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Post by ShoNuff on Oct 25, 2003 15:06:36 GMT -5
MR is a little nutty but her constant kalbi hunt has made me curious. I recently asked a friend if she has had it and she was bouncing off the walls at the near mention of it which made MR's actions seem normal. Just wondering if anyone else has tried this sweetmeat. ShoNuff
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Post by TheBo on Oct 25, 2003 18:28:53 GMT -5
Just wondering if anyone else has tried this sweetmeat. I thought it was fish! Yeah, I want to know what it is, too! And why is it so expensive? Bo
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Post by JadeEyes on Oct 25, 2003 20:03:17 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure it's a kind of spare rib, the Korean preparation being a merinade made from fruit, making it a little sweet. I've seen it on some menus in Korean restaurants, and I do seem to recall it looked a bit pricey. I've never tried it myself, but I know it is considered something of a delicacy in Korean cuisine. Spare ribs here in US stores are rather expensive, so I rarely buy them myself. Otherwise, I'm not too sure why kalbi is as costly as everyone on YH makes it out to be. Mi-ryung sure does have kalbi on the brain, though, doesn't she? I'm curious to try them now to see if they deserve the hype. Jade
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Post by Soju on Oct 27, 2003 9:12:59 GMT -5
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c
New Addict
Posts: 55
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Post by c on Oct 28, 2003 1:57:56 GMT -5
it is indeed very,very,very good.my aunt makes some of the best ;D.if u have any korean/asian food markets near u,check there.they sell it pre marinated & all u have to do is grill it. i have some of the recipes that soju mentioned but i haven't tried to make them myself yet.if u get it in a restaurant make sure to find out if boneless or not.w/o the bone changes the flavor of the meat(i prefer w/bone myself). get some,u'll definitely enjoy it!!!! ;D
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Luvz
Junior Addict
Posts: 80
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Post by Luvz on Oct 28, 2003 11:12:42 GMT -5
Great question! I too was curious as to what was Kalbi. As I read the above replies, my mouth watered, so now I'm going to have to find a Korean restaurant so I can try this delicious sounding Kalbi.
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Post by aYsHuN on Oct 30, 2003 0:08:12 GMT -5
YES! Kalbi is like the best meat around there!!! Me, being 100% Korean eat Kalbi every weekend at a Korean BBQ place... You all should try it... It's not really expensive... but it's worth it!
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Post by nsheldon on Oct 30, 2003 9:26:39 GMT -5
Gotta find me a Korean restaurant!!! I feel like I'm starving for Kalbi.....
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Post by mikey on Nov 10, 2003 17:12:38 GMT -5
Okay, I just HAD to see what all this talk was about Kalbi. So, on Sunday, Mikey tried it . . .
But, there was to be no half-hearted, Americanized Kalbi for me. I wanted the REAL DEAL. So, I set out (accompanied by a Vietnamese ladyfriend) for the expansive Koreatown section of Garden Grove, California.
We saw several Korean restaurants, but one caught my eye – a clean-looking place with its huge street sign written entirely in Hangul, except for a single sentence of English at the very bottom reading “Morangak BBQ Korean.” Looked promising.
We were greeted at the door by a smiling, middle-aged Korean waitress who only barely spoke English, but was still enthusiastic about greeting her new guests. I noticed that I was the only Caucasian in the room. Man, this place really WAS the real deal!
But . . . the bilingual Korean/English menu had no listing for “Kalbi.” I asked the waitress if they had “Kalbi,” and she pointed to the “BBQ short ribs” on the menu. That was Kalbi, she assured me. Thankfully, there was also no listing for Mi-Ryung’s notorious “Special (dog) soup” – I checked.
She was talkative (though I had a hard time understanding her) and so I mentioned that I’d heard about Kalbi while watching a Korean drama. Did she ever watch a show called Yellow Handkerchief?
“Handkerchief?” she said, momentarily confused. “Oh, yes, Yellow Handkerchief! Yes, yes, I watch too!”
Imagine that: our waitress, a YH fan! How much better could this get?
She quickly returned with a tabletop full of Korean condiments, most of which we soon determined ranged from the merely hot to the positively volcanic. I like hot, spicy food – but the hottest selection from these Korean condiments was just insane! And then she lit up our table-top grill and cooked up the Kalbi for us, right then and there.
Kalbi, it seems, actually has a surprisingly mild, slightly sweet flavor – not what I expected from Korean food. I guess all those condiments were there to add that famous Korean kick. Though my friend was busy wrapping the meat up in lettuce and veggies (Vietnamese-style) I found myself enjoying it best simply with white rice.
Ms. “c” (in a message posted above) commented that the meat nearest the bone tastes different, and she’s right. The meat attached to the bone is more strongly flavored – though it’s also more fatty, perhaps that’s the reason. If you don’t mind picking it off the bone (a little bothersome) these may be the first pieces to grab off the grill if you’re with a group.
Yes, “Mikey likes it." I have to say, though, that at $16.95 for dinner, it was perhaps a bit pricey – but still, if you haven’t tried Kalbi, it’s worth it just for the cultural experience!
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Post by nsheldon on Nov 10, 2003 17:49:08 GMT -5
May have to try that place Mikey! I only live about 15 miles from Garden Grove. Is the only name called Morangak BBQ or is it actually something else but you can't read it because it is in Korean? Oh well, can you give directions.. Maybe when I am feeling particularly adventurous I will go over there. And so you are finished with YH also? I really miss it. Are you watching OMR? I am but still waiting (hoping) to be hooked...
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Post by Soju on Nov 10, 2003 20:18:43 GMT -5
I have experimented with cooking Kalbi - using the marinade from a bottle, I must confess - and have found that if you decide to grill, cutting the meat in sort of an "accordian butterfly", like paper dolls, sort of, makes the meat cook all the way through more evenly.
Daruma characters always talk about Kalbi being "So expensive". As I was buying my Shortribs, the butcher remarked, "That used to be a cheap cut of meat". Not any more!
(note: they had a lot of meat on 'em, not like what you get at the Jewel or Dominics)
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Post by mikey on Nov 10, 2003 21:51:36 GMT -5
Is the only name called Morangak BBQ or is it actually something else but you can't read it because it is in Korean? Oh well, can you give directions.. And so you are finished with YH also? I really miss it. Are you watching OMR? I am but still waiting (hoping) to be hooked... I live way, way out in the Hemet area of Riverside county, so it was a bit of a trek for me to find some REAL Korean food – but that’s just part of the adventure, right? As for the Morangak restaurant, I grabbed a business card as I left, but (you guessed it) it's all in Hangul, too. Except the address and phone number: 9651 Garden Grove Blvd, (714) 638-1177. It’s a pale green, stand-alone building, on the north side of Garden Grove Blvd (just a little west of Brookhurst) and is across the street from the Arirang Supermarket center. Not too hard to find. I even *think* I got the name right (Morangak). One thing I forgot to mention: when you sit down, they place a little teapot at your table. Now, I have been known to hang out with my Vietnamese and Chinese friends (no Korean friends, though) so I'm comfortable with things like chopsticks and getting tea with every meal -- only this wasn't tea, it was some kind of lightly flavored beef broth. Not that bad, really, but it came as quite a surprise to me as I poured it out! Some of the people on the Los Angeles discussion board are really raving about One Million Roses, a few even saying that it's better than YH. Hard for me to believe they're serious. OMR is not bad -- but (so far) it's NO Yellow Handkerchief. Mikey
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Post by TheBo on Nov 11, 2003 10:29:09 GMT -5
Some of the people on the Los Angeles discussion board are really raving about One Million Roses, a few even saying that it's better than YH. Hard for me to believe they're serious. OMR is not bad -- but (so far) it's NO Yellow Handkerchief. Hi, Mikey--you endless font of information. Just stopped by here because I was curious about Kalbi. Thanks. As for OMR--when I first tuned into YH, I wasn't impressed, either--all those scenes of people (mostly the Yoons--that's Ja-Young's family name, isn't it?) sitting in a line getting hysterical over very little. I gave it a while, because I find I'm usually bored by the beginning of any show, before characters and situations develop. Hopefully, OMR will come up to the mark after a little while. Bo
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Post by aYsHuN on Nov 12, 2003 1:02:37 GMT -5
Mikey, for your information, BBQ Short Ribs aren't really the same as KALBI. It's very similar and it tastes the same, but don't let those people trick you! If you want some REAL good Kalbi, go to a Korean Market and buy the marinated one! One good store is called "Asii Market". They sell the best Kalbi you'll ever taste!!
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Post by nsheldon on Nov 13, 2003 9:31:24 GMT -5
(Mikey) Thanks so much for the info about the restaurant.... I will keep the address & when I get a chance I will (finally) have some kalbi!!! I'm ok w/OMR but, so far, it's no YH!! Like I said, I've been watching these Korean dramas for several years. YH has been the best. Everyone knew never to call me during that time period... I really miss it... When I win the lottery I'll get it on tape
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