We started with dessert, naturally. This is called 빙수 (bingsu), which is shaved ice (or milk). This one was covered in chocolate and accompanied by brownie bites. Yum!
Then, we discussed what to eat for dinner. As the only female in the group, and the wife of their friend, the guys agreed with my suggestion to go for 삼겹살 (samgyupsal = pork belly)! Here is the meat, with some tofu, which the server brought to the table for us to cook on the tabletop griller.
Maybe you have seen people eating pork belly in a drama. If so, you may have seen them wearing aprons like this. The copious oils that render from the meat (which is like thick-sliced, non-cured bacon) splash everywhere while grilling. We wore aprons to keep it off our clothes, especially since 삼겹살 is really smelly. In fact, many Koreans don't cook pork belly in their houses because of the smell!
The grill at this restaurant was tilted to let the oil drip into a paper cup for disposal. However, before it reached the cup, it has to pass through delicious kimchi! If you like fresh kimchi, you will adore grilled kimchi! Pork belly and kimchi are a match made in Korean food heaven!
After the meat is cooked, the best way to eat it is in a lettuce wrap with grilled (or raw) garlic, 쌈장 (samjang = wrapping sauce), and whatever banchan (side dishes) strike your fancy.
I can't overstate how delicious this meal was! It's simple, fresh, and totally satisfying. One of our friends acted as the "Grill Master", flipping the meat with tongs and then cutting with scissors.
These are Seong's friends. It's amazing to me that they stayed in contact all these years, still getting together just like old times. I'm also touched at how kind they are to me! I now consider them my friends too :).
It was a great night, which ending with a few hours in a 노래방 (Noraebang = karaoke room). On my playlist was "Part of Your World" (The Little Mermaid), "Rumor Has It" (Adele), "Goodbye Earl" (The Dixie Chicks), and "I Need a Hero" (Bonnie Tyler). I also sung along to the Korean songs that I knew! I'm really going to miss this city.
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