Comments on: Alternate-Universe Korean Food http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:22:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Vickie http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-247026 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 19:49:14 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-247026 I had something like the DIY wraps at a Korean restaurant in MI, however the items were to be wrapped in wilted cabbage pieces instead of thin radish strips. I was told it was popular with older Koreans who ate it when they were younger. There is also a Korean dish, samgyeopsal, that could be related to the bacon items. The sauce in samgyeopsal is certainly not sweet and sour though. Interesting for sure. Just curious, what area/town was this in? There are areas of China with Korean residents that have lived in China a long time. Maybe their Korean food is more traditional and has also been modified over time. I had something like the DIY wraps at a Korean restaurant in MI, however the items were to be wrapped in wilted cabbage pieces instead of thin radish strips. I was told it was popular with older Koreans who ate it when they were younger. There is also a Korean dish, samgyeopsal, that could be related to the bacon items. The sauce in samgyeopsal is certainly not sweet and sour though. Interesting for sure. Just curious, what area/town was this in? There are areas of China with Korean residents that have lived in China a long time. Maybe their Korean food is more traditional and has also been modified over time.

]]> by: Nathan Myers http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-247013 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 18:47:30 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-247013 Korea used to be a big place before everybody moved to Seoul. Maybe all the "Korean" you've had before was Seoul style, and this place did dishes from somewhere else. Korea used to be a big place before everybody moved to Seoul. Maybe all the “Korean” you’ve had before was Seoul style, and this place did dishes from somewhere else.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246754 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:47:44 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246754 Chris, it was unlike any Western food I've had -- or did it resemble Japanese versions of Western food. The restaurant was full of Koreans; I assume it was some sort of common genuine Korean food. Mike, I imagine that there was chinese on the menu because the restaurant is in China. The food wasn't Chinese-like at all; it was vaguely Korean. Chris, it was unlike any Western food I’ve had — or did it resemble Japanese versions of Western food. The restaurant was full of Koreans; I assume it was some sort of common genuine Korean food.

Mike, I imagine that there was chinese on the menu because the restaurant is in China. The food wasn’t Chinese-like at all; it was vaguely Korean.

]]> by: mike http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246748 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:30:50 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246748 This is very interesting to me. The fact that there was chinese on the menu indicates it may have been a korean-chinese restaurant, which is literally different than korean food and chinese food. You will find foods on the menu at a korean-chinese restaurant that are not available at strictly korean or strictly chinese restaurants. But you probably know this, as you seem pretty familiar with korean food. The food actually still doesn't sound familiar to me, either. It may be that hearing it described in English throws me off. Sometimes, if I read the English descriptions on a korean restaurant, the food will sound disgusting, and then I'll read the korean name for it, and will realize, "oh yeah, I had that before, it's delicious." This is very interesting to me.

The fact that there was chinese on the menu indicates it may have been a korean-chinese restaurant, which is literally different than korean food and chinese food. You will find foods on the menu at a korean-chinese restaurant that are not available at strictly korean or strictly chinese restaurants.

But you probably know this, as you seem pretty familiar with korean food.

The food actually still doesn’t sound familiar to me, either. It may be that hearing it described in English throws me off. Sometimes, if I read the English descriptions on a korean restaurant, the food will sound disgusting, and then I’ll read the korean name for it, and will realize, “oh yeah, I had that before, it’s delicious.”

]]> by: Chris http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246719 Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:56:13 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/12/14/alternative-universe-korean-food/#comment-246719 Hmmm...sounds similar to Japanese "Yoshoku" which translates to Western food. But it doesn't mirror European/American dishes and we commonly consider their 'western food' be Japanese food these days. These are dishes like Om(lette) Rice, Tonkatsu, and curry rice/udon. Apparently they were introduced in the mid 1800s. Perhaps with time they grew to be far less like western food. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dshoku http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washoku Either that or someone just slapped on the Korean food title on their restaurant to make it sound exotic (somewhat like how the Japanese KFC convinced the locals that all americans eat fried chicken for christmas). Hmmm…sounds similar to Japanese “Yoshoku” which translates to Western food. But it doesn’t mirror European/American dishes and we commonly consider their ‘western food’ be Japanese food these days. These are dishes like Om(lette) Rice, Tonkatsu, and curry rice/udon.

Apparently they were introduced in the mid 1800s. Perhaps with time they grew to be far less like western food.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dshoku
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washoku

Either that or someone just slapped on the Korean food title on their restaurant to make it sound exotic (somewhat like how the Japanese KFC convinced the locals that all americans eat fried chicken for christmas).

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