Having relatively recently got into Korean food - we're lucky enough to have two excellent Korean restaurants in Bristol, Bokman and Dongnae - I'm probably exactly the kind of person you're writing about! Absolutely loved my recent meal at Miga too - and your book Edible Economics Ha-Joon Chang! Useful post - thankyou!
So interesting. I have noticed some indie Korean offerings popping up in my hometown. And I’m reading Pachinko so you are feeding my appetite for Korean knowledge!
I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
I love pretty much everything Vittles do, but this post was so evocative - I really enjoyed reading so much. Thank you for painting such a rich picture.
The first time I ate Korean food in the UK was in a restaurant in Hounslow, circa 1989/90. The South Korean company, Dong Ah opened an office on London Road, and quite soon afterwards a restaurant started almost directly opposite. I always assumed that there was some connection. I moved shortly after that, so I don't know how long it lasted. It wasn't in a great location for a restaurant, and, at the time, the Korean population in the borough would have been miniscule.
Having relatively recently got into Korean food - we're lucky enough to have two excellent Korean restaurants in Bristol, Bokman and Dongnae - I'm probably exactly the kind of person you're writing about! Absolutely loved my recent meal at Miga too - and your book Edible Economics Ha-Joon Chang! Useful post - thankyou!
Great piece bravo
So interesting. I have noticed some indie Korean offerings popping up in my hometown. And I’m reading Pachinko so you are feeding my appetite for Korean knowledge!
Bap-saang sounds delish!
I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining industry line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com
Adore Korean food (particularly after growing up in New Malden.
The dea that Britain is notoriously conservative in its taste is a clanger though...
I love pretty much everything Vittles do, but this post was so evocative - I really enjoyed reading so much. Thank you for painting such a rich picture.
The first time I ate Korean food in the UK was in a restaurant in Hounslow, circa 1989/90. The South Korean company, Dong Ah opened an office on London Road, and quite soon afterwards a restaurant started almost directly opposite. I always assumed that there was some connection. I moved shortly after that, so I don't know how long it lasted. It wasn't in a great location for a restaurant, and, at the time, the Korean population in the borough would have been miniscule.
Granny is just another commodity to be fused into the western consumer mainstream of corporate beef and convenience.