4.140 The VIP Cut

Cycle 4 – Item 140

25 (Sat) May 2013

The VIP Cut

3.0

at Ilpum Saeng Gogi

-Oksu, Seongdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with W and JHJ

After dragging JHJ’s ass all the way to the cabin this afternoon and putting him to work for several hours in helping to assemble a DIY tool shed, we ended up taking him to dinner at Ilpum Saeng Gogi. It was the best that we could do under the circumstances, though nowhere near what he deserved for the day’s sacrifice. Soon enough, I’ll make a much grander show of appreciation, either in the city or at the cabin or both.

This took way longer than anticipated, finishing well after dark.

At the restaurant, I asked the owner to give us the best beef in the house. He served up a platter of the “VIP cut,” refusing to tell us the specific part of the cow, which he claimed was reserved only for his most loyal customers, only on special occasions. By appearance, I guessed it to be a super-marbled ribeye, but he just shook his head. Whatever the case, I found it to be too tender, too fatty, not much beef flavor. I didn’t look at the bill, but he’d probably charged us around 40,000 won for about 150 grams. After a single serving, we went on to other cuts.

In addition to the food, I appreciate the wine (a rarity) at near-retail prices (even rarer); this quite palatable cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley’s BV Cellars, a pretty good bargain at 25,000 won.

Speaking of “loyal customers,” I can’t believe that it’s been nearly a year since our last visit, almost exactly a year to the day, even though it feels like mere weeks. The passage of time these days is sickeningly if imperceptibly fast, like riding on the TGV, which barely seems to be moving until a glance out the window shows the countryside whizzing by at a blur. GMTD is like that window.