Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Eating Korean food at Sobahn Restaurant
After our lectures on Food in Film and Food Packaging and Branding, the class went to a Korean restaurant to eat Kimbop, Dol Sot Bibimbop, Spicy chicken and Vegetables, Bulgogi, and Veggie Pancake. Of course, Kimchi and other tasty side dishes were also on the menu.
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ReplyDeleteThe Sobahn Restaurant was a great experience and the food was awesome! I've learned several different things regarding the Korean culture's etiquette that really fostered getting to know the individuals at my table. It was interesting in learning that the youngest person, who happened to be myself, was responsible for stirring/mixing the egg in the Dol Sot Bibimbop dish. I took the pleasure in doing so and this dish happened to be my favorite. I also liked the idea of allowing the oldest person at the table to begin eating first before others indulge. This practice in the Korean etiquette symbolizes respect to elders and I felt privileged to own the task. I also challenged myself to use the metal chopsticks for the entire course of the meal. Although, a bit rocky I managed and felt more connected to the Korean culture through sharing the same experience as one of their natives would. The chicken and beef and spices were a hit and I enjoyed the way the food was prepared. It was very flavorful and colorful to say the least. Initially, Kimbop reminded me of sushi by its similar look of the rice and seaweed wrap. It was a stretch for me to try it, however I did and enjoyed that dish as well. This second experience of trying another cultures’ food has been insightful and I am appreciative of the diverse experience.
ReplyDelete-Kierra Rolf
The experience of dining at Korean Restaurant Sobahn was awesome! I have driven by this restaurant many times in the past and often wondered about it and now I know. I have had Korean food many times in the past however I now know this is the best in town. The selections picked for us were delicious. I especially enjoyed the Dol Sot Bibimbop and the spicy sauce that accompanied it. The Beef and Chicken were also quite good, although I think they could have been a little spicier for my tastes. The Kimbop was quite good and reminded me of sushi which I also enjoy quite often. I didnt quite master the use of the metal chopsticks, although I usually am able to use the wooden ones which I found interesting, thankfully there was a spoon! I wasnt familiar until last night about the Korean cultures and was glad to know prior to going to the restaurant. The overall experience was fabulous and I truly enjoyed the conversation and food! I will definetly be taking my family back to eat here and to Blue Nile very soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Mike Cisneros
ReplyDeleteThe Sobahn Restaurant was my first Korean experience and I can assure you, it won’t be my last. The unique culture differences between my norm and theirs was very interesting. For instance, the youngest starts the meal by serving and preparing the meals. For example, the youngest at each table begins the meal by stirring the egg that is placed so delicately on top of the Dol Sol Bibimbop bowl. This hot stone bowl consisted of rice, veggies and beef (bulgogi). Once stirred, the raw egg is gradually cooked. This was my favorite dish of the night. The Korean culture is very specific to their traditions. For instance, once the eldest starts to eat, the rest of the table can begin eating. Also, something very interesting and I will make sure from now on, that I won’t stick my chopsticks pointing up into my dish. I do not want bad luck! Another fun dish was the Yachae. This veggie pancake was a delicious finger food that had a fluffy texture with a nice crisp crust. This would be something my toddler would love! I am glad that I had the privilege to experience two new restaurants and cultures. Up until now, I was so hesitant to take my family to try new restaurants due to the fact that, what if there is nothing that my toddler would eat. However, both the Blue Nile and Sobahn restaurants had something fun and flavorful that he would love! My new goal will be to have him experience all type of food and cultures.
Shae Slaughter
Another new experience provided by Avila University-a Korean feast! I knew as I entered the restaurant that the food would be good, the aroma coming from the kitchen was very inviting. I had never eaten Korean food before last night. I found the presentation of the food very appealing. It was colorful mix of foods that allowed me to taste certain things separately while other options were meant to be eaten together to combine the rich tastes and flavor combinations. The plain white rice seemed to be the perfect “backdrop” to the different choices of additives that complemented the rice into something much more enjoyable than just rice alone as a staple.
ReplyDeleteParticularly, I enjoyed the pancake filled with vegetables. I needed seconds on that dish. I also found the If I am calling it correctly the Dol Sot BiBim Bap which is the dish served in the extremely hot bowl that contains sticky rice, several vegetables, meat and an egg on top that is mixed together at the table. This was a delish combination of flavors and adding just a bit of spice really made this selection a treat. I particularly like my food hot and having the dish stay in the hot bowl certainly gave it that hot off the stove feel and taste.
Different textures are always a hit with me concerning food. I liked the kimbop, julienne radish and the cucumber dish alongside the cabbage and chicken or beef options. I tried everything and found delight in every selection.
I noticed the décor at the restaurant. The tables were shaped differently but all looked to be set up in a family style atmosphere reflected in the way the meal was served. It seemed as if we were included or invited to share; a cultural aspect to meal. In a review posted on Soban’s website, by Charles Ferruza, Pitch May 6, 2010, quotes Sharon Kwon the owner, “The family named its restaurant after a piece of furniture. ‘A sobahn is a small table used for intimate family dinners.’”
What a fun evening we had eating the Korean food, talking and laughing while trying to cut the pancake with chopsticks and maneuver the chopsticks to eat. Clearly some at our table were experts with the chopsticks while others, like myself, were quite the novice.
I am enjoying this class and all the new experiences!
Mary Lyn Villanueva
I love the combination of our lecture on food symbolism tonight with the meal we shared. I remember a story from when I was little about how King Arthur made sure his knights table was round instead of rectangular because he wanted to look into the eyes of all his knights and show that no one was higher than another... they were all equal in essence. I was lucky enough last night to sit at the round table with a group of woman who I knew very little about. As we shared our meal and served each other we began to converse on a wide variety of topics. We talked about love, about children, about growing up, about life and there was something really cool and special about what happened at dinner. As we ate the new unique flavors of meat and vegetables we began to open up to each other. We began encouraging each other to try the dishes we enjoyed and we were able to see each other in the round setting and come together. We were able to walk in strangers and walk out as friends.
ReplyDeleteI personally loved the Beef and Veggie Pancake. The sweet nature of the beef mixed with the fried dough like tasting veggies was both satisfying and fulfilling!
The Sobahn Restaurant was awesome! The food was great and the conversations were great. It was nice to try something different and the food-resembled items that I would normally eat here in the United States. The thing about this class is that we get to try different cultures of food that I would have never thought of trying without this class. The Kimbop was actually good. When I saw it in class, I thought to myself that I do not like sushi and this was awesome to try. I love spicy foods so to try the spicy chicken was a treat. The vegetables and Bulgogi were dishes that I really like the most. I could have eaten the bulgogi all night. It was nice to have great conversation at the table from people that have already tried the food already and hearing what they love about the food. I have always thought that Asian food was all the same because here normally when you go to a restaurant they serve the same thing. I went home, told everyone about this place, and said that we have to try it. I think for the next outing, I will suggest to my friends that we come back here and try more of the dishes. I am so glad that I had the honor to dine here and will be back for more.
ReplyDeleteDaniel Floyd
First I would like to say thank-you, for opening my taste buds to Korean cuisine it was my first but it won't be the last. The Sobahn Restaurant was fabulous, and I can't wait to return. I believe I tried everything and it was all amazing including that lazy susan that made it extremely convenient to pass food. I love sushi but this kimbap was phenomenal because the seaweed was not overpowering of the other flavors. The bibam bap with the spicy chili paste sauce gave it the right amount of spice to take that dish up a notch. I mixed the beef with kimchi over the rice and I wish I had some today for lunch. I was nice and gave the leftovers to my husband who is now excited about going and trying more things. I kind of giggled when I tasted the fish cake, because it reminded me of fish sticks without the breading. I could eat the fish cake with the bean spouts and relish mixture. The great conversation going around the table, and the question of did you try this dish how was it, and hearing oh it was good you should try it. The service was right up there with the food. I know I said it already, but I can't wait to go back
ReplyDeleteDanielle Weaver
As I was unfamiliar with Korean food and culture, I highly enjoyed the experience last night at Sobahn restaurant. I appreciate learning about the culture prior to visiting the restaurant, such as not pouring your own drink or that the youngest person at the table will serve the others, as it helped me feel more confident visiting a place I had not experienced. I tried each of the items and enjoyed them all -I found it interesting that some of the dishes seemed more mild in taste while others were very flavorful and spicy. My favorite dishes were the vegetable pancake, kimbap, kimchi, and the bulgogi. The dol sot bibim bap was good as well, and I was happy to see that it was served with a fried egg rather than the raw egg because I am not sure I would have been interested in trying it if I had saw the raw egg, even though the bowl would be hot enough to cook it while being stirred. The utensils proved to be a challenge for me as I have never been able to use wooden chopsticks, so the metal chopsticks were not going to happen! It was difficult for me since I was using my spoon to eat and there wasn’t a serving spoon with the dishes and I didn’t want to use my eating spoon to dig into food that others were eating from. I was the only one at my table eating with the spoon and was a bit envious of the others grabbing from the bowls with ease. I am looking forward to going back to Sobahn and trying other dishes and possibly mastering the chopsticks!
ReplyDeleteAshley Prentiss
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ReplyDeleteI have eaten Korean food plenty of times, and I have always enjoyed it. Going to Sobahn was especially delightful because it was really close to actual culture of Korean dining out (considering they westernize some aspects). For example, by keeping it more authentic water is served to everyone in glass WITHOUT ICE. For much as I can remember I have always had Soju available, I don’t remember an instance when it was not at a meal. Sobahn does have a great quality of consistency, the food was served and tasted fresh just as the last time I went. I have always loved the spices used, and when I initially ate Korean food the first time I was so surprised by how close it was to American taste for some dishes. I really enjoyed the conversations getting to know other students and learning their story also gaining insight on what they liked about their first experience eating Korean food. I think Sobahn is a really good restaurant to take first time customers. First timers will feel comfortable in this restaurant because all the waitresses were friendly and thoughtfully answered any questions that I heard asked. And even though I been in Korea and have eaten and leaved in the Korean culture, Sobahn brings me back to those good memories every time. In all, I absolutely enjoyed myself as usual eating at Sobahn!
ReplyDeleteJarell Gatlin
This was my first experience with Korean food and I really enjoyed it. The food was delicious and good. It felt very authentic which is a plus for me. The different dishes I tried were fantastic and had different exotic flavors. The restaurant itself has a very clean atmosphere. Back to the food. I mostly enjoyed the Bibimbop bowl. The different textures and colors was a treat. I topped that with the beef and the chicken (yummy). I am definitely visiting the Sobahn Restaurant again. I found the veggie pancakes to be interesting and tasteful. One thing I did find intriguing is the small plates that you eat from. The size of the plate forces you to only serve what you will accomplish to finish versus when you have a whole plate and you serve the food in a greedily way. The small servings reduce the amount of food being wasted especially if it’s a home setting for many people end up throwing food away for they couldn’t finish the pile they had on their plate. The biggest challenge for me was the chopsticks. Maybe during my next visit I will make another attempt. The best part of the evening was the conversation around the table. It was great to know my classmates and have a good laugh. Korean culture is very traditional something that is missing in our culture today especially with respect for the elders.
ReplyDeleteMarion K.
This was my first experience eating Korean food and Sobahn was fabulous. I have passed this location for years and never realized what I had been missing. With all of the choices that we were given I was not disappointed in a single one. Everything was delicious, I unfortunately came to this outing with a half full belly so I didn't get to eat as much as I would've liked too, however swimsuit season is here so that was probably best. The foods all had their own great flavors and spices. The veggie pancake was not what I expected with it's sweet flavor. The cucumber gave my tastebuds a little jolt that snuck up on them. The KimBop was really good, I like it in sushi style but can see how you would enjoy eating it in a full wrap style too. I had to cheat and use my spoon to scoop the Bibimbop out because my chop sticks were not getting the job done. The spicy chicken-Mokewn? Dalk Bokkewn and sweet beef-Bulgogi were great too. I think the table verdict swayed in favor of the beef, though I thought they were both equally delicious. The staff were very helpful, I'm grateful that they were patient with us and the little knowledge we had of their foods and traditions. This was a fun experience and loved the time spent with the ladies at my table too. It was great to get to learn more about them.
ReplyDeleteThis was my first time eating Korean food or being around Korean traditions. I started off with kimbap which I really enjoyed. I liked the fresh taste and the radishes gave it a nice flavor. The next thing I tried was kimchi jun which I loved except for the mushrooms lurking inside, not a mushroom fan, but the dish itself was amazing!! I am not going to lie, I had 3 pieces. Next I tried dol sot bibim bap which was by far my favorite thing on the table. I am a true stir fry fan and with the rice, fresh veggies, bean sprouts, fried egg, and beef, I was over the moon. I added some hot chili sauce and it was perfection. I was a fan of the raddish dish but the rest of the side dishes I did not care for. I was not pleased with the fish cakes, the fermented cabbage, the bean sprouts, or the cucumbers. Next came the bulgogi which was truly amazing, sweet and perfectly cooked. That was my favorite meat by far. An lastly we had maeun dalk bokkeum which i really liked, especially with the spicy marinade and the veggies cooked in. I loved learning about the serving traditions associated with Korean culture where the youngest members serve the elders. This shows respect and appreciation to the elders and I found this tradition to be amazing. The chop sticks took me a few minutes to get the hang pf as I had never used metal chopsticks before, but it became easier as the meal went on. Long story short, I really enjoyed the evening and the food and especially the comradery with my classmates. - Brittany MacQuarrie
ReplyDeleteThe Sobahn Korean Restaurant was really good. It was better than what I expected because of all the things I have heard about Korean food before experiencing it for myself. Most of all the food was really good the Dol Sot Bibimbop was really good and everything tasted really good together after it was all stirred up. I really enjoyed the sweet beef and white rice. The spicy chicken was also very good as well. I really didn't care too much for the spicy cabbage. I did like the KimBop that was really good. The Korean sauce was also very good. The Korean culture is very interesting and how the food and drinks are served was very unique and I was really happy they let you use spoons because I'm horrible at using chopsticks. The fish was interesting it looked very different from the fish I usually eat but it actually had a very great taste. The veggie pancakes were good as well. I really enjoyed the Korean food and it is something that I would eat again. Overall I really enjoyed the experience because it was my first time trying Korean food and I really enjoyed the food and learned a lot about the Korean culture.
ReplyDeleteDominique Taylor
This was my first time visiting a Korean restaurant. I can say that the experience was a good one. The foods served were a consistency that I was more familiar with. The tradition of having the youngest person at the table prepare the food was a new one. The meat dishes were very flavorful. I love spicy foods and the dishes we sampled were good. I particularly like the bulgogi. It was my favorite. My next favorite was the bibimbap. It was interesting that the bowl it was in, was so that hot it cooked the egg. It was really good. The pancake like food was good as well. It had a different type of texture but it worked with the vegetables inside as well. It reminded me of a flattened eggroll. The sushi like food, even though I know it was not, had to be an acquired taste as the seaweed was something I have never tried before. I like the fact that they give you a spoon in addition to the chop sticks because after a while, I put down the chop sticks and opted for the spoon. The food was presented in a way that was appealing to the eye. I will definitely go back and bring by family to enjoy this experience with me. Shalesha Mitchell
ReplyDeleteI was surprised by how good the food tasted at the restaurant. I have never had the opportunity to eat Korean food before and it is probably a restaurant I would have never visited on my own. Now that I have had the experience of it, I can say that in enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I never used chopsticks before and wasn't able to use them; so I resorted to using the spoon. I thought the beef, along with the rice really tasted good. The chicken dish was a little too spicy for me, but that pancake and some of the other items were delicious.
ReplyDeleteThe Korean culture is a fascinating one particularly when it comes to honoring the elders at the dinner table. In addition, simply watching how well people have mastered the use of chopsticks is very interesting. It is also something that will require much more practice on my behalf.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was also pleasant and relaxing. The staff was very attentive and professional. The restaurant's location is ideal and very easy to find. I don't have any experience when it comes to cooking Korean foods, but some of the dishes were so delicious and seem relatively easy to make. Perhaps one day I will try to make a Korean dish for myself.
Natalie M.
I do not get out to try new foods very often so this was a little out of my comfort zone. I decided to be open minded and give everything a chance and I was delightfully surprised with the experience. Sobahn Restaurant was a great place to venture out and try something new. There was a wide selection of Korean food to try and the staff was kind and courteous. I enjoyed the hint of spice in each dish and the additional spice we added to the Dol Sot Bibimbap, which happened to be my favorite dish. The sizzling of the rice and the mixing of an egg with a variety of vegetables is an absolute must experience. Another favorite was the veggie pancake. The texture and the mix of vegetables were a great combination with a deliciously mild flavor. The Gimbap would be a great choice for a lighter meal or as an appetizer with its light refreshing taste while the maeun dalk bokkeum, a spicy chicken, and the bulgogi, a marinated beef, would be great for a heartier option. A warm Korea tea to finish off the meal was great. I am looking forward to my next visit to Sobahn Restaurant.
ReplyDeleteStacey Schmidt
The Sobahn Korean Restaurant was interesting. I have been to a Korean restaurant before, in Bahrain where my friends and I had the choice to seat on the floor or to have a similar experience but with space under the table so it seemed as we were seating on the floor but we were not (we obviously picked the more comfortable seating for our culture). This time I did not try all the dishes because of my limitation of pregnancy; I couldn’t try the fish bowl with the egg because I didn’t know what time of fish it was. I did like the smell of it. I really liked the bulgogi to me it was just regular grilled beef but the mokeum dalk bokkeum was sweet and spicy and I’m not used to mixed flavor like that but it was interesting. I also tried the bean sprouts and the spicy cucumber and It was ok to me. I don’t remember the man but the veggie flattered looking dish was good too until I found out it was mushrooms in it and I’m allergic to mushrooms, that is why I left early. I love cultures and trying new things and sometimes I think that restaurants tend to adjust their native food with the American taste and what we eat here perhaps for sale purposes, I’m not sure.
ReplyDeleteJeanne Ebongue
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ReplyDeleteThe Sobahn restaurant was awesome. I do not venture out because usually I am intimidated by what to order or how to eat/drink. The atmosphere was very relaxing and the wait staff was so pleasant and very helpful explaining what we had in front of us. My favorite was the spicy cucumber. I don't know why I never thought to put those to things together. The makeum bokkeum was suprisingly very good and extremely tasty. I liked the sweetness of it. The spicy chicken did not last that spicy to me and was kind of bland. The veggie pancake was really good and its another I think i want to try to make. It is amazing to me how many vegetables are traditional when it feels like American cuisine just incorporates a lot of potato. I also had the green tea which was nice change of pace. I typically don't drink hot liquids but this seemed to fit in with what I has eating. Under normal circumstances I would have never tried seaweed but the kimbop was really good. It is something I want to try to make at home. I actually am thinking about taking my husband back. I feel much more comfortable now that i know what to order.
ReplyDelete