Cycle 12 – Cycle 222

15 (Sun) August 2021

Kinda Like Salad

4.0

at Gogi Nara

-Changchon, Seowon, Hoengseong, Gangwon, Republic of Korea-

with the Family

Once upon a time, I treated an American friend to his first experience at a Korean BBQ restaurant.  Beyond the meat, he seemed more impressed by the array of banchan, as well as the wrapping greens.  Afterwards, he remarked, “So, Korean BBQ is kinda like salad.”  Pretty much.

I’ve always felt that banchan is what sets Korean cuisine apart from all others.

At our favorite restaurant near the cabin, the banchan were diverse in character (15 individual dishes), exquisite in taste and texture (at least 4 dishes rating 4.0, 0 dishes rating less than 2.5), and pristinely fresh (vegetables sourced entirely from the on-site garden), as ever.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)