Korean Restaurant - Morton Grove

HI,

Yesterday after frustrating myself in search for Russian Fish Solyianka Soup. I decided at the very least to have lunch where I have never been before. I ended up on Dempster west of the Edens Expressway at Korean Restaurant.

There are actually two Korean restaurants if not next door to each other, then separated by a business. The Korean restaurant on the west was the classic darkened windows looking forboding and unwelcoming by American cultural standards. The other Korean restaurant had large open windows, germaniums in pots and was making an effort to look inviting. I decided to give the open airy Korean restaurant my business.

Walking in Korean Restaurant, I quickly realized how they attempted to please both American and Korean patrons. On the east side of the restaurant were tables and chairs lined up in an open setting. On the west side there were tables and chairs within office style cubicle walls to allow Koreans their privacy while eating.

I took my seat in the very front area facing the street because I wanted the better lighting. From briefly looking around at the other customers, I was the only non-Korean in the place. The waitress brought me a menu and a glass of hot barley water. I glanced through the lunch specials of bulgogi, bi bim bob (second time recently I see 'bob' instead of 'bop') and dishes I didn't quite know. I steered over to the soups, while most were described as hot, which in my Korean experience means too hot for me. I settled on two candidates: dumpling and rice cake soup or Al Ji Gae Fish Eggs with Vegetables and Tofu Soup. In a funny way, my disappointment in not having Russian fish soup may have helped steer my ultimate choice of the Fish Eggs with vegetables and tofu soup.

My soup arrived in a cloud of steam along with rice and panchan:



Waiting for the soup to cool, I was stirring it around examining the different components of the soup. When I came across some gnarly looking bits, which initially reminded me of ginseng. I then realized they were egg sacks or perhaps fish ovaries filled with tiny eggs.



Over the weekend at the International Mall in Westmont, we had explored a little shop which had a much larger version of fish ovaries, this is the shop girl's choice of words, from an unidentified fish. I estimated I had the poor man's egg ovaries as my soup's were substantially smaller.

While I left some broth behind, I did eat all the chunky bits in my soup which pleased my waitress. I suspect she thought I was going to quickly abandon my soup. It was also nice the panchan, while not of a wide variety, there was a generous quantity of each serving.



Korean Restaurant did not have a take-out menu and I forgot to take a business card. I could not locate their address or phone number either. I telephoned the Carpet Mill Outlet across the street. A very nice gentleman looked out the window to provide an address, which was really very kind.

Korean Restaurant
5702-1/2 Dempster Avenue
Morton Grove, IL

Regards,

Oh Cathy2! And you didn't call??!!

I love Al Ji Gae. The first time I had it was at San Soo Gap San. I have not seen such small sacs before. The ones I've had were larger, about 3-4 inches long, and an inch wide. The texture and flavor reminds me of tarako (Japanese salted cod roe) only less salty.

In fact, I am having tarako rice balls this morning... Great minds think alike!

CrazyC!

I really was on a trip to no where when I stopped here, though there is no reason we cannot go again sometime.

Regards,