Diner's Secret

Pa Jun

This week I'd like to add in a secret that not too many people I know have tried.  It is the Korean barbecue.  A Korean BBQ is a meal that is cooked up at the table.  It is designed as a family style sharing meal.  My experience in Korea was that everybody sitting at the table shared the food whether you knew them or not.  This is exactly what I found at the Chuhgajib CGJ Korean Restaurant.  As we stepped into the restaurant we saw only about 10 tables, made out of a finely cut natural wood.

Mark and Rosemarie

We met our friends, Mark and Rosemarie, at the restaurant.  We decided to order drinks.  We started off with water all around, they do serve soft drinks, Coke products, but only by the can.  Our friends were fairly new at this type of eating adventure, so we wanted to make it as authentic as possible.  The place is basically a mom and pop shop, which has its pros and cons.   The pro is that it is run by a Korean family which gives the food a very traditional feel.  The drawback to this is that the service is a little slower than what most Americans are used to.  So when you come, make sure you pack your patience. 

Patti and Frank

the BBQ sides

We started off with two Korean pancakes as appetizers.  The first one was Kimchi Pa Jun or pickled cabbage pancake.  The second one was a Dalk Pa Jun or chicken pancake.  Both appetizers were good but I believe the Kimchi had more authentic flavor with the little zing that I enjoy.  Everyone at the table decided to order the Korean Barbecue entrees, the Bulgogi, the Dalk Bulgogi, the pepper steak and the ribeye.  Since we had four people at the table, there was not enough room to cook it directly at our table so they cooked it in the kitchen for us.  Before the meat was served they brought out eight different sides to accompany it.  There was marinated potatoes, marinated bean sprouts, white radish, pickled cabbage, kimchi cucumbers, sliced mushrooms, sea weed, and of course the main staple of every Korean diet, kimchi.  Most of these sides are suitable for most American tastes.  Some people have a hard time with the kimchi due to the red pepper kick that it has.  I consider it one of my favorites.  The one I would not recommend but think you should still try, is the sea weed.  It reminded me of eating kelp directly out of the sea.  Each person received an individual portion of white steamed rice.  The idea is that you take a piece of meat, a little bit of a side, drop it in your rice and take your individual bite.  This is where the sharing comes in.  It is fun to try other people's meats as well as trying different sides with each bite.  You can get a wide variety of textures and flavors from one single meal.

Peppered steak entree

Korean BBQ is always when shared with good friends, do don't hesitate to bring someone along who hasn't tried it.

Here is the best secret of this restaurant.  Come early to get a table as they fill up fast at dinner time.  Limit two people per table so you can cook your own meat at the table.   It makes for different experience all together.  I know that everyone can't go to this particular restaurant, especially if you don't live in the Phoenix valley, but there is a Korean BBQ near you, I'm sure.  "So if you haven't tried it yet, try it now!"