The owner of a fledgling website contacted me because he had been reading my blogs and asked if I wanted to review restaurants in Seoul. Free dinner at expensive places? Sure why not. I met my contact, Soon Bong Kwon (who I just call Bong for short) in a lovely metro district of Seoul. He's a student of electrical engineering and is trying to compete in the expat networking game. One of the first things he told me is, "This is our first review so just pretend we are professionals," to which I hastily replied, "There is no pretending about it sir. I am a professional." Still, I felt like a con-man the entire time. Well we had dinner and the next day I wrote the review, but at the moment their website is having some technical difficulties and I was unable to post. I'll put a link up to their site whenever it's back online, but in the meantime, here is my debut into the upscale world of restaurant reveiwing for your reading pleasure.
There are few pleasures more uniquely enjoyable than a traditional Korean dinner after strolling through the parks and markets in downtown Seoul. Korean fare is a relaxing, yet interactive pastime where friends gather and memories are made, but finding the perfect Korean restaurant amidst literally thousands of other establishments in the world’s second largest metropolis may prove infeasible. Truthfully, there may be no exact science to finding your favorite place to eat, but with a little exploration and luck you just might find a culinary oasis that is worth going back to a second time.
Do Rim (literally Natural Bean) is a traditional Korean restaurant that specializes in homemade tofu and is located only minutes from Insadong outdoor market. Finding the restaurant is very easy. Stand at ground level with your back to the Exit 1 stairs of Jong-gak subway station. At your two-o-clock you will notice a wide alley leading off and away from the enormous skyscrapers. Follow it. In the time it takes to exchange polite formalities with a new friend the alley will dead-end at a T-intersection. Take a left and then an immediate right into a narrow, brick, alleyway just wide enough for you and a companion. In moments a building with white-tile walls and handsome, grey, oriental roof tiles will appear on your left. Welcome to Do Rim.
The interior uses sloping stone floors, dark mahogany walls, and iron-lantern ambiance to manifest a cozy 18th century charm. Small details such as handcrafted doorknobs, brass fitting, and thick oak trusses do not go unnoticed. As with nearly all Korean restaurants, there is adequate floor seating in several simple wooden rooms. If you are a tall foreigner such as myself who can manage sitting cross-legged but do not necessarily enjoy it than prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Outback is a lovely, stone-floored courtyard, livened with potted plants and enchanting murals. Here, there are thick oak tables and chairs in which you can stretch out and lean back, the only distraction a clear blue-sky overhead.
Once seated, do not be surprised if you are greeted and even served by chef/owner, Ki Young Seo. Self-taught in Seoul’s restaurant scene for nearly a decade, Young Seo has been serving contemporary Korean fare in Do Rim for over two years. The menu offered is only in Korean, but Young Seo speaks moderate English and will help you make a regretless selection.After ordering, Mi-Yuk-Naeng-Dae, a cold seaweed soup, and Kimchi are brought to the table. We also enjoyed a milky-brown and lightly carbonated beverage called Dong Dong Ju. It is similar to Makali in that it is somewhat sour and consumed from a bowl.
The main course was Dubu la Galbi, meaty beef ribs, brazed and served on the bone in a pear, onion, kiwi, and sesame au jus. The texture was sinewy and with a little too much fat, but flavorful and delicious all the same. This course came with an ample portion of the house’s own tofu on the side. Made fresh everyday, this thick, consistent soy cake, soaked in the rib au jus, made for an unforgettably delectable indulgence.
Next was Kimchi-Jun, a flat, pan-fried cake of cabbage, carrot, mushroom, pumpkin, onion, and diced garlic with a red pepper and soy dipping sauce. With an outstanding combination of flavors and a crispy, fried texture this course makes for a new, instant favorite.
The third, final, and most intriguing course of the evening was a Sam-Hap sampling. Perched atop a small base of boiled pork was a strip of pickled thornback, a type of ray fish. The dish was finished with a precisely placed bit of spicy Kimchi. Consumed in one bite, this expensive treat can be described as both mild and musty with a sweet, ammonia-like after-taste. It is certainly not a dish for a delicate palette, but for those with an adventurous inclination, Sam-Hap is a rarity that cannot be over-looked.
You may finish your meal at Do Rim as the stars begin to appear in the night sky. Leaving the majestic courtyard is difficult, especially if there is a morsel of Kimchi-Jun left. You may want to pass a few more hours in the old-fashioned eatery, sipping on Dong Dong Ju or talking food with Ki Young Seo. Procrastination is a virtue here. Know however, that when the time does come to depart, Do Rim is one of those restaurants you’ll be back for a second time.Cool Thing About Korea #21: The architecture in Seoul is absolutely stunning and first world. This Samsung skyscraper is but one of many awesome examples.
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