My first memorable Korean food experiences took place at Steve's Lunch, down the street from the law school in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I gather that a Korean family bought the place from the so-called Steve, because though you'd sit at a counter where you'd expect to order a grilled cheese and chocolate malt, the dish to get was bibimbap -- a hot stone bowl of rice, vegetables, hot sauce, and meat that they'd crack an egg over. The bowl was so hot that the rice at the bottom would become crisp and the egg would cook when mixed with the rest of the sizzling, spicy contents.
Many years later, Pudding Man, who went to Michigan undergrad, and I would try to recreate our Steve's Lunch experiences at Woo Lae Oak near Pentagon City Mall. (Woo Lae Oak has since closed its Pentagon City location, which we called Zaydie's Basement, because with its '70s mod dark wood/would-be ski chalet decor it reminded Pudding Man of his grandfather's basement; a new and presumably more spiffy branch is located in Tysons Corner.) The first time we went I was pleased to see that most of the diners were Asian, suggesting an authentic experience. We both ordered the dolsot bibimbap (dolsot referring to the hot stone pot it was served in). At the end of the meal our server asked if we liked it. We said yes. He said "bibimbap is a favorite dish among our Western guests." Ouch.
In search of a more authentic Korean meal, a few weeks ago I went to Gom Ba Woo, a small, low-key place tucked into a strip mall in Annandale, with a couple of friends. (Annandale, which has become a kind of Koreatown in northern Virginia, is the home to many of the Washington area's best Korean restaurants.) One of my dining companions was Korean-American, and was able to help me navigate the menu (and gave me the courage to deviate from bibimbap). The first hint that things here would be different from my prior Korean restaurant experiences was the cold barley tea we were served in lieu of water.
The meal started, as Korean restaurant meals usually do, with panchan, a variety of small dishes such as kimchee, sprouts, tofu, and spicy radish. This was no dainty amuse-bouche, but rather a generous spread of delicious, gratis dishes. We also ordered pancakes with seafood to start, so when our main courses arrived we could barely fit them on the table. My friend suggested I order a pork dish, which turned out to be pork belly. I'd always thought pork belly was essentially fat, and since one tiny bite of fat in an otherwise good meal will put me off meat for a week, I was a bit wary. But it was great-- evidently cooked so long and in such flavorful spices that it had a deep flavor and lacked the fatty texture I'd braced myself for. The pork was served with lettuce leaves for wrapping up the meat with condiments such as garlic and hot peppers. We also had kimchee with tofu, which was spicy and delicious; don't be fooled by the word tofu into thinking this is a vegetarian dish -- it's loaded with pork. Finally, we had grilled beef that was tender and had an almost sweet, cinnamon-like flavor. Unlike many larger Korean restaurants, Gom Ba Woo does not have grills on the table -- the meat is grilled in the back and brought out ready to go. As a parting gift, the server brought us each a stick of Wrigley's chewing gum with our check.
I wish I'd slipped a menu into my purse, because I can't find one online so can't give you proper menu terms for these items. Next time I go I'll pay closer attention. In the meantime, check out The Washington Post and Washingtonian reviews.
Gom Ba Woo
7133 Columbia Pike
Annandale, VA 22003
703-642-1577
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