Craving Korean after a Good Workout

I hadn’t been to the gym in almost a year.. I’m lazy, what can I say, unless the gym is in the same building as me, I probably won’t go. I’m also a germaphobe and hate showering in public places.. but due to no power or hot water, I gave in – I’m glad I did, hope to get back into the routine of going to the gym daily.. although I already broke it today. Anyways.  After my first day back I was craving hot warm soup.. quality comfort food.. I was gonna go for a salad but REALLY wanted a nice REAL meal in my tummy… so. Korean. Which was, thankfully, just down the street from my gym.. a short drive later… I arrived at Dabin. A Japanese & Korean restaurant that’s been in my old hometown for.. as long as I can remember – apparently they opened in 1996 :]  Smack dab in the middle of Lexington Center… great location but just far away enough from the tourists :D Phew..

As much as I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE sashimi, I opted out and decided to go all Korean, minus the edamame ;D Besides, extra banchan is always a plus!!!

Btw, I opted for Hot Tea and Water, since I figured I just worked out and I need to be “healthy” for an ill minute and not get Soju ;D

Ban Chan

Fishcakes, Cucumber Kimchi, Cabbage Kimchi and Marinated Sprouts

All were delicious. I’m not a huge fishcake person but I LOOOOOVE kimchi… the cucumbers were the tastiest IMO :D

Edamame

Huge, cooked to perfection :] NOM! Perfectly salted – just a tiny bit but on every single bit!

Ban Chan round 2 :]

Kimchi Pajeon: Kimchi, Seafood & Scallions

The sauce is basically soy sauce and lots of scallions.. a bit too salty since the pancake was already salty.. but the pancake was OH so crispy :D Maybe a tinnnyyy bit greasy but SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD… so worth the fattiness.. MMMM… FULL of delicious kimchi and SOOO much yummy seafood in it.. calamari, scallop, etc… SO GOOD!!

Mommy’s Galbi Ooguji Guk
Stew of Short Ribs & Oriental Veggies

The broth was rich and thick.. more so than a regular Galbi Tang… HUUUUGE chunks of short ribs that just melted off the bone and not too fatty :] Tons of delicious veggies which my mommy gobbled up.. but she was too greedy with the Pajeon earlier so she had no more tummy to eat all the meat :[ Poo…  Next time we’re gonna ask for it to be spicy!!!

My Soft Tofu Jjigae
with extra Kimchi and extra Spicy… Uncured Tofu  & Seafood

It was soooo good and thick full of veggies and a delcious thick stew… I am OBSESSED with Jjigae, especially when I need comfort food.. this could’ve been spicier but had a nice sodium level, a lot of the time I get salt overload from their kimchi jjigaes… [which I usually get, but I didn’t want pork tonight] There were clams, fishcakes, calamari, scallops, fish and oysters… tons of kimchi and scallions MMM MMMM… the scallops were way overcooked so I didn’t eat them but other than that… I licked the bowl clean.. mmmm I love uncured softtt tofu :]

Ended up bringing back the rest of the Pajeon – it’s HUUUUUGE and the rest of the edamame.. MM MMMM.. great midnight snack!!! The Pajeon wasn’t really crispy anymore but SOOO GOOD.. wish the sauce had more scallions and lessss salty.. but yum yum.

Read more about my no power adventures…