January 22, 2018
Seoul
FEAST
This Korean joint at Incheon International Airport was very good. I ordered the bulgogi bibimbap and once, again, I'm taught that you shouldn't underestimate food courts in malls and airports in Asia.
Bulgogi is the marinated, grilled ribeye, while bibimbap is a steamed, rice dish served with julienned crispy vegetables and the hallmark Korean sauce called gochujang; it contains red pepper paste and provides a very nice, constant level of heat to the dish. So, you get sweet, crispy and spicy in each mouthful. This iteration could easily be served at most sit-down Korean joints I've tried.
Sansoo Bansang
Bulgogi bibimbap:
Beijing
January 22, 2018
The sun had set almost completely by the time I got to my hotel in Beijing. I didn't know where to go for dinner, so I picked a street at the intersection and just headed down that block. Unfortunately, I had what was probably my worst meal on this FEAST.
This place was called Weijia and had a fast-food look with pictures of the food and prices posted above and behind the cash registers. I pointed at a couple of things on the menu and soon wished I'd kept walking down the street.
These meat skewers I thought were chicken, but they tasted like dough and fat slathered with barbecue sauce. And this noodle dish was pretty disgusting with a mystery brown sauce; I picked at most of the shredded cucumber on top. The noodles were cold and definitely looked packaged.
The last item I tried was maybe the the most appetizing. It was a split, toasted roll with shredded pork, but even the protein here was bland. And their soda fountain wasn't working!
I'd give some of these dishes negative human tongues if I could. I'm glad it cost next to nothing because that's what I got. Oh, well, a meal like this every now and again is important to put perspective on things!
Weijia
Mystery skewers:
Amazingly enough (ahem), I had enough room to try another stand at Incheon International while waiting for my flight to Beijing. I tried this tonkatsu joint because I figured if they label themselves as "The Original Shinjuku Donkatsu," then it's gotta be great, right? I'm kidding, of course.
The breaded pork loin was fine; it was light and crisp on the outside. The miso soup was good, too, not too salty. I find it hard to believe food of this style can't make it in American international airports. But, then again, maybe it's never been attempted.
Saboten: The Original Shinjuku Donkatsu
Pork loin tonkatsu:
Mystery noodles:
Shredded pork in toasted bun: