A Short Treatise on Korean Food

Now, like I mentioned before, Korean food (for the most part) is cheap here -- that leaves the lingering question of whether it is good or not. That probably depends on how much you like spicy food. If you can handle the burn, Korean food is amazing. If you can't, there are still a few dishes you can munch on and reminisce of cheeseburgers instead.

The staple of Korean cuisine is called kimchi, a particularly potent dish of (typically) cabbage pickled in hot sauce. Most foreigners don't care for kimchi at all, given its "unique" odor or spiciness. Most Koreans, though, are as proud of kimchi as Americans are of nuclear power -- which brings up an interesting correlation, as the process of making both produces toxic waste. I joke, of course, I quite like kimchi -- especially the hard-to-find garlic variety. Although, I saw kimchi chocolate once, and for a brief moment, hoped that the North won.

My personal favorite is Korean BBQ, the most common of which is samgyupsal (which translates as the mildly unappetizing "Three Fold Flesh"). Samgyupsal costs a little less than $4 at most places for a plate of thin sliced pork that you grill yourself at your table. There are many side dishes to go along, and a variety of sauces you can dip the pork in -- I prefer the red pepper paste. Most restaurants, though, make you order at least two plates of the stuff; so either a friend or an extra large appetite is advisable.

Dog meat is an increasingly hard-to-find delicacy in Korea. It remains popular among a small number of Koreans (although the majority think like most Westerners do about dog meat these days) because it is thought to increase male virility and size. I myself haven't tried it, being a dog lover, but I've heard that you have to go off the beaten path to find restaurants that serve it -- since it reeks and is generally frowned upon. From what I understand, big dogs are the ones that are raised for food, instead of the little yappy ones that you would rather see tossed into a pot and cooked.

Sea food is also popular here, although I won't go much into detail simply because my picky eating habits preclude anything from underwater. All I can say is that I saw an octopus, alive and generally happy, chopped into bits, put onto a plate, and served raw -- individual pieces still moving around. Easily the most horrifying thing that I have seen in my life. So before the flashbacks begin, let's move on.

Drinks on the other hand, are a little different. Near as I can guess, Korean culture doesn't really include drinking very much during a Korean meal -- I can't remember a time that I've been served anything other than water. Western meals usually include a soda, most typically either Coke/Pepsi or Chilsung Cider, which I'm 99% sure is counterfeit Sprite. Of course, like with every culture, alcohol is a pillar of civilization. The Korean's poison is called soju, and I've never seen anything good come of drinking it.

On an interesting side note, there are also many Chinese restaurants here that my students told me are actually not "real" Chinese, but rather "Korean Chinese" -- quite similar to how American Chinese food is not authentic in the slightest. The dishes, though, and to my disappointment, are quite different. No orange chicken, no chicken fingers or teriyaki. I tried ordering a random thing once, and ended up with noodles in a strange black sauce that have permanently turned me off from Chinese Korean food.
Western restaurants here are also extremely popular, along with a few random Indian restaurants -- in general, the price is significantly higher (Korean is about $5 or $6, Western is usually between $9 and $15). The ultimate truth that many forget, though, is that tipping is not in Korean culture -- so if you are a decent tipper, then you save at least that much extra.

I'll toss up some pictures of my culinary adventures once I get a camera!