There was a lot of buzz last week about the New York Times article about the new wave of Korean taco shops popping up as a result of Kogi Truck’s success.  Well Roy Choi of Kogi Truck fame should realize that imitation is the greatest form of flattery.  Korean Taco Trucks and Korean tacos are popping up on menus across America, but the real question is if it’s really a way for Korean food to become mainstream by going fusion.  Korean food is still considered exotic so how can Korean food become more accepted like sushi and Thai food?  Perhaps these fusion tacos (Mexican/Korean) introduces the flavors of Korean food which will ultimately pave the way for adopting the other delicacies that are popular like the tried and true kimchi.  You can ask different Koreans and you’ll get different opinions on the possible mass acceptance of Korean food equal to other Asian cuisines but only time will tell.  At least Korean tacos are a good start.

Read the full article at the NY Times.

Korean food seems to be an upwardly trending topic in the food world lately.  The brilliant David Chang of the Momofuku empire is at the forefront of introducing Korean flavors to his unique menu, and there are other chefs like Corey Lee of French Laundry (former chef de cuisine) and Roy Choi of Kogi truck bringing attention to Korean food.  However, can Korean food become mainstream in America like how sushi, Thai and Indian has become?  Could Korean food succeed in middle America? Time will tell but there’s a big movement getting under way that started with the Korean government investing in globalizing Korean food.  A Korean-American TV producer is trying to help this cause by illuminating Korean food through sight sound and motion with a 13 episode television series on PBS.  Eric Rhee had recently produced the highly successful food and travel show, “Spain on the Road Again” with Gwyneth Paltrow and Mario Batali.  This up and coming TV producer hasn’t even hit his thirties and he’s already worked with the biggest chefs and Hollywood A-listers.  He’s currently in the midst of filming the Korean food show with one of the world’s greatest chefs, Jean Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja, who is of Korean descent.  They’ve been traveling back and forth between South Korea and New York as production is in full gear.  Hopefully people will get to see and understand the essence of Korean food and the variety available for all different tastes through Eric’s show.

Our friends at KAFFNY conducted the first US interview with Eric so take a read to find out more on this upcoming TV show and check it out on PBS in 2011.

D.K. What is the project you are currently working on and what inspired you to do it?

E.R. I’m currently working on a TV series for PBS called “Stop and Bap” (working title).  It’s a food and travel series about Korean food and culture with Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten and his wife Marja, a Korean American adoptee with an amazing story.

My biggest inspiration is my mom.  Her love for food and cooking for our family is something I am so grateful for and something I feel many Korean Americans have in common.  Also, having produced on a similar series about Spain with Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman, and Claudia Bassols, I felt the need to also do a series that shares the beauty of Korea, it’s people, history and culture.

D.K. What is the scale/scope of this project?  What is the size of the production?

E.R. The final product will be 13 half-hour episodes expected to air on PBS starting Spring 2011.  We are also producing a companion book to the series that will have photos and recipes of the trip by Marja and Jean Georges.  Another important goal we would like to do is setup a website that gives people the ability to watch the series, learn the recipes, and even purchase some of the ingredients from our site.

In terms of the actual production, we like to travel as light and lean as possible.  We usually travel 3-4 cameramen, a sound engineer, some lighting personnel, the director, myself, a couple production support staff and the talent.  It ends up being anywhere from 10-15 people traveling like the Brady Bunch.

For the full interview, go to KAFFNY.

Here’s a different slant on cooking kalbi or Korean BBQ for 4th of July grilling.  Sure you can have your corn on the cob and ribs, but why not Korean kalbi?  Here’s a fun and different take on making Korean BBQ by Rachel Ray.  Enjoy!

Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
–
Cook Time:
20 min

Serves:
4 servings

Ingredients
* 2 tablespoons grill seasoning blend (recommended brand McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning)
* 1/4 cup Tamari dark soy
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 2 teaspoons hot red pepper flakes, divided
* 4 large cloves garlic, chopped, divided
* 2 teaspoons toasted (dark) sesame oil, eyeball it
* 2 scallions, finely chopped
* Vegetable oil, for drizzling plus, 2 tablespoons, twice around the pan
* 2 pounds flank steak
* 1 pound bok choy or Napa cabbage, trimmed and shredded with a knife
* 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
* 1 cup sauerkraut (it will taste like kim chee when combined with hot pepper flakes)

Directions
In a shallow dish, combine grill seasoning, dark soy, a tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon of the hot pepper flakes, half of the chopped garlic, sesame oil, scallions and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Coat the flank steak in the mixture and let it stand 10 minutes.

Preheat indoor electric grill, stove top grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high. When the grill pan or grill is screaming hot, add meat and cook 5 minutes on each side for medium rare, 7 to 8 minutes on each side for medium well doneness.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, cabbage and peppers. Season with salt and stir fry 2 or 3 minutes. Add a drizzle of honey, about 1 tablespoon, hot pepper flakes and garlic and toss to combine with cabbage. Add sauerkraut and mix in, heating it through 1 minute. Turn off heat.

To serve, let meat rest 5 minutes for juices to redistribute. Thinly slice the meat on a heavy angle against the grain (the lines in the meat). Pile the slaw up and top with sliced Korean steak and serve.

A stroll in NYC’s Greenwich village is full of old favorites and new surprises. One place that embodies the old and the new is Soy Café.  Once known as Soy Luck Club, Soy Café is now under new ownership and management and is slowly being rediscovered as one of the few cafe/restaurants where “good for you food” is done right.

If you’re on a health kick, this place should be in your top 5 eateries of NYC, If you’re not…well, get with the program!  Asians live longer and look younger than non-Asians because of our genes, sure, but also because our traditional food is so natural and healthy.  Now, Soy Café doesn’t serve Korean food, but when you’re looking for something equally healthy and satisfying, Soy Café is a very awesome choice.

Fresh and made to order, their food is simply beautiful and yummy.
Their $3 crostinis are the perfect size if you want something light with your coffee or tea. The hummus, cucumber and mint crostini is made with homemade hummus and the mushroom, olive, and fontina cheese crostini tastes like a pizza (Mmm~).  Even long time tofu lovers will be delightfully surprised and impressed by the flavor in their smoked tofu, pesto and roasted pepper sandwich on seven grain bread (it’s the kind of sandwich you dream about).  Also, the fact that they have wheat-free and spelt flour crepes is so beyond what is expected.  If you don’t know what spelt flour is, trust me, these guys know what they’re doing in order to keep you healthy.

But don’t let the vegan and vegetarian items on the menu scare you away if you‘re unfamiliar, because there are meat options as well.  Popular items include the turkey, apple, brie, and honey mustard sandwich on seven grain (or pecan & raisin bread) or the pressed bagel with smoked salmon, basil, tomato, and soy cream cheese…yes soy cream cheese!!!  Don’t know if you knew this, but something like 90% of Asians are lactose intolerant, so this place is perfect for those who are missing out on dairy.  Especially when you look at the drink menu and realize that you can drink anything from it, you will fall in love with Soy Café.  They offer any milk you want… 100% organic, non-GMO soy milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, or regular cow’s milk, and all for no extra charge.  Their drinks are so good, it’s worth passing on the Starbucks to try the Dirty Chai Tea with chocolate, or Green Tea & mango Soyafrost (Soyafrost = blended with ice).  Also know that their coffee is certified fair-trade organic & locally roasted in Queens… therefore offering you one fresh cup-o-Joe to bring you to life in the mornings.

The owners self-profess that they are most proud of their food, which is available til dinner time. As for drinks, they have so many great tasting ones but they still like to experiment with new & interesting drinks to add to the menu.  Patrons come from pre & post yoga classes, gym rats from the neighboring Equinox gym, students and freelancers, who use the free-wifi, and the list grows on and on as word gets around about what a solid spot Soy Café is to eat, drink, and be well.

Check out Soy Café:
115 Greenwich Avenue, at the intersection of Greenwich Avenue and Jane Street.

www.soycafenyc.com

What’s summertime without a little kimchi competition??  Make your grandma and mom proud by showing off your kimchi making skills this weekend in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY.

See below for registration and schedule details.

http://www.maangchi.com/blog/new-york-kimchi-contest

Due to the popularity of Korean BBQ (galbi) on their seasonal menu, Harvard University’s dining services will continue to include galbi on the menu.  Y’know they’re pretty smart at Harvard and they finally validate it with their palate.

HUDS director for culinary operations Martin Breslin told the Harvard Crimson, the university’s newspaper, that he decided to bring Korean BBQ back from Tuesday based on student feedback and a survey that showed its popularity. “It’s been a great hit,” he said.

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Time Magazine released their top 100 list of most influential people in the world and there are two Koreans who are in the top 100. Kim Yu Na captivated the world with her elegance and power at this past Winter Olympics.   She had the pressure of a country on her shoulders and she not only survived but she triumphed wonderfully with a near perfect performance that brought everyone to tears.

I couldn’t have been more surprised or honored last summer when Korean figure skater Kim Yu-Na told me that as a 7-year-old, she was so inspired by my skating at the 1998 Winter Games that she memorized my skating routines, pretending to be at the Olympics. Twelve years later, she no longer had to pretend. I have never seen a skater with such a combination of artistry and athleticism. From the first notes of her sassy James Bond medley to the closing Gershwin strains, Kim’s inspiring performances in Vancouver changed the face of figure skating forever. Those 6½ minutes on the ice left not only a mark in the record book but also an indelible impression on millions of young girls around the world. For Kim, the dream that began as a 7-year-old has been realized. For these girls, thanks to her, a dream and journey are just beginning.

Kwan is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history

David Chang is the genius chef who makes kimchi butter and drizzles it onto one of his famed dishes that even impress chefs of the world. David runs the Momofuku empire in New York and has served dishes to some of the most famous people in the world. His inventive cooking is truly influential.

The cold pink fluff looks like cotton candy and seems entirely tasteless. But soon it begins to melt, seducing your mouth with such creamy richness, it is impossible not to gasp. Beside it sits a fragrant fruit, smooth as pearls. Only David Chang would grate frozen foie gras and serve it with lychees.

When Chang, 32, opened Momofuku in New York in 2004, he reinvented the casual restaurant and changed the game. Turning his back on the high-end kitchens in which he had been working, he started off with a bare-bones place his peers could afford. At first he offered a few simple dishes — pork buns so soft they practically swallowed themselves and memorable ramen made with organic ingredients — but Chang soon began pushing the boundaries, combining a passion for Asian food with his classic European training and serving the kind of challenging dishes once relegated to expensive establishments. He trusted his customers — who trusted him. Whipped tofu with sea urchins and tapioca? Bring it on!

The profane, irreverent Momofuku cookbook, published last fall, brings Chang’s exuberant style right into your kitchen. What he’s feeding is an appetite for adventure, and the ride has just begun.
Reichl, a former restaurant critic for the Los Angeles Times and the New York Times, was the last editor of Gourmet magazine

Source: Time Magazine

It may not be a surprise to many that Roy Choi was announced as the “Best New Chef” by Food & Wine Magazine.

“Roy Choi is on a mission, and it’s a mission we completely and thoroughly support,” Cowin says. “He wants to bring great food to the street, not just to Twittering foodies. His food is delicious [and] original….

“This is the first time truck food has been nominated for this award, and it represents a change in the way food is delivered and consumed around America today.”

Here’s the full list of Food & Wine’s 2010 best new chefs:

Roy Choi of Kogi BBQ truck, Los Angeles
Matt Lightner of Castagna, Portland, Ore.
Clayton Miller of Trummer’s on Main, Clifton, Va.
Missy Robbins of A Voce, New York
Jonathon Sawyer of the Greenhouse Tavern, Cleveland
Alex Seidel of Fruition, Denver
Mike Sheerin of Blackbird, Chicago
John Shields of Town House, Chilhowie, Va.
Jason Stratton of Spinasse, Seattle
James Syhabout of Commis, Oakland

Source: LA Times

If you are in the L.A. area and are tired of eating the same Galbi and Samgyupsal at all the Korean restaurants, I have a treat in store for you.

SEOULTOWN TAPAS is a limited engagement event at BreadBar.

From Wednesday, February 24 – Saturday, May 1, 2010, BREADBAR, known for its artisanal hand-crafted breads and pastries, and luminary Chef Debbie Lee, a finalist on Food Network’s “The Next Food Network Star,” announce the debut of a new limited engagement guest chef event—“SeoulTown Tapas,” a modern take on Korean pub grub—exclusively at BREADBAR | West Third Street.

Pulling inspiration from her own heritage and Korean pop culture, Lee who was the opening guest chef of BREADBAR’s popular monthly Hatchi Guest Chef Series in June 2009, will tantalize tastebuds with a unique amalgam of “sool-jeep” (Korean drinking house or pub) small plates (starting at $8) soon to debut at her own forthcoming restaurant concept—a Korean-inspired pub—slated to open later this year in Los Angeles.

Christina Lee (of “Hi Krista”) and I (of Thursday Beauty Segments) were able to try out many of Debbie’s delicious dishes.

Christina had been on a fast and I had not eaten all day…. so please don’t judge us on the amount of food we ate.  We did it for all you Korean Beacon readers out there! 

Small Dishes: $4

* Korean Rice Cylinders, Maple Smoked Bacon, Jalapeno Ponzu:
This was one of my favorites. Take Dduk (Rice Cake), Wrap in Bacon, and Dip in sauce. 3 of my favorite things in one small dish.

* Chips and Dip, Curry Bean Hummus, Wonton Crostini: Much better than the typical Chips and Dip, the Curry Bean Hummus has tastes of Dwen Jang (Bean Paste) with a slight curry flavor mixed in.

Medium Dishes: $8
* Sesame Flatbread, Soy Braised Pork, Perilla Pesto, Chile Tomatoes:
This was a favorite of Christina’s and mine. A Korean pizza-like dish, the Perilla Pesto is actually pureed Kket Neep (Leaf ) with sweet pork and tomoatoes. We were impressed with the creative use of the Kket Neep and the flavors created a great combo of sweet, strong, and mild… all at the same time.
* Modern Mandu, Pork Rillette filling, King Oyster Jus:
These mandus were delicious. The King Oyster Jus added a special touch to the familiar taste of dumplings.

Large: $12
* Mama Lee’s Meatloaf, Ground Rib Eye, Soy Onion Demi, Crispy Shitake Mushrooms:
This was one of Christina’s favorite dishes. The Meat loaf reminded us of the Ddong Goo Lang Ddengs (Mini Korean Hamburger patties) with a mix of American style Meat Loaf.

X-Large: $16
* Slow Cooked Cod, Chile Scallion Sauce, Roasted Daikon, Mountain Rice:
Soft Cod with Ja Ggok Bap (Rice with Beans) and very soft Moo (Daikon Radish)

Dessert: $8
* Sesame Doughnuts, Chestnut Glaze:
This was a really interesting twist on a Korean dessert. The taste surprisingly reminded us of the Korean honey cookies (shaped like flowers) with a mix of Chestnut and Korean Rice Cake Filling (the grainy kind)
* Debbie’s signature Bacon Shortbread cookies, served with Pine Nut Pralines, Honey Tuiles, and Magnolia Pear Tea:
Small Bacon bits in a cookie? Sold. Christina loved the sweet and flavorful Magnolia Tea with small bits of Korean pear.

I would say that the best way to describe the menu for Seoul Tapas is the familiar tastes of Korean food you’ve grown up with, with an American twist.

I find that Debbie was successful at taking tastes that you’re familiar with, and using them in surprising, delicious, and innovative ways that will leave you with a full belly and a smile on your face.

Some of the dishes change every week, so make sure to take a look at the online menu and pop in before you miss out on the chance to taste some delicious Korean Food… with a twist.

* Chef’s Recommendations include Curry Bean Hummus, Mama Lee’s Meatloaf, Modern Mandu, and the Fried Chicken.

And when you stop by, tell them Irene and Christina sent you! =)

*~ Bon Appetit! ~*

-iRene

Buy one yogurt, get second one free with toppings!