Korea: Samgyeupsal dinner with egg river!

One of the greatest joys in travel is discovering new foods and exploring the different cuisines of the various cultures of the world, and Korea is an exceptionally excellent location for any food-obsessed fellow. Each culture, each region, dramatically influences how the food culture develops and what ingredients will be most abundant throughout the area. South Korea is lucky in that it not only has ample access to the sea and all the wonderful fresh (and sometimes frightening) foods that can be dredged from its depths, but they also have a robust agricultural community and system throughout the country and a good growing season during the spring through fall, though the harsh winters influenced the development of pickled and fermented goodies like kimchi to preserve and extend the harvest. This also means quite a wide array of delicious regional goodies to choose from, whether it's apples from Andong, dakgalbi from Chuncheon, or grabbing some sizzling hot samgyeupsal in the Jogno-3 area. On this particular outing, I didn't venture all the way into the city for my porcine fix, but instead popped into a small restaurant (part of a larger chain throughout the country) that was just across the street from my residence. A lot of the restaurants in my smaller suburb catered solely to larger parties, turning me away at the door for being a solo diner, adding insult to any potential shame one might feel at having attempted to feast alone. I guess that's just not how food culture in Korea operates, though- while in Japan it's not at all unusual to go to a restaurant and pull up a stool at a counter to grab a quick bite, dining out in Korea seems to be generally more of a social endeavor. This restaurant, however, had no qualms with allowing me to get my pork belly barbeque on in solitary fashion! Not only that, but they provided a river of egg along with the delicious grilled meat, a first-time encounter for me. It was delicious, and an all around filling and robust meal that is perfect for celebrating any occasion, whether it's with a large group of friends or you just so happen to go solo. Be forewarned that it's not always easy to find restaurants in South Korea that will accommodate single diners, though, so you may need a smidgeon of patience in your pursuit of deliciousness. 

Vegas: Biwon Korean BBQ and Sushi

If you're offended or upset by food porn, or it's getting close to lunch but you've got some time left yet before you can fill the aching void in your digestive tract, turn back now. This post is full, absolutely stuffed to the gills, with photography of a culinarily salacious and seductive manner. At least, it is if you're into things like smoky, hot grilled meat and cool, sweet and supple sushi. Not only can you get your Korean-barbecue fix at this awesome restaurant but sushi too! I'm not kidding. It really is the best of both worlds. It's like some sort of drama where a sassy Korean girl who loves meat won a stoic Japanese sushi chef's heart and their kids got sick of them bickering over what to have for dinner and opened this place, happy ending. At least, that's how I can imagine this place being brought into existence, but I'm absolutely not the expert on this one. Whatever fantastic fortune of fate collided to make this place happen is one I'm grateful for. 

It really is genius. Korean barbecue is made at the table, requiring a hot grill and a measure of patience as you watch your food sizzle and cook before your eyes. Your nostrils (and clothes) will fill with the scents of seared meats, and a bounty of banchan will likely proliferate. One thing I found interesting was that things like lettuce and rice were ordered ala cart, but it makes sense given that their business model is all you can eat. That's right, my friends- not only are you able to satisfy your need for piping hot bulgogi and samgyeupsal steaming off the grill, but gobble up salmon and sushi rolls, too, and as much as you can stuff inside your face! There's an upcharge for going the combined route- you could absolutely dine in the sushi dining room, or opt for just Korean barbeque, and that's totally okay. We, however, we hungry and wanted to treat ourselves, so we went all out.  While you wait (hungry, impatient, drooling) for your meat to cook, sushi orders can pop up and fill that void in your life. Isn't that sort of like heaven?

And overall, it was good. Damn good. We left absolutely stuffed, and I don't think we ate anything else for the rest of the day. We could barely move...and we had barely even scratched the surface of their extensive menu. There's all sorts of ways to upgrade your meal, from opting to do both sushi and barbeque to paying an extra charge to have the high-end cuts in your barbeque or getting boozy with some soju or cocktails. Some items are limited, like at most all you can eat places, so we don't resent that. Again, the business is here to make money, and they can't give away all their food at low prices or they'd have to shut their doors and that would be a crying shame. I've been wanting to go back, though it was a bit expensive since we had to #treatourselves ... soon, though, we'll be back. I'm definitely curious to try other parts of their menu and to share this find with friends who'd enjoy it as much as we did. Definitely a place to have a celebratory meal, and I feel like there's more to celebrate coming our way this year. 

More photos below!