A Taste of Korea

This weekend, my best friend Eilin and I decided to have lunch together before he left for college. As an incredibly indecisive individual, I left the decision to select the restaurant solely to him. When I asked, his first and only suggestion was a Korean restaurant on Main St. Ironically, he is not Korean, nor is he any sort of Asian. Instead, he finds his roots in the tropics of the Dominican Republic. When we arrived at the restaurant, it was interesting to see that he knew just what he wanted. He ordered a traditional dish called “bibimbap” and even requested some extra “bulgogi”, or barbecued beef. Later, when I mentioned dessert, his first thought was a bakery in Bayside, and as you may have guessed, it was Korean! I laughed at his proposal, not because I thought it was silly, but because of his immense enthusiasm for Korean cuisine. While some Dominican boys find comfort in the taste of red beans with white rice, Eilin seems to find just as much satisfaction in the distinct sesame oil flavor and spice of Korean food.