World to Table

It’s been a long way since my freshman year in college, when skipping out on greasy cafeteria grilled cheese to indulge in restaurant brunch was a regular occurrence. Since then, I’ve wised up on my spending habits, and sadly, this has meant goodbye to the weekend brunch, for the most part. But there are times that I’ll make an exception to the rule — for a very worthy meal. Last Saturday, Talisa, my first friend in college and a current Greenpoint, Brooklyn resident, asked if I wanted to go to brunch in her hood hosted by the Plates & Records supper club. After looking at the menu, I didn’t need much convincing to say yes.

Menu:
*Kimchi Omelette
*Brioche French Toast with Maple Syrup, Berries and Bacon
*Savory Tart with Caramelized Onions, Gruyere, and Roasted Tomatoes
*Wild Blueberry Scones with Clotted Cream and an Assortment of Jams
*Tea & Coffee with Buttermilk Rusks

Plates & Records is a nomadic and themed supper club organized by Joann, Ram and Andrzej, a writer, a human rights lawyer and an artist respectively. To attend, all you need is a plate, a record, an empty stomach, and an Andrew Jackson ($20). The original P&R trifecta includes Andrzej, but in his place at the stove that morning was their friend Georgie.

Joann and Ram

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Ravioli, pickled beef tongue, and sashimi were just three of the dishes that were served earlier this month for Korean Cuisine Redefined — none of which you will probably find at a traditional Korean restaurant. Held at the Korean Consulate in New York on October 5th, the tasting showcased five Korean American chefs and their interpretations and redefinitions of Korean cuisine, using ingredients or techniques commonly found in classical Korean cuisine. Let’s meet the chefs!

Rachel Yang, Akira Back, Youngsun Lee, Andrew Chang, and Tommy Lee

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When I was growing up in LA, eating Korean food meant one thing: an all-meat dinner cooked over the grill at the restaurant, Woo Lae Oak. Each visit was pretty much the same experience — billowing clouds of meat-scented smoke, sharp, vinegary kimchi, marinade-drenched bulgogi or kalbi and the sizzling sounds from the grill complemented with the loud, sucking vacuums above each grill. Little did I know, I had only skimmed the surface of Korean cuisine.

Earlier this month, I was asked to help in the Korean government’s latest efforts to promote and globalize their cuisine at a celebration of National Day and Armed Forces Day at the Ambassador’s home in D.C. And this time there was no grilled meat involved… Ok, maybe a tub or two of bulgogi.

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