Bossam at Kobawoo House
Whether counting snowflakes in the East or sun-bathing in the West, food lovers everywhere (and their stomachs, too!) will be satisfied with this week’s Crave Alert.
Bossam, or bo ssäm, is a beloved Korean dish that involves wrapping delicious pork belly with sangchu (leafy vegetables, typically red lettuce). Each bite-sized wrap is complemented with a dab of ssamjang – a semi-spicy paste combination of doenjang and gochujang. According to your tastes, you can add rice, garlic, onions, peppers, raw oysters, and kimchi to your bossam too.
If you manage to snag a seat at Momofuku Ssäm Bar in New York, you are in for a treat. The New York Times recently featured Chef David Chang’s version of bossam – calling it the “The Bo Ssam Miracle” – which includes a whole slow cooked pork shoulder and a dozen oysters. New York Magazine provides Chang’s famous bossam recipe for those of you at home who are tired of making the same ol’ burrito wraps for lunch.
Momofuku Ssäm Bar
207 2nd Ave.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 254-3500
www.momofuku.com/restaurants/ssam-bar
Granted, if you’re looking for a more authentic tasting of bossam, you’re going to have to travel into the heart of K-towns everywhere. In Los Angeles, Kobawoo House has amazing spreads of bossam that keep customers lined up for more. As further proof, LA Weekly put Kobawoo on its list of 99 essential restaurants in Los Angeles for 2011. Grab some friends, and order the “Wang Bossam” (translated as “King Bossam”) which is large enough to feed three people.
Kobawoo House
698 S. Vermont Ave. Suite 109
Los Angeles, CA 90005
(213) 389-7300
[Photos: Chris A/Yelp, Momofuku Ssam Bar, Mookie D/Yelp]
