When my friend invited me to Kobawoo, I wasn't too excited.
Although I was Korean, I wasn't crazy about Korean food. For my last meal, I'd rather have Mexican food. I checked out the photos on Yelp. The color of boiled pork belly was beige, not very appetizing. For the rare times I had Korean food, I usually got neng-myun noodles in the summer time or sul-lung-tang soup for those weekends when I would get a headache from missing my regular caffeine regimen at the office.
I was very surprised to find “mool” or water served was the plain tap water, instead of the traditional barley tea. I had to ask in Korean for it. They only had boiling hot barley tea rather than the iced version.
Bosam, or boiled pork, was the oddest platter I saw. Thin, pink slices of pickled radish “moo” also called “daikon” was served on a platter with boiled sliced pork belly on the side and some bright, highly spiced radish slivers and some pickled, marinated jalapeno slices. “It is like a taco,” she explained, assembling the ingredients on a lettuce leaf.
The taste of bosam was subtle, lightly salty, strong on umami. Anthony Bourdain would have enjoyed this porky meal. The sweet-and-sour of the cold moo mixed with the subtle, salty bosam and added final pungent notes of spicy from the radish slivers. As a garnish, a salty paste of baby shrimp was added to the taco mix. Salt, sweet, unami, spicy, sour. All flavors collided on my taste buds.
Side dishes were pleasing. The kimchi was perfectly ripe, unlike most at Korean restaurants. The golden noodles, or chapchae, was pleasing with hints of sweetness, soy sauce and sesame oil. The sesame leaves seasoned in spice added a nice sharp contrast in taste.
The damage was less than twenty bucks for two, which surprised me. It was a low-carb meal to keep two people happy.
Be aware of long lines around 7pm. While you wait, you can drink complimentary coffee, creamy Job's tears, and water from the dispenser.
Kobawoo House (Yelp link)
698 S Vermont Ave (cross street Wilshire Blvd)Ste 109
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Neighborhood: Koreatown(213) 389-7300
No comments:
Post a Comment