Tonight, I decided to have dinner at a new korean restaurant on the street leading up to my apartment. I guess I should clarify... I don't know that it's really a restaurant. It's basically one woman cooking 1 of 4 dishes...
in a teeny tiny kitchen with 4 small tables for guests.
Tonight, I was her only customer! I felt bad, because I knew she wanted more people to come, but I could tell she was happy that I had chosen her place! I ordered Dwenjang Cheegeh (a korean soup) and some rice. But, as you probably know by now, Korean restaurants serve lots of side dishes... Tonight was no exception! It literally took her about 15 minutes to cook everything (which is a really long time for Korean places)! I kept looking up at this clock, wondering just how long it would take!
I was in NO hurry though, and actually appreciated the way she was making everything from scratch, taking special detail to each thing she was preparing for me!
And how could I get bored with a TV in the background playing a Korean drama?! Believe it or not, nearly every Korean restaurant has a small TV for it's guests!
She very proudly set my tray on the table, and I KNEW, at that moment, that even if I didn't like something she had given me, I was gonna eat it ALL! How could I not? She was so proud of what she had cooked me!
And boy did I stick to my guns... I ate it all... the nasty ham slices with green peppers... the sprouts, boiled mushrooms, eggs cooked in water, seaweed soup, white cabbage with red sauce, kimchi, more soup, rice, and the worst - sardines! eeehhh!
My tummy was full, but was actually very happy with the healthy things I fed it!
I ended up staying here for 2 hours! Not because I needed all the extra time to digest all the crazy side dishes, but rather because I ended up meeting half of her family! This is her:
First I met her 2 little boys (11 and 8 years old) who came running into the restaurant after finishing their Hagwon (private academy). I talked with her 11 year old son about his favorite fruits, games, TV shows, etc... Basically asking all the things I knew he should be able to understand at his age. We became instant friends when I offered him a piece of dried mango and a piece of gum!
He asked his mom for some money and then left a couple minutes later. He came back with some ice cream for himself and a bottle of Pepsi for me! He knew I liked Pepsi from our earlier conversation about our favorite food and drinks! It was one of the sweetest gestures!
Next I met her husband (56 years old), and then her oldest daughter (21 years old) who I gave the name Lisa! She was sooo excited about her new English name! I found out that the woman who runs the restaurant is 44 years old, and has been married for 21 years! They have 7... yes, count em'... 7 kids! The oldest is 21 and the youngest is 8! Talk about a baby making machine! Here they are, all together (minus their other 4 kids)!
They were definitely one of the nicest families I've met, to date, in Korea! They even invited me to their home, for coffee! And the mom is making me "chocolate and crunch" cookies tonight, which are apparently her specialty! She told me to stop by after work tomorrow and she'll have them ready for me! Ummm, YES PLEASE!
As I was leaving, they all said goodbye at the door and watched me walk up the hill to my apartment, waving to me the whole way! My cup runneth over!
***
