All happy families are the same - dinner for the rest of us

I am planning a birthday dinner (in April) for a family that has interesting dynamics (sister doesn't talk to brother, mother doesn't talk to trophy wife - the usual). I remember getting recommendations from the group for first date restaurant with interesting "concepts" (gimmicks) to keep the conversation going (wine flights). I think a hot pot (my family called it Ho-Ko) is a good option, and LSC seems to be a top (if temprarily too-crowded) option. Any other ideas. San Fransisco-style Korean grill? Other do it yourself (No Flat Top, Please!) places? Thanks

HI,

San Fransisco-style Korean grill?

What is that? How does it compare to what we get locally?

Regards,

They have bbq grills in the middle of the table. You order plates of different (often marinated) meats and vegetables, and cook them yourself. There are many of them in the northern cal. area. (The sf chowhound list has lots to say about it.)

I do not know if this is the same as Korean barbeque I have seen listed here. I have never been to one.

Sounds like most of the Korean BBQ places here.

'sep we have live coals.

Please tell me (or point me to a thread) about these places. Thanks.

I haven't had Korean BBQ in SF but I have in LA and it was the same as what we have here. (The real point, of course, is whether it's the same as in Korea...) Anyway, here are some threads about places that have charcoal (although there's some question about Solga-- the last time I was there we had charcoal at the beginning, but a recent post said none):

Hae Woon Dae

Solga

Kang Nam

Woo Chon and Hae Woon Dae

Several places

The place I'm going to suggest isn't a Korean BBQ one but it involves cooking meats/veggies of your choice in a communal pot of boiling broth, otherwise known as shabu shabu in Japanese. It's fun and warm and might just break the ice They even have sushi!

CoCoRo Shabu de Fondue
668 N. Wells St.
312-943-2220

This may be slightly off the 'do-it-yourself' topic but given the family dynamics and depending on budget and tastes within your party, you might consider one of the Japanese steakhouse places ala Benihana or Ron of Japan. It's not first on my list of restaurants to go to, but it does have three elements that might help smooth out the event:
1) The food is squarely middle of the road steak, shrimp, fried rice etc., so everyone should be able to eat decently and you would be hard pressed to say the food was bad.
2) those grill tables are really BIG so you can separate the various factions and give everyone adequate personal space.
3) there is an element of entertainment going on there with the chef/ grillman that is usually pretty humorous and does not require family interaction, though who knows depending on your perspective the family interactions might also provide a degree of entertainment.
Just something to consider.

HotDillPickle wrote:(sister doesn't talk to brother, mother doesn't talk to trophy wife - the usual).
<snip>
San Fransisco-style Korean grill?

Hot Dill Pickle,

My suggestion, Hae Woon Dae for live coal Korean BBQ. Order lots (and lots) of OB and soju. The booze, combined with the large table, grilling the meat, and general hubbub of Korean BBQ will make for enough distraction for the meal to be somewhat pleasant, even with the 'interesting' dynamic.

Hae Woon Dae


Enjoy,
Gary

Hae Woon Dae
6240 N. California
Chicago, IL. 60659
773-764-8018

Thanks to everyone. I was hoping the Korean bbq was the same. As always, I am inspired by the pictures. While the dynamics are not nearly as dramatic as I made them sound (writer's license), I think the flying knives of Benihana would tempt the fates!