We first started off with the condiments.
Clockwise from top left we have: Cucumbers soaked in Rice Vinegar, Glass noodles with Sesame Oil and Pepper, Kimchi, Mondu, Broccoli with Sweet and Sour, and Mashed Potato Salad. We loved every condiment and its different flavor that each offered.
We then started with Hot Jasmine Tea. Calming and soothing on a beautiful cold and rainy day.
I ordered the Mixed Green Salad with Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette (added Tofu to it) and Pan Fried Squid with Spicy (SPICY SPICY) Sauce.
Mixed Green Salad with Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette and topped off with chopped peanuts. I was able to get some tofu into the salad. I enjoyed this light salad. Very flavorful with that lovely Watermelon Sesame Vinaigrette. Not too sweet and well-balanced. The tofu was flavorless, so I just soaked them in the Vinaigrette.
Pan Fried Squid with Spicy Sauce. Sauce was made up of red pepper flakes and oil. Really, I did enjoy the flavors of this dish and loved the squid together with the rice. With that said, how spicy this dish was, was out of control! Not even kidding. The waitress said that this dish is very hot and that she would kick the heat down a notch for me. How much did she kick it down? Went from 10 T. of red pepper flakes to 9 T.? I am not a wimp and I do enjoy some heat but this was crazy! My mouth -inside and out, was numb! Literally. It did help having the dish with the rice because the rice did help to block some of the heat, but wow it was too much! I did take this home and had my sister try it (she loves heat), in which I was shocked when she said that it was mild! I don't know. But I plan on removing the spiciness before I finish the rest of this! I'm not putting this dish down because it was cooked to perfection and would get this again--minus the 9 T. of red pepper flakes! For fear of a numb mouth, Alexis passed at the offering of trying this out. And good thing because I really wasn't feeling well after this! But she said she respects me more for one, ordering a daring dish and two, eating this, even when I couldn't take it anymore! That is why I love my Alexis!
2/16/10 *Apparently I am a wimp after talking to one of my friends at work the other day after talking to her about this. :) It is "normal" for your mouth to go numb. Koreans rely on heat and don't really care much for salt. All I've got to say is...How is your esophagus? :) Love you Sandy!
Alexis ordered the Rice topped with BBQ Chicken and Vegetables.
I tried it and enjoyed it. She loved it too but wished that there was more to it, like the chicken or more flavor in it.
Overall, prices were somewhat reasonable and flavors were pretty darn good. I give So Kong Dong Korean BBQ 3 1/2 stars: ♥♥♥1/2. Only because there wasn't too many options to choose from off the menu, Alexis wished there had been more flavors/seasonings in her bowl of goodness, and me, for the simple fact that my dish shouldn't have been so ridiculously hot! I don't know if I would go back. I'd like to check out a new Korean restaurant to compare with. But at the same time, I take this as a challenge and maybe would go back and get the same dish again and see if they could make it with less heat. I'm not giving up yet.
Oh and I have one more quick thing to say: I just want to say I think it is genius that they have those self serving frozen yogurt shops! Not genius of me to eat it though, since I can't eat dairy anymore :( . But I had to. Alexis and I stopped for some frozen yogurt after our not lunch but not dinner meal.
Yes I KNOW! You can make fun of me for the ridiculous amount of marshmallows I put in my bowl! Sorry, marshmallows have ALWAYS been my weakness since the youngin years and I refuse to pass them up today! The only reason why I got frozen yogurt was because they FINALLY brought back my new favorite frozen yogurt flavor--Taro Root! Yes, I know what you are thinking, but oh goodness it is soo good! The end of the night, I wasn't feeling too good but everything was worth it! The things I do for some good food.
Next up is my own recipe for Pumpkin Bean Soup, Moroccan, and Greek. Maybe an update on my triathlon training as well. I'm currently in the process of looking for a new bike and they are so expensive, especially since I'm planning an out of the country adventure in April and saving for that as well!
