David Chang, the rock star of ramen, goes global

NEW YORK (AP) ― David Chang is not your typical celebrity chef. He has no television show, and most people outside the world of avid New York foodies would not have a clue who he was if they came across him on the street, an unassuming if intense-looking, 30-ish guy in a backward baseball cap.But to those who worship the steamed pork buns at his Momofuku Noodle Bar or the rotisserie duck at momofuku ssam Bar, or compete in the fiendish online lottery for one of 12 seats at the high-end Momofuku

Dec. 2, 2011

Cheap eats in storied market

Korean snacks straight off the griddle at Gwangjang Market’s food bazaarA buoyant air of camaraderie pervades Gwangjang Market’s famed food bazaar. Essentially an X-shaped convergence of stalls and sit-down eateries, at night the food-packed turf is brimming with regulars and tourists who have come to rub shoulders, clink glasses and have a good time. Part of the fun is the spectacle of watching grub being whipped up on the premises. At stalls from left to right, huge millstones grind mung beans

Nov. 25, 2011

Wine of the week: 2010 Jean-Marc Burgaud Regnie ‘Vallieres’

Don’t recognize the Beaujolais cru called Regnie? That’s probably because it’s the youngest, established only in 1988, and not as well known as Morgon or Fleury.Vines grown in sandy soil produce a wine that’s round and supple, with light, graceful tannins. Burgaud’s Vallieres comes from 50-year-old vines. The result is an elegant, refined Beaujolais that hints at Burgundy. Vivid and quick, it is Gamay at its best with tastes of cherries and sweet spices. And it’s a terrific value.This could be a

Nov. 25, 2011

Bugeo-gui (grilled dried pollock)

Bugeo-gui is dried pollock that has been soaked then grilled with red pepper paste seasoning. “Bugeo” refers to dried pollock. According to oriental medicine, bugeo has a special ability to counteract snake venom and rabies, as well as environmental toxins.Ingredients● 2 dried pollock (skinned yellowish dried pollock) ● sesame soy sauce: 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 2/3 tbsp sesame oil ● seasoning sauce: 2 tbsp red pepper paste, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tbsp minced green onion, 1 tsp minced g

Nov. 25, 2011

Deulkkae sujebi, wholesome homestyle fare

Perilla seeds bring robust flavors to classic hand-torn noodle soupPerilla (“deulkkae”) ― like the more widely known sesame seed ― is chock-full of nutty, toasty flavors that are both robust and delicate, making it a go-to ingredient in the vast lexicon of Korean cooking. Whole seeds coat sticky rice flour cookies. Ground seeds and perilla oil are used to add a round richness to blanched stalks, vegetable stir-fries and soups. Flavor is not the sole impetus behind the consumption of perilla. Per

Nov. 25, 2011

Wine of the Week: 2010 Regis Minet Pouilly Fume ‘Vieilles Vignes’

The minute I tasted this terrific Pouilly Fume from Regis Minet, I wanted oysters. Not just a half dozen but at least a couple dozen, chilled, naked and preferably Kumamotos. Minet’s old-vine Sauvignon Blanc picks up a stony minerality and bracing acidity that would be perfect with most things from the raw bar. You can taste lime and grapefruit too in this intense, nervous white.It’s also a fine value for a wine of this quality.● Region: Loire Valley● Price: From $18 to $23● Style: Lively● What

Nov. 18, 2011

L.A.’s new restaurants serve up a great year

LOS ANGELES ― Each year I keep a running log to track restaurants slated to open each month. When this January rolled around and I started my new list, I fully expected the pace of openings to slow to a trickle.That hasn’t happened. Instead, despite the curdled economy, L.A.’s restaurant scene this year has busted out with new energy and invention. And it continues to inspire the entire country. I can’t tell you how many New Yorkers and even, gasp, San Franciscans have told me that Los Angeles i

Nov. 18, 2011

Janggukjuk (rice gruel with beef broth)

Janggukjuk is a thin rice porridge, made with pounded non-glutinous rice, beef and brown oak mushrooms. Janggukjuk is seasoned with soy sauce, and it literally means “soy sauce porridge.” It is high in protein and therefore good for recovering patients and the elderly.Ingredients ● 1 cup non-glutinous rice, 7 cups water ● 50 g beef (eye round), 2 sheets brown oak mushrooms ● seasoning sauce: 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp minced green onion, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp sesame salt, 0.1 g ground

Nov. 18, 2011

Michelin chefs cook up Korean ingredients

Michelin star chefs cooked up fusion dishes using Korean sauces such as doenjang (fermented soybean paste), ganjang (soy sauce) and gochujang (hot pepper paste) on Wednesday at the opening of the charity event “Taste of Star Chefs.” South Korean chef Edward Kwon, the host of the event, has invited six celebrity chefs to his restaurants in Seoul. The chefs will create special menus using Korean ingredients at LabXXIV in Cheongdam-dong from Nov. 17 to Dec. 16, and The Mixed One in Hannam-dong from

Nov. 16, 2011

Upscale, ethnic fare is on the menu at more universities

LOS ANGELES ― Don’t look for macaroni and cheese, hamburgers or tuna melt sandwiches at the renovated dining commons at UCLA’s Rieber Hall dormitory. Instead, a hungry student will find such dishes as spinach and seaweed roll, pork ramen with miso, Buddha’s delight and chicken tikka masala.The 600-seat facility offers exclusively Asian-style food from seven national cuisines. And in case visitors don’t realize that something different is going on, hosts welcome them in several Asian languages an

Nov. 14, 2011

Serosugil establishing itself as a gourmet getaway

Garosugil ― the tree-lined, shop-packed street in Sinsa-dong, Seoul ― has been a hotspot for years. After the initial wave of businesses set up shop on the main thoroughfare, a profusion of establishments, boutiques and other businesses branched out into neighboring streets flanking both sides of the main street. At first, the whole mass was referred to as Garosugil, then it got so big that the side streets took on a name of their own ― Serosugil. With practically every nook and cranny taken up

Nov. 11, 2011

Beer to try: Rodenbach Grand Cru

Rodenbach Grand Cru is a Flanders red ale, a Belgian style that is lighter-bodied but deeply complex. Despite its relative lightness, a well-executed Flanders red is sweet, sour, fruity, dry, rich and clean all at once.Little wonder that an almost 200-year-old Belgian label like Rodenbach would be a definitive take on one of the country’s signature styles. In standard Rodenbach, 25 percent of the batch is aged for two years, then blended with an unaged version. The Grand Cru changes the ratio to

Nov. 11, 2011

Platter up! Cheese makes for easy entertaining

A cheese platter is a staple of home entertaining, but spending a little extra time at the cheese shop can help you create a board that rises above the average lump of cheddar.Cheese is probably the easiest appetizer to serve because it requires no preparation and is universally enjoyed. (There’s a reason why you see it at every party.)When putting together a cheese platter, there are no rules, but there are a few guidelines that can help make the presentation both tasty and interesting.First, c

Nov. 11, 2011

Artisanal liquors taking off like a shot

The air outside GreenBar Collective craft distillery in Monrovia, California, is getting warm, but it still crackles with the crispness of fall. Inside the bright, white warehouse, two employees bottle fresh apple bitters while Keith Taylor, the bar manager for sprawling Echo Park restaurant Mohawk Bend, chats with GreenBar’s founders and master distillers, Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew. They stand beside a silver tank of ruby red hibiscus liqueur that Taylor uses to make a limoncello-based

Nov. 9, 2011

Fall’s harvest, pecans

Autumn nuts accent buns and pies at It’s CrispyPecans are harvested in America during fall, making them an autumn delicacy, and in the U.S., where a majority of the world’s supply of these nuts is grown, the big cinnamon buns and namesake pies that use them to great effect are also commonly enjoyed this time of year. There is something infinitely comforting about waking up in the morning, brewing up a hot mug of coffee and enjoying it with a massive, sticky pecan-studded bun, or gathering around

Nov. 4, 2011