K Town

I have ventured into Koreatown. Known to locals as “K-town.” And now that I'm living local, I get to pretend I am a local. Although, when one goes to “K-town” one feels like they are no longer living local at all.

The densely populated streets are littered with stores only displaying characters. You need a tour guide to get you to your destination and one to show you how to order and eat. It is a different world.

I've learned one major thing about eating in Koreatown, to eat the food, you must do some of the work.

I was lucky enough to have two tour guides. Especailly necessary when preparing.

The first experience in “K-town” was at a place called the Boiling Crab.

Butter soaked bags of shrimp, crab and lobster are dispensed with the intention of diners to “have at” the food.

De-veining, cracking open, peeling, de-shelling. All of it. A total mess.

Never have I been this messy at dinner.

Not a good blind date location. Maybe only if the date was blind.

A mess in which you line the table with white paper just to contain it. A mess in which I counted 1, 2, 3 to my group of 8 other diners to to flip and display their grungy hands-a competition I think I won.

My second experience was at an authentic Korean barbaque.

My tour guides were amazing people. The only thing that separated our love form the food was the grill grate in the middle of the table. And of course my knowledge of kimche.

The lovely Vivian handled the grilling. Slab after slab of meat appeared. Grate after grate of grills replaced.

Never have I been this full of protein after a meal. A fullness which was a total new experience for me. Full of protein and full of a mixed meal are very different feelings. And never have I smelled so much of grill.

This was not for the lazy diner. 

Nor for the vegetarian. 

And certainly not for any local afraid of the mess.