Bulgogi Beef and Spicy Tou Fu Soup

My first encounter with Korean food was in Seoul, the capital city of South Korea. It was the beginning of winter and the air outside was chilly and crisp. There was a medium-sized family-run restaurant at Namdaemun, not too far from the hotel that our crews were staying.

Raw bulgogi-sauce-marinated beef was left on a portable gas-operated stove to cook while we savour the many different side dishes that come with the main course such as Kim chi (preserved spicy cabbage), marinated beansprout, fishcakes, black beans, anchovies and so on.

Slices of cooked beef were then wrapped in green vegetable and eaten while hot. It was love at first bite. The beef was so tender and juicy that I could not help wanting for more. The taste was a little sweet but unique.

Then came the Spicy Tou Fu Soup. The steaming spicy hot soup served in earthenware for keeping warm, coupled with the softness of the tou fu (bean curd) were just perfect for winter.

Subsequently, I discovered a lot more about Korean food in Korean Town in Manhattan, New York. There are a lot of Korean restaurants that open for 24 hour in Korean Town in Manhattan. Coming from the other half of the globe, 24-hour restaurants are perfect for people like me who are coping with jet lag. Even though Korean Town is about 20 minutes walk away from the hotel that we are staying, the love for Korean food often motivates me to make my way there.