Han Sung Oak Dinner for DR.com Members

[grover]

Thanks Claudia!

When I ordered the dishes Escoffier worried if the food is not enough to feed all of you. I worried if you don't like the food I selected. I tried to have as many dishes as possible.

The waitress told me that they never expected American people could deal with the spiciness like you. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the food and proud of you.

I would like to write down the menu we had last night:

Japchae (stir-fried cellophane noodle, Shitake mushroom, carrot, scallion, onion and shredded beef)

Haemul Pajun (Seafood - shrimp, squid and mussell - and scallion Pancake)

Barbecue (Ribeye, shortrib and spicy pork) with cold noodle

Dolsot Bibimbop (Rice with cooked veggies- carrot, fern, spinach, bean sprout - , shredded beef and egg in the stone pot)

Nahkji Bokum (Spicy Octopus)

Ahgoo Chim (Steamed monk fish with veggies)

naeng Myun (Cold noodle -Brothy and spicy)

Seafood hot pot

Banchan (Mungbean gelly, spinach, pickled julliened radish, soysauce pickled radish, black bean with soysauce reduction, Kimchi, lettuce and scallion salad)

Please let me know if I miss something.

Edited February 22, 2006 by grover

[goldenticket]

The waitress told me that they never expected American people could deal with the spiciness like you. I am so glad everyone enjoyed the food and proud of you. 

She needn't have worried about the heat - down at my end of the table I think they could have cranked up the heat several notches . I heard more than a few comments along the lines of "this isn't all that hot/spicy" - we have some real heat-lovers (or gluttons for punishment ) in our group.

Thanks again to Grover and Escoffier for getting this pulled together - it was a great learning/taste experience for all of us. And thanks to Hillvalley for helping to create order from chaos so it could be enjoyed by so many people!

When/where is the next one!? (maybe we better wait a few days before starting that venture)

[Demvtr]

Thanks very much to Escoffier, Grover, and the staff of Han Sung Oak. And, of course, to Hillvalley, for coordinating logistics. I very much enjoyed meeting everyone. I don't think I need to comment on the food beyond what has already been said, other than to say that there was so much food that even after passing on the beef and pork dishes I was still happily full by meal's end.

[agm]

Thank you Grover and Escoffier! It was a wonderful meal - made even better by the fact that NotQuickDraw and I live five minutes away, so there will be many return trips. It's hard to pick out highlights when everything is so good. The barbecue, which was cooked with a stock (I assume?), was excellent; once the stock and meat drippings reduced down almost to a paste, and thoroughly infused the noodles, NQD was in heaven.

For me, all of the noodle dishes were stars, especially the Japchae and naeng Myun (OK, so I have a thing for noodles), and I loved the Pajun. But the Dolsot Bibimbop was the high point of the meal for me. There were better flavors last night, but despite being a Korean dish that was pure Puerto Rican comfort food, down to the crusty rice at the bottom of the pot. We call that "pegao", and my family fights over the stuff - there would have been a major battle last night if they had been there.

Nothing was overly spicy - there was tons of flavor and a bit of "warmth" to some dishes, but nothing that I would call hot and certainly nothing to worry about for anyone of normal sensitivity.

[StephenB]

Gahm-sah-hahm-ni-da!

I add my thanks to G&E, the organizers, to the restaurant, and to the participants -- what a crowd! I can imagine that the staff was indeed surprised to see so many westerners boisterously digging into the sharpest dishes. But that is who we are: intrepid gastronomical explorers. And that's why our special events, like this one, are learning experiences and great fun.

Edited February 22, 2006 by StephenB

[Tweaked]

some photos, excuse the crappy cellphone picture technology!

Korean BBQ:

Korean BBQ with Lettuce Wrap:

Banchan:

Dolsot Bibimbop:

A random dish (not sure which one):

Edited February 22, 2006 by Tweaked

[ustreetguy]

Please let me know if I miss something.

Don't forget the spicy octopus (I think that may be the random dish that Tweaked took a picture of).

Thanks to everyone who helped to arrange this meal. Having had Korean food only once or twice in my life, this was certainly a fun and educational experience. I can't wait for the next one.

[grover]

Don't forget the spicy octopus (I think that may be the random dish that Tweaked took a picture of).   

Thanks ustreetguy! I edited my posting as above.

Actually I am thinking about the next Korean dinner which is totally different than Han Sung Oak's style.

[eating out]

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to shout out my praise for the awesome meal last night - what a treat. I had never had Korean before, and now I know I will definitely be heading back to Han Sung Oak, and will be quite confident when I order! Everything was delicious, I cannot thank Grover and Escoffier enough for instigating this great event. It's for dinners and company like last night that I signed up to DR.com in the first place.

Thanks again, and I can't wait for the next one!

mmmm just thinking about that japchae and the korean bbq has started my mouth a-watering...

[CrescentFresh]

I'm one of those who was under the impression that Korean food had more heat. Not necessarily everything, but some things. And I was one of the several at my end of the table goldenticket heard commenting that there wasn't much that was spicy. So I'm curious, and perhaps grover can answer this: Were dishes toned down or was that the real deal?

There was a lot that I liked. Most notably the Japchae, Pajun, all the BBQ's, the spicy octopus and especially the "noodles in three fats."

The rest? Eh. Didn't do much for me. That's not to say I'm disappointed. There was nothing wrong with the dishes. They just weren't my kind of thing. Clearly it was an opportunity for me to learn more about Korean food and what I might like and not like. I got that, and more. Now I can walk in to my favorite liquor store and hold my head up high and say in a loud, steady voice, "Harry, I want you to sell me some soju. In fact, today, I think I'll have a Green Soju, for I'm having Korean tonight."

Anyway, DR company is always a pleasure. I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of those offering thanks to those whose inspiration, accomodation, perspiration and Korean language skills put this all together. I think it was a huge success. Now I know how to steer through a menu at a Korean restaurant. At least one that's in English.

[rvanrens]

She needn't have worried about the heat - down at my end of the table I think they could have cranked up the heat several notches    .  I heard more than a few comments along the lines of "this isn't all that hot/spicy" - we have some real heat-lovers (or gluttons for punishment  ) in our group.

Maybe my pallet has become too accustomed to heat, but I found most of the dishes on the mild side; the spice was pleasant, and definitely added interest, but it's nothing like , f'r instance, Vietnamese country cooking...now THAT'S hot.

It was delicious. From our end of the table, the event was a smashing success.

Rob

must...find...more...kimchi...need...pickled...radish...

[Escoffier]

I'm one of those who was under the impression that Korean food had more heat.  Not necessarily everything, but some things.  And I was one of the several at my end of the table goldenticket heard commenting that there wasn't much that was spicy.  So I'm curious, and perhaps grover can answer this: Were dishes toned down or was that the real deal? 

Speaking for Grover (she lets me do that now and then)...the dishes weren't 'toned down' at all. They treated us as if we were Korean (thus the surprise that the dishes were disappearing so quickly). In Korean cooking, the spicy foods start out with the spices adding a subtle warmth to the flavors of the ingredients. As you progress through the dish, the warmth begins to build to a crescendo so that when you get to the end of the dish, every thing melds together like a good blues tune. If you had eaten just one or two dishes such as the spicy cold noodles, by the bottom of the bowl you might change your mind about the spicyness. I'm a big fan of spicy octopus and when I finish eating it, I'm perspiring. Normally Koreans have one or two dishes each which they eat with the accompanying panchan. We had more of a tasting menu so there wasn't really a chance for the heat build-up. If you'd like to accompany us for one of our "normal" Korean dinners (and you're more than welcome to do so), you'll probably find the level of spicy you're looking for.

There was a lot that I liked.  Most notably the Japchae, Pajun, all the BBQ's, the spicy octopus and especially the "noodles in three fats." 

While I'm not crazy about all the dishes as well, I do find a lot to like..nothing to be upset about or ashamed about in that. I'm not wild about sea cucumber so I pass on that...(and dried jellyfish is a sometime thing as well)

The rest?  Eh.  Didn't do much for me.  That's not to say I'm disappointed.  There was nothing wrong with the dishes.  They just weren't my kind of thing.  Clearly it was an opportunity for me to learn more about Korean food and what I might like and not like.  I got that, and more.  Now I can walk in to my favorite liquor store and hold my head up high and say in a loud, steady voice, "Harry, I want you to sell me some soju. In fact, today, I think I'll have a Green Soju, for I'm having Korean tonight."   

Glad you liked the soju. It's a very smooth way to discover you like a whole lot more Korean dishes than you expected (especially if you happen to be eating with a bunch of businessmen you plan on dealing with. Those soju toasts at 10:00 in the morning when you've been on an airplane all night can be a killer )

Anyway, DR company is always a pleasure.  I'd like to add my voice to the chorus of those offering thanks to those whose inspiration, accomodation, perspiration and Korean language skills put this all together.  I think it was a huge success.  Now I know how to steer through a menu at a Korean restaurant.  At least one that's in English. 

And a finer group of dining companions you can't find anywhere. It's adventurous fressers that make things like this dinner so much fun. (I even convinced Raisa that barbecued garlic is a wonderful thing). We'll have to do this again.

[RaisaB]

Yes thank you for ALL the garlic! I am sure my company later that evening appreciated it too! Well come to think of it, that may be why they chose to sit FAR across the table from me.