another sunday, another outing with friend tami. on this particular sunday a few weeks back, we ventured away from baltimore out to ellicott city to enjoy some korean bbq. recommended by sun kim, the proprietor of pine orchard liquors on rte 40 as the best korean food around. it did not disappoint. i ordered bi bim bop the classic korean rice with vegetable dish. tami was a korean food virgin. not that i'm an expert for sure but i have had the advantage of a korean friend to guide me through the beginners maze. bul go gi, japchae, assorted kimchis and panchan i love this stuff. tami had bul go gi and cee ordered pork belly cooked on the grill. we also received about 15 (no kidding) panchan. there was a miso soup for me and another soup that was a wonderful sour and savory broth with a potato and tofu. i could have bathed in it it was so good. probably best not to let your mind go there. what else? cabbage kimchi, soft tofu, korean potato salad, cucumber kimchi, thick strands of daikon in sauce, a sea weed deal, and steamed eggs, the flavors of korean food are unlike anything else. having grown up in a pennsylvania dutch -german household (7 sweets and 7 sours) i crave a diversity of flavors in my meals. which is to say, i'm not a one dish dinner kind of gal. the koreans obviously have the same philosiphy.
we were by the way, the only round eyes in the place, something that made me very happy. if your going for it, go all the way
tami being quite the party girl was ready to try some strange korean booze so we asked about the soju. the waitress, who's english was limited, brought us this little bottle with pictures of girls talking on cell phones. i am still not sure about the packaging because it's a lot like vodka. as it turns out there is a whole etiquette when drinking soju. suffice it to say we blew that.
for the uninitiated what follows is the soju etiquette taken from a site called drinkfocus.com
Soju Etiquette
As with other Asian liquors, drinking soju follows a distinct etiquette. It
is normally served in a shot glass. If you are in the company of people who
follow this tradition, keep these rules in mind:
Drink soju by sipping it or taking it as a shot; both forms are appropriate
according to soju etiquette.
Hold your glass with both hands if a respected person is pouring the liquor.
Never pour your own glass of soju.
Refill a glass with soju only when it is empty.
Soju is consumed in group gatherings.
When pouring soju for others, hold the soju bottle with the right hand. Keep
your left hand touching your elbow or forearm.
When receiving soju from others, place the shot glass in your left palm,
hold it with your right hand and slightly bow your head.
Younger adults at the table turn away and sip their soju if elders are
present.
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