Gushi: Great Korean Fast Food

Gushi is the place to go when you want to get some quick Korean food in Santa Monica, or want to pick up something to take home. And eat it for days and days. Because what you get at Gushi above all else is serving size. Most plates here cost from $7.00 to $8.00, and consist of servings that you couldn’t –or at least shouldn’t– eat in one sitting!

Is Gushi the most authentic Korean food in Santa Monica? No, it’s not. The bulgogi, for instance, isn’t grilled but stir-fried. But everything is made fresh, plus it’s cheap and tasty and might just be the best value around. Which is probably why it’s always full to the brim with college kids. Just a note: Gushi is a cash-only joint, so stop by the ATM before you visit.

Gyenari: Korean Fusion Restaurant

If you’re not in the mood for something quick and simple, one of the better Santa Monica Korean restaurants is Gyenari. Now, Gyenari isn’t going to please those who are die-hard fans of authentic Korean cuisine. Because this restaurant is a California-Korean fusion restaurant, where you’ll find things like avocado tossed as a surprise into seemly-traditional dishes.

One of the best things about Gyenari is that it is a grill-at-the-table restaurant where you won’t go home smelling like a barbecue pit. The food is grilled right at your table (by a waiter– you don’t do it yourself), but the smoky air is sucked away by vents before it can permeate your clothes. A bonus if you’re on a date or stopping to eat before a night out.

The prices here aren’t the lowest you’ll find for Korean food in Santa Monica, but the amount of food you get is pretty generous. The “meal for two” menu is a whopping $70 (a good choicer for a special night out), but consists of enough food for two or three people to satisfactorily gorge.

Real Korean in Santa Monica: Koba House BBQ

Koba House is a great combination between what you love in traditional Korea Town restaurants, and what you want from a relaxing night out. When you walk in, you’re struck by the great jazz playing on the speakers and the relaxing, stylish ambiance.

Fortunately, the food is also good. While it doesn’t live up to what you’ll find in K-Town, what you do get is of good quality. Most of the meat dishes run about $9 to $10 a serving, and while serving sizes are a little on the small side, they should be enough to satisfy most. The naeng myung is particularly good, and while you only get four banchan (side dishes), the ones you do get are great.

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Korean foods and diet speak volumes about the country’s history. Korea’s geographical location and nature (being a peninsula), made it an attractive acquisition for trade purposes. Continually overcome throughout history by neighboring empires, primarily Japan and China, the country of Korea has experienced multiple cultural influences.

Interestingly enough, no matter the domination of conquering forces, Korean culture and food-identity have prevailed as absolutely unique. Every cultural practice and food item that has ever been introduced or forced upon the people of Korea by other nations has been subsumed and transformed by them to make it absolutely their own. Language, dress, traditions or food, Koreans have a distinctive cultural identity.

Domination has had another interesting effect upon Korean culture. Not only are its members fierce and driven, but nationalistic pride has contributed to the preservation of its traditional foods in ways that other Asian countries have not held onto in the face of the onslaught of the Western and greater world.

As Korean dishes and Korean foods come into the limelight, they will come up against transforming Western influences. Mass production, pasteurization, the use of vinegar and sugar will affect Korean recipes.

As traditional Korean dishes like dolsot bibimbap are made known, it becomes very important to spread knowledge of authentic Korean recipes and the true processes involved. Already Korean recipes are being changed with “Korean fusion”, ingredient substitutions, and quick and easy versions.

Dolsotbibimbap has been featured on television and is considered a Korean national dish.  Dolsotbibimbap has so far retained its traditional preparation in recipes found on the web.

A few of the fermented basics that give Korean foods their distinct flavors and provide health benefits are: choktal (fermented fish sauce), gochujang (spicy fermented bean paste), kimchee (spicy fermented vegetables), and soy sauce (ganjang.) These are staple Korean flavorings that take time to ferment and depend upon specific processes.

Ganjang, soy sauce, used to be a condiment Koreans made at home. Today, store-bought versions of the brew suffice.

Choktal, fermented fish sauce, is an ingredient in many Korean dishes. It is used like salt but with better benefits. Choktal intensifies the flavors of the ingredients it is mixed with without standing out on its own. Choktal works very well to flavor soups; upon heating the fishy taste disappears but the nutrients remain.

Choktal is rich in iodine, Vitamins A and D and benefits the thyroid gland.

It is made by fermenting fish in salt for 3 months or more and drawing off the resultant liquid. Choktal is made from anchovies in northern regions of Korea and croaker and shrimp in the south.

Choktal is the universal condiment of the ancient world. Roman soldiers used it regularly to ensure that they benefited from its nutrients. The Roman version was called garum.

Ke-tsiap was the Chinese name for pickled fish brine. Dutch traders brought the sauce from the Orient and called it kechap.

The English added mushrooms, walnuts, cucumbers or oysters. Americans added tomatoes.  Unfortunately, the health benefits of the original recipe are lost as ketchup today consists mostly of tomatoes and corn syrup and vinegar.

Gochujang is fermented soybean paste seasoned with Korean chiles, rice powder and honey. This Korean condiment has all of the following flavors: hot, sweet, salty, savory and sour. Gochujang has been shown to have anti-cancerous properties. It benefits the liver, stimulates digestion, lowers blood pressure and has many beneficial enzymes.

Kimchee can be made from any vegetable but traditionally, cabbage and daikon are used. It is important to remember to use organic vegetables as lactobacilli need plenty of nutrients for the fermentation process. Vegetables that are deficient will not activate the process.

Kimchee is becoming a very well-known and sought-after Korean dish.

Dolsotbibimbap features both kimchee and gochujang. Bibimbap was first mentioned in Siujeonseio, an anonymous cookbook from the late 19th century. It was a dish originally meant to make use of leftovers and consists of rice, namul (sautéed or seasoned vegetables), egg, beef and gochujang.  Dolsot bibimbap means bibimbap in a stone bowl. Dolsot bibimbap is a hot version of bibimbap in which the dish is served in a bowl hot enough to crisp the rice in the bottom and partially cook the egg.

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