Pete Wells, a renowned New York Times restaurant critic, chose a Korean restaurant as one of the Top 8 New York City Dishes of 2023. It might come as a surprise, but the dish he selected is unique: “dweji gomtang.” Essentially, it is a pork broth soup with thinly sliced pork, typically enjoyed with rice or noodles. The restaurant, Okdongsik, is located in Koreatown, Manhattan, and securing a reservation for dinner can be quite competitive. As they say, seeing is believing, so let me quote some words from his review titled Restaurant Review: Okdongsik Serves Two Things, and Both Are Outstanding.

“Each time an order comes in, a cook behind the counter will place steamed white rice in the bottom of a polished bronze bowl. Pork broth is ladled over the rice and then a few slices of cooked pork are laid across the surface, along with chopped scallions. … This may sound like a pretty spartan soup, but each part of it is excellent, and the best of all is the pork broth. I can’t remember the last time I tasted a more delicious liquid that didn’t contain at least some alcohol.”

It surprised me that among the many Korean dishes, dweji gomtang was chosen. It is less fancy but a food with tradition. I have always wished for more options for Korean food abroad, as it has mainly been about Korean barbeque or bibimbap for decades. It’s great news that I now have more choices, and dweji gomtang is one of them.

WILL THE UPSCALE OF KOREAN CUISINE SUCCEED IN THE U.S.?

“Even just 10 years ago, Korean cuisine being featured in places like The New York Times or CNN typically meant inexpensive, good-value eateries, where dishes were under $20. There weren’t many instances where Korean food itself was introduced as being excellent,” said Jinbae Park, a professor at FIT, according to reports from SBS.

But the change of Korean cuisine is in the air, and it is transforming the scenery of restaurant districts in the U.S., centered around New York, which is a melting pot of flavors from around the globe.

I had a little doubt if Korean cuisine would succeed as fine dining abroad like Japanese cuisine had done before, and many experts in Korea had similar concerns. Interestingly, many people in the U.S. are appreciating Korean dishes as gourmet food – such as course dishes, high-end steak houses, etc., and restaurants are earning Michelin Stars one after another.

Experts analyze this phenomenon as a positive result of presenting fresh dishes compared to existing fine dining options that other countries have shown, such as France and Italy. But this means that if connoisseurs and the public begin to find Korean fine dining to be bland, the demand for it will quickly fade away. I hope Korean cuisine finds its comfortable position to fit stably in the ‘flavor community’ of the U.S. so that we can experience Korean-style fine dining in other cities, including San Diego, of course.

GOOD-VALUE-FOR-MONEY FOOD IS ALSO ON THE RISE

Good-value eateries are still receiving attention alongside the rise of fine dining. “Ramyeon (instant noodles)” has been consistently increasing its export sales for nine consecutive years. It can serve as either a meal or a snack, depending on your level of hunger. Ramyeon is beloved for its convenience in preparation and its association with K-content. If you are interested in trying various types of ramyeon, visit Zion Market or H Mart in Convoy Street.

*Ramyeon is different from “ramen,” which is a Japanese noodle dish. Ramyeon is a processed food that only takes 3 to 5 minutes to prepare before it’s ready to eat.

Trader Joe’s is also a good option for experiencing Korean ready meals or ingredients. I was impressed when I first entered the market because they had so many Asian-style items – from sesame oil to “gochujang (red pepper paste),” “japchae (stir-fried glass noodle dish),”
and “pajeon (scallion pancake).”

It is also intriguing to observe how people treat ingredients differently from the recipe of those who mainly used certain ingredients. For example, I thought it was a brilliant idea when I first saw Americans enjoying roasted seaweed as a healthy snack. For me, roasted seaweed was just a “banchan (a side dish)” most of the time. But we also make snacks with seaweed in Korea, such as “kimbugak (seaweed chips).” It offers the flavors of sweet and savory simultaneously, so if you wonder how it tastes, find kimbugak at Korean/Asian markets.

*If you are interested in more recipes with seaweed, check out the first episode of K-Girl in SD, Journey of ‘Kimbap’ spreading across the U.S, which is about kimbap (seaweed rice roll).

Whatever recipe people enjoy, it often differs from the original. If the interest in unfamiliar ingredients and dishes persists, I believe it could bring about a positive change for both one’s own country and others. Constantly discovering new dishes would be beneficial for Korean cuisine to establish itself in the U.S., and it would add color to the American dining table as people explore new tastes.

K-GIRL’S RECOMMENDATIONS

Let me pretend to be Pete Wells for a moment. I have some suggestions for Korean restaurants across the continent. One is in San Diego, and two are in other states. Try them in your neighborhood or whenever you travel.

• Jomaru Korean Hot Pot, San Diego

The restaurant mainly serves “gamjatang,” which is pork bone soup. A server will bring a big pot with pork backbone, along with vegetables such as potatoes, mushrooms, and sesame leaves, as well as ramyeon noodles. If you wait a little bit until the broth boils, you can enjoy the dish warm throughout the meal. Since the broth is seasoned with gochujang, it might be hard for those who are not used to spicy food. Don’t worry, they have non-spicy specialties on the menu. 4681 Convoy St. D, San Diego.

• Her Name is Han, New York City

The restaurant is just a block away from Okdongsik. You can try various kinds of Korean dishes from appetizers to desserts. It was remarkable that I could have “baekban,” which is a meal served

with several dishes, usually consisting of a bowl of rice, soup, a main dish such as meat or fish, and some side dishes. I can’t forget the first bite of well-steamed chewy rice with rich but neat miso paste soup, and a piece of grilled mackerel. It was a warm pleasant dinner after an exhausting day. 17 E 31st St., New York.

• Paju, Seattle

The restaurant is located in Uptown, Seattle near the Space Needle. It offers more fusion-style dishes compared to the other two. Kimchi fried rice with squid ink is an unfamiliar recipe for traditional Korean kitchens, but it makes it easier for Americans to enjoy by neutralizing the spiciness with squid ink. It is also quite fun to discover the flavor of kimchi in a black dish. Try modernized and slightly Westernized Korean dishes with a glass of wine. 11 Mercer St., Seattle.

Kyungmin Min is an international intern from Korea.