Cycle 16 – Item 221

Post 5,700

14 (Thu) August 2025

“Walnut Shrimp” (Candied Pecans with Jumbo Prawns)

1.5

at Chef Chu’s

-Los Altos, California, USA-

with DJ, HL

Sending the Kid Off to College (The Cal Handover): Day 1 of 8

• • Day 1 (16.221 “Walnut Shrimp” (Candied Pecans with Jumbo Prawns))
  • Day 2 (16.222 DeliciousHot Dog)
  • Day 3 (16.223 Roasted Duck (Half))
  • Day 4 (16.224 Seared Baby Lobster (Nigirizushi))
  • Day 5 (16.225 Wintermelon & Seafood Soup – Go Bears!)
  • Day 6 (16.226 Fettucine … Anchoïade – Let’s Celebrate in Style)
  • Day 7 (16.227 Original Tofu Soup – This Is Where I Leave You)
  • Day 8 (16.228 Korean Beef Short Rib with Vegetables Wraps)

In the San Francisco Bay Area.  MISSION: transition DJ into his new life as a freshman at the University of California – aka Cal (to those who know) aka UC Berkeley (to those who don’t): sign up for a local mobile phone number, open a checking account, buy pillows for his dorm room.  After that fateful visit to Berkeley last summer, which I’d dared to hope would inspire DJ to apply later that fall, then get accepted and enroll in the spring – meanwhile, donating to the Buddha for Academic Achievement (see 13.094 Just Regular Eomuk), asking a priest for his blessing (see 15.256 Pretty Jeon), erecting a shrine to the Golden Bear Gods (see 16.082 Kongnamul Scallop Guk), and delivering a presentation to steer him in the right direction (see 16.083 Tangsuyuk) – the dream came true.  A graduate of Cal myself – Go Bears! – I look forward to buying a “Cal Dad” t-shirt.

4 nights at Hahn’s, 2 nights at Berkeley, 1 final night back at Hahn’s.

DINNER IN THE AIR

As a congratulatory treat, I booked DJ a business class seat (just one-way).

Also used the opportunity as a teaching tool: if you enjoy business class, then study hard, get a good job, and make lots of money.

With respect to airline ticket tiers, my family seems to progress a bit every generation.

Grandparents on either side likely took their first flights late in life, to visit us in California during the 1980s, certainly never in business class.  Actually, come to think of it, my paternal grandfather once served as chief of staff to Vice President Ham Taeyoung, so he might’ve flown a quite lot, maybe even business class, if that was even a thing back in the 1950s.

My parents flew early on but didn’t begin to fly business class until recently, maybe in their 70s, but only as an upgrade or with miles, only long haul flights, and probably feeling a bit guilty about it.

Growing up (with parents who didn’t fly business class), business class wasn’t even within the realm of imagination for me – can’t ever recall thinking/aspiring “Wow, I would love to fly business class, someday.”  My first experience came as a gift of divine providence: July 15, 2007, I was in Boston on a research trip when DJ decided suddenly to enter the world, 3 weeks premature (his due date was August 8, the day of Saint Dominic, hence the name (sort of)), so I packed my bags and took the first flight out of Logan to JFK, praying against the odds that I could snag a seat on standby – alas, the Korean Air counter informed me that economy class was fully booked but by the grace of Saint Dominic I was offered a seat in business class (apparently because of my lifetime mileage record) – I was not yet 35.  Eventually, working for WHO in my 40s, business class became a semi-regular thing, at least for work.  And now, in my 50s, it’s a regular thing, but only as an upgrade or with miles, only long haul flights, and I don’t feel guilty about it.

The boys are already well-attuned to business class.   In 2016, when DJ was 9 and IZ was 4, we flew business from Seoul when the family had come to settle in Manila (see generally 7.200 VJML) – courtesy of W’s cousin, who worked for Korean Air as a booking agent and had the power to upgrade seats – then again in 2020 when we bugged out for good (see generally 11.147 Bulgogi).  In 2018, we flew business from Manila to the US and on the way back (see generally 9.361 Beef Bulgogi).  In 2019, I flew business by myself, with W and the boys in coach, from Manila on the way to UAE, but together in business on the way back (see generally 10.301 Fish Harra).  In 2024, W and I flew business from Seoul to the US and on the way back, with the boys in coach both ways.  If the trend holds, DJ should be flying business class of his own accord by his 30s.

The dinner was meh.  Typical Korean Air Prestige Class, competent yet utterly forgettable – at the risk of seeming spoiled, I’m just telling it like it is.  DJ, fortunately, was impressed, if only by the whole ritual of the meal.

BREAKFAST

The breakfast was legit.  After too many drinks and a long fitful night of rest – again, at the risk of seeming spoiled, I’ll say that the luxury of sleeping fully extended in a business class seat is truly a blessing, but it’s still not exactly comfortable – waking up to a meal of rice + soup + something spicy (stir-fried octopus = najki bokkeum) + banchan was amazing – in fact, Korean Air is to be congratulated for serving actual banchan, including high quality kimchi, apparently no longer wary of offending passengers who aren’t used to the stink.  Conversely, standard breakfasts on other carriers (e.g., scrambled eggs + sausages etc) offend me.

DJ wasn’t satisfied with his breakfast, so he ordered a ramyeon.

A popular perk for passengers in Korean Air Prestige Class is the optional ramyeon.  In the past, it used to be a cup ramyeon, steeped in hot water, transferred to a porcelain bowl, topped with a few garnishes to make it seem more real, like bean sprouts (see for example 5.175 Smoked Salmon Salad), bugeo + garlic chives + chilies (see for example 9.284 Feta Cheese with Sliced Fig and Parma Ham).  But this time, it appeared to be a packaged ramyeon, boiled in water – plus rice cakes and dumplings.  And served with real kimchi.  The best dish of the day, on both sides of the Pacific.

(In the near past, ramyeon had also been served to economy class passengers on long haul flights, directly in the cup and without banchan.  Recently, however, the service was discontinued, supposedly because increased turbulence in the skies these days made it a burn hazard – which is obviously bullshit, because, ya know, business class.)

DINNER ON THE GROUND

By the time we got to Hahn’s, it was only around 14:00, but DJ and I were both too tired to go out for lunch.

After a long nap, we got up and went out for dinner.

In planning the trip, the first item on the dining agenda was dinner at Chef Chu’s.  As described on my first visit last year: “The food was awesome.  Each dish in the spread synergized to perfection with the next – in particular, the duck, the mushu, the noodles.  Exactly what I’d hoped for, the best meal of the trip thus far” (see 15.180 Classic Beijing Duck).  And on the second visit: “I couldn’t help daydreaming: if DJ were to attend Cal or Stanford, I would visit him once a year, stay with Hahn, and eat every meal at Chef Chu’s” (see 15.182 Top).

DJ, a burgeoning alcoholic, asked to try a piña colada, so I ordered one for him.  Minutes later, the server noticed DJ taking a sip, came over the the table, and asked for ID; when DJ admitted that he wasn’t 21, the server shook his finger and warned him not to drink anymore.  Even though I’d allowed him in the first place, I was relieved to see that ABC (alcoholic beverage consumption) regulations are strictly enforced here (later, I would learn that serving booze to a minor, if caught, would result in a $5,000 fine against the person who had served the drink, a strong disincentive for individuals to self-enforce the law).

Walnut Shrimp or Honey Walnut Shrimp is an American-Chinese dish.  Consists of deep-fried shrimp glazed in mayonnaise, tossed with candied walnuts.  A similar dish can sometimes be found in Korean-Chinese restaurants as “cream shrimp,” though without the walnuts (see for example 2.011 Cream Sauce Shrimp).

Offering Hahn the courtesy as our host to choose a main dish, he quickly replied: “Walnut shrimp is good.”  At that moment, I wasn’t yet aware of the dish’s nature and, though I don’t like nuts in my food, he seemed enthusiastic enough that I didn’t dare question the choice.  Halfway into the meal, after the soup and appetizers had already been served, too late to cancel anything else, Hahn casually remarked: “By the way, you do like mayonnaise sauce, right?” – highly suspect in the timing, because if he had no reason to think that mayonnaise sauce would potentially be objectionable then he wouldn’t have said anything at all, or if he did have reason then he would’ve said something at the outset.  Described on the menu as: “deep-fried prawns glazed in a tart and sweet mayonnaise-mustard blend, paired with our famous candied pecans,” I was in thorough dread.

Upon service, I was thrilled to discover that the dish was even worse than I had hoped: it also came with diced apples.

Alas, the meal was disappointing.  Partly because of jet-lag.  Partly because of walnut shrimp.  Partly, maybe, because Chef Chu’s seems highly conducive to a banquet-style spread, including big ticket items, but less so for a quiet, quick, casual weeknight dinner.  So, henceforth, not “every meal.”

(See IN-FLIGHT DINING)

(See BUSINESS CLASS DINING)

(See RESTAURANTS IN USA)

(See GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See HANSIK)

(See BOOZE)