I really foozled it on this one. The place is located at 660 N Freedom, right across the street from the Provo Rec Center, and I've been meaning to go there for months. Finally today I went late for my daily swim, and decided to do lunch there. The interior is rather stark, except for one large Korean brush painting:
I believe the characters in the painting stand for "He who chooses blindly will fall into a pit of his own ordering." That, at least, is the lesson I am taking away from today's debacle. The waitress was a pleasant and intelligent looking gal, and I should have asked her what she recommended for a first time customer. But no, I had to go gallivanting off on my own and choose two of the weirdest dishes on the menu: Teokbokki and Soondubu Jigae. The Teokbokki was supposed to be the appetizer, but as soon as it was set before me the entre was brought out as well. This always confuses and upsets me; should I concentrate on the appetizer until it's gone, or switch back and forth, or throw a tantrum and beat my head against the wall? I asked the waitress how spicy the Teokbokki was; she said not very spicy. But the first bite blew the top off my head. The dish, as far as I could make out, is made up of gluey thick rice noodles in a red sauce that would etch stainless steel.
The other thing, the Soondubu Jigae, was some kind of tofu sludge with marrow-flavored rubber bands in it and several small dispirited shrimp palely loitering. But after the flaming appetizer I was grateful for its blandness. It came with teeny tiny sides of cold boiled potatoes, raw black beans, bean sprouts, kimchi, and thin cucumber slices.
My two dishes, plus a fountain drink, cost $21.82. I'm not going to rate this place, because I feel strongly I placed my order like a ninnyhammer. Everyone around me was enjoying succulent-looking spare ribs and platters piled high with shredded beef or pork in a rich barbecue sauce. That's obviously what I should have ordered. So I'll have to go back again for the good stuff.
But right now you'll excuse me if I go have an Alka Seltzer moment . . .
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