Finally - Korean Food!

We finally had our first Korean meal the other day!  We hadn't been opposed to eating Korean food by any means, but fear always got the best of us as we walked past restaurant windows unable to read the menu or identify the pictures.  Thankfully, some of our co-workers invited us to one of their favorite places.

When you enter many authentic Korean restaurants you are instructed to remove your shoes - bare feet are considered clean.  This practice is also done in the home, including our apartment, to keep the floors spotless.  Sitting on the floor is a common practice, but not so convenient if you are wearing a skirt.  *Note to self.

Unfortunately, I can't remember the name of our meal - Daeji Galbi, maybe.  Raw pork was delivered to our table and set over an open grill to cook while the silver tube sucked up the smoke.  Along with the pork, traditional side dishes (tofu, rice, onions, kimchi, potato balls, hot sauce) were served and replenished frequently.  Once the meat was fully cooked and cut up by our servers, we rolled it in a leaf of lettuce and garnished it with onions and rice.  Voila - delicious lettuce wraps! 

Ah, kimchi - the most beloved food in all of Korea.  Kimchi is a spicy, fermented dish typically made from cabbage.  Traditionally, the cabbage would be buried underground for a length of time while it fermented, and then served alongside rice and other staple dishes.  Despite how it sounds, I decided to give it a try.  "When in Korea...."

Not that bad.  It was quite spicy, but my newer Texas taste-buds had no problem handling it.  It was crunchier than I expected, which was a welcomed surprise.  All in all, I'd eat it again.  Maybe not everyday, but some times.