Know Your Korean Dishes Beyond Bibimbap and Bulgogi
Everyone loves Korean food—after all, what’s not to like? It’s refreshing, flavorful, and has includes tons of grilled meat along with piles of fresh greens. And all those healthy complimentary side dishes make you feel like you’re getting more bang for your buck.
While everyone loves their bibimbap, fried chicken, tteokbokki, and galbi-jjim, it might be time to expand your knowledge of Korean cuisine and try some other traditional dishes. This week, Spiral at Sofitel has invited Korean master chef Hyeon Cheol Joo to prepare a special buffet featuring his own take on Korean specialties.
Sofitel isn’t kidding when they call him a master chef—he won the silver medal for the Korean cuisine category of the International Young Chef Challenge in 2013, and the gold medal for the Korean cuisine category of the Seoul International Food and Tableware Festival in 2015, both of which were held in Korea.
He’ll be serving up his specialties until Saturday, March 17, and here are some of the dishes you should watch out for.
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Kimchi Jjigae
If you love kimchi, you’ll get hooked on this hearty stew which includes tofu and pork. While other chefs use either pork belly or ribs, Chef Joo likes to include both. A daily staple among Koreans, it’s the kind of warm, comforting soup you’ll crave when you have a cold.
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Haepari Naengchae
Seafood lovers shouldn’t miss this cold jellyfish and crab meat salad. This popular summer dish has a nice citrusy flavor to it.
Bulgogi Salad
While we’re used to enjoying bulgogi grilled, sautéed, or served with noodles, it’s less common to see it in a salad. This dish is oddly refreshing, and carries a surprising kick.
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Haemul Pajeon
Don’t miss Chef Joo’s bite-sized version of this classic Korean seafood pancake, which is served at the live cooking station. Made with fresh shrimp, shrimp flour, tofu, and spring onions, it’s no wonder this crispy-yet-tender snack is a favorite among Koreans.
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Hobak-juk
This sweet pumpkin porridge is enjoyed both as an appetizer and dessert. It’s rather like champorado, but with pumpkin instead of chocolate, and we can imagine ourselves savoring it on a rainy day.
Of course, if you’re craving your favorite Korean dishes, Spiral is also serving Pinoy favorites like galbi-jjim, bibimbap, and bulgogi. Chef Joo’s specialties—diced turnip and fruit kimchi and fresh korean cabbage kimchi—are not for the faint of heart, but will delight those who are fond of spicy food.
For inquiries and reservations, please call F&B Reservations at (632) 832-6988 or email [email protected].
