I will try to present this week in pictures.
Sunday afternoon spent wandering around Oakland's warehouse district and the port.
Also, Oakland Korean restaurant round-up--
Where I live in Oakland, I could easily walk to at least a half dozen Korean restaurants. Yet, I lived in this area for seven years and I had not visited even one. Mostly, this was due to my assumed aversion to Korean food. Being a vegetarian (ok, I occasionally eat fish), I thought there was nothing available for me in Korean food. But after examining menus, I realized that there were enough options, so I decided to take the challenge.
Mic, my intrepid partner in this quest, and I have decided to go around the neighborhood to find the best in Korean restaurants.
Kang Tong Degi
3702 Telegraph Ave.(at 37th St.)
Last Sunday, 10/29, we decided to try out the nearest place. I have been intrigued by this restaurant for a year. I wasn't even sure if it was a restaurant, since there are no English words to indicate what it was. However, when I would walk by in the evening, young Korean kids would be stumbling out in an ecstatic and intoxicated stumble. I thought it might even be some sort of Korean neighborhood karaoke bar. I would try to glimpse into the place when the door was a little open, but I still was not able to discern it. One day we walked in and saw that it was a restaurant, but we walked out quickly, too intimidated.
We took the plunge. The wooden interior creates a cozy atmosphere; semi-private booths line the side of the place. A little group of friends could go in and have a lively conversation without being distracted or distractive. Our server was a slender, good-looking kid, and he was extremely friendly. We had a salmon salad, seafood noodle soup, a kimchee pancake and some sort of ginseng wine; it was a lot of food. We could have done without the pancake, although they crisped it in a tantalizing way; I would like to snack on it while drinking. I was fulfilled by the soup and enjoyed its spiciness; Mic relished the salad, but its sweet dressing did not please me, therefore, he ate most of it.
I would like to go here again after experiencing other restaurants. The atmosphere with its private booths and pleasant wait staff gives this place a plus.
Ohgane Korean Restaurant
3915 Broadway (at 40th St.)
We were on a roll. So on Saturday, 11/4, we tried out this place. It is immense, but it was not crowded. It's definitely a place for family style dining. Huge table with charcoal grills, a giant TV screen (playing a football game- not a plus). We had grilled mackerel, a spicy rice bowl with tofu and veggies and cucumber soju. The soju refreshed us; it was put into a bottle stuffed with julienne cucumbers. Even though I usually do not like tofu, I devoured the rice bowl; it glistened with red peppers, deliciously spiced. Unlike Kang Tong Degi which gave us 5 or so banchan (little plates of snacky things), here we had about 12 banchan- and half of it was kimchees, which I vociferously gobbled down (I love kimchee). I preferred the food here, but disliked the atmosphere. Since I do not watch television at all, when I see one I am disturbingly hypnotized by it, as though it is a technological mind control device to which I have no immunity. So dining at a place with a TV brings it down a few points.
Two down- now we only have 25 or more to go!
