of them being a little outside of walking distance from Waikiki. I see why they keep coming, however, as these refreshingly clean, light, very healthy noodles are precisely the types of dishes that a lot of Japanese and Korean National's love. I'm afraid wifey, for one, is hooked!
The taste and texture of this signature product is perhaps more exotic than the other popular soup noodle dishes of Asia, so I'm not sure it'll catch on with the general public anytime soon. No worries, though, as wifey and I are happy knowing exactly where to find the best chic naeng myun on the island, despite what anyone else does! Just another day out is all, exploring and enjoying as many different food types as we can possibly find, and loving every minute of it!
Hope all is well in your world, and may your weekend be full of good friends, good times, and good eats!
Take care and Aloha till next time!
Aku
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