Saving the Best for Last

This was the dinner we had on our last night in Korea. It's Beef Bulgogi and may I say that it is the best barbecue this tour has to offer. Notice that the pot is overflowing with mushrooms and vegetables. That is because the restaurant needed to add lots of extenders to the dish since they (or any restaurant for that matter) don't offer free beef refills. Unlike pork and chicken, beef is a very expensive commodity in Korea.

If look at the picture once more, you will see that there is more of those long , white, stringy mushrooms. Those are Golden Needle Mushrooms and here in the Philippines, it is a very expensive imported food. Since it grows abundantly in Korea, I was able to indulge until my craving was completely satisfied.

This was the best traditional barbecue I had in the entire tour. Not only did the sweet and spicy flavors of the beef barbecue win me over, but I was able to enjoy an abundant supply of the expensive Golden Needle Mushrooms.

Pork Barbecue

When we had lunch at the Korean country side, near the ski resort, we had pork barbecue cooked the traditional way. The raw meat was grilled on an open flame so constant attention is critical to keep the food from burning to a crisp. To be honest, the pork wasn't as flavorful as the previous barbecues I have eaten. Like the other dishes, the meat was also soaked in seasonings and spices. But because of the method of cooking, the marinade probably dripped through the grill and the open flame assisted in drying the pork and evaporating the flavors. Another possible explanation for the food's rather bland taste is that the pork slices were immediately placed on the grill when refilled and were not properly marinated. But given its taste, I'm not disappointed at all with this dining experience. The pork's texture was surprisingly very tender and the side dishes added some zest and flavor. I finished two bowls of rice after all. What more if I went crazy over the barbecue?

Osam Bulgogi

Barbecued food is a main characteristic of Korean cuisine and there are several ways to prepare such dishes. Osam Bulgogi is a mixture of pork, squid, vegetables and spices all cooked in a wide wok. The fluid on the photo is not boiling water. It is the marinade or sauce of the barbecue. It looks like soup since all the ingredients are literally swimming in the liquid. The heat from the flame cooks the food and boils the marinade at the same time, which infuses the meat and vegetables with a sweet, salty and spicy taste. This is the secret behind the Bulgogi's intense flavor. Although Osam Bulgogi is not grilled with the traditional open-flame, it is still classified as a barbecued dish. The differences in the methods of preparation is just part of Korean culture and culinary creativity.