Stuff to eat. Mostly around St. Louis.

Spencer 1/14/16 Spencer 1/14/16

Asian Kitchen

The tables have turned—for the last few years, I've held JooJoo up as my #1 Korean restaurant in St. Louis, but it seems Asian Kitchen is making a move. The last time I was at Asian Kitchen Korean Cuisine was in late 2013 for Christmas dinner. I had just come back from Asia and, like every other Jew in America, was trying to get some Chinese food. Royal Chinese BBQ: packed. Lulu's: packed. Frustrated, hungry, and bitter, I turned around and randomly picked an empty looking restaurant that happened to be Asian Kitchen.

The restaurant was dead. There was a Thai family enjoying Korean BBQ, but no one else there. It was just that family, my family, and the server, an older Korean woman. The walls had some kind of off putting paint color on them that I can't recall—something very 70's. Robin's egg blue? Vomity yellow? I took a seat, ordered something meaty, then a wave of banchan (small plates) filled the table. It took our server 3 trips to get everything on the table. We're talking 20+ bowls of kimchis, pickled greens, sweet black beans, potato salad, seaweed. Insanity.

Between the time the banchan hit the table and our mains arrived, two memorable things happened. First, I got scolded by my new Korean mother for drinking soju out of the bottle. I hadn't kicked the bad habits I'd picked up from my Korean business partners. Secondly, an older couple came in after us and they were the rudest diners I've ever seen in person. They couldn't understand why this Chinese restaurant didn't have any of the dishes they were familiar with! The waitress tried to explain that Korean food wasn't Chinese food, but they weren't having it. They refused the banchan because it was "gross". They came over to our table to ask how to order the kung pao chicken. I kindly grabbed the woman's face and held it on my searing hot dolsot bibimbap bowl. Finally, they left and made sure to let the server know they would NEVER be back.

The food we got that night was fine. Definitely authentic, but the flavors were a little bland. Not a bad meal, but not a great meal.

I've since returned. Banchan: still excessive, still delicious. You can ask for seconds (or thirds...) of any of them, and they'll happily oblige you. We had so much kimchi last time we were there, I think I've been fermented. The interior has been redone, a big plus. But how was the food?

Spencer 9/7/15 Spencer 9/7/15

Kim's Bakery

If you're one of those people who has grumbled and moaned to me about being so far from places like La Patisserie Chouquette, Pint Size Bakery, and Whisk because you live in West County, you need to stop whining right now. You have a place to go. A place with pastries and baked goods you can't find anywhere else in St. Louis. Yes, you have something unique that you can rub in the faces of your city dwelling friends. You have Kim's Bakery. So shush. Kim's Bakery is the same thing as St. Louis Korean Bakery and Kim Dok Won Bakery. When you Google it, you'll see any of those names appear.

What's special about a Korean bakery, you ask? Everything. It's all so goddamn delicious. There's a reason that the French-inspired South Korean bakery chain Paris Baguette is spreading through Asia like wildfire: traditional French techniques and recipes have been modified for the Asian palate, and for that, we should all be thankful.

Every day, the Kim's crew bakes more cookies, breads, cakes, and other tasty bits than you can imagine. Some highlights from my most recent trip, clockwise from top left:

1. The melonpan's name comes from it's appearance—it looks like a rock melon—not its flavor. Based on its size, you'd expect it to be a hefty snack, but it's actually hollow inside. It's like a buttery, sugary balloon. The outside of the dough takes on this crackly, crunchy texture while the inside remains soft.

2. White bean balls are for the sugar lovers. Don't let the word 'bean' be a turnoff: you know how good red bean paste is. While red bean tends to have a sticky, gummy texture, white bean is creamy and has less flavor, so almond paste/extract is used. If you like almonds and sugar, or you're looking to get diabetes, you will enjoy these.

3. Do you enjoy custard? Do you enjoy soft, sweet dough? Get the custard bun.

4. I can't leave without getting a fistball. Imagine making a chestnut and raisin bread pudding, but instead of making it as goopy as Americans like theirs, you put it in your hand, make a fist, then toast it so the outside is crunchy. This is what you'd get.

Asian bakeries have an obsession with hot dogs, for some reason. My last time there, the owner insisted I get the sausage pizza bread: slices of hot dog interlaced in dough, topped with cheese and ketchup. It makes for really good drunk food. I'm not sure why, out of all the things in the shop, this is what she really wanted me to get, but I assume she's just an avid Whiskey & Soba reader and knows I'm a pizza fiend.

You may remember my post on Kim's earlier this year highlighting two of their cakes, but I've found the real winner: the green tea cake. It's the best green tea cake I've had anywhere. The top of the cake has a cool post-apocalyptic nuclear green smear design, then you get a thick layer of fluffy green tea mousse, a layer of cake, a smaller layer of mousse dotted with chestnuts, then cake again. I'm embarrassed by how much of this cake I ate, most of which was done secretly late at night.

And yes, this cake was purchased and consumed for Father's Day of this year. I forgot to write about it. I even considered going and getting a new one to re-shoot it, but after the last few weeks of heavy eating, I figured this would be best.

Kim's Bakery is a serious asset for Chesterfield/Creve Coeur. If you're in West County, go. If you're further east, make your friends bring you some (don't bother with the rolled cakes, though; they're the only things there I haven't liked). And most importantly, don't be afraid to go in and try new things. Most items come packaged individually, so you can pick and choose a wide variety.

Kim’s Bakery

13357 Olive Blvd

Chesterfield, MO 63017

(314) 523-1332

Spencer 6/8/15 Spencer 6/8/15

Asian Smoked Ribs

Summer is upon us. The time of year when you're forced to eat terrible BBQ made by friends and family. Charred hot dogs and hamburgers, well done steaks, and chewy ribs. Men huddle around the grill, beers in hand, to discuss the secrets of their grilling prowess. "How do you get that wonderful lighter fluid taste on these burgers?" they ask each other eagerly. It's amateur hour in backyards across the nation - until now. You're going to be the catalyst for change. You're going to be the one whose BBQ is so good that you're no longer invited to the neighborhood pool party. You're going to do it with these ribs and your smoker.

I use the Weber Smokey Mountain. You don't need anything fancier. Buying a Big Green Egg or pellet smoker isn't going to instantly make you better, big guy. You've got to learn to walk before you run.

Unlike your run of the mill smoked ribs, these have an Asian spin to them thanks to a rub from chef Josh Galliano. Mix the ingredients below in a bowl - I typically double or even triple the amount so I can have some ready to go next time I get the urge for these. The amount below should still yield a little extra for next time.

When the ribs are almost done, you'll add Momofuku's Korean ssam sauce (For the Ssam Sauce, you can either buy it directly from Momofuku or make it yourself. Simply combine the ingredients in a bowl). By the end, you'll have fall-apart tender ribs with a little heat and a little tang. The ssam gives it an umami flavor that just takes these over the top. Full recipe for the ribs and sauce below.

I used St. Louis-cut spare ribs with the rib tips cut off, but you can use whatever you'd like.

Asian Smoked Ribs

YIELD: 1 | PREP: 15 HOURS | ACTIVE: 5 MIN | TOTAL: 15 HOURS AND 5 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

ASIAN RIB RUB

Recipe by Josh Galliano

1 rack of ribs
5 T brown sugar or honey
3 T salt
1 t ground coriander
3 t chinese 5 spice
1 t onion powder
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t cayenne
1/4 t chili flakes

SSAM SAUCE

Recipe by David Chang

2 T ssamjang (fermented bean and chili paste, available at Asian groceries)
1 T Chili Paste (Gochujang, found next to the Ssamjang above)
1/2 C sherry vinegar
1/2 C neutral oil (like grapeseed)

METHOD

Ribs

Liberally apply the rub to both sides of the ribs and refrigerate overnight.

Light your smoker and get it to a temperature between 230 and 250 F. I like to use cherry wood primarily, but will add in apple and hickory if I feel like it. If using an oven, heat to 250 F.

Place ribs on the rack and smoke for 3 hours. At this point, brush both sides with Ssam sauce and cook an additional 30 minutes. I sometimes remove the water bowl at the very, very end and put the ribs just above the coals.

If cooking in the oven, place ribs in a foil packet and cook for 1.5 hours. After 1.5 hours, unwrap the packet and cook for an additional hour or until ribs are tender.

Bring inside and eat ribs like an animal.

Yum

Spencer 4/3/15 Spencer 4/3/15

Kim Cheese

Unlike those of you who work in Clayton or downtown, I don't have access to a lot of locally-owned lunch spots. I work in Creve Coeur, land of the chain restaurants. Even food trucks don't venture out here. One of the few bright spots we have on the culinary front is Kim Cheese - and now we have two of them! Their original location, just off 141 and Olive, is a tiny old place, but they've recently opened a second location near the AMC Creve Coeur Theater. If you're familiar with the area, it's in the spot where Oberweiss used to be. Sean Moon and the Kim Cheese family went all out on this place; it looks like a modern Korean take on Chipotle. With the opening of the new spot, they've also expanded their menu to include fish tacos, pork belly, hot wings, and even a new Kalbi burger.

This is a mix of a few recent trips. Below is the their [symple_highlight color="blue"]Bi Bim Bap Bowl[/symple_highlight] with spicy pork. Under that runny fried egg (I have never loved fried eggs more than when paired with Korean food) are cucumbers, water fern, carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts, yu choi (Chinese greens), mixed spring greens, and rice. You take all that, toss a little of the spicy gochujang on top, then mix it up real good. The result is something like a Chipotle burrito bowl, just with a lot more veggies. This has become my go-to meal there, since if I can avoid the rice (I can't), it's pretty healthy.

If I'm feeling like a slightly smaller meal - usually the result of a visit to La Patisserie Chouquette the day prior - I'll go for the tacos. You can't tell from the pictures, but I got a crispy fish taco, a bulgogi beef taco, and, of course, a spicy pork taco. Whether here or at Seoul Taco, I cannot resist the spicy pork. Koreans know pork.

I just want to reiterate how delicious the spicy pork is. I've also been told by a trusted food friend that their quesadilla with spicy pork and kimchi is a perfect hangover cure.

The newest addition to the Kim Cheese family is their Kalbi burger. Kalbi is a marinated beef short rib typically grilled and served with veggies. These geniuses have taken the marinated kalbi, minced it up with some green onions and white onions, then turned it into a hamburger. You've seen short rib, right? It's got beautiful marbling - now imagine that as a burger patty. Mmmmmm, meat.

It's thrown onto a buttery Companion bun with some lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayo, and ketchup. This is all well and good, but to make it really delicious, you've got to throw some of the housemade BBQ sauce on there. It's got this spicy, smoky kick from the gochujang that sends shivers down my spine.

The burger is only available at the Creve Coeur location, currently.

I love you, Kim Cheese. Thank you for saving me from having to eat Potbelly's.

What's your go-to meal at Kim Cheese?

Kim Cheese

13435 Olive Blvd

Chesterfield, MO 63017

314-485-1408

Spencer 1/7/15 Spencer 1/7/15

Seoul Taco

I know, I know. It's ridiculous that I hadn't written about Seoul Taco until now. Even worse is the fact that I hadn't actually eaten Seoul Taco since moving back to St. Louis. I thought about not even admitting to that, but I couldn't lie to you. You mean too much to me.

I headed over to Seoul Taco's new spot on a cold, rainy day, looking for the fire of gochujang to warm me up. Their new location in the Loop, next to The Good Pie and soon-to-open Publico, is badass. You step inside and the restaurant is split in half: the left side, dark and upscale, is for the upcoming Korean BBQ restaurant Seoul Q, while the right side is for Seoul Taco. The design is funky. Eclectic. Designed in a way that not many places in St. Louis are. There are Japanese cherry blossoms mixed with graffiti, luchador-masked judo masters, vibrantly painted stereos and a food truck cut out. I'm totally into it.

For those of you familiar with a normal Korean BBQ experience, you know that you often times leave smelling like grilled meat. Personally, I enjoy that. The ladies do not. Seoul Q's got the top of the line Korean BBQ vents, which do a damn fine job of letting you leave smelling the same way you did when you entered.

I'm probably not telling you anything you don't already know, but Seoul Taco's menu is limited to four main dishes: tacos, quesadillas, burritos, and Gogi bowls, which are somewhere between a rice bowl and a salad.

I decided to get a little of everything. My main dish was the [symple_highlight color="blue"]spicy pork Gogi bowl[/symple_highlight], which I devoured. The pork was gooooood. Nice heat, lots of crispy bits, not fatty. The dish is tossed with a good amount of sesame oil--aka the king of flavored oils. Sesame oil is adds this toasty flavor that is irresistible to most humans. Toss all that with some fresh greens (not iceberg lettuce!), rice, spicy gochujang and you're golden. Oh, and there's a fried egg on top. Bonus points. I used to get an extra egg on my bibimbap sometimes because the mix of creamy egg + toasty sesame oil + spicy gochujang cannot be beat.

My sister went with the [symple_highlight color="blue"]bulgogi quesadilla[/symple_highlight], which I forced her to share with me. The bulgogi - beef marinated in all sorts of delicious stuff - gets an A+ in my book. The Choi family recipe should be kept in a locked vault somewhere. You know that if the beef is great, the quesadilla is going to be great. Anything sandwiched between two tortillas and some cheese is going to be good. The 'dilla is topped with a mix of their "Seoul Sauces" - a housemade taco sauce and and a wasabi sauce.

I want to eat this again right now.

I wanted to try the chicken, so we got one taco with it. I think my comments from a previous Kim Cheese write up hold true here: the restaurant offers a really plain chicken option to deal with people who don't want the delicious spicy pork or bulgogi. It's for that friend that hates anything different from their normal day to day eats. There's really no comparison between this and the other two meats. Just to be clear: the chicken is not bad, it just lacks the top-notch flavor that the pork & beef have.

I agree with the masses: Seoul Taco is not to be missed. I dream of a future St. Louis with Seoul Taco's dotting the streets in place of [insert crappy national chain here]. I can't wait to get back here again to devour a football sized burrito. Definitely give it a try if you've never been before.

Seoul Taco

6665 Delmar Avenue

University City, MO 63130

314.863.1148