Welcome to my very first entry as a Food Vlogger/Blogger. If you didn’t know, I’ve spent my life as a musician, music producer, educator of the marching arts, and a live streamer. I’ve always loved eating… wait what I mean is, some people eat to live and some live to eat. I definitely live to eat!
I’ve always took pictures of my food before I ate but all I ever did was post them on social media. (Good segue into social media)
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Now that I got that out of the way, let’s talk about KBBQ! Over the years I’ve eaten at many KBBQ places in Orange County and the Los Angeles area in southern California. There are many things I’ve learned about eating at a KBBQ spot.
1 – You can always count on having your outfit smell like KBBQ after you leave the place. So put that jacket or sweater in the car when going to eat.
2 – There are always lines of people waiting to get in.
3 – People go bat crazy if they run out of rice paper for the night.
Everyone says there are ways to eat KBBQ correctly. My education came from going to KBBQ many times and then finally asking a Korean friend to teach me her ways. What’s good to know when going to 80% of the spots is, order the Chadol or brisket to render the fat on the grill so you can cook other meats. Eat non marinated stuff first. Marinated meats fills you up faster with sugars from the marination.
Things I usually ask for upfront:
+ Sesame oil and salt
+ Fresh garlic (so I can start grilling it right away)
My favorite (regular menu) stuff would be:
+ Brisket
+ Beef Belly
+ Beef Tongue
+ Small Intestines
+ short ribs/Galbi
I know some people get scared with small intestines because it looks weird raw. What I usually do is ask for a double order (they shrink) and have it start cooking in the beginning of the meal. It takes awhile to get it to the right crispiness later in the meal. Do not season or cut it too early. Let it shrink for a bit til it looks cooked all the way through. Then I would cut it into smaller pieces like less than a size of a dime. let that get crispy and at this stage if you want, add some salt. (You might need to ask for more salt) Once it’s dark and extra crispy, that’s when I eat it.
I adapt to who I go with. Some people like bulgogi and seafood. I’m not a fan of bulgogi for some reason but I eat it. I like shrimp but I do not like the small octopus or squid. I do like calmari which is weird. Maybe its the breading and crispiness of it.
If you are old enough to drink, I would suggest Hite or Cass for beer. My friends and I love to do Soju Bombs where you take a shot glass of soju and drop it into a small glass of beer then chug. You can politely request for small beer glasses, or just say you’re going to do soju bombs and they will bring everything out for you.
If you just want Soju, I would suggest maybe pair it with fruit juices or yogurt drinks. The effects of Soju is amazing to watch hit your friends as they get up to walk. It’s a good buzz for sure. It’s customary to not pour your own glass of soju. Tradition has it that you pour other people’s shots and someone pours yours.
I personally feel weird when there are buzzers at the table to get the attention of the wait staff. I feel it’s disrespectful, but over the years I have gotten used it. Always be kind when it’s busy and you can see they are all working hard. For the most part, everyone wants you to have a good meal.
After reading this entry I feel I night just make a KBBQ post and then change this to my actual experience at TK92. Hmmmmm….. Sorry I’m “new.”
