confusion

There are two well-known places on Olympic at Vermont, So Kong Dong and Beverly. SKD is in the corner of its strip mall while Beverly is on the end. Been to each once and I like So Kong Dong better, though I need to order Spicy next time to be sure.

Some really nice pictures and descriptions of korean by a foreigner in Seoul. Access additional pages on the right column. My mouth is watering. Hopefully I'll be able to partake when I move to LA next week. edit: Odd, I don't even see my own link. Here it is, thanks to eunny who also has it below. blog

Wonderful thread. I went to Toronto a couple of years ago and I have to admit the food was incredible. First night I flew in around 10:00 (I think) and ate at this packed 24 hour restaurant. Ordered about 6 dishes for 4 people, and each blew away everything I've had in the states. Though it didn't hurt that I was starving from the plane ride. However I'm moving to LA this August so I'm not going to comment on which is better just yet. Wonder if renting an apartment in east LA is worth the traffic from hell.

Hope someone can help me out here. If you've been out to eat at a Korean restaurant, surely you'd remember the banchan served there. From my understanding, banchan refers to all the side dishes they carry out, whereas namul refers to the vegetable side dishes. Many have similar flavorings (I think), using sugar, soy sauce, korean red pepper powder (kochu karu?),and sesame oil. However almost all share the same element in that they are usually bite-size and very flavorful, meaning they're perfect to eat with rice. I hope everyone can share their favorite banchan recipes (considering that I don't know any). I assume that most are easy to make (considering that restaurants make and serve many different kinds), though the ingredients might be hard to find without a Korean market closeby. And sorry a few more questions, does anyone happen to know how many banchan a family normally has for dinner, which ones are most popular, and how long they can last in the refrigerator?

The best I've had was also in Toronto's Pacific Mall. Instead of big brown tapioca balls, it was small (< 1 cm) white balls in a fresh fruit slushie. I'm not sure if it was the balls or the sweet/fresh fruit but the drink was great.

I recently bought a new wok from the wokshop. I followed the directions using the stove method and then the oven method, but they are not very clear. So I looked up seasoning carbon steel woks, and this is what I found. Does this sound correct? When I initially heated up the wok and saw the bottom turn from silver to purple/black/rainbow I was concerned. But if the following method is correct then I was on the right track. Any thoughts? Seasoning: To season a new carbon spun-steel wok or to re-season an old rusty wok, thoroughly scrub it inside and out with soap and a steel wool scouring pad to remove the manufacturer's protective coating on a new wok, or the rust on an old one. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Some manufacturers apply a coating that is hard to remove, so set the wok on the stove, fill it with water and boil it for several minutes until the coating dissolves. Pour out the water and scrub the surface clean with steel wool and soap. Set the clean wok over high heat. Heat until a few drops of water sprinkled into the wok immediately turn into dancing beads. While the pan is heating, it will change from shiny steel gray to blue, purple, red and, finally, black. Dip several sheets of wadded-up paper towel into peanut or corn oil and wipe the oil on the entire inside surface of the wok (you may want to use long-handled tongs to hold the towels). Reduce heat to low and let the wok sit over the heat for 15 minutes to absorb the oil - the color changes will continue and, hopefully, the bottom of the wok will darken. In time and with frequent use the entire wok will turn black. if the surface looks dry, wipe with another thin film of oil. Remove wok from the burner and let it cool. Reheat the wok and repeat the oiling and heating process once more before using it for stir-frying.

Wonderful info, especially jackal. I'm trying to come up with some questions but am very busy. There are just too many options, and I have a lot to work with (within reason of course). Does anyone know any additional sources of information? I've been scouring the local library's 'Home' magazines collection.

I saw your thread about remodeling your kitchen, but couldn't find pictures of the finished product. I would really like to see how it turned out.

I'd like to ask a few questions. 1. What does the typical chinese person eat for lunch and dinner? Whats the staple diet (besides rice of course)/what do they cook for themselves most often? What are the most common ingredients? 2. What would they like to eat for lunch and dinner? Like what would they like if they had the money, like I think most American's would love a good steak but it can be expensive and hard to make right. 3. What regional Chinese cuisine do most people there consider to be the best? Northern/Western/Southern/etc. Thanks.

What would you want in your home kitchen if money was no object? Well almost. Obviously you'd want the best, but would that necessarily mean restaurant equipment? There must be some more practical alternatives, taking into consideration noise levels, ventilation, style (stainless steel does match well with most houses), etc. But things to think about-- Appliances: The best range? (FatGuy likes DCS), broiler, oven, refrigerator, dishwasher, etc Other fixtures: Style of cabinets, faucets, pantries, closets, lighting, ventilation, countertop material, floor material Layout: Location of the cabinets/faucets/pantries, island (where and shape?), height of countertop, overall design Extras: warmers, extra refrigerators, extra faucets, etc A lot of these seem subjective, but they should all have clear advantages and disadvantages. What have you all learned from countless hours in the kitchen? Hopefully I'll be able to design my dream kitchen in soon (maybe with the help of a kitchen design specialist), but it would be good to hear some opinions and suggestions.

Thanks for the replies. My experience is limited to Chinese soups, and I have made Japanese-style miso soup (which I love). Though I've never put any dashi into the miso soup, usually will just throw in some of that Ajinomoto Hondashi. I'm not sure if thats the same thing, but dried bonito shavings aren't cheap for college students Then again I try not to skimp when it comes to food. Those soups all sound great! I would love to try to make them. Luckily I have a korean supermarket very close by, but I don't have the slighest idea where to start. Perhaps I need to by a good intro book. I checked amazon and 'Growing up in a Korean Kitchen" and "Korean Home Cooking" look pretty good. But then again, having an actual teacher would be even better.

Had some Yook (Yuk) Gae Jang today and it seems like it would be great for a cold winter day. Theres nothing better than firm rice in a tasty soup. Does anyone have any recipes for a good Korean soup? Most that I've had were dark red and spicy, but from what I understand there are also clear ones. I have absolutely zero experience with Korean cooking.

Does anyone have any recipes for a good Korean soup. Had some Yook (Yuk) Gae Jang today and would love to make it myself sometime. Theres nothing better than firm rice in a tasty soup.