Where to eat in Korea: Joseph's Coffee

One of the advantages of visiting a country where you know some of the locals is that you can visit places that you might otherwise miss. On our family vacation to Korea, we spent time with my wife's brother and his wife. They live in Seoul and took us to a wonderful, little coffee house named Joseph's Coffee.

Coffee, coffee everywhere
In Korea, it is very expensive to buy a house or rent an apartment. Thus many young people live with their parents much longer than in "America," the term for the United States. When people want to date, they must go out. There are coffee shops on every corner. Especially in the evenings and on weekends there is an endless stream of young couples in love, walking close and hold hands.

Joseph's Coffee House
This small coffee shop is located on a small side street on a mountainous area, but still in the middle of Seoul. With over 10 million inhabitants, Seoul has a large footprint (approximately 300 square miles).

This small restaurant probably seats around 75 customers. The building was once a house. When you drive in and park in the garage, you feel as though you are pulling into someone's house. The views are spectacular as you can see downtown Seoul. As the sun fades into night, the lights of the city create a romantic backdrop.

Patbingsu
We went to Joseph's Coffee House, not for the coffee, but for patbingsu, a traditional dessert. At its simplest, patbingsu consists of shaved ice and sweetened azuki beans. However, there are endless variations. Earlier in the week my daughter ate patbingsu which was mixed with fresh fruits. At Joseph's, the patbingsu included the aforementioned shaved ice and azuki beans as well as pieces of rice cake and topped with ice cream.

In the photo strip above: my daughter posing at the entrance, black milk tea, patbingsu, cookie selection accompanying our coffee and tea.

What to eat in Korea: Bibimbap

One of the ubiquitous dishes found at most restaurants in Korea is bibimbap. This dish is sort of like a Korean version of taco salad - everything is mixed together. It is a great tasting dish and easy to make at home.



Bibimbap consists of warm rice mixed with vegetables and a protein, traditionally beef, egg, or tofu. The vegetable ingredients typically include julienned cucumber, zuchini, carrots, Korean radish, mushrooms, spinach, and soy bean sprouts. Bell flower root and brachen fern stems are also frequent additions. The carrots and zuchini can be pan fried slightly so that they are softened but retain a crispness. The spinach is also cooked.

The final component is seasonings. Gochujang is a spicy red pepper paste used in a variety of Korean dishes. You can substitute soy sauce if gochujang is not available or a milder flavor is desired.

Bibimbap is not limited to these vegetables, and probably one reason for the popularity and longevity of this dish is the endless variation of ingredient combinations. The picture included here is of bibimbap with mountain vegetables as described by the menu.

Where to eat in San Francisco

Sometimes, you cannot eat at home. I am in the middle of a trip to South Korea. There are just a few airports in the United States that serve as the launch point to Korea. We decided to fly to San Francisco, spend a couple of days there, and then continue on to Korea.


Our hotel was located in the Union Square area, which is a part of the city filled with boutique hotels and art galleries. It is also close to Chinatown and Japantown. My wife posted on her Facebook profile inquiring about recommendations for Asian cuisine. The restaurant recommended most highly was Thai Idea Veggie. All of the entrees are vegetarian and feature meat substitutes that resemble the various meat textures including lamb, chicken, and beef. The chicken satay, wing bomb (pronounced "ving bomb" by the server), and yellow curry with lamb are pictured below. The fourth photo is dessert-Thai crepes with coconut ice cream.

On Day 2, we visited Japantown. Although not as large as Chinatown, there is a several block area of San Francisco that comprises Japanese restaurants and shopping areas. After studying various menus posted at entrances, we opted for Suzu Noodle House, a small noodle shop that makes their own ramen, udon, and soba noodles. Both the udon and soba are thick noodles while ramen is a thinner noodle. My soba noodle dish is pictured below.

When you travel, I encourage you to seek out unique, local restaurants. Especially in large metropolitan areas there is a good representation of ethnic cuisines.

Vegan Cheese

In an effort to still enjoy cheese and also be more health conscious, my family has started making cheeses from non-dairy ingredients.  These vegan substitutes are just as tasty as dairy cheese and work just as well on sandwiches, crackers, and salads.

Prepare

Lightly oil a small plastic or glass dish capable of holding 2-3 cups.

Ingredients

3/4C black olives, sliced
3t paprika
1/2C chopped raw cashews
1/4C nutritional yeast flakes
2t onion powder
1t salt
1/4t garlic powder
1/4t dry mustard
1 1/2C water
1 1/2T agar powder (available from local health food store)
3T lemon juice
2T sesame tahini

Directions

Place all dry ingredients in a blender.  In a medium sauce pan, combine water and agar powder until dissolved.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat.  Stirring constantly, continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes.  Pour liquid from pan into blender.  Add tahini and lemon juice.  Blend until smooth.  Pour into the container and stir in the olives.  Cheese will firm quickly and be ready to eat in a couple of hours.  Store in the refrigerator.

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Note:  This recipe is from The Uncheese Cookbook.

Mocha Bubble Tea

Bubble tea is a beverage that is said to have originated in Asia. Drinks consist of a coffee or tea based drink with bubbles at the bottom of the glass. The drinks are popular because they function as a beverage and a snack.
 
The bubbles are actually large tapioca pearls. These are difference than the pearls used to make tapioca pudding. Typically, the pearls for bubble tea are black. I purchase an instant variety that are ready in about 10 minutes. I buy these from my local Asian food store and they are also available at Amazon.com. There are also long-cook (about 30 minutes) tapioca pearls available from nuts.com.
 

Prepare
Prepare tapioca pearls according to the instructions on the package.
You will also need strong coffee or black tea. Nuts.com also has flavor mixes available.
Over-sized straws are necessary in order to drink the bubbles (Nuts.com).
 
Ingredients
Note: This recipe makes four 16-oz. servings.
1C Prepared tapioca pearls
3C Strong coffee or tea (hot is best)
6T Sugar
1T Chocolate syrup
1t Vanilla extract
1C Milk
 
Directions
Distribute pearls evenly among the glasses. In a separate pitcher or bowl combine the coffee and sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the chocolate syrup and vanilla extract. Finally, pour in the milk. Place ice cubes (1 1/2C) in each glass. Pour the coffee mixture over the ice.
 
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