Authentic but Average Korean: Seoul House, Toronto

We dropped in on Seoul House (3220 Dufferin St., Toronto) for lunch, because we were in the area and needed to grab a quick meal. It was a Wednesday, just 10 minutes after the restaurant’s opening hours, but there were already patrons at a couple tables.

Our meal kicked off with miso soup and Korean banchan: kimchi (not too spicy), julienned potatoes, sauteed greens, peanuts with crunchy anchovies and sweetened (way more delicious than it sounds), and strands of tofu.

The menu has both Korean and Japanese offerings, but given that the owners are Korean, we chose only Korean selections. Lunch specials include a selection of Bento boxes.The bulgogi beef was tender and delicious, served with salad, yams, glass noodles, and white rice.

On the other hand, the stone pot bibimbap was disappointing. There were lots of vegetables, but so little beef – maybe a teaspoon’s worth.

Overall, we had a reasonably priced, reasonably filling meal. However, given the large selection of ethnic restaurants in Toronto, I don’t feel compelled to come back.

Below: Noodles in soup topped with egg and seaweed.

Info: Seoul House, 3220 Dufferin St., Toronto, ON, Canada

Great Chowder Cook-Off 2013

After attending Newport’s Great Chowder Cook-Off last year, I vowed to return. This year, the weather was more cooperative -  Saturday was a gorgeous, sunny day, and chowder fans turned up in droves to sample a plethora of soups. The trick is to buy your “Chowdahead” VIP tickets early, so you can enter the Cook-Off one hour earlier This is the main tent before it opened to regular ticket-holders:

Here are some yummy highlights, so you’ll know where to dine if you’re in search for some of the best chowder in America.

Some of the competitors were veterans from last year, including this year’s winner of the Clam Category,  Stefano’s Seafood (Long Beach Island, NJ). Stefano’s had the thickest, creamiest chowder again, though it was much too thick for my taste. Turner Fisheries Restaurant & Bar (Boston, MA) served a terrific gluten-free clam chowder, but my vote goes to Pike Place Chowder (Seattle, WA), for their well-balanced chowder with just the right texture and flavours.

In the Creative Category, The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar (Newport, RI) served the same crab and brie chowder as the year before – it was absolutely delicious, and one of my favorites of the day. (Interestingly, you will find a traditional New England clam chowder on The Mooring’s dinner menu, but not the crab and brie chowder).  It was Octagon Restaurant (Groton, CT) that won this category, with its spicy chowder full of skate, lobster, and alligator in a brothy soup. The flavours reminded me of a hearty chilli with notes of cheddar cheese – definitely a very original and adventurous take on chowder.

In the Seafood Category, my favorite was the chowder by StoneRidge (Mystic, CT), with hints of wine that complemented, but did not overpower, the lobster and scallops.

To round out the day, Amstel Light reps served up beer and  “Vermonster” sliders, with apple, onion, bacon and feta – a delicious combo. Wine, beer, ice cream, and other desserts were plentiful. We watched hungry eaters chow down in a clam cake-eating competition, and snapped photos with mascots. The Chowder Cook-Off is one delicious day in the sun, and you’ll definitely get all the chowder you could possibly want!

 

Boston Prix Fixe: Bergamot

My boyfriend and I went to Bergamot (118 Beacon St., Somerville, MA) for Boston Restaurant Week, but it turns out that they have a 3-course prix fixe menu all the time, anyway, for about the same price.  The restaurant is a small square room with a view of the open kitchen. Like many good Boston-area restaurants, tables are quite close together.

Service was remarkably attentive, and we had a terrific dining experience. Our meal started with complementary potato bread with to-die-for orange poppy seed butter. Rather than having a bread basket clutter your table, servers return to fill your bread plate at your request.

The smoked white bean soup was yummy, with black beans and a light avocado mousse, topped with cilantro.

I had the seared local hake. It was a melt-in-your-mouth fillet over bed of crunchy hearts of palm and pale green chickpeas. It was surrounded with the complex flavours of garlic-clam sauce (mushroom, cream, pancetta) and small buttons of hon shimeji mushrooms

Panisse fries, served with herbed ricotta cheese, were an interesting concept. From our server’s description, I expected them to be crispy, more like typical fries. However, they were more like chickpea tofu – the lightly fried blocks were creamier than polenta. My guy gobbled them all up though – the thick herbed ricotta was the perfect partner to this dish.  

The creamed spinach was nicely done.

For dessert, my guy had the carrot cake. It was four small cubes of cake, with golden raisins and candied walnuts. I found the cake slightly dry.

The black olive clafoutis  was moist and delicious, but was just three small pieces spread across a rectangular plate,  with caramel sauce and a little scoop of grapefruit sorbet. Complimentary mini coconut pistachio madeleines finished off the meal.

The Final Word: An all-around great dining experience with wonderful service, and beautifully presented food. Appetizers and entrees have great flavours. Desserts are very small.

Info: Bergamot, 118 Beacon St., Somerville, MA, 02143 USA

Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

Sorry for the brief hiatus in posts – I have been under the weather for the past week, and this rainy, New England Memorial Day weekend hasn’t helped! It seemed like the perfect time to make a big pot of split pea soup. I used pork shoulder on the bone already chopped into pieces at the supermarket. You can also use a meaty hambone or diced ham.

Remember to soak split peas overnight in water. Otherwise, you can boil them for 2 minutes (6-8 cups water for 1 pound of split peas), then allow to sit for 1 hour.

This recipe is for a 6 qt. (or lager) slow cooker. Halve the recipe for smaller slow cookers. (Prep time ~ 20 minutes)

In the slow cooker, put:

• 1 lb split peas (soaked, then rinsed)
• 2 lbs pork shoulder (with bone, fat removed. Or, use 2 cups diced ham)
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp rosemary, crushed
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 8 cups water

Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours.

Remove meat from the soup and set aside.

Use a hand blender to blend the soup directly in the slow cooker. Alternatively, blend soup in a blender. Remove pork from bones and return to soup, if desired.