Back in my working days--when I got dressed up and headed into an office--my favorite days were long lunch days. You know the days before a holiday or right after a holiday when the boss is out and you take a long lunch? You make your rounds around the office in the morning, or at least I did. See “who’s in” for lunch. Then spend the next three hours debating where to go. I was usually down for anything, except this place called Bibimbap. My colleagues would say “it’s like Korean chipotle”. I hated it. I’m out. If the crew was headed to Bibimbap - I’d try my luck at the cafeteria. I’d rather have a cold sandwich or even the salad bar.
So, you can imagine my delight in knowing that I was headed to the land of bibimbap. If that restaurant was any indication of my appetite for Korean cuisine, I might go hungry. But, when we arrived in Korea and bibimbap was the only recognizable item on the menu, it became my “go to”. It’s funny how that works. The more familiar you are with something, the better it gets.
So, this past month we headed down the region of Jeonju, which according to my guidebook, is the birthplace of bibimbap. To me, bibimbap is like the Korean version of a Cobb salad. It comes in a bowl and the ingredients are neatly organized into sections. It’s rice, veggies, meats, eggs, and various sauces/pastes. As it turns out, I shouldn’t have judged an entire region of cuisine so hastily. Bibimbap is delicious. It’s even better when enjoyed with a beer, Cass is my Korean beer of choice.
So, whether you are in Dayton, Ohio or Jeonju, South Korea, I encourage you to give it a try!
Much love,
Val
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