Rural Missouri - January 2013 - (Page 16)

O U T O F T H E W A Y E A T S rowing up in South Korea, Chong Moore was no stranger to the kitchen. Many an hour was spent with her mother there, where she was taught how to prepare Korean dishes the traditional way, incorporating big ﬂavor into simple foods such as rice, noodles and vegetables. “I like to stay in the kitchen,” says Chong (pronounced “jung”), the owner of Café Korea in St. Robert. “Our restaurant is a good way to share the Korean culture and our food.” If you’ve never tried Join editor Kyle Spradley Korean food, on his visit to Café Korea in imagine your the online edition at favorite Chiwww.ruralmissouri.coop. nese dish, then add a little kick to it. Most traditional Korean dishes are spicy, although Chong is quick to add that customers can have their dish spicy or not since everything is cooked to order. You’ll ﬁnd that garlic adds ﬂavor to most photo by Kyle Spradley dishes, while red pepper ﬂakes, ginger, onion John and Chong Moore are proud to offer fresh, authentic Korean dishes to their patrons at Café Korea in St. Robert. and soy sauce are favorite seasonings used in Korean dishes, too. The aroma of these ingredients ﬂoating in the air with the smell of vegetables sizzling in sesame oil will make it difﬁcult to choose a dish. For those unfamiliar with Korean food, the menu features images of the dishes. According to Chong, 70 percent of the menu features traditional Korean entrées, with the remainder consisting of Chinese favorites, such as General Tso’s chicken, for those who The fresh, thinly sliced meat in the bulgogi brought with any meal and — if you’re dinmight be a bit skittish of trying new fare. entrée has been marinated in a mixture of spices ing with others — are intended for all to share. Start your meal with yaki mandu, a crispy that make it so tender you wouldn’t dare ask for a Kimchi (spicy, fermented cabbage) will show fried appetizer ﬁlled with noodles, vegetables and knife. up, along with radish and cucumber kimchi, an meat. Think of it as a spring roll in a triangle. The daily lunch special comes in a beautiful, omelet-like egg dish cut into bite-sized pieces and Ever want to try sushi without the raw ﬁsh? lacquered box similar to a school lunch tray and teriyaki potatoes. Then try kimbahp, which is rice rolled up in comes with a bulgogi or teriyaki meat of choice, Whether you’re there for lunch or dinner, you seaweed and stuffed with seasoned vegetables, a rice, fresh spring roll, yaki mandu, kimbahp, crab can have beef, chicken, pork or shrimp in a numbit of cooked egg, pickled radish and a piece of rangoon and a salad with a spicy dressing that ber of dishes, including bulgogi, teriyaki, yaki chicken or other cooked meat. Chong says “people love to take home.” soba, stir-fried, fried rice or as a salad. Of course, there’s always homemade egg drop “Most of our customers are regulars. Some “Most of our customers come here for bulgosoup for those who crave the staple dish. come daily,” adds Chong, smiling. “Everybody gi,” Chong says. “A lot of people like spicy food, “Mandu soup is my favorite dish,” says John, here is like family.” so we recommend the pork bulgogi.” Chong’s husband. Retired after 20 A family atmosphere is an underyears of military service, John now statement. One day, a customer works as a civilian at Fort Leonard brought homemade treats for Chong Café Korea Wood, located less than a mile from and her staff, while a soldier from Café Korea. He and Chong met 25 the Army base came in just to say Specialties: Traditional Korean dishes years ago when he was stationed in goodbye. He said he was shipping out St. Robert including beef, chicken or pork bulgogi, South Korea. soon and will miss them. • yaki soba (meat, vegetable and noodle Chong prides herself on offering Quite content to leave the cookdish), mandu gook (dumplings in broth) her customers the freshest food. Each ing to Chong, John is supportive of or galbi (marinated beef ribs). morning, she scours the produce at his wife and applauds the great suclocal grocery stores, buying what’s cess Café Korea has enjoyed since needed for the day, much like people opening two years ago. Price: Entrées from $6.99 to $12.99; lunch specials from would do in Korea. Then it’s off to “I think you’ll get a much better $7.99. Cash and checks only; ATM on premises. the restaurant where Chong and her feel for traditional Korean food here staff slice and marinate the meats than you would in a huge restaurant Details: Open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. needed for the day. where food is mass produced,” says Closed on weekends. Seats 50. Takeout available. No smokThe kitchen is a quiet hive of John. ing; no alcohol served. activity as everything from steamed So if you’re traveling down Intermandu ﬁlling (dumplings) to kimchi state 44 and pass through St. Robert, Address: 839 VFW Memorial Blvd. in St. Robert. jeon (Korean pan-fried pancakes) is stop by Café Korea. You’ll be greeted methodically prepared for the day. with a smile and treated to some Don’t be alarmed when the waitauthentic Korean dishes. It’s sure to Contact: 573-336-3232; www.cafekorea.net. ress brings six side dishes, known be “ma shee suh yo,” which in Korean as banchan, to the table. These are means delicious. G by Heather Berry hberry@ruralmissouri.coop Café Korea The best of Korean cuisine in the Ozarks 16 WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP http://www.cafekorea.net http://WWW.RURALMISSOURI.COOP

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - January 2013

Rural Missouri - January 2013
Table of Contents
Comments
Columns
Turning disabilities into abilities
Aiming to win
Outdoors
Enshrined
Out of the Way Eats
Missouri snapshots
Hearth and Home
Marmaduke’s first raid
Around Missouri
Marketplace
No strangers to hard work
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - January 2013