Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C. - March 29, 2008

Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

For more information, click here.

2008 Ocechi

Japanese New Year's day food - Ocechi

Todai (Japanese Style Seafood Buffet)

I went to Todai, a seafood buffet, in Fairfax for dinner today.
It's been quite long time to have dinner there because my wife and I were tired of the restaurant.

We really wanted to have sashimi and sushi today. The restaurant (Yuraku) where we really like in Germantown is closed today. So, we went to Todai as an alternative.

In the beginning, I enjoyed a little bit; however, I could not be happy at the end.

Why?

The reason is that their food quality is just okay, concerning price.

My wife and I or just I promised again "I will never come here again."

However, I am not sure I can keep that promise.

Kimchi Recipe - Seared Pork Chops with Kimchi (from NY Times)

January 16, 2008

Recipe: Seared Pork Chops With Kimchi


Time: 30 minutes plus 30 minutes to 24 hours’ refrigeration

4 bone-in pork chops, 1 inch thick

6 tablespoons chopped kimchi (sold in Asian markets)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup white wine or vermouth

1 to 2 teaspoons honey, or to taste

1 tablespoon butter

Chopped scallions, for garnish.

1. Smear pork chops with 2 tablespoons kimchi and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours (the longer the better).

2. Wipe off pork to remove pieces of clinging kimchi, and add those pieces to remaining 4 tablespoons kimchi. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear pork until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes a side. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking pork until done to taste, about 7 minutes longer, turning once. Transfer pork to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

3. Add wine, 1 teaspoon honey and kimchi to skillet. Raise heat to high and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until almost all liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter. Taste and add more honey if needed; sauce should be tart but not puckery.

4. Serve pork chops coated with sauce and garnished with scallions.

Yield: 2 servings.

Squid food (Korea)

Korean eat squids a lot. They have many recipes to cook.
Squid sashimi is really good to eat in the East Sea side.
The food in the picture above is baked squid marinated with red peper paste.

Jajang Myun (Chinese Noodle)

Korean style Chinese noodle - Jajang Myun

The Host - Korean Film

My wife and I watched "The Host" today.
The director of this movie is Bong, Jun Ho, who made "Memory of Murder (2002)."
The Memory of Murder is one of my favorites. The story is based on real serial killer case in Korea in 1980s. Police could not find the killer yet. The director made a movie based on this story very well.

I hugely expected "The Host" because of the director.

However, this movie is not good as much as the "Memory of Murder."
Casting was very good. All actors and actresses played their roles very well.

But, there are several episodes which I don't like.
For example, in the beginning of the movie, one of director in chemical Lap in a US military camp in Yongsan ordered to throw toxic chemical in the drain which is connected to the Han river because the bottles have dust.
This toxic chemical is a causation of the wired creature in the movie.

Does it make sense? I am not sure that how many people could agree with this story. Do people throw toxic chemicals in the river because of dust?

Overall, this movie is not excellent to me.
I maybe expected to much.