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Jul 112011

Preview for the 2nd Annual LA Street Food Fest
IOTA, Koreatown (Los Angeles), California

The high-tech interior of IOTA Coffee House

With the 2nd annual LA Street Food Fest to be held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena around the corner, I took advantage of an opportunity to meet some of the participants in this year’s event and to sample some of the food that will represent their culinary offerings at the festival. The previews were held over two nights and hosted in restaurants so new that they’re either just opened or soon to open. I attended the second night, held at yet-to-launch, ultra-modern IOTA Coffee House in Koreatown. In addition to being the conduit for coffee wizard Eton Tsuno to bring his A-game to LA, fresh fare by Chef Karen Kang will also be available. The space is an overwhelming assault on the senses with an atmosphere more appropriate for a hot Manhattan dance spot than a coffee house; the kitchen is cordoned off from the dining area by glass that gives those inside full view of the food preparation. Giant monitors wrap around the top of the space with multiple flat panels throughout at eye-level. IOTA creates fresh, healthy drinks but their showpiece is a coffee bar that looks like a mad scientist’s lab with a bank of drip coffee stations and a gargantuan siphon coffee maker standing guard in front of the glassed-in roaster, capable of turning out 2000 pounds of perfectly roasted beans daily.

Making drip-filtered coffee to order

Prior to the start of the event, two women dressed in traditional Korean attire brewed and instructed patrons on how to create the perfect cup of tea. The bar was open with drinks spiked with Sailor Jerry rum available as well as fresh fruit-laden water and a drink made from thinned pomegranate hongcho (red vinegar) which is said to have considerable health benefits. Every table in the place was filled by media who were introduced to the players by LA Street Food Fest founder Shawna Dawson. One of the two food trucks participating in the event (the Mighty Boba Truck) debuted at last year’s event before they even had the pink slip on a mobile restaurant. In addition to providing tasting cups of milk tea boba (slightly sweetened and blended with non-dairy cream), MBT presented a spicy buttermilk-dipped popcorn chicken garnished with fried basil leaves. Although absolutely delicious, I found it odd that they eschewed dairy for the milk tea boba for dietary considerations, yet buttermilk was a key part of the preparation of the popcorn chicken.

Okonomiyaki from the Glowfish truck

With their kitchen on wheels also parked out front, Glowfish brought in family-style samples of their menu including okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake that seemed to have everything in it but the kitchen sink. A thick layer of bonita shavings liberally graced the top of the dish and they danced as the heat from the pancake hit them. One item seemed somewhat Anglo – it was a dish featuring sous vide beef with vegetables and garlic served with a green salad and white rice. The meat was slightly chewy but not unpleasant and the folks sitting at my table were referring to it as “stew”.
IOTA also brought out some of their signature menu items from the kitchen including a tender hibachi steak that practically melted and was complemented by the crisp bed of shredded, stir fried vegetables it lay atop. A very colorful and delicious plate of glazed chicken wings was offered and they seemed to pick up spice as we ate our way to the bottom.

Gleeka's spanakopita

Gleeka Greek pastries (who sell online) provided a crumbly trinity of phyllo dough pastries including melomakarona, spanakopita and baklava. The spinach in the spanakopita was not cooked down to mush and the crust was still flaky, but I had to laugh a little that the sample sat atop a flattened green cupcake paper (yes, green, not blue). With each course, the owners, chefs and creators of the food vendors were introduced and each gave a little background on their venture and cuisine. Introduced were Rachel Furman, Brand Ambassador for Sailor Jerry Rum; Luca Tseng (co-owner) and Dewey Chou (chef) of The Mighty Boba Truck; Stephanie Ziemer of Gleeka Greek pastries; Brian Chong (part of the team launching IOTA Coffee); and the crew from the Glowfish truck.

Three self-explanatory desserts

IOTA finished the meal with a dessert power trio of cupcake-sized tiramisu, mango tart and a mini chocolate mousse cake. The tiramisu was passible for not coming from North Beach, Little Italy or the North End, and the mango tart was creamy, tangy and delicious. I’m not a big chocolate fan, although Samantha Stanley (events coordinator for this year’s beneficiary of the event, Downtown Women’s Shelter) mentioned that she enjoyed the mousse center; I found the frosting to be a little odd, and I was assisted with the adjective “slimy”.

A shortened Korean women's tea ceremony on IOTA's patio

After the meal the attendees returned to the spacious roofed outdoor patio where the women preparing tea earlier in the evening conducted a short, traditional women’s tea ceremony. One woman prepared three cups of tea and requested two volunteers from the audience to partake of the tea. The crowd sat or stood silent until Fiona Chandra (of the blog Gourmet Pigs) and I got up to participate, taking our cues from the preparer.
The food vendors we met and cuisine we sampled were but a small representation of what will be featured once again in the Rose Bowl on what is being called “Carmageddon” (the closing of Route 405), but ticket sales have been brisk so far and word is getting out of alternative means of transportation as well as discount hotel rates for those attending that wish to stay in Pasadena. Judging by the timed schedule from the web site, this year’s event has been planned out keeping in mind the lessons learned from the inaugural event. Those attending the event truly will be able to proudly brag about their street smarts.

IOTA Coffee House
528 S. Western Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90020
GPS coordinates: 34° 3’52.06″N 118°18’32.29″W

Glowfish Food Truck
Twitter: /GlowfishTruck

The Mighty Boba Truck
Twitter: /mightyboba

Gleeka Greek pastry’s web site: http://www.gleekagreekpastries.com/

Website for the 2nd annual LA Street Food Fest at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA: http://lastreetfoodfest.com/

GALLERY: See images from the media preview for the 2nd annual L.A. Street Food Fest at IOTA Coffee House in Koreatown (Los Angeles) CA

NOTE: This cost for this meal was provided by the organizers of the L.A. Street Food Fest. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

Long Live The King

Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA 2 Responses »

Apr 232011

Kings Row, Pasadena, California

The legendary oxtail osso buco

There are seldom any complaints when a restaurant pulls all the stops at their premier bash, and such was the case with the recent pre-opening party at Kings Row gastropub in Pasadena, California. The million-dollar question on my mind was this: could they keep the vibe going with exceptional cuisine in a comfortable and loose atmosphere on your average night. If my experience a week after opening is any indication, Kings Row delivers the goods. In order to get a fuller appreciation of the Kings’ supper, I joined Claudia and friend Eddie Lin for a taste of the regular menu, starting with their signature cocktails. I couldn’t help being fascinated by the Ginger beer, an odd mix of the once lowly, now trendy Pabst Blue Ribbon and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur – the melding of both muted each other so there was still the heady beer aroma with a sweet ginger taste.

Bubble and squeak in name only

We opened with three opening selections, starting with Kings Row’s take on the immortal British side dish, bubble and squeak. This concoction was bubble and squeak in name only; I wasn’t in the kitchen to hear it babble and bubble while being cooked, but I suppose you had to name it something. Chef Jesse cooked down young potatoes and chunks of asparagus and then liberally added in tiny bits of smoked salmon – the whole pile was gloriously topped with a fried egg, whose fork-released lifeblood permeated the dish and brought it to life. The unique and strong tastes of the salmon and asparagus worked wonderfully together and I was ready to order another bowl before coming to my senses and realizing I had bigger fish to fry. The barbacoa tacos were tasty, with the sweet, melty meat accompanied by a zesty avocado salsa and grilled jalapenos, but as light and crispy as the fried tortilla shells were, soft tortillas may have brought out more of the flavor. Their duck banh mi was more traditional that some I’ve had in Vietnamese fusion restaurants with crunchy greens and a jalapeno/carrot mix that gave a nod to curtido, and the sandwich won over Claudia, who is not much of a fan of duck.

A Merguez sausage corn dog with root beer batter

We had seen the trippy Merguez corndog on the chalked menu outside and put it on our “must have” list. The spicy sausage wrapped in a layer of root beer infused batter was like a trip to the fair in one sitting. The corndog was accompanied by three dips, and although the spicy mustard added a different dimension to the skewered meat, it was flavorful enough to be enjoyable naked. Choosing an entree was difficult; the menu turns pub fare on its head and reflects innovation and variety, pushing the culinary envelope. The oxtail osso buco that we went wild over at the pre-opener is obviously a dish that requires considerable preparation, so we decided to see if it was consistently outstanding and I am pleased to report that we were not disappointed, once again leaving nothing but bare vertebrae on the plate.

In that mound of food lies a boar meatloaf wrapped in bacon

Claudia opted for the more traditional, simply prepared grilled hangar steak which was tender and juicy even though she had ordered it medium well. I was drawn into the lure of the formidable mélange dubbed Sheppard’s Stack – this behemoth slab of veal and boar meatloaf was trimmed in bacon and laid on a bed of roasted corn kernels, carrot and pureed potato and crowned with a nest of fried red onion. The meat separated with a fork, including the bacon wrapping, and the taste was rich and earthy, evoking images of dining in a forest carpeted with freshly fallen autumn leaves. For dessert, we split a drunken bread pudding and savored a nice hot cup of coffee before retiring indoors to drink until they started putting the chairs up on the table.

Kings Row is expanding their menu to introduce a Sunday brunch, which kicks off on Easter Sunday, April 24; the menu includes biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak, buckwheat waffles, steak hash and eggs and buttermilk griddle cakes and with Chef Jesse holding court it promises to be the place to hit on Sunday morning. Royalty isn’t elected, but after personally witnessing that they got game, Kings Row has my vote.

Kings Row
20 Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena CA 91105
GPS Coordinates: 34°8’43.32″N 118°9’0.03″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s dinner at Kings Row in Pasadena, California

NOTE: This cost for this meal was provided by the restaurant. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

It’s Good To Be The King

Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA 2 Responses »

Apr 102011

Kings Row, Pasadena, California

Nose-to-tail - pig snout, cheeks, trotter and tail

When Mediterranean-inspired Neomeze closed in Pasadena’s Old Town, all eyes were focused on what would emerge in that space. The management team literally stripped the historic hundred year-old building down to the bare bricks, and Kings Row is the phoenix that has emerged from the ashes. I was invited to attend the grand opening party on a brisk Thursday evening the night before opening to the public; to celebrate, Kings Row planed a pig roast in the expansive green patio on the alley. Ironically, the open air back space looks more like a restaurant entrance than the narrow hallway facing Colorado Boulevard where the only indication that you’re in the right place is a square red awning over the doorway. The back entrance features two wooden doors suspended by cables that appear to be free-standing, and once through the portal I found a grinning Chef Thomas Jesse standing watch like a proud parent over an 80 pound hog roasting inside a Caja China box. Chef Jesse started prepping the porker the day before, applying and injecting a citrus Mojo marinade made with sour orange, cumin, oregano, garlic and some pureed pineapple he found behind the bar.

The bat cam view of Kings Row

A crowd had gathered around the box like gastronomic paparazzi, all wanting a sneak peak at the beast, but Chef Jesse wasn’t cracking the sheet of hot coals open to release the heat until the pig was ready. The waiting throngs were served bar tapas that included a moist and flavorful (yet simple) salmon skewer and a dry-aged beef slider; sides included corn on the cob, barbecue beans and an odd white chocolate macaroni and cheese (odd because the dish wasn’t swarming with chocolate flavor, yet there was a curious sweetness to it that was unexpected in the popular comfort food). The alcohol was free-flowing and they offered up cocktails from their custom drink menu as well as house-made red or white sangria. Since it seemed pointless to drink sangria that wasn’t blood-colored I opted for the red, but was a little surprised to not be able to locate any fruit in the glass. Being the designated driver I also nursed a Fig in the City, a pulpy and fruity martini made with Kleiner Fig Vodka, Citronage and lychee which lasted me the rest of the late night.

The back patio at Kings Row in Pasadena

The hog was set on a table under a tent where it was carved up on demand. The meat was juicy, tender and slightly tangy and although the skin had some crispness to it, there wasn’t any bubbly, crackly chicharrón characteristic to it. I mentioned to some of the other attendees queued up for pig flesh that I was focused on getting the eyes and cheek meat, and I was assured that those choice cuts would undoubtedly be available at the carving table. Unfortunately the chef’s deft fingers couldn’t locate any eyes in the sockets (they appeared to have cooked away), so I settled on cheek meat, the tail, a trotter and the snout (which I didn’t have to fight anyone for). There wasn’t much edible real estate on the tail or trotter after the long, slow roasting, but I found the snout astoundingly tasty – the outside skin was crispy and the attached meat was dark, rich and moist.

The fruity Fig in the City martini

As delicious as the pork was, I was dying to try some of the new, fusion gastropub menu items; Chef Jesse generously brought out a double portion of his signature oxtail osso bucco, which to me looked more like brontosaurus osso bucco, the kind of dish that topples Fred Flintstone’s car when placed on the window tray. The meat melted away from the bone like a fine pot roast; the flavor was amazing, rendered sweet from the red wine bourguignon reduction. It took six people at our table to wrestle that dish into extinction, every bite memorable.

Neomeze had a reputation as a raucous happy hour party spot, but the reinvented Kings Row has a low key, casual vibe that’s comfortable and loose. It’s difficult to tell if the pre-opening night feel will carry over to regular service, but I see exciting times ahead for the new gastropub. I look forward to trying additional items off the regular menu, but what I enjoyed at the pre-coronation festivities almost left this king speechless.

Kings Row
20 Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena CA 91105
GPS Coordinates: 34°8’43.32″N 118°9’0.03″W

GALLERY: See images from Val’s visit to the pre-opening pig roast at Kings Row in Pasadena, California

NOTE: This cost for this event or meal was provided by the venue, restaurant, event coordinator or public relations firm. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event

I Came, I Slaw, I Conquered

Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna), USA 6 Responses »

Mar 182011

West Virginia hot dogs / slaw dogs
West Virginia and the Carolinas

A Cosmic Dog, skin-on fries, Elvis and the Jetson

Macaroni and cheese has never really worked for me as a comfort food, so it’s no big secret that nothing brings a smile to my face faster than daydreaming about standing on a street corner with a hot wiener in my hand. Perhaps that image was a bit too graphic for you and requires explanation – I’m talking about the iconic hot dog. Whether we christen it a frank, wiener, red hot, tube steak, or just plain hot dog is irrelevant – I’ll never pass up the opportunity to go down on a good hot dog. A substandard weenie will not do – the casing, quality of the meat, preparation and even the ambience (with the street taking top billing as the dining environment of choice) makes all the difference in the world. Sometimes a simple steamed hot dog off an umbrella’ed cart, nestled in a white bread bun with a modest application of mustard (never the abomination that is ketchup) is all it takes, but I also like to walk on the wild side. There are so many variations on a theme and not enough bandwidth to cover them all here, so let’s focus on the dog dish that has come to be known in frankfurter circles as the slaw dog.

Jacks Cosmic Dogs original location in Mt. Pleasant, SC

Most people agree that the slaw dog was invented (thrown together is a more appropriate word) in the early half of the 20th century in West Virginia. To this day, it is simply known there as a “West Virginia hot dog” and although its popularity spread out into North Carolina and the surrounding states, it has taken off like contestants in a dachshund race. There are multiple preparations of this Frankenfurter, with most involving mustard, beanless chili and a liberal application of coleslaw; often times mayo, ketchup and chopped onions are involved. The version popular in the Carolinas often features BBQ sauce on the dog or sometimes mixed in with the slaw. It isn’t difficult to find throughout West Virginia and parts of North Carolina in fine dining establishments, dive bars and diners alike.

The Slaw Dogs take on a slaw dog

One spot that ramps it up a notch is Mount Pleasant, South Carolina’s Jack’s Cosmic Dogs, a cinder block box that looks like the 1950s version of a futuristic diner where you might park your flying car to grab a bite. The parking lot is strewn with surplus torpedoes and rockets from deceased amusement park rides, keeping with the Jetsonian theme, and once inside you’re assaulted with neon, red Formica and chrome tables and flying saucer-shaped lamps. The menu is sci-fi themed, featuring dogs with such names as the Atomic Dog, Galactic Dog, and the New Frontier-sounding Neutron Dog; most of these have different combinations of the West Virginia dog ingredients, but also add or hold cheese, sauerkraut, pickles, relish, etc. I asked for their signature dog, the Cosmic Dog. This bad boy’s bun was slathered with homemade sweet potato mustard that was both piquant and sweet, and topped with a mound of their blue cheese slaw (essentially coleslaw prepped with chunky blue cheese dressing). The Cosmic Dog was messier than a Sam Peckinpaw film, but much less uncomfortable to sit through; the fries were fried in peanut oil with their skins left on. An inspired take does not always equal a good hot dog if it isn’t cooked right, but their tube steak was moist, hot and firm. As if their Cosmic Dogs and fries weren’t enough, they also offer root beer on tap from Old Dominion Brewery (formerly in the D.C area but now located in Dover’ Delaware. The rooty-tooty fresh and bubbly brew is served properly in frosted mugs and did more to evoke old-timey soda fountain goodness than any soda I’ve ever had.

No wondering what they serve here

Of course if you’re in SoCal and want to try the local recreation, there are two places to try. Pasadena, California’s The Slaw Dogs doesn’t waste time with a catchy name – they’re all about bringing West Virginia west, but with a Southern California attitude. Despite their name, the most authentic offering goes by the superlative title of “#1 The Original”, featuring everything you’d expect from the West Virginia patriarch with the addition of your choice of cheese. Several other coleslaw-themed hot dogs follow the Asian angle – the #8 Thai Slaw Dog starts with a chicken sausage and tops it with a cilantro-carrot slaw and plenty of peanut flavor (with a satay dressing and chopped peanuts). The only problem with the dish (besides the fact that a West Virginian wouldn’t recognize it) is that the hot dog gets subdued by the thick vegetation crowning it. Their #9 Soy Bomb is a vegetarian offering features tofu and a ginger/sesame slaw – definitely not something you’re likely to find in a Charleston gas station.

The Fab Hot Dog take on the West Virginia hot dog

A more traditional alternative is Fab Hot Dogs in Reseda, California, hands-down one of my favorite purveyors of hot dogs not only in SoCal but quite possibly the U.S. for one reason – their spot-on recreations of regional favorites all available in a single location. Expect to find their version of the infamous Oki-Dog, the Northern New Jersey ripper (on which they’ve built their reputation), the street favorite bacon-wrapped hot dog (lovingly called the LA Street Dog, although Angelenos often refer to them as “danger dogs”) and last but not least, the Carolina Slaw Dog. Their tribute is as realistic as it gets – your basic all-beef hot dog topped with mustard, chili and garden-variety coleslaw. This is as close as you’re going to get without springing for the airfare to Raleigh – a superb hot dog with chili that would complement a standalone chili dog and coleslaw like everyone’s mom used to make. I have had many of their other recreations, including the best Chicago-style dog I’ve had outside the Windy City.

Fab Hot Dogs, a veritable museum of hot dogs

If you’re on 6th Avenue in Manhattan or in the cheap bleachers at Fenway Park, there’s no substitute for your basic ballpark frank, but if you have the opportunity to enjoy the tubular treat that is a slaw dog, I highly recommend it, but I wouldn’t expect a coleslaw-topped version of the Big Bite any time soon.

Jack’s Cosmic Dogs
2805 U.S. 17
Mount Pleasant, SC 29466
GPS Coordinates: 32°51’22.59″N 79°47’54.37″W

The Slaw Dogs
720 North Lake Ave. #8
Pasadena, CA 91104
GPS Coordinates: 34°9’30.20″N 118°7’56.22″W

Fab Hot Dogs
19417 Victory Blvd.
Reseda, CA 91335
GPS Coordinates: 34°11’12.58″N 118°33’21.82″W

See images of West Virginia-style hot dogs Val has eaten in various places

Of Cabbages And Kings

Asia, Trippy Food (Tasty flora and fauna) 1 Response »

Nov 222010

Kimchi

Korea

Enjoying hand-made kimchi at Cham Bistro R&D Kitchen

Mention kimchi and most thoughts turn towards the familiar chili-seasoned, fermented Napa cabbage (baechu kimchi) provided in various degrees of quality as an integral member of banchan in Korean restaurants. While it’s true that this rendition is the most popular today, kimchi throughout the centuries has been a staple food of the Korean people using a wide variety of fruit, vegetables and seasonings. Shopping for kimchi at your local neighborhood Asian market can be a mind-numbingly baffling task – with the plethora of tubbed and jarred versions available it’s impossible to choose. Historically kimchi was prepared differently depending on the season, with the dish being consumed fresh in the warmer seasons and fermented underground in huge earthenware jars during the colder months (baechu kimchi is typically an autumn kimchi). Kimchi is a dish that incorporates complex tastes, smells and textures, and because of the multitude of preparation methods, differences in fermentation times and temperatures, each experience eating it is unique (although refrigerators designed specifically for making kimchi create more consistent results in a controlled environment). Do any cursory research on kimchi and you’ll discover that it also garners high ratings as a superfood because of the presence of beneficial lactobacillus that forms during the fermentation process, it is low in fat and calories, high in fiber and contains considerable amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. Some questionable studies suggest that it may even ward off avian flu (a fact that you should find comforting if you’re a chicken subsisting on a diet of kimchi).

Some of the ingredients for making kimchi

I have come to terms with my kimchi addiction and no longer entertain the notion of breaking into the local 99 Ranch Market at 3 AM for a kimchi fix, but the recent invitation to attend a kimchi-making class at Chām Bistro’s R&D Kitchen in Vernon, California was like giving a crank-head a spot on a meth lab assembly line – an opportunity too good to pass up. Chām Korean Bistro in Pasadena, California was opened to the public as a direct result of the culinary work done at !iT Jeans (a denim fashion line founded by CEO Kimmy Song). !iT Jeans creates clothing in a progressive environment; in addition to a fully equipped gym and a proliferation of art on the premises, Song provides meals for the staff in a state-of-the-art kitchen. Many of the meals served (as well as the dishes served at Chām Korean Bistro) are developed and executed by Chef E. J. Jeong (late of A.O.C and BOA Steakhouse); Jeong served as the coach for the class that I attended. Prior to the start of the session we applied generous quantities of pickling materials, including a fresh, fruit-packed cocktail featuring Korean bokbunjajoo (black raspberry wine), the citrus yuzu and sparking wine, and a tropical beverage featuring makgeolli (Korean rice wine), pineapple purée, agave syrup and Sprite that tasted like a piña colada in search of a coconut. Presumably to keep us from eating our class projects, some light Korean tapas-style dishes were also available; these included pickled neon-green seaweed, sautéed kimchi and spicy tuna in tofu pockets, what I like to call “ahi-pops” (seared ahi tuna with chimichuri on a stick), and my new favorite: roasted and salted kale. The kale made the sound of dry, autumn leaves and dissolved like rice paper on my tongue; there was only the slightest smoky bitterness familiar to kale lovers, and the coarse salt grains coating the leaves cracked like Pop Rocks.

Folding over the cabbage loaded up with the kimchi mix

With our appetites whetted temporarily it was time to suit up and get down to business. Our instructor demonstrated the process from the beginning, starting with the scoring of the large heads of Napa cabbage near the bottom and splitting the sections for an initial soaking in salted water. She extracted wilted sections from a bowl in which cabbage leaves were soaked prior and instructed us on how to salt between the leaves and place the sections back in the briny bath. A third bowl held leaves that had already been rinsed and were soft, pliable and ready for the big treatment. In yet another large steel bowl (of which seemed to be in limitless supply) she combined the pickling ingredients, starting with a creamy, translucent rice porridge that looked like library paste and dried and crushed red chili peppers. After blending these together, she added julienned daikon radish, loosely chopped mustard greens, Korean chives, an anchovy-based fish sauce and ultra-salty tiny shrimp (for protein) and Asian pear (for sweetness). These ingredients were all mixed together by latex-gloved hand (although I’m not sure if it was for sanitary reasons or to avoid chemical burns from the chilis); when the concoction was a limp, wet mess it was time to load up the cabbage sections. We pulled back each of the leaves and slathered a generous dollop of the organic goop over and between them before folding the bunch over; it was delightful wet-work and I felt like an obstetrician on game day delivering an 8-ounce Napa-baby. I delicately placed my little bundle of culinary joy into a Mason jar to take home and allow to gestate for 20 days in the back of my refrigerator. Out of curiosity I licked my gloves to see what the substance tasted like prior to fermentation, and I have to admit it was pretty tasty.

Sweet and spicy persimmon kimchi

Once the kimchi-making was complete, it was time to sit down to enjoy a beautiful and fresh bo ssam featuring a Hama Hama oyster, braised pork shoulder slices, kimchi, wilted Napa cabbage leaves, tiny salted shrimp and a red chili paste (with sesame leaves provided to wrap all the ingredients together in a tasty little bundle). The combination of flavors and textures was astounding and I savored every bite, not wanting the moment to end. We were also treated to two additional kimchis: a “young kimchi” (freshly made using the same process as the one created in the class, but without fermentation) and a delightful persimmon kimchi that had a firm texture and a curious contrast of sweet and spicy flavor. Out of curiosity, I asked Chef Jeong about kimchi I had in the past that seemed to have a certain degree of carbonation (almost like bubbles in a sparkling water) and wondered what caused that; she asked if I remembered where I had it, since the bubbles were the produced by lactic acid during the fermentation process and signified a superior kimchi. If you have the opportunity to attend one of these sessions, I highly recommend the educational and cultural experience. I’m sure when I open my matured jar of hand-made kimchi it will go down in history as the finest crafted kimchi in the western hemisphere, chock full of spicy effervescence – at least that’s how I imagine it, so please don’t burst my bubble.

Chām Bistro R&D Kitchen
5251 S. Santa Fe Avenue
Vernon, CA 90058
GPS Coordinates: 33°59’40.74″N 118°13’49.89″W

Chām Korean Bistro
851 Cordova St.
Pasadena, California 91101
GPS Coordinates: 34° 8’33.46″N 118° 7’57.74″W

See images of Val’s visit to the Chām Bistro R&D Kitchen to make kimchi

NOTE: This cost for this event was provided by the restaurant. The content provided in this article was not influenced whatsoever by the organizer of the event.

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