Both Korean Culture and the Kitchen are very interesting and fun to experience and learn about. I was already familiar with both of them since I had a Korean roommate couple years ago. She used to tell me all about their culture, manners and would frequently cook delicious Korean food. I was surprise that the rice cake we had tonight was almost identical to the ones my roommate used to make, the texture, seasoning, amount of spice( hers was slightly spicier) When in a different country, I never expect the restaurant to serve dishes that are as authentic as in the home country but I think tonight's dinner was pretty close! It is always a little challenging to eat with chopsticks for me, especially the metal ones but even that part was quite amusing in our table as we all were kind of struggling to eat but also experiencing the meal as a whole while really enjoying it. I love how Koreans take so much importance on some manners that some of us might think that are little details. Waiting for the elderly to eat first, pouring and drinking the drink with two hands as a matter of respect, and all those "little" things are very important because these are some of the things that what makes the values of a culture. Korea has the culture that appreciates and respects all the good stuff that the earth provides when it comes to food. The amount of time, patience, and also passion that they give to food is one of those things that makes me admire a culture.
Our group definitely struggled with the chopsticks as well- we also were careful to avoid sticking them up in our rice bowls as the video that Dotty played advised. I'm sure your experience at Sobahn was a little different that everyone else's, given your previous roommate and trying the food she cooked. I had a good friend who was Korean- ironically, he didn't care much for his home country's food. He did moved to the States when he was pretty young, so I don't think he was raised with Korean food as much as perhaps your roommate was. Anyways, the Korean customs are much different than the customs we have in America- it seems like the Koreans are very respectful toward their elders when eating. Maybe I'll pass the bill to my grandma next time we're out to eat!
I also really liked their table manners and cultural norms and it is probably something that we should work on more in the west. Showing respect for your elders is important and they really go out of their way to make sure they show the upmost respect for them. I also like the idea of pouring each others drink, however with my friends im not sure the pouring would ever stop!
Our group also struggled with chop sticks too except Mr. Eric. He was the master in our group. i enjoyed that experience and learned something new about the Korean culture and respect.
I really enjoyed the experience at Sobahn. I had never tried Korean food, but have always loved Asian cuisine, in general. The beef and veggie pancakes were probably my favorite dishes that I tried. The manners and rules that go along with dinner etiquette were of particular interest to me. In America, we of course have our own dining etiquette, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as symbolic as Korean table manners. Although, I'm pretty terrible at eating with chopsticks, I tried to eat my entire meal using only the chopsticks. I don't love spicy food so I was concerned that some may be too spicy for me, but for the most part the spice wasn't too overwhelming. Overall I had a great time trying Korean food and would love to eventually try it in Korea!
The different dinning etiquette was very different for me. The chopsticks definitely put a damper on my experience. I think it is very interesting how other cultures customs very so much from our own. What I found the most interesting is how you can not poor your own drink. Also not being able to stick your chopsticks straight up in your rice I also found very strange and would like to know more about why they feel that is so bad.
I agree, the bulgogi and the veggie pancake were definitely my favorite also! I also think that their customs were very interesting. We do not have anything similar in the American culture so it is interesting to learn about new etiquettes from other cultures. I had trouble with the chopsticks, so I settled for the spoon! Yes, most of the spicy food was tolerable. The only thing I found a little spicy was the ricecakes.
I agree that the dining etiquette was most interesting to me! I found that the way they do things there is so different from what we are used to in America. I also thought it was cool to learn that the eldest starts the meal out and also generally pays for the bill. If you think about it, since they have the authority, it only makes sense.
I personally had a really great time at Sobahn last night. I honestly didn't know what to expect before class because I hadn't tried Koren food before. It was actually really tasty though. One thing is for sure though, I would be so skinny if I only had to eat with chopsticks all of the time! Our table as a whole did our best to strictly eat with just chopsticks and it got a little messy at times, but it is nice to attempt to match their culture as much as possible. I was a little surprised that the food as a whole wasn't more spicy. I personally love spicy food so we got the sauce that spiced things up and we definitely used ours up. The chicken was probably my favorite part or the veggie pancakes. I did try everything and the only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the rice cakes, and it wasn't even the flavor it was just that they were so dense, and the texture didn't agree with me. All things said, I really did enjoy dinner and I always love trying new types of foods and having an experience with new people that I don't talk to everyday.
The hot sauce was good, I did not get to much of a kick from it but it still tasted good. I am glad to see I am not the only one who struggled with the chop sticks, it was rough until I resorted to the good ole spoon. The veggie pancakes were definitely a question mark for me, but the rice cakes were not to bad.
I found the Korean etiquette to be very interesting. I found it fascinating that you are supposed to drink to the side along with pouring someone else's drink with two hands. In America, we have superstitions about things such as black cats, and I thought it was interesting that they have one about being single for three years if you drink alone. I liked the Korean food a lot better than the Ethiopian food. The beef was my favorite dish and reminded me of something I would normally eat here in America. I also found it interesting what they consider to be spicy. I am very intolerant of spicy dishes, and yet I did not really find any of their dishes that spicy. The kimchi was about the only thing I could not tolerate, mostly because I do not really care for horseradish. Overall, I think I learned a lot through this experience. Not only did I learn about another culture, I also learned some things about myself. First off, I finally learned how to eat with chopsticks. Maybe metal ones are easier to eat with than wooden ones, but either way I was able to eat with them at this restaurant. I also pushed myself out of my comfort zone again to try foods I normally would not eat. I would never reach for anything that said spicy or was known to be spicy, but yet I tried the spicy chicken and found out that it had only a mild taste. This made me start to second guess other foods I had passed up in the past based on the description of them. Overall, I think this was a good experience and allowed me to see what a common meal looks like in another culture and how you're supposed to properly eat it.
The beef also did remind me of food that I commonly eat. One of my common meals at home is beef and rice, so when first glancing at the food I knew that was something that I was going to enjoy. I also find it weird how other cultures enjoy food so much Spicer than our own. We have gone to two different restaurants, both of which tend to have a higher tolerance for spice.
I thought that was interesting that you have to pour someone else's drink! It is so cool to learn about different customs in other cultures. I think the beef was similar to what we would eat in America, which is probably why we enjoyed it so much! I have never eaten with metal chopsticks. I've tried with wooden ones before but end up eating with my spoon shortly after! I think it is good to try new things and get out of our comfort zones because we will never know if we are going to like it or not.
Sobahn was a very interesting experience for me. First off I have zero skills in attempting to use chop sticks, so I ended up relying heavily on the spoon which became very difficult with some of the foods. I thought the food however was pretty good. The beef and the chicken were excellent and they make me want to go back to this restaurant. For all of the other foods were alright, what I found interesting was the texture of the food. The rice patties had a texture like nothing I have every eaten before. I did however enjoy the rice patties, but they are not something I really care to have again.
The chop sticks are still a complete mystery to me. However I do agree the food was excellent. The rice patties were a part I did enjoy. Once you get past the texture, it had good taste. The beef was probably my favorite, either that or the stir fried rice. One thing not to many people seemed to try was the hot sauce. Though the sauce was not hot by any means, it still had a good flavor and it was sweet, really brought the flavors together.
I also agree with the chopstick notion, except maybe if they were wooden I might have been able to eat with those. Also the chicken was one of my favorites and it was because it was one of the spiciest of foods that were available and as of recent, spicy food has been my go to.
Sobahn was a great Korean restaurant. The setting was similar to that of the Blue Nile, in the fact that it was more of a community meal where you share with everyone at the table. Everyone got the chance to try everything and to be honest I did not think any of it was bad. I already love rice and the steam bowl allowed for fresh fried rice stir fry, it cooked everything as you were ready to eat. However I did have some trouble with the chop sticks, I tried my best to follow the customs, but there were a lot of things to remember. The young lady serving us was also very nice. She took good care of our table and even brought the bill to the oldest person, another sign of respect in their culture. But as I am sure is true with most people, the beef and chicken were probably the best especially with the rice.
It was interesting to enjoy the food as a table, as opposed to individuals ordering a dish. I think it encourages discussion and interaction, as everyone's reaching everywhere to try new stuff, and asking others at the table how stuff tastes. I also thought the steam rice was delicious- being able to throw vegetables and meat on it was pretty tasty. It was interesting how the bowl was so small- I found myself wanting to dump everything into a big bowl and mix it together. But that'd be a typical American approach; our experience at Sobahn took a lot more finesse with the use of chopsticks and smaller serving bowls/plates.
I'll admit, I was a little skeptical of the Korean cuisine coming into class, but I absolutely enjoyed the food. Learning about the etiquette prior to attending the restaurant was fascinating. I found myself asking, "I wonder why they do that?" in reference to the custom of turning away from the table to drink alcohol, leaving the table to blow your nose, etc. However upon further consideration, there's tons of American customs that I'm sure Koreans would wonder about- why do we often talk with our mouths full, or why we don't thank someone for our meal before we begin eating. It's fun to observe and learn about the customs of other cultures, and what it means to be respectful and polite.
I'd like to give a round of applause for the yachae jum- that was delicious! I found myself piling bulgogi onto it and eating a sort of open faced sandwich. I also really enjoyed the mokeum dalk bokkeum- I'm not a huge fan of spicy foods but found the kick in the chicken to be just right; it didn't linger too long or make me too uncomfortable. Chopsticks were an experience- I think everyone at our table eventually defaulted to the spoon about halfway through.
In comparison with our experience at the Blue Nile restaurant, I think I preferred the cuisine of Sobahn. The mango juice and fried appetizers were highlights at the Blue Nile, but the combination of rice, protein, and the yachae jum really set Sobahn apart. Overall, I'm happy I got to experience two vastly different cuisines that I wouldn't have otherwise explored. F&C has motivated me to consider trying some new food that I'm not really familiar with. I plan on taking my family to the Blue Nile for some mango juice. and my brother and I are going to go try some Indian food over the weekend. It's more fun than I'd have thought to explore new food, and I'm happy that I got the opportunity!
I agree with your comparisons between the two restaurants, I think that for an overall experience I preferred Sobahn, despite the Blue Niles mango juice. The chicken last night was also the highlight for myself and it was a contest at our table to get the most of it. I would definitely recommend that you and your brother try Indian food as we eat a lot of it back in England and its unbelievable!
I had been saving myself all day in anticipation for the Korean food and I was not disappointed. I for one am not a picky eater at all and found myself enjoying all of the food. The highlight for me was definitely the chicken dish, and I also really enjoyed the yachae jum and the small dish of sauce we were provided to dip it into. I also really enjoy hot food and didn't really find anything that hot at the table, and I found the pepper paste perfect to mix in with the rice and give it a bit of a kick. I can use chopsticks but I was unfamiliar with metal ones so as Ben said all of our table resorted to the spoon eventually. I was fascinated in class by the cultural table norms in Korea and although they seemed odd to us, I can see the reasoning behind them all (apart from turning away when drinking alcohol). I like the idea of the respect shown to the elders and I really like the idea of them always paying for the meal. I would definitely go back to Sobahn and would like to sample what else they have to offer as I am always interested in trying new foods.
I as well am not a picky eater and I enjoy all foods. The food to me had the right amount of spice and loved the dishes that were served with spice the most. I can totally agree with the chopsticks, I wasn't used to the metal chopsticks and I tried various times to get it right, but the food was just slipping off the sticks. It is very different from wooden chopsticks, so in the end I did resort to using the spoon and it was also only because I didn't eat all day and I was hungry.
The Korean restaurant was a great and fun experience. It was fun to learn a new culture that has a lot of rules and etiquette when it comes to eating. I had to be mindful of how I was eating and if I was doing it correctly. It's definitely a different spin from America that has etiquette but most people don't apply them unless for curtain occasions. There were a few hurdles That I had to over come. For the chop sticks Danny and I made it a goal to make it through the entire meal using them, it was difficult at times to eat some of the food items but I feel as if it added to the experience as a whole. As for the taste, it was hard for me to eat the fish and cabbage because I really wasn't ready for the taste and texture of them. But it tonight me to always try something at least once. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and I can most definitely see myself eating Korean in the future.
Before going to the restaurant, I asked my Korean teammate what to expect. She told me that the food was kind of spicy and that the beef and chicken were very good. I was told to try the bulgogi which ended up being my favorite thing at Sobahn. When we got to the restaurant and began eating, I tried to use my chopsticks but could not accomplish getting any food so I settled for the spoon. I was a little hesitant to try the rice cakes, but I got out of my comfort zone and was surprised at the texture of the food. It reminded me of a gummy worm or a marshmallow. I thought the chicken was very good as well as the mixture of the veggies and the bulgogi with the rice on the bottom (dol sot bibipbap). I did not like the fish or the cabbage, but everything else I really enjoyed. I took the bulgogi and sauce and put that on top of my rice which was very good! I thought it was interesting to learn about the customs of the Korean culture before we went to the restaurant. I thought it was interesting how the elder buys the meal and are also the one's who eat first. Also, I thought it was neat how you don't pour your own drink. The Koreans are also very respectful to their ancestors and it is a sign of disrespect if you stick your chopsticks in your rice. I think it is cool that they have these customs because we do not really have that in the American culture. Overall, I enjoyed eating unfamiliar foods and found my self surprised by what foods taste like despite their looks. I enjoyed the communal experience of the meal. The food was definitely different from the Blue Nile Café, but I enjoyed the Korean food more. I think the different flavors of the meat and chicken were very good!
It was great experience when I visited the Korean restaurant. The decoration can tell it’s an Asian restaurant. The Waiters were more respectful and happy to serve us. Also, it was nice to learn a new culture that has a lot of rules when it starts to eat. There were more of meals where we shared with our group at the table. I also got the chance to try everything and it was a very good foods. The two meals I really like are “Yachae Jum” veggie pancake and “Tteokbokki” spicy ricecakes. Also, I do not forget the “Kimchi” it made form spicy vegetable and some people called it the Korean French fries. However, I face some trouble with the chop sticks but it was my goal to ate with it.
The Korean restaurant was a really nice experience for me. I enjoyed a lot more of the foods dishes than the Ethiopian restaurant overall. My favorite dishes were the Yachae Jum, and the Kimchi. I also enjoyed the the spicy chicken and the stone bowl with the rice and vegetables. I was certainly surprised at myself that I enjoyed all of these foods mainly because I am not at all a fan of spicy foods, I never have been, but the Kimchi was one of my favorites! I found that using the chopsticks was the most difficult thing for me but I never gave up and used them the entire time. I really found the Korean etiquette intriguing because its things that are opposite from etiquette we have in America. Learning their traditions was defiantly beneficial to my entire experience at the restaurant! I would visit Sobahn again!
The first thing that I noticed at the Korean Restaurant was that the waitresses were very kind and respectful. I felt like they were happy to serve the group. The first thing that I tried was the bulgogi which was the beef. This was my favorite dish of the night. I also liked the bi bim bop (rice with vegetables and an egg on top) and the spicy chicken with vegetables. The spicy rice cake was okay. It had good flavor but I didn't like the texture of it. I wasn't a fan of the veggie pancake or the cabbage but I'll try anything once. I made sure to try every type of food on the table. We ate with only a spoon or stainless steel chop sticks. I personally love eating with chop sticks although I usually eat with wooden chopsticks. I thought it was interesting how we do not pour our own drinks. I think that it is very important to learn about different cultures along with what types of food they eat. Learning the different cultures and their etiquette rules makes me more mindful of what I am doing at all times while eating at the table.
What a night. I love Korean culture and Korean food. I had never been to Sobahn but it was pretty good. Not my favorite Korean restaurant in town but it's hard to go wrong with Korean in my book. In addition to polishing off our kimchi and the table next to ours, all of the dishes were classic korean flavors. Bulgogi is actually pretty difficult to make correctly and though the flavors were there, I thought that the meat was a bit dry. Quite frankly the Bi Bim Bop was my favor dish. I would have loved the runny yolk to pull everything together. I have had this with a raw egg, and it pretty much cooks off as you stir it. i wonder if you can request just the yolk...hmm. I love new places to explore food. It's a terrible passion to have and it's a wonder I'm not 400 lbs! The fact we learned about sticking your chopsticks upright in your bowl was very interested. I love useless knowledge facts to be able to break out when I need them, this is a great one for the collection.
Korean culture with food is quite different from ours from what I learned. First off the way that the Korean culture eats their food, with a spoon or with chopsticks was a bit challenging for me mostly because I didn't know how to use the chopsticks correctly and the food just kept slipping off the chopsticks. I am more used to wooden chopsticks, which was another difference is that the chopsticks are made from a metal just like our forks. Another difference that I learned was the way that Korean culture drinks their alcohol and the way that they pour each others drink. A lot of the times someone might pour our drinks, but it wouldn't be a bad thing if we poured our own drink. Also we don't face the other way when we drink our alcohol. As for the restaurant, I really enjoyed all of the food. One of my favorites was the bowl that had a mixture of food in it and then it was mixed with a spoon. I liked the blend of all the food inside the bowl and not just one particular food. I also enjoyed the rice noodles I believe it was. It was the food that was a bit chewy and it reminded me of a spicy gummy worm in the sense of texture.
I really loved my experience at the Korean restaurant. I had eaten a pretty similar Korean meal with Eric while we were in Montreal last May, but I definitely preferred the food we had in Kansas City to the one we had in the small restaurant in Montreal. In Montreal, we had sushi and the pancakes had seafood in them, and we did not get the hot chicken or beef that we got in this class. I think what really made a difference between the two experiences was that I had already had it before and knew what to expect so I was more ready to try new things and enjoy the new flavors. My favorite part was the spicy chicken with the crispy rice from hot kettle on the table. I was ready for the texture and flavor of the Bulgogi this time and I liked it much more because I wasn't surprised by the texture. The kimchi was really good mixed with different entrees like the beef. I think I will definitely have Korean food more often and explore with more foods from different cultures in the future. Alexi Chadbourne
Both Korean Culture and the Kitchen are very interesting and fun to experience and learn about. I was already familiar with both of them since I had a Korean roommate couple years ago. She used to tell me all about their culture, manners and would frequently cook delicious Korean food. I was surprise that the rice cake we had tonight was almost identical to the ones my roommate used to make, the texture, seasoning, amount of spice( hers was slightly spicier) When in a different country, I never expect the restaurant to serve dishes that are as authentic as in the home country but I think tonight's dinner was pretty close! It is always a little challenging to eat with chopsticks for me, especially the metal ones but even that part was quite amusing in our table as we all were kind of struggling to eat but also experiencing the meal as a whole while really enjoying it. I love how Koreans take so much importance on some manners that some of us might think that are little details. Waiting for the elderly to eat first, pouring and drinking the drink with two hands as a matter of respect, and all those "little" things are very important because these are some of the things that what makes the values of a culture. Korea has the culture that appreciates and respects all the good stuff that the earth provides when it comes to food. The amount of time, patience, and also passion that they give to food is one of those things that makes me admire a culture.
ReplyDeleteOur group definitely struggled with the chopsticks as well- we also were careful to avoid sticking them up in our rice bowls as the video that Dotty played advised. I'm sure your experience at Sobahn was a little different that everyone else's, given your previous roommate and trying the food she cooked. I had a good friend who was Korean- ironically, he didn't care much for his home country's food. He did moved to the States when he was pretty young, so I don't think he was raised with Korean food as much as perhaps your roommate was. Anyways, the Korean customs are much different than the customs we have in America- it seems like the Koreans are very respectful toward their elders when eating. Maybe I'll pass the bill to my grandma next time we're out to eat!
DeleteI also really liked their table manners and cultural norms and it is probably something that we should work on more in the west. Showing respect for your elders is important and they really go out of their way to make sure they show the upmost respect for them. I also like the idea of pouring each others drink, however with my friends im not sure the pouring would ever stop!
DeleteOur group also struggled with chop sticks too except Mr. Eric. He was the master in our group. i enjoyed that experience and learned something new about the Korean culture and respect.
DeleteAli Alqahtani
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ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the experience at Sobahn. I had never tried Korean food, but have always loved Asian cuisine, in general. The beef and veggie pancakes were probably my favorite dishes that I tried. The manners and rules that go along with dinner etiquette were of particular interest to me. In America, we of course have our own dining etiquette, but it doesn't seem to be nearly as symbolic as Korean table manners. Although, I'm pretty terrible at eating with chopsticks, I tried to eat my entire meal using only the chopsticks. I don't love spicy food so I was concerned that some may be too spicy for me, but for the most part the spice wasn't too overwhelming. Overall I had a great time trying Korean food and would love to eventually try it in Korea!
ReplyDeleteChelsea Bennett
The different dinning etiquette was very different for me. The chopsticks definitely put a damper on my experience. I think it is very interesting how other cultures customs very so much from our own. What I found the most interesting is how you can not poor your own drink. Also not being able to stick your chopsticks straight up in your rice I also found very strange and would like to know more about why they feel that is so bad.
DeleteI agree, the bulgogi and the veggie pancake were definitely my favorite also! I also think that their customs were very interesting. We do not have anything similar in the American culture so it is interesting to learn about new etiquettes from other cultures. I had trouble with the chopsticks, so I settled for the spoon! Yes, most of the spicy food was tolerable. The only thing I found a little spicy was the ricecakes.
DeleteKatie McMurray
I agree that the dining etiquette was most interesting to me! I found that the way they do things there is so different from what we are used to in America. I also thought it was cool to learn that the eldest starts the meal out and also generally pays for the bill. If you think about it, since they have the authority, it only makes sense.
DeleteI personally had a really great time at Sobahn last night. I honestly didn't know what to expect before class because I hadn't tried Koren food before. It was actually really tasty though. One thing is for sure though, I would be so skinny if I only had to eat with chopsticks all of the time! Our table as a whole did our best to strictly eat with just chopsticks and it got a little messy at times, but it is nice to attempt to match their culture as much as possible. I was a little surprised that the food as a whole wasn't more spicy. I personally love spicy food so we got the sauce that spiced things up and we definitely used ours up. The chicken was probably my favorite part or the veggie pancakes. I did try everything and the only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the rice cakes, and it wasn't even the flavor it was just that they were so dense, and the texture didn't agree with me.
ReplyDeleteAll things said, I really did enjoy dinner and I always love trying new types of foods and having an experience with new people that I don't talk to everyday.
Michaella Schartz
The hot sauce was good, I did not get to much of a kick from it but it still tasted good. I am glad to see I am not the only one who struggled with the chop sticks, it was rough until I resorted to the good ole spoon. The veggie pancakes were definitely a question mark for me, but the rice cakes were not to bad.
DeleteAaron Wiggins
I found the Korean etiquette to be very interesting. I found it fascinating that you are supposed to drink to the side along with pouring someone else's drink with two hands. In America, we have superstitions about things such as black cats, and I thought it was interesting that they have one about being single for three years if you drink alone. I liked the Korean food a lot better than the Ethiopian food. The beef was my favorite dish and reminded me of something I would normally eat here in America. I also found it interesting what they consider to be spicy. I am very intolerant of spicy dishes, and yet I did not really find any of their dishes that spicy. The kimchi was about the only thing I could not tolerate, mostly because I do not really care for horseradish. Overall, I think I learned a lot through this experience. Not only did I learn about another culture, I also learned some things about myself. First off, I finally learned how to eat with chopsticks. Maybe metal ones are easier to eat with than wooden ones, but either way I was able to eat with them at this restaurant. I also pushed myself out of my comfort zone again to try foods I normally would not eat. I would never reach for anything that said spicy or was known to be spicy, but yet I tried the spicy chicken and found out that it had only a mild taste. This made me start to second guess other foods I had passed up in the past based on the description of them. Overall, I think this was a good experience and allowed me to see what a common meal looks like in another culture and how you're supposed to properly eat it.
ReplyDeleteRachel Mears
DeleteThe beef also did remind me of food that I commonly eat. One of my common meals at home is beef and rice, so when first glancing at the food I knew that was something that I was going to enjoy. I also find it weird how other cultures enjoy food so much Spicer than our own. We have gone to two different restaurants, both of which tend to have a higher tolerance for spice.
DeleteI thought that was interesting that you have to pour someone else's drink! It is so cool to learn about different customs in other cultures. I think the beef was similar to what we would eat in America, which is probably why we enjoyed it so much! I have never eaten with metal chopsticks. I've tried with wooden ones before but end up eating with my spoon shortly after! I think it is good to try new things and get out of our comfort zones because we will never know if we are going to like it or not.
DeleteKatie McMurray
Katie McMurray
Sobahn was a very interesting experience for me. First off I have zero skills in attempting to use chop sticks, so I ended up relying heavily on the spoon which became very difficult with some of the foods. I thought the food however was pretty good. The beef and the chicken were excellent and they make me want to go back to this restaurant. For all of the other foods were alright, what I found interesting was the texture of the food. The rice patties had a texture like nothing I have every eaten before. I did however enjoy the rice patties, but they are not something I really care to have again.
ReplyDeleteThe chop sticks are still a complete mystery to me. However I do agree the food was excellent. The rice patties were a part I did enjoy. Once you get past the texture, it had good taste. The beef was probably my favorite, either that or the stir fried rice. One thing not to many people seemed to try was the hot sauce. Though the sauce was not hot by any means, it still had a good flavor and it was sweet, really brought the flavors together.
DeleteAaron Wiggins
i agree with you that the chop sticks is mystery to me too. it was really hard for me to ate with it but the food was delicious.
DeleteAli Alqahtani
I also agree with the chopstick notion, except maybe if they were wooden I might have been able to eat with those. Also the chicken was one of my favorites and it was because it was one of the spiciest of foods that were available and as of recent, spicy food has been my go to.
DeleteSobahn was a great Korean restaurant. The setting was similar to that of the Blue Nile, in the fact that it was more of a community meal where you share with everyone at the table. Everyone got the chance to try everything and to be honest I did not think any of it was bad. I already love rice and the steam bowl allowed for fresh fried rice stir fry, it cooked everything as you were ready to eat. However I did have some trouble with the chop sticks, I tried my best to follow the customs, but there were a lot of things to remember. The young lady serving us was also very nice. She took good care of our table and even brought the bill to the oldest person, another sign of respect in their culture. But as I am sure is true with most people, the beef and chicken were probably the best especially with the rice.
ReplyDeleteAaron Wiggins
It was interesting to enjoy the food as a table, as opposed to individuals ordering a dish. I think it encourages discussion and interaction, as everyone's reaching everywhere to try new stuff, and asking others at the table how stuff tastes. I also thought the steam rice was delicious- being able to throw vegetables and meat on it was pretty tasty. It was interesting how the bowl was so small- I found myself wanting to dump everything into a big bowl and mix it together. But that'd be a typical American approach; our experience at Sobahn took a lot more finesse with the use of chopsticks and smaller serving bowls/plates.
DeleteI'll admit, I was a little skeptical of the Korean cuisine coming into class, but I absolutely enjoyed the food. Learning about the etiquette prior to attending the restaurant was fascinating. I found myself asking, "I wonder why they do that?" in reference to the custom of turning away from the table to drink alcohol, leaving the table to blow your nose, etc. However upon further consideration, there's tons of American customs that I'm sure Koreans would wonder about- why do we often talk with our mouths full, or why we don't thank someone for our meal before we begin eating. It's fun to observe and learn about the customs of other cultures, and what it means to be respectful and polite.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to give a round of applause for the yachae jum- that was delicious! I found myself piling bulgogi onto it and eating a sort of open faced sandwich. I also really enjoyed the mokeum dalk bokkeum- I'm not a huge fan of spicy foods but found the kick in the chicken to be just right; it didn't linger too long or make me too uncomfortable. Chopsticks were an experience- I think everyone at our table eventually defaulted to the spoon about halfway through.
In comparison with our experience at the Blue Nile restaurant, I think I preferred the cuisine of Sobahn. The mango juice and fried appetizers were highlights at the Blue Nile, but the combination of rice, protein, and the yachae jum really set Sobahn apart. Overall, I'm happy I got to experience two vastly different cuisines that I wouldn't have otherwise explored. F&C has motivated me to consider trying some new food that I'm not really familiar with. I plan on taking my family to the Blue Nile for some mango juice. and my brother and I are going to go try some Indian food over the weekend. It's more fun than I'd have thought to explore new food, and I'm happy that I got the opportunity!
I agree with your comparisons between the two restaurants, I think that for an overall experience I preferred Sobahn, despite the Blue Niles mango juice. The chicken last night was also the highlight for myself and it was a contest at our table to get the most of it. I would definitely recommend that you and your brother try Indian food as we eat a lot of it back in England and its unbelievable!
DeleteI had been saving myself all day in anticipation for the Korean food and I was not disappointed. I for one am not a picky eater at all and found myself enjoying all of the food. The highlight for me was definitely the chicken dish, and I also really enjoyed the yachae jum and the small dish of sauce we were provided to dip it into. I also really enjoy hot food and didn't really find anything that hot at the table, and I found the pepper paste perfect to mix in with the rice and give it a bit of a kick. I can use chopsticks but I was unfamiliar with metal ones so as Ben said all of our table resorted to the spoon eventually.
ReplyDeleteI was fascinated in class by the cultural table norms in Korea and although they seemed odd to us, I can see the reasoning behind them all (apart from turning away when drinking alcohol). I like the idea of the respect shown to the elders and I really like the idea of them always paying for the meal.
I would definitely go back to Sobahn and would like to sample what else they have to offer as I am always interested in trying new foods.
I as well am not a picky eater and I enjoy all foods. The food to me had the right amount of spice and loved the dishes that were served with spice the most. I can totally agree with the chopsticks, I wasn't used to the metal chopsticks and I tried various times to get it right, but the food was just slipping off the sticks. It is very different from wooden chopsticks, so in the end I did resort to using the spoon and it was also only because I didn't eat all day and I was hungry.
DeleteThe Korean restaurant was a great and fun experience. It was fun to learn a new culture that has a lot of rules and etiquette when it comes to eating. I had to be mindful of how I was eating and if I was doing it correctly. It's definitely a different spin from America that has etiquette but most people don't apply them unless for curtain occasions. There were a few hurdles That I had to over come. For the chop sticks Danny and I made it a goal to make it through the entire meal using them, it was difficult at times to eat some of the food items but I feel as if it added to the experience as a whole. As for the taste, it was hard for me to eat the fish and cabbage because I really wasn't ready for the taste and texture of them. But it tonight me to always try something at least once. Overall I really enjoyed the experience and I can most definitely see myself eating Korean in the future.
ReplyDeleteKyle Spain
Before going to the restaurant, I asked my Korean teammate what to expect. She told me that the food was kind of spicy and that the beef and chicken were very good. I was told to try the bulgogi which ended up being my favorite thing at Sobahn. When we got to the restaurant and began eating, I tried to use my chopsticks but could not accomplish getting any food so I settled for the spoon. I was a little hesitant to try the rice cakes, but I got out of my comfort zone and was surprised at the texture of the food. It reminded me of a gummy worm or a marshmallow. I thought the chicken was very good as well as the mixture of the veggies and the bulgogi with the rice on the bottom (dol sot bibipbap). I did not like the fish or the cabbage, but everything else I really enjoyed. I took the bulgogi and sauce and put that on top of my rice which was very good! I thought it was interesting to learn about the customs of the Korean culture before we went to the restaurant. I thought it was interesting how the elder buys the meal and are also the one's who eat first. Also, I thought it was neat how you don't pour your own drink. The Koreans are also very respectful to their ancestors and it is a sign of disrespect if you stick your chopsticks in your rice. I think it is cool that they have these customs because we do not really have that in the American culture. Overall, I enjoyed eating unfamiliar foods and found my self surprised by what foods taste like despite their looks. I enjoyed the communal experience of the meal. The food was definitely different from the Blue Nile Café, but I enjoyed the Korean food more. I think the different flavors of the meat and chicken were very good!
ReplyDeleteKatie McMurray
It was great experience when I visited the Korean restaurant. The decoration can tell it’s an Asian restaurant. The Waiters were more respectful and happy to serve us. Also, it was nice to learn a new culture that has a lot of rules when it starts to eat. There were more of meals where we shared with our group at the table. I also got the chance to try everything and it was a very good foods. The two meals I really like are “Yachae Jum” veggie pancake and “Tteokbokki” spicy ricecakes. Also, I do not forget the “Kimchi” it made form spicy vegetable and some people called it the Korean French fries. However, I face some trouble with the chop sticks but it was my goal to ate with it.
ReplyDeleteAli Alqahtani
The Korean restaurant was a really nice experience for me. I enjoyed a lot more of the foods dishes than the Ethiopian restaurant overall. My favorite dishes were the Yachae Jum, and the Kimchi. I also enjoyed the the spicy chicken and the stone bowl with the rice and vegetables. I was certainly surprised at myself that I enjoyed all of these foods mainly because I am not at all a fan of spicy foods, I never have been, but the Kimchi was one of my favorites! I found that using the chopsticks was the most difficult thing for me but I never gave up and used them the entire time. I really found the Korean etiquette intriguing because its things that are opposite from etiquette we have in America. Learning their traditions was defiantly beneficial to my entire experience at the restaurant! I would visit Sobahn again!
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that I noticed at the Korean Restaurant was that the waitresses were very kind and respectful. I felt like they were happy to serve the group. The first thing that I tried was the bulgogi which was the beef. This was my favorite dish of the night. I also liked the bi bim bop (rice with vegetables and an egg on top) and the spicy chicken with vegetables. The spicy rice cake was okay. It had good flavor but I didn't like the texture of it. I wasn't a fan of the veggie pancake or the cabbage but I'll try anything once. I made sure to try every type of food on the table. We ate with only a spoon or stainless steel chop sticks. I personally love eating with chop sticks although I usually eat with wooden chopsticks. I thought it was interesting how we do not pour our own drinks. I think that it is very important to learn about different cultures along with what types of food they eat. Learning the different cultures and their etiquette rules makes me more mindful of what I am doing at all times while eating at the table.
ReplyDeleteWhat a night. I love Korean culture and Korean food. I had never been to Sobahn but it was pretty good. Not my favorite Korean restaurant in town but it's hard to go wrong with Korean in my book. In addition to polishing off our kimchi and the table next to ours, all of the dishes were classic korean flavors. Bulgogi is actually pretty difficult to make correctly and though the flavors were there, I thought that the meat was a bit dry. Quite frankly the Bi Bim Bop was my favor dish. I would have loved the runny yolk to pull everything together. I have had this with a raw egg, and it pretty much cooks off as you stir it. i wonder if you can request just the yolk...hmm. I love new places to explore food. It's a terrible passion to have and it's a wonder I'm not 400 lbs!
ReplyDeleteThe fact we learned about sticking your chopsticks upright in your bowl was very interested. I love useless knowledge facts to be able to break out when I need them, this is a great one for the collection.
Korean culture with food is quite different from ours from what I learned. First off the way that the Korean culture eats their food, with a spoon or with chopsticks was a bit challenging for me mostly because I didn't know how to use the chopsticks correctly and the food just kept slipping off the chopsticks. I am more used to wooden chopsticks, which was another difference is that the chopsticks are made from a metal just like our forks. Another difference that I learned was the way that Korean culture drinks their alcohol and the way that they pour each others drink. A lot of the times someone might pour our drinks, but it wouldn't be a bad thing if we poured our own drink. Also we don't face the other way when we drink our alcohol. As for the restaurant, I really enjoyed all of the food. One of my favorites was the bowl that had a mixture of food in it and then it was mixed with a spoon. I liked the blend of all the food inside the bowl and not just one particular food. I also enjoyed the rice noodles I believe it was. It was the food that was a bit chewy and it reminded me of a spicy gummy worm in the sense of texture.
ReplyDeleteI really loved my experience at the Korean restaurant. I had eaten a pretty similar Korean meal with Eric while we were in Montreal last May, but I definitely preferred the food we had in Kansas City to the one we had in the small restaurant in Montreal. In Montreal, we had sushi and the pancakes had seafood in them, and we did not get the hot chicken or beef that we got in this class. I think what really made a difference between the two experiences was that I had already had it before and knew what to expect so I was more ready to try new things and enjoy the new flavors. My favorite part was the spicy chicken with the crispy rice from hot kettle on the table. I was ready for the texture and flavor of the Bulgogi this time and I liked it much more because I wasn't surprised by the texture. The kimchi was really good mixed with different entrees like the beef. I think I will definitely have Korean food more often and explore with more foods from different cultures in the future.
ReplyDeleteAlexi Chadbourne