Korean BBQ

Somehow I've managed for my first food post to be something not entirely "real-life" or everyday, but I'm willing to make an exception because 1) I didn't prepare (but I did cook) this food and 2) it is too cool not to write about. I experienced Korean BBQ for the first time last night. We had a group of 10 crowded around a table meant for 7 and we ate for two and a half hours at Road to Seoul. All the sauces and strange side dishes were totally foreign to me, and about half an hour into the meal I gave up asking what was what and just dove in without hesitation. There was a potato/egg pancake thing (yes, "thing" is the best description I can provide at the moment) that was amazing. And the meats... well... let me get to that.

For those that haven't yet experienced Korean BBQ, please allow me to explain. Each table has its own grill or griddle in the middle. You start with an assortment of sauces, spices, and sides on the table, and then you order your meat - say, marinated sirloin for example - and they bring it out uncooked. You cook your own sirloin on the grill until it is done to your liking, and then you stuff your face. And then you order more - bbq chicken this time - and cook it and stuff your face. Lather, rinse, repeat.

I am not squeamish about foods. I will try just about anything at least once. So when someone at our table ordered the squid and baby octopus platter, I was seriously psyched. I've had octopus in sushi before, but that includes just a sliver from one of the tentacles. I've never stuck a whole one in my mouth at once. We plopped the silvery demon-like critters on the scorching-hot grill and they performed a sensual dance, wriggling and curling as they cooked. I pulled my first one off and tried to eat it, but the thing was so tough and rubbery that I couldn't take a bite. I wrestled with Inky in my front teeth and chopsticks in my hand, trying to break him apart into something that resembled a polite-sized bite. Instead, all I managed to do was to rip his squishy head off and send him flying into my lap and subsequently under the table. I spent the rest of the meal believing that there was an octopus head in my purse.

But this experience taught me a valuable lesson. Overcooked cephalopods taste worse than rubber band balls!! Unfortunately no one would listen to my pleas to take the seafood off the heat sooner. And I was sitting at the far end of our overcrowded table and could not overtake the tongs from the self-proclaimed grill chief. On returning home, I located a fairly simple-looking recipe Grilled Baby Octopus and low and behold, you cook for 3 minutes each side. Not 10. After 4 or 5 more babies, covered in chili sauce to mask their imperfection, I surrendered and stuck with the beef and pork.

Most of the rest of the meat was common and available at any old grocery store (surprisingly, you can often even find baby octopi at your favorite fishmonger.) Including pork belly. Ah, pork belly. Also known as bacon. There isn't a single food in this world that isn't improved with the addition of bacon. But when you order pork belly at a Korean BBQ, it doesn't come out in the thin crispy strips you know an love. No, sir, they are long slabs of deliciousness that look to be made completely of fat. We grilled those babies up and though I will probably have to be put soon on Lipitor, they were totally worth every juicy, fatty bite. I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures.

I can't wait to return. My fiance (by the way, his name is Mike, and I'm sure you will be hearing about him a lot) and I have a friend in town that eats as much if not more than we do. I'd love to do a double date with him and his gal and see if we can't put this place out of business. Did I mention that it is all you can eat? Yes, I think that was the best part. Also, there were more items on the list that I wanted to try: tongue, large intestine, calf intestine...