Cycle 13 – Item 359
30 (Fri) December 2022
The Last Lobster (in Korea) (for Now)
2.0
from Nolbu Susan
(Garak Mall)
-Garak, Songpa, Seoul, Republic of Korea-
with the Family, the In-Laws
FIL offered to buy me lobster for my birthday, belatedly , so we went to Garak Mall (see most recently 13.343 King Crab and More).
In the morning, I’d made a small tub of cocktail sauce and put it in the fridge. I had errands to run in the afternoon, so I left home on my own and agreed to meet everyone at the venue. As I was leaving, I requested W to bring the sauce. I reminded her to bring the sauce. I repeated the request and the reminder. I stated very clearly that the sauce would be critical to my enjoyment of the lobster, especially on this special occasion. If she forgot to bring the sauce, I would be very very unhappy. She swore not to forget. She forgot. I was very unhappy.
As much as I adore lobster, I have never truly enjoyed a lobster meal in Korea, whether as part of a Korean spread (see 13.222 Steamed Lobster), fake Japanese (see 3.031 Lobster Etc), fake Chinese (see 3.089 Braised Lobster with Chili Sauce), fake Italian (see 13.334 Roasted Lobster – Special), fake American (see 12.068 Fried Season Maine Lobster with Spices), at a steakhouse (see 5.217 Surf & Turf), on the street (see 10.354 Roast Lobster with Cheese). The problem is that Koreans, in whatever context, don’t know how to cook lobster properly and/or serve lobster with appropriate sauces/condiments and/or pair lobster with appropriate sides/mains.
In stark contrast, I’ve had the most amazing experiences with lobster across the world, including at Chinese restaurants in Fiji (see 10.229 Lobster Stir-Fried Ginger & Spring Onion) and Malaysia (see 8.357 Lobster with Mushrooms and Noodles in Truffle Sauce), at Singaporean restaurants in Singapore (see 9.080 White Pepper Lobster) and the Philippines (see 6.044 Rock Lobster in White Pepper Sauce), at steakhouses in the USA (see 7.036 Classic Lobster Newberg) and the Philippines (see 9.119 Steamed Live Maine Lobster), at seafood restaurants in Thailand (see 10.319 Maine Lobster in Thai Chili Sauce), Sri Lanka (see 3.286 Lobster Tempered in Spices), and Fiji (see 10.220 Grilled Lobster), even at a buffet in the Philippines (see 6.082 Lobster, Baby).
Until I can find a place that does it right, I’m not going to eat lobster in Korea anymore.
This might be the most “1st World Problem” post in GMTD history.
(See also FOOD GLOSSARY)
(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)