Hanmadang

My search for good Korean food is over at last!    I am so grateful to be shown this secret Korean place (thank you C!) as I would never have come across it otherwise.

Hidden in a Korean hotel in Gubei is Hanmadang, a place you will find good quality beef.  When they took out real charcoal I was more than excited.  

I left the ordering to C since she is the expert.  Our kimchi spread was very different than the mass Korean places catered to foreigners.  These dishes all tasted differently and delicately, unlike the usual stuff soaked in red chili and garlic paste.  C mentioned it's very difficult to make good plain kimchi and I agree.  My favourite ones here were the sweet potato and white radish.

A closer look at what I believe to be garlic chives but i could be wrong.  

Somehow the place always gives you sashimi on the side.  We never got to try any of it as our main focus was beef!  

Korean glass noodle salad - always a favourite of mine and this version was excellent.

Beef ribs for barbecue.  C was right about the quality of the meat....it was so tender and juicy that it had that melt-in-the-mouth feel.  I want more!

Bibimbap.  The bowl came sizzling hot and we left the rice in it for a little while so it cooked for a little longer and got crunchier.  Loved it! 

Korean cold noodles.  I had fallen in love with cold noodles when we were in North Korea.  Since then I've tried a few in Seoul but they were hits and misses.  This version is a little different: with little broth and lots of chili sauce it was very refreshing but spicy at the same time.  A very interesting contrast.

The scrumptious meal for two came to just over RMB300.  Good deal!  I wish I could try more dishes next time.

And just as I thought I was going to pop I saw these red-bean fish at the Korean supermarket.  No was not an option and as full as I was I managed to wolf down 2 of those.  They were not particularly nice but they reminded me of my childhood as we always got given a red-bean fish every time we went to Mitsukoshi.

Hanmadang

3/F, Highton Hotel, 1000 East Hong Song Rd., Shanghai.  Tel: 6145-9691

Galleria Korean Supermarket

1000 Hong Quan Rd. (Nr. Jin Hui Rd. South), Shanghai.  Tel:  5528-3838