Cycle 4 – Item 79

25 (Mon) March 2013

Chadolbagi

2.0

by me

at Seowon Hanwoo

-Seowon, Hoengseong, Gangwon, Republic of Korea-

with DJ, Mom, Uncle M, Aunt T + Uncle S

It’s my uncle’s birthday (my mother’s brother).  Being a Catholic priest, he gets Mondays off, which he usually spends at his cabin adjacent to ours.  As per Korean custom, the birthday boy bought dinner.  Also present were my aunt (my mother’s sister) and her husband, who own a farm nearby.

Whereas the tofu dish at this restaurant is excellent, the meat wasn’t so great, despite the restaurant’s self-billing as a meat specialty establishment – a bold claim from the heart of Korea’s most famous beef region.  The fundamentals were unsound; for example, the chadolbagi was sliced too thick, leaving the meat too tough/chewy when grilled.  At least the meal ended with the tofu stew.  All’s well that ends well, I guess.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)