The Korean hangover cure!
I have done a couple of restaurant reviews of the Dae Jang Keum restaurant in the past. The food is great at this restaurant, but I had no intention of dining at the D.J.K restaurant on this day. I was planning to cook a chilled Korean buckwheat noodle recipe that was made with a chile pepper and Korean pear sauce. The problem was, that I could not remember the name of this recipe. I had this spicy sweet Korean chilled buckwheat noodle entree at the D.J.K. restaurant during my first visit there a few years ago. I knew that this item was still on the menu, so I stopped by the D.J.K. to ask what the name of the spicy sweet buckwheat noodle recipe was. The hostess was helpful, but she was not sure which item on the menu I was referring to. Then an older employee politely interrupted us and said the word "Naengmyeon!" The older lady employee had that look of really having some great knowledge about Korean cuisine. I thanked her for her help.
Like any good hostess would do, she asked if I wanted something to eat. I struggled to say no, but she said "I remember you dining here and you like our food!" She mentioned a few special du jour items they had to offer. Basically, the hostess did a fine job of twisting my arm! Before I knew it, I said "Sure, seat me at a table. I cannot resist good Korean food!"
The last time that I dined at the D.J.K. Korean BBQ & Tofu Restaurant, I noticed an item on the menu that sounded interesting. The menu is written in Korean and English. It was the English translation that I remembered. This menu item was simply named Hangover Soup!
Las Vegas is the city of wild nightlife and overindulgence. Visitors and locals both do all night drinking binges at bars and clubs. Las Vegas is a 24/7 town and there are great options for munch food after the party is over in the early morning hours. For those who drink in excess and find themselves hungover the next day, many Las Vegas restaurants offer hangover cures on the menu! I have seen Indian, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican and trendy modern restaurants offer a menu item that was boasted as being a hangover cure. A Korean hangover cure was something new to me and it sounded interesting. Writing an article about a Korean hangover cure could be helpful knowledge for Las Vegas party animals!
As I sat waiting for my order of Hangover Soup, the manager of the restaurant sat down at my table and we had a pleasant conversation. The manager's first words were "You are interested in Korean food?" I said yes! I told him I was a chef and culinary arts student and that I cook Korean food. I mentioned that I am still learning many international cuisines and that I am still Learning Korean cuisine. The manager actually took the time to answer my questions about Korean food and he gave me a lot of insight into Korean cooking techniques. One of the questions I had, was how they heat earthenware jjigae bowls to a high temperature. The manager said that ovens are not really part of Korean kitchens, so the jjigae bowls are heated on a stove top. I never thought that jjigae bowls could be heated that way, because they are earthenware.
We talked about Korean beer, which I also like, even though the manager doesn't drink alcohol. I asked a few questions about the hangover soup and the manager chuckled a bit. The manager said that Koreans that do drink alcohol, like a soup such as Galbi Haejangguk to help the body and mind to recover. Galbi Haejangguk is a popular hangover cure for those who drink alcohol in Korea. After a while, the conversation dwindled to an end, because we both spoke little of each other's language. It was really nice that the manager took the time to chat at my table, solely because I was interested in Korean food and because I am a regular customer.
The employees D.J.K sure do have a good memory, because I am a regular customers that has only dined there three times in my lifetime! The fact is, most of the clientele at the D.J.K. restaurant are Korean or asian form other countries or America. Korean customers like the D.J.K. restaurant because the food is authentic, well prepared and the service is great. I am not Korean or asian, so I stick out like a sore thumb! I guess that I am easy to remember. English is the second or third choice language at D.J.K. BBQ, so be patient with questions if you do not understand Korean language.
I was not hungover when I tried the Hangover Soup. In fact, I did not have a drink for a few days. I did have a Korean Cass beer with my meal, just to get in touch with those old hangover memories in a lost canyon of my mind. For real, I usually have a Korean beer every time that I dine on Korean food at a Korean restaurant. Korean food does go well with a crisp clean light gravity beer.
I could see why Galbi Haejangguk was popular as a hangover cure. This soup was easy to digest and it was very nutritious. The broth was made by simmering beef bones and their marrow. A Korean beef broth with a high content of marrow is traditional and it has a very soothing rich flavor. Tender slow simmered beef short ribs were the featured meat in the Hangover Soup. Napa cabbage was another chief ingredient. Korean soy bean paste added even more of a rich flavor. Soy bean paste is popular as Japanese miso soup and miso soup is also considered to be a hangover cure. Fresh garnishing vegetables were added last to the Hangover Soup, for a crisp fresh accent of flavor and nutrition.
Several nicely prepared banchan dishes were served with the Hangover Soup. A Korean meal is an event and the side dishes add to the festive nature of the meal. The banchan at the D.J.K. is always top notch and they offer an ever changing variety of banchan. The kimchi banchan at D.J.K. are very nicely crafted. There was three different varieties of hand crafted kimchi with the banchan setting! I like good kimchi! The steamed rice that accompanied the soup was a good aromatic jasmine rice that is very appealing.
One other customer was at the D.J.K. BBQ during the slow late afternoon hours, before the dinner hour business began. The big asian guy that looked like he just got done working at a tough job sat at a table across from me. He looked like a regular customer. This guy was seriously chowing down on his food non stop! Obviously, the D.J.K. is not only a place to try something new and experience good Korean food, but it is a place to do a serious chow down meal when hungry! The hostess and waitresses always offer more banchan dishes if they see empty plates at the table. Koreans like to see people get full and satisfied when having a meal. That is the tradition of Korean dining.
I had a great time at the D.J.K. Korean BBQ and Tofu Restaurant that afternoon! The hostess gave her thanks and said something funny while I was clearing my tab. I swear, the hostess has one of the funniest laughs that I have ever heard! I really like her sense of humor and I actually thanked her for coaxing me into dining at the D.J.K. BBQ, when I only intended to visit the restaurant just to ask one question about a food item.
The D.J.K Korean BBQ and Tofu Restaurant is located at 3943 Spring Mountain Road, between Valley View and Wynn, in Chinatown Las Vegas. This location is just a short distance from the Las Vegas Strip.
I highly recommend the D.J.K. Korean BBQ and Tofu Restaurant for visitors of Las Vegas and locals alike! The food and service are always great. The slow afternoon hours are a great time to dine at this restaurant, if you have questions to ask about Korean cuisine and traditional Korean cooking. The dinner hours are quite busy and the D.J.K. is a very popular place for Korean BBQ that is cooked at the table. Yum! ... Shawna
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