All language subtitles for Wednesday.Food.Talk.E205.190604-NEXT-VIU

Welcome to the 205th episode of Wednesday Food Talk.

- Welcome. - Welcome.

(Welcome to Wednesday Food Talk.)

Let me introduce today's guests.

His only hobby is to look for famous restaurants.

He's the hidden gourmet. Let's welcome Park Sung Hoon.

Nice to meet you.

(Known as Jang Go Rae from "My Only One", Park Sung Hoon)

She's known for her pure and seductive charms.

She's a flawless beauty. Let's welcome Kang Han Na.

(Perfectly charming, Kang Han Na)

I'm so glad to see Park Sung Hoon.

When he did some interview,

he said he wanted to join Wednesday Food Talk.

That's why I'm so glad to see him today.

Did we invite you to our show too late when you mentioned us a lot?

Yes. I mentioned this show a lot.

(I mentioned this show a lot.)

It was my dream to be on this show.

I'm glad that my dream came true.

Goodness. We're grateful to have you with us.

To celebrate fulfilling your dream,

could you please do an impression of Song Kang Ho?

He's really good at this. He sounds just like Kang Ho.

There's this part that Kang Ho does in the movie "The Drug King".

Sung Hoon sounds more like Kang Ho than Kang Ho himself.

(Impression of Kang Ho in the movie "The Drug King")

(Focusing)

"I fed everyone in Korea."

(Hyun Moo likes it.)

Wait a second.

Gosh. It's hilarious.

- I'm sorry, Kang Ho. - It's all right.

- It sounded just like him. - It was on his bucket list.

(Now he's embarrassed.)

I heard that you love to watch our show too, Han Na.

Yes. I like to look for good restaurants.

When I search it on the Internet,

there are too many results on...

"Best sausage stew in Seoul".

Yes. You can't find good ones like that.

So I search "Sausage stew restaurants on Wednesday Food Talk".

That's the keyword I use to search for good restaurants.

The results are quite reliable.

So I'm glad...

- as a big fan of this show. - I see.

Today's theme is...

a creative dish...

that is made with the right ingredients in season...

that also shows a chef's expertise.

It's satisfying in terms of how it looks and tastes.

It's premium Japanese cuisine.

Today's theme is kappo.

(Mysterious dish)

(It's something that you've never seen before.)

(First encounter with kappo dish)

(You'll be surprised to see and taste it.)

(Bringing newness to Japanese food, kappo)

Do you enjoy having Japanese food, Sung Hoon?

Yes. I like to have Japanese food.

When I have free time,

I think of taking a short trip.

Then I usually end up visiting Japan.

I have ramen, udon, and sushi.

(Ramen's everyone's 1st choice when visiting Japan.)

(There's a variety of Japanese food like udon and sushi.)

I like enjoying those types of Japanese food.

I also visit Japanese bars with my friends...

when I want to have...

a light meal with...

a few drinks.

That's right.

How about you, So Eun?

In fact, there's a really good place that sells skewers near my house.

I like grilled asparagus there.

(One of must-haves for Japanese yakitori)

(Grilling on charcoal fire)

(Crunchy and light asparagus skewer)

I like having chicken skin.

I can choose to have chicken skin fries only.

- He likes it a lot. - I was very surprised...

because it was really tasty.

(Trimmed chicken skin on a skewer)

(Chicken skin skewers have their oil dropped and get smoked.)

(When chicken skin gets cooked and crispy, )

(they put sweet and salty tare sauce on top.)

(Crispy chicken skin skewers)

When I have that freshly-grilled chicken skin skewers...

with a glass of highball...

or a glass of beer,

I totally get refreshed.

It just relieves my stress.

You talk just like Dong Yeob.

You talked a little about food but talked a lot about drinks.

She just said a glass of highball because we're on a TV show.

- But she usually drinks 12 glasses. - No.

So she likes having highballs.

How about you, Han Na?

I also like to have...

It's rude to laugh at one's face.

- No, it's not that. - Doesn't he look funny in person?

(Does Hyun Moo look funny in person?)

It's the way he talks.

Comedians love it a lot...

when people laugh at their faces.

So I'll get a pass to some comedian exam as soon as I enter the place.

I wasn't laughing at your face.

Actors have to control on salty food...

when we have shooting the next day.

My face easily gets swollen.

When I visit a kappo restaurant,

they don't serve in a big portion.

They serve food in a small portion.

But it feels like I have premium food.

And I don't have to worry about having salty food.

- You get to eat less there. - So I don't have to worry.

- That's right. - I can enjoy it without worrying.

It is so light that you feel like you won't gain a lot of weight.

Don't you think so? I agree on that too.

But you are wrong.

You can't eat a lot because it's too expensive.

(They can have a lot of it as long as it's affordable.)

- That was a realistic answer. - Yes.

- It makes sense. - He's right.

We'll inform you tasty stories behind how to enjoy food better.

The more you know, the tastier it gets.

I'm sure many people heard about kappo.

But not many people know what it means.

Could you explain about this?

Kappo literally reads as...

"Hal Paeng" in Korean.

The first letter means to divide.

There are four dots on the second letter.

That means to fire up.

It means to chop and cook.

It means to cook.

We use this term when we want to refer to cooking.

That's how they started calling kappo restaurants.

When we stay in some inns in Japan,

they serve premium food like kaiseki.

It's served in a course.

(Served in small plates)

(Kaiseki is a course meal for banquets.)

It's very conventional.

How it looks is very important too.

But they care more about how it tastes for kappo cuisine.

(Kappo is lighter than kaiseki. How it tastes is more important.)

The chef can be creative.

He can cook it nicely.

(Inventive and creative dish)

But it's more premium than izakaya.

That's kappo.

Seok Jin likes to have Japanese food and drinks.

You can feel that it's getting popular these days.

That's right.

When I was here for the first time,

- the episode featured izakaya. - Yes.

There weren't many kappo restaurants then.

But I noticed that there are so many of them now.

There are many people...

in those kappo restaurants.

Personally, I prefer to have...

nice food late at night.

When it's about 9:30pm or 10pm,

I know that most of those good ones are closed by then.

So I choose to visit kappo places in times like that.

I usually get the mackerel sushi.

And almost every kappo restaurant serves that dish.

I often order that dish.

(It's a thick roll of aged mackerel with rice inside.)

(An essential dish at kappo restaurants, pressed mackerel sushi)

And those restaurants serve unique fritters...

like cheese fritter.

(It's the queen of cheese from France, Brie cheese.)

(The pieces of cheese are deep-fried at 170°C.)

(You can enjoy the crispy and savory texture of the fritters...)

(and the rich and soft flavors of the cheese at the same time.)

(A very special fritter, fried Brie cheese)

I often eat those fritters.

And when I want to eat some rice,

I would go for the rice with...

- salmon roe and sea urchin roe. - The rice bowl?

Yes, when I eat that dish, it's quite filling.

I don't drink that often,

but when I need to drink with people,

I usually go to kappo restaurants...

that are famous for the kappo cuisine.

- Those places are confident. - That's right.

I always order the assorted plate of sashimi.

This might not seem that special and seem like a basic dish.

(The most basic dish, but the most special dish)

Every Japanese restaurant serves different assorted plates.

- And it changes every season. - That's right.

They serve seasonal and delicious dishes depending on the season,

so I often order that one.

I love white-colored fish, so when the food is served,

I go for the halibut sashimi which is always served.

I like eating the sashimi...

- with Japanese perilla leaves. - As wraps?

That's how I eat my sashimi.

I see. The assorted sashimi.

But you know, a long time ago,

- robatayaki was very popular. - Robatayaki.

And after that, izakaya got popular.

And these days, the term, "kappo", is used a lot.

A lot of kappo restaurants have popped up, right?

Recently, kappo restaurants sprung up in the Gangnam area.

It's quite entertaining to look at the trend.

Usually, those high-end Japanese restaurants...

- served sushi... - Yes.

or omakase which meant you would leave the meal to the chef.

A lot of sushi places that did omakase...

were in fierce competition.

Chefs from luxurious hotels, Tokyo, and Osaka...

- came back and opened restaurants. - Right.

The competition was cutthroat in Gangnam.

And before and after that, a lot of izakayas opened up.

(Thanks to its popularity, many Japanese pubs opened up.)

Izakayas were all over the country. That's how popular it was.

They thought about more luxurious dishes than dishes from izakayas...

and more creative dishes than sushi.

And they thought about restaurants to cook a wide array of dishes.

- And the answer was kappo. - That's right.

As of now, kappo restaurants are popping up one by one.

When we go to izakayas, they serve many similar dishes.

And we got sick of those dishes.

And we wanted to try different types of food,

so when we went to this restaurant, the chef served us a different dish.

And when we went to another place, the chef served a different dish.

Every restaurant has different Ingredients.

And chefs at each restaurant use different cooking methods.

In the end, we can try different dishes.

And this is one of major traits at Korean kappo places.

I'm sure chefs will know.

We say that we "twist" the dish.

Let me elaborate. For example, the basis of the dish is Japanese,

but we'd use a Western cooking technique.

So when we make something new and creative, we "twist" the dish.

Japanese chefs call this, "hwahon yangjae".

"Hwahon" means the Japanese soul.

And "yangjae" means the Western technique.

And they mix those two together.

The Japanese are very good at this.

- They make it their own. - Right.

- They twist it just a bit. - They twist and make it their own.

- As they excel in that... - It's called "skirting around".

(What was that?)

Wait, that's Japanese though.

- That's right. - Right.

- That was funny. - Right.

(The representative ingredient for the Japanese cuisine, tuna)

(Slice it into cubes and season the fish.)

(Press the avocado mousse into the circular mold.)

(Pile up the seasoned tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe neatly.)

(A new kappo dish has been created.)

(A fresh mix of the Japanese and Western cuisines)

(A Japanese dish with a hint of Western food, maguro tartare)

(This is the example of "hwahon yangjae".)

As for Korean kappo dishes, we utilize the Japanese cuisine,

but as we talked about, usually, it combines other cuisines...

and has a lot of creative dishes.

What are some kappo dishes that we know of?

As I mentioned earlier, the dishes are trendy.

To stay with the trends, people would like it more...

if the chefs add famous ingredients that people would like.

That's why a lot of restaurants use truffle.

- That's right. - That's true.

(The truffle mushroom is 1 of 3 major ingredients in the world.)

(The underground diamond, truffle)

They cook a great cut of meat like the sirloin with truffle.

They cook a great cut of meat like the sirloin with truffle.

(They use the highest grade of Korean sirloin with truffle.)

And they make rice with these. Rice in the clay pot.

Rice cooked in the clay pot is delicious as it is.

When the fragrance of truffle is soaked into the rice,

you can smell the truffle with every bite of the rice.

(You can smell the truffle with every bite of the rice.)

The fragrance of the truffle...

isn't overwhelming, so it's very nice.

(That sounds delicious.)

- Black Iberian pig is form Spain. - Iberico.

(The pigs grew up eating acorns in the Iberian Peninsula.)

(Iberico, a Spanish pig breed)

You can coat the Iberico rib...

with the Japanese miso tare sauce and grill it.

(Spread the butter while grilling to enhance the savory flavors.)

(The rich tare sauce maximizes the flavors.)

In the Korean cuisine, it'd be coating good Korean pork...

- with doenjang and grilling it. - That's right.

And the black pigs taste different than regular pork.

(Chewy meat and rich flavors, grilled Iberico ribs)

These would be some examples.

It might sound easy when we talk about it,

but they must select a good ingredient for the main dish...

or do a good job at preparing the ingredient.

The bottom line is that the these dishes can be served...

because the chefs put a lot of effort into this.

Actually, people say that you eat Japanese food for its presentation.

- The presentation is very pretty. - Yes.

So I get the feeling that women in their 20s love this cuisine.

Japanese food is cute and pretty to look at.

We eat first with our eyes and with our mouth next.

It's fun that way.

To be honest, Japanese food isn't cheap,

but the food feels like a present you're giving yourself to.

Personally, I tend to think buying things with my money...

is wasteful.

But when it comes to food,

I don't think it's a waste.

I have a high Engel's coefficient.

In that aspect, I like Japanese cuisine...

because it feels like giving myself a present.

As for the assorted sashimi,

every Japanese restaurant serves that dish.

- But the presentation is different. - Right.

(The fancy presentation catches people's eyes.)

(It's an art form of food, created with delicate touches.)

(The assorted plate of sashimi contains the chef's style.)

I think presentation is part of the fun dining experience too.

When you look at photos on social media these days,

there are some restaurants that you want to try out.

Those posts are interesting too.

And I could see that there were a lot of new dishes...

that I wasn't aware of through social media.

What do you search...

on social media?

It's one of those recommended posts.

- I see. Recommended posts. - I always look up restaurants,

so when I tap on that,

- I only see restaurants. - It's customized for you.

Yes, so I only look at restaurants.

When I tap on the post, they provide addresses these days,

so I just go there and eat it.

(Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam)

Which bar serves the best highball?

(Feeling shy and embarrassed)

- I bet she has 10 bars in mind. - She talked about highball earlier.

- But... - I'll tell you in private.

The more you know, the tastier it gets.

Highball, the drink, originated from a golf course.

- Really? - Actually,

when you eat Japanese food these days,

a lot of people drink this cocktail although many still drink beer.

You mix whisky with soda...

and add ice into it. It's a cocktail called...

highball.

(Whisky cocktail with soda)

(Highball, the perfect match with the Japanese cuisine)

- I found out this is very popular. - That's right.

A lot of kappo restaurants and izakayas...

sell a lot of highballs.

- Right. - Right?

In Japan, this is more popular than beer.

But this drink didn't originate from Japan.

Then which country created this drink?

From what I've heard, it's from Scotland.

Scotland is...

- famous for Scotch, the whisky. - The whisky.

And it's the birthplace of golf.

In one of their cultures, men drank alcohol...

while playing golf.

But whisky is really strong,

so they wanted to make a light drink with the liquor.

In the end, they started to mix soda and sparkling water.

But if you have a lot of those,

you still get drunk no matter how light it is.

So when they play, the ball would go high. Hence the name, highball.

They'd hit the ball wrong,

- so it would go above their heads. - It'd go over their heads?

The ball would go over someone else's head.

When things like this happened,

they started calling it highball. It's just a story.

When did this cocktail emerge in Japan?

It's been quite a while since Japanese people started drinking it.

They thought of ways to sell more whisky.

One of the liquor companies marketed this liquor aggressively.

If you mix liquor with water or sparkling water,

everyone can drink more than usual.

Especially, Japanese people...

have this culture where they drink a cup of beer before meals.

And this liquor ended up sharing the market with beer.

They'd have a glass of highball before meals.

Recently, this cocktail was combined with their culture of eating...

while standing up, having a quick drink, and women drinkers.

As a result, highball is getting very popular.

I heard that the sales of beer went down...

because of highball.

It decreased a lot.

Five of the highest grossing beer companies...

- in Japan did this research. - Okay.

Their highest sales were in 2001.

Compared to their sales in 2001,

their sales went down by 30 percent.

They started gathering relevant statistics since 1992.

They started gathering relevant statistics since 1992.

Since 1992, they hit the lowest sales...

in record after 26 years.

(They had the lowest sales after 26 years.)

People were sick of drinking the same Japanese beer and liquor.

So they started to become very interested in new liquor.

In that case, you can enjoy highball even more...

if you know the kind of whisky you like.

Of course. Traditionally,

we often drink well-blended whiskies.

You can mix those soft whiskies or floral whiskies.

You can definitely use these types of whiskies to make highballs.

I'm sure bars would have these whiskies in stock too.

(You can choose your own whisky depending on the flavor and scent.)

But highballs in Korea are way stronger...

than highballs in Japan.

- Ours is stronger? - Yes. Korean drinkers...

can't stand watery cocktails.

When the drinks are watery, they think that...

- the owner is cheap. - Right.

That means only a small amount of whisky is added.

- "The owner is cheap." - "Why did he put so little?"

They add a lot of whisky, but they are more expensive.

(The more liquor there is, the more expensive it is.)

They add way more alcohol in that.

The drinks have to be strong.

All right. This time, we'll introduce...

new trends of dishes that are getting popular...

these days.

It's "The Hot Meal".

- We'll take turns... - Right.

to introduce a new dish these days.

We'll introduce "The Hot Meal" from the kappo cuisine today.

Which one of you had the dish?

I had the hot meal.

I went to try the trendiest dish among kappo restaurants.

Does he work at the pest control agency?

(Does he work at the pest control agency?)

- No. - It looks like that.

(Seok Jin came to have "The Hot Meal".)

Well,

can I...

(What's the new dish that can tell us about the newest trend?)

I heard that you have a mackerel sandwich.

(Mackerel sandwich)

Supposedly, this is very popular.

I saw a lot of posts when I looked this up.

(Mackerel sandwich)

("Saba sando")

It's called "saba sando".

In Japanese, "saba" means mackerel.

A lot of people know that through the dish called "shime saba"...

which is cured mackerel.

"Sando" is the Japanese pronunciation for sandwich.

It means mackerel sandwich.

Thank you.

("Saba sando" is served at last!)

(He's getting excited.)

"Saba sando" is served.

(The presentation of the dish sure looks different.)

By the look of the dish,

the mackerel isn't cooked. It's raw.

Surrounding the fish...

They mashed the potatoes which...

we used to eat a lot back in the days.

A type of potato "sarada" is wrapped around the fish.

(Let me take a closer look.)

The fish is slightly flamed.

This is called "aburi".

Right here.

(Can you see it?)

(Taking a bite)

(Savoring the flavors)

(Nodding his head)

The chef toasted the bread pretty well.

I can taste the savory flavor from the toasted bread.

The textures of the mackerel and mashed potatoes...

go well together. They wrap up the dish nicely.

Let me have one more bite.

(He eats...)

(and continues to eat.)

(I can't breathe. My mouth is full.)

(Handsome Eater)

This is good.

People who haven't had mackerel sandwiches...

might be worried that it might be very fish.

- Right. - Have you had...

"saba sando" before?

- I think I'm just scared. - You're scared.

I can't imagine eating a sandwich...

with the blue-colored fish as the patty.

If you think about it, as for mackerel sashimi,

unless you eat that right away on the site...

or unless it's really fresh, it tastes fishy.

- That's true. - So this is beyond my imagination.

- It is. - Right.

When you think of typical sandwiches,

you'd think of ham, vegetables, and crabmeat which are found in...

- franchised bakeries' sandwiches. - Eggs. Yes.

Starting last year, Japanese-style sandwiches started to get popular...

such as "tamago sando", the egg sandwich.

And when you go to a pork cutlet place, they serve "katsu sando".

Pork cutlet is between the bread.

And that restaurant cured mackerel...

and put it between the bead.

People who went there to taste it...

were happy with it, so it became a huge hit.

Have you ever tried the sandwich?

- I've had it before. - Really?

But I didn't have "saba sando".

When I went to Turkey,

- I had a mackerel sandwich. - Right.

- Right. - Mackerel sandwich.

But what I had was different.

They would catch the fish and cook it on the site.

They would grill the fish and just put it in the baguette.

- They just served it like that. - They put grilled mackerel...

- in the baguette? - Yes.

Moreover, a lot of people fish at that fishing site.

Everyone was fishing there.

And I had a bite of that.

(How does the Turkish mackerel sandwich taste?)

It was really fishy.

(Once she had a bite, it was very fishy.)

The fishbone was as big as this.

They didn't take the bones out?

No, they didn't.

- They put the whole mackerel in. - You should be careful.

- Did it have its tail too? - I couldn't eat it.

The tail...

The tail was sticking out...

- of the baguette. - My gosh.

After hearing these stories...

about mackerel sandwiches,

I thought about the fishy smell right away.

It could definitely taste fishy.

The fish smell comes...

from the scent of the fish meat that every fish has to begin with...

just like how everyone has their own unique smell,

so it's the same with fish.

The key is how the chef prepares it and neutralizes the smell.

(Fresh mackerels are delivered from the fisheries on the day.)

(The chefs neatly prepare the fish like a professional.)

(They separate the springy flesh from the fishbones.)

(Let it age for 2 hours after salting the fish.)

(Leave it in the vinegar made of rice for 30 minutes.)

(Coat it with flavors of kelp, and it's ready.)

It wasn't just regular cured mackerel.

The chef torched the fish on the surface.

It had the smoky flavor of the grilled fish.

The fish itself doesn't have a great texture.

When I took it apart, I found a thin layer of something.

I was wondering what it was.

The chef added a very thin slice of pickled radish and put it in,

so there was that crunchy texture from the sandwich.

It was really good.

(Put a generous amount of potato salad on top of toasted bread.)

(Add the pickled radish and fragrant perilla leaf for the texture.)

(And put a piece of slightly grilled mackerel.)

(An unexpected chemistry was made as each ingredient came together.)

(It's the epitome of savory dishes.)

The chef added pickled radish and perilla leaves...

- to neutralize the fishy smell. - The chef tried hard.

And he also torched the fish.

- This is an elaborate recipe. - That's true.

The chef managed to keep the flavor of mackerel...

and used every skill possible...

for the dish,

so the people might not find this fishy or weird.

When we first saw the pork cutlet inside the sandwich,

we were flustered to see such a sandwich.

That was our first reaction,

but when we had it, it was really good.

Besides, when you cook mackerel at home,

it's so hard to get the smell out of the house.

But some people still crave mackerel,

so they'd bring mackerel when they go over to a friend's house.

(The mackerel sandwich is not smelly and portable.)

What a terrible friend.

Seriously.

You can bring the mackerel like it's a housewarming gift.

- No way. - And that friend would eat it all.

(The finishing touch of a food shot)

(Bird's eye view photo)

(Refreshingly shocking, strongly recommended)

(Don't be afraid.)

(Mackerel sandwich)

(The Advisory Board of Wednesday Food Talk)

(Ye Jong Suk, Lee Hae Rim, Park Sung Jin, Cynthia Yoo)

(Park Mi Song, Kang Tae An, Jang Soo Yeon, Cho Eun Young)

(Tae Won Joon, Park Mi Hyang)

The restaurant that is worth the wait.

Let's dive in right away.

This week, this restaurant mixes the traditional Japanese cuisine...

with trends from all over the world to serve creative dishes...

as well as more flavorful dishes. It's a kappo restaurant.

(A luxurious kappo restaurant located in Cheongdam-dong)

(Original kappo dishes combine the Japanese and Western cuisines.)

(Its fancy presentation pleases our eyes.)

(The chefs cook with fresh ingredients.)

(It's a place where one can taste unique kappo dishes.)

[VIU Ver] Olive E205 Wednesday Food Talk
"Kappo & Highball"
-♥ Ruo Xi ♥-

First of all, the restaurant's walls...

are made of glass. It gives you the feel of an open space.

How did you think about the ambience there, So Eun?

From the outside, it looked very luxurious.

They decorated with gold and black for their interior designs.

(Splendid interior designs in gold and black)

And we could see the chefs cooking too.

- That's right. - It was very luxurious.

(You can see the chefs cooking in this open kitchen.)

(The restaurant exudes a luxurious atmosphere.)

When I went there first,

I thought ladies would love it.

There were glass walls inside,

so I thought this place would look pretty throughout the year.

If it rains, we can enjoy the food while watching the rain.

If it rains, we can eat there while looking at the snow.

If a boyfriend takes his girlfriend there,

the girlfriend would compliment him on his selection of the restaurant.

It's quite romantic.

When I got in there,

they gave me citron juice as a welcome drink.

- It was in a cute tiny beer glass. - In a beer glass.

It was so cute that I thought...

the dishes to be served in the restaurant...

would be...

captivate women's hearts.

It made me really excited.

That's how the place looked.

When I got the welcome drink, I thought of Dong Yeob.

He must be really disappointed.

He'd think it's alcohol.

"Darn it. It's just juice."

I was very disappointed.

Thirsty souls wouldn't like it.

My mouth wasn't fresh when I got in there.

So I liked the refreshing taste of citron juice.

If it had been served in a larger amount, it would've been too much.

The color was perfect, and the glass looked cute.

It made me feel like...

- I was being welcomed. - And it's for the social media.

You're right. Women would love it.

- It looks lovely. - You should take a picture of it.

It explains...

what kind of restaurant it is.

- I see. - "Get ready to be surprised."

It's like declaration of war.

It's fun.

(It's declaration of war that raises expectations.)

This restaurant isn't just about food.

They care a lot about how their dishes look.

They have the signature dish where fresh halibut goes well...

with aromatic truffle.

It's halibut ceviche with truffle sauce.

You all tried it.

(Place thinly sliced halibut neatly on a plate.)

(And add the truffle sauce next to it.)

(It's their signature dish, halibut ceviche with truffle sauce.)

It feels like the combination of Japanese food...

and Latin American food.

As the dish was served, the dome lid was opened.

(It looks mysterious as if a space craft just landed.)

- And there was smoke. - It was a lot.

I know. And it smelled like an oak tree.

- I thought it was dry ice. - It was a lot of smoke.

A lot of smoke rolled up as if it'd never end.

And it caught people's eyes.

"What's that?" It was very fun.

It's something you can brag about.

So you should shoot a video of it.

And you should upload the video on your social media.

- To show that you're eating it. - Exactly.

- Right. - That's funny.

I know.

So Eun, I heard this is your favorite dish.

I really liked it.

I liked the performance at first.

It felt really good.

As it smelled like an oak tree,

the halibut felt even more fresh even though it's aged.

Actually I like truffle sauce.

When I tried it with the sauce,

it melted in my mouth.

And it smelled like an oak as I chewed the halibut.

It was so good that I can't even express in words.

I finished it all. I even ate only the sauce.

It smells amazing. I'll try it with the sauce.

(I like the smell of oak.)

(Taking a bite)

(Loading in her mouth)

(The transfer of halibut ceviche is complete.)

(It's delicious.)

Actually I thought...

I would go to this place...

when I want to try kappo dishes.

- You did? - I found the place on the Internet.

And it said this dish is their signature dish...

on the website.

I heard I have to try this dish.

So I go my hopes up.

I wasn't so sure...

halibut would go well with the truffle sauce.

"Would it taste good?" I thought.

But they tastes great both together and separately.

And I ate it...

with some sake.

(You'd want to try Japanese dishes with some sake.)

It removed the bitter taste of alcohol.

It just tasted sweet.

I thought they were a good match.

(The perfect combination of tastes)

I dream of becoming a future gourmet.

I want to be a gourmet.

And I heard...

I should enjoy Pyongyang naengmyeon and coriander to be a gourmet.

So I tried them...

and started to like those stuff.

But I still don't appreciate the charm of truffle.

It is said to be one of the world's top three dishes.

Truffle, foie gras, and caviar.

But the truffle sauce had some burnt flavor.

That's how I felt.

- You didn't like it. - I actually don't like...

smoked food or things that have burnt flavor.

I liked the aged halibut,

but I didn't want to try it with the sauce.

You're right. There are...

a lot of people who don't like the flavor of truffle.

Like he said, is it better than wasabi or soy sauce?

If you think about it,

it's not so interesting.

If you ask me if it's the best way to enjoy it,

I will have to think about it more.

And there's a fish delicacy that came from...

the sea of Tongyeong. It's blackthroat seaperch.

It's seasoned with rock salt...

of the Himalaya.

It tastes clean and tender.

(It has the light and chewy flesh.)

Why do kappo restaurants serve blackthroat seaperch all the time?

- Blackthroat seaperch is... - I'm so curious about it.

They want to serve a special kind of fish.

But they don't have a wide range of choices.

It's always blackthroat seaperch or tile fish.

But it's not easy to cook blackthroat seaperch well.

Its flesh is very soft.

And it's not easy to get fresh blackthroat seaperch.

Chefs try really hard...

to find a fresh one.

The name sounds so fancy. It's blackthroat seaperch.

There are things that have funny names.

Like sailfin sandfish and webfoot octopus.

- And a snakehead. That's too bad. - I know.

But this one sounds so fancy.

It was my first time to see a whole blackthroat seaperch.

To see how it looks.

And its mouth was wide open.

It was so scary.

So I turned the plate...

and ate it from the tail.

I thought it was cute. I even smelled its mouth.

(Sniffing)

I can smell its bad breath.

It has bad breath.

(The blackthroat seaperch has bad breath.)

And its eyes were this big.

It has big eyes.

So it's called nunboldae...

- in Korean. - Nunboldae.

Right. Nun means eyes. It has huge eyes.

It feels like the fish is saying that it's really delicious.

I felt sorry though.

Me too.

It's hard to eat it looking at its eyes.

- Really? - I felt bad.

- I felt sorry. - But the fish...

is very juicy and moist.

It tastes good itself.

And I wished I had some rice too.

It would go well with rice.

But I didn't have rice, so I tried it with the ponzu sauce,

and it was really good.

It was light and savory.

It goes well with the sweet taste of ponzu sauce.

(It makes less greasy and gives more flavor.)

Sung Hoon, I heard you liked the blackthroat seaperch...

- very much. - Right.

It's my favorite dish in this restaurant.

It was grilled on a skewer,

so it looked like a dragon ascending.

- It was crooked. - It's like the fish was swimming.

It looked like this.

I think they used a skewer to make it look like that.

- Right. - And they grilled it.

It looked crispy on the outside,

but it was...

very juicy and moist on the inside.

The crispy and salty skin...

and tender fillet were quite harmonious.

I think the fish itself is really good.

It tastes good itself.

When it felt a little greasy,

I tried it with the ponzu sauce.

And it tasted refreshing.

(Try it with ponzu sauce when it's greasy.)

(He picks up the blackthroat seaperch fillet with chopsticks.)

(He puts one hand under it not to drop it.)

(Blowing)

(Stuffing his mouth)

(My gosh, it's so good.)

(This is unbelievable. I love blackthroat seaperch.)

This is really good.

(It's the best thing I've ever tried.)

I tried the fish...

after having 4 or 5 dishes.

But it was really good. I couldn't stop eating it.

And the fish doesn't have a lot of bones in it.

I just got rid of some big bones,

and it was very fleshy.

So I just kept eating it.

(It has a lot of moist flesh.)

As I ate it,

I thought I could eat it...

even when I'm on a diet.

Right. I don't know much about cooking.

But when I ate it, there were water that dropped on the dish.

I'm not sure if it's juice from the fish or not.

I just guessed...

they grilled frozen fish.

It might be juice from the fish, but there was a lot of water.

The skin looked crispy, so I thought...

it'd taste good with the fillet. So I tried them together.

But the salt wasn't distributed evenly.

- It was very salty in some parts. - It was very salty on the back.

Right. I expected it to be really good,

but it was too salty to appreciate its taste.

It was a little disappointing.

It'd be better if they season the fish...

evenly with fine salt.

I also thought the back part was too salty.

So I ate the belly right away.

To neutralize the taste.

I was so surprised.

While they sprinkled salt on the fish...

"What? Jun Hyun Moo is here?"

So they may have kept sprinkling it.

Anyway the flesh wasn't that salty.

I guess that's why it's served with Himalayan rock salt.

We can try it with some salt. That's how I enjoyed it.

It was my favorite dish in this restaurant.

They grilled the big blackthroat seaperch...

so well.

- Right. - They put it on a skewer...

and grilled it, turning it every few seconds.

Like Seok Jin said, if they grilled it without turning it,

the juice would've drained while it was grilled.

But they grilled it turning it over and over again.

So the juice was kept in its skin.

(It's crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.)

(That's how they make the moist blackthroat seaperch.)

When I peeled the skin and tried the flesh,

it was very moist.

Like he said, the skin was quite salty.

And the meat inside seemed like it wasn't seasoned at all.

so I took the meat...

and tried it with the skin.

It was amazing.

- It tasted just right then. - You're an expert after all.

If anyone gets to have the dish,

- they should try such a way. - It's nice.

Next is lobster uniyaki...

which is a lobster dish grilled with sea urchin sauce and vegetables...

like asparagus and shiitake mushroom.

(Pieces of lobster and scallop are thrown in a pan...)

(and stir-fried until they become golden brown.)

(Various vegetables like shiitake mushrooms and asparagus are added.)

(Then fresh cream...)

(and sea urchin sauce are added to highlight its taste.)

(When the savory sea urchin sauce becomes sticky, )

(the stir-fried ingredients are placed on the lobster shell...)

(and grilled in an oven for about 15 minutes.)

(Sizzling)

(The lobster uniyaki is complete.)

(The climax of flashy taste, lobster uniyaki)

Seok Jin,

you always say sea urchin and lobster are the combination...

- that never fails. - Right.

It's lobster mixed with sea urchin,

so the taste can't be bad.

When it comes to the appearance,

the dish is served on a lobster shell.

And on top of it, there was some kind of vegetable like herbs...

though I didn't know what it was exactly.

- There was scallop too. - Right.

The taste of it didn't stand out much,

but its texture went well...

with the other ingredients.

If I were to explain this in a very easy way,

it tasted like high-quality grilled squid with butter.

(It tastes somewhat like classy grilled squid with butter.)

That's the impression I got.

Lobster actually takes a lot of work to shell and eat,

but the meat was already cut into pieces...

for female customers to enjoy the dish at ease.

I tried just the food...

and with a piece of baguette as well.

Its savory taste was doubled...

when I had it with baguette.

That's what I thought.

I really enjoyed the dish.

(Its savory taste gets much deeper.)

I heard you like sea urchin, Sung Hoon.

Right, I love sea urchin.

I personally think if sea urchin has a surname,

it will be Kim which also means dried laver in Korean.

- Dried laver? - Sea urchin and driver laver...

- make a perfect harmony. - That totally woke me up.

- Oh my goodness. - That surprised me.

I tried the sea urchin and vegetables...

with a sheet of dried laver.

When I had a bite, I could taste the crispy texture of dried laver...

and the soft, but a bit different texture of other ingredients.

Those textures harmonized well together.

- Kim Sea Urchin. - Right.

It wasn't so satisfying for me.

That made me wonder...

why I needed to have this dish in the restaurant.

I thought it was something I could have at an Italian restaurant.

Of course, it was brilliant of them to make the sea urchin sauce...

with fresh cream.

But it wasn't so impressive of a taste.

Besides, the lobster was a bit small.

There were too many scallops...

and mushrooms too.

I was confused what I ordered this dish for.

It somewhat felt like...

the dish was placed on the lobster shell just for show.

I think differently.

For example, halibut ceviche...

can't be considered Japanese, but Western.

So if it's a Western dish,

they just have to make it real Western.

I don't think...

it's much of a problem for this dish to be on their menu.

But I do agree that it wasn't so satisfying.

Let's think of it this way.

Wouldn't it be more delicious to place sea urchin on lobster meat...

and eat them raw together?

- Oh, that'd be delicious. - With such thought,

you can't help but become doubtful about this dish.

I mean, this dish has to be better than that...

or have its own strength worth trying.

And that's why the restaurant serves the dish.

To provide another delicious sea urchin dish.

This place is a Japanese restaurant,

and it's not satisfying in that sense.

(The quality of the dish isn't so satisfying.)

Since last week,

we're reviewing restaurants by scoring them with stars.

Taste, ambience, and willingness to revisit.

We're scoring restaurants in terms of those three categories.

Han Na, on taste and willingness to revisit,

you gave five stars to the restaurant.

- Five stars. - Isn't that too generous?

If I could give more stars,

I'd give six stars on willingness to revisit.

I'd like to visit this place again before the show gets aired...

- and try their other dishes too. - Did you like it that much?

- Well... - I loved it.

- What was your favorite? - I loved all the dishes.

- Goodness. - Though we haven't talked about it,

they served potato mochi.

It came out in small pieces,

and I loved it.

(Potato mochi is like glutinous rice donut.)

There was pollack roe in it, but it wasn't salty at all.

It tasted sweet and pleasant.

(It's light and sweet.)

So Eun represents the palate of people in their 20s,

and she's given five stars on ambiance...

and two stars on willingness to revisit.

The restaurant was classy in terms of ambiance,

their dishes were delicious,

they provided nice spectacles, and everything was good.

But if I tell my friends to go there with me,

they might ask if it's my treat.

"Is it your treat?"

- Because of the price. - Then...

I might choose not to go.

(She might not go.)

You at least have to pay for your own serving.

Right, that's one reason.

And it was a little unsatisfying...

because they had only one kind of draft beer.

Most of the drinks were sake, not even highball.

Don't laugh.

- It didn't even have highball. - They only had sake.

I had limited options for drinks...

because they didn't have many kinds of drinks.

Sung Hoon, you gave four stars...

- on willingness to revisit. - Right.

The dishes were good in general.

But because the dishes are quite expensive,

I might have to visit the place on a special occasion...

or with work-related people.

But the space was a little too open,

making it difficult to have important conversations.

That's why I gave four stars despite the food quality.

(Professional restaurant visitor)

(Rising gourmet)

(The palate of those in their 20s)

(The palate of those in their 30s)

(The palate of those in their 40s)

(The palate of those in their 50s)

The restaurant that is worth the wait.

Japanese food from Kochi Prefecture is mixed with Chinese cuisine.

It's a high-quality kappo Japanese restaurant.

(The famous restaurant in Apgujeong)

(You get to watch a fire show in this place every day.)

(It specializes in making Kochi food with straw fire.)

(The straw fire deepens the taste of their dishes.)

(It's where you can experience...)

(the new world of high-quality Japanese cuisine.)

How did you like the ambience of this place, Seok Jin?

I visited the restaurant on Friday night.

There were a lot of people.

(The restaurant is crowded with people.)

It seemed like a Japanese bar which I visit often with my friends.

It was in a casual and comfortable atmosphere...

which would make it easy for its customers to visit often.

So I liked its ambience itself.

(Its comfy vibe makes you want to visit every day.)

What is it called, partition?

The place was partitioned off to provide private spaces.

I got to eat...

in a private, closed space that seemed like a booth.

It was better in terms of privacy.

Just by looking at its signature dishes,

you'd be able to tell its difference from other Japanese bars.

It's the authentic Kochi dish.

It's hagfish grilled with straw fire...

and thus, is full of the scent of straw fire.

(Fresh hagfish is cleaned nice and neat.)

(It's grilled lightly over a straw fire...)

(and coated with sweet soy sauce to double the savory taste.)

(The fantastic harmony between fresh vegetables and grilled hagfish)

(The epitome of Kochi food, grilled hagfish with straw fire)

Kochi food sounds a bit unfamiliar.

Kochi Prefecture itself is unfamiliar to begin with.

I hear it has something to do with Korea.

It's the rural region of Japan.

It's a big island...

located in the south of the mainland.

The current Kochi Prefecture was once called...

as Tosa in the past.

Of course, the locals still use the word.

Phrases like Tosa food, Tosa-style, Tosa people...

are still used in the region.

But this island has something to do with our country.

(What does it have to do with our country?)

During the Japanese invasions,

a lot of Joseon people were dragged to Japan.

And many of them ended up in this island.

(Kochi Prefecture was one of the places.)

(They grilled food over a straw fire out of longing for their home, )

(which originated the current Kochi food.)

Was it your first time eating hagfish, Han Na?

Yes, it was my first time eating hagfish.

First off, they had a smoke performance too.

It was served in a bento box, and when I opened its lid,

the smoke came out with the scent of straw fire.

It didn't seem artificial,

but like real smoke.

(It feels mysterious and profound.)

When the smoke was gone,

I was faced with the unfamiliar appearance.

I never saw such a thing before,

so I was a little unsure...

whether it'd be good.

(Would it be good?)

When I actually tried it, it was grainy.

Its texture was quite interesting.

(Grilled hagfish with straw fire, awkward first encounter)

(Her pupils are shaking.)

(Grilled hagfish with straw fire, awkward first encounter)

(Her pupils are shaking.)

I'm not sure if I should use a spoon or chopsticks.

But I'll try a piece of this hagfish...

with the spoon first.

(She puts her flusteration aside and takes a spoonful of it.)

(She's never had this kind of interesting texture before.)

(She's not awkward with the dish anymore.)

(She's rather deeply in love with it.)

It's impossible to make a straw fire at home.

But you get to have such food here. It's their signature dish.

It's actually not easy...

to coat a taste on hagfish.

Its texture could get tough...

through the process of grilling the hagfish...

over and over with the sauce.

But it was delicious and crunchy unlike how I expected.

(The crunchy texture remained in the hagfish.)

I heard they grill hagfish with binchotan charcoal.

Binchotan charcoal is mostly used in Korean barbecue restaurants.

(Binchotan charcoal causes a strong flame and lasts long.)

I thought it went very well with hagfish.

(The surprising harmony between hagfish and binchotan charcoal)

I like...

the kinds of food that's light...

and has the genuine taste of ingredients.

It was a bit too salty for me.

I thought their dishes were salty overall too.

Hagfish has its unique salty scent.

They smoked the hagfish...

to add the scent of smoke,

and the sauce was salty.

The three strong tastes were combined together in the dish,

so it was a bit too much...

and pungent for me.

(It was a bit too much for Sung Hoon.)

I hear it perfectly suited your palate, So Eun.

Yes, it wasn't bad for me.

It was also my first time eating something grilled with straw fire.

They coated the hagfish with Japanese sweet soy sauce,

and its salty taste aroused my appetite.

(The sweet soy sauce gives an appetite.)

I had a piece of it with pink pepper...

and vegetables.

The fresh taste of the vegetables,

the spicy taste...

of the pink pepper,

and the chewy texture of the hagfish made a nice harmony.

That's why it wasn't salty,

but light for me.

Did you say, pink pepper?

I don't know what that is,

but I chewed on it by mistake...

and was startled so much. I was like, "What on earth?"

Some people might not like the dish because of such an aspect.

(The dish might not be enjoyed depending on people's palates.)

This time, it's a dish where...

light blackthroat seaperch grilled with a straw fire...

makes a fantastic harmony with spicy mala sauce.

It's the fusion dish of Japanese and Chinese cuisine,

mala blackthroat seaperch.

(Blackthroat seaperch is the popular ingredient...)

(of high-quality Japanese cuisine.)

(The unconventional makeover of blackthroat seaperch)

(Large-sized blackthroat seaperch is cooked over binchotan charcoal.)

(The charming red taste that's trendy these days)

(The taste is upgraded with the spicy mala sauce.)

(The mala sauce is spread on a round plate.)

(The grilled blackthroat seaperch is placed on top.)

(The new challenge of Japanese cuisine, mala blackthroat seaperch)

The mala blackthroat seaperch looked quite special.

- What do you think, Jung Hoon? - It seemed like...

the blackthroat seaperch was swimming in the yellow-colored sea.

(It's as if the blackthroat seaperch is swimming in the sea.)

(There are cute ginkgo nuts in the nest.)

(They did such a delicate job plating the dish.)

I personally love mala sauce.

When I heard about this dish,

I couldn't help but have high expectations.

Blackthroat seaperch is delicious itself,

and I thought it'd be even better with my favorite mala sauce.

(Putting some in his mouth)

(Will he like it?)

It's really good.

(It makes him smile unconsciously.)

- It was the best. - It's your first time...

- raising two thumbs up. - It was amazing.

It wasn't too spicy. It totally suited my palate.

I'd highly recommend my friends...

to go try this dish.

I had the hagfish right before this dish.

Maybe it was because the saltiness stayed in my mouth,

but I craved something spicy.

That's when the blackthroat seaperch was served.

The sauce was spicy...

while the meat was moist,

which balanced out the spiciness.

(The harmony between the spicy mala sauce and the moist fish meat)

I couldn't see the reason of this dish.

- Why would they... - But people loved it.

Well, it's just my opinion.

Hearing them talk, I was like,

"I'm indeed a middle-aged man."

It was the best dish ever.

- I loved it. - We have different opinions.

(I see, they liked it.)

I smelled the scent of mala sauce when the dish was served.

It stimulated my appetite.

(I see, it stimulated your appetite.)

I tried some,

and it was really addicting.

(Seok Jin, you too?)

(The palate of the middle-aged man has no opinions to agree on.)

Was it necessary to cook blackthroat seaperch this way?

Mala sauce and blackthroat seaperch...

are already delicious respectively.

I don't think it was a brilliant attempt...

to mix the two ingredients.

I agree with him.

I tried the sauce first when it was served.

The familiar pungent taste...

touched my palate in the beginning...

and later, the spicy taste of mala followed.

Then it didn't fade away.

It was so spicy that I kept doing this.

I couldn't enjoy the wonderful taste of blackthroat seaperch.

If anyone is to try this dish,

they might want to order it at last.

Otherwise, they won't be able to enjoy other dishes.

- They'd taste too bland. - Well,

we have different opinions about this dish,

but I heard...

you really liked it when you added noodles to the sauce...

in the end, So Eun.

I loved its texture.

It wasn't like udon or jjolmyeon.

It was somewhere in the middle.

It was chewy and nice.

So I highly recommend others to order noodles in the end.

(It transforms into a different dish.)

Next is their special assorted sashimi.

The chef's cutting skills enhance the taste of fish in season.

"Odeng" doesn't mean fishcake in Japanese?

("Fishcake Is Suspected to Have Laundered its Identity")

("Odeng" isn't the Japanese term for fishcake?)

(My name isn't odeng.)

(Misunderstandings and truth about fishcake...)

(will be discussed on Wednesday Food Talk.)

(Let's dig up the secrets of fishcake next week.)

Next is their special assorted sashimi.

The chef's cutting skills enhance the taste of fish in season.

(The chef's cutting skills are added to the fish in season.)

(The genuine taste of ingredients stand out.)

(The basic dish of high-quality Japanese cuisine)

(Special assorted sashimi)

It was served...

in a small, simple dish.

(The assorted sashimi looks small and cute.)

It made me feel like...

I was having a few pieces...

of fresh raw sashimi...

at someone's house by the seashore.

They're confident...

about the quality,

so they don't make any fancy decorations.

The chef is determined...

not to use anything useless for his cooking.

And they don't exaggerate or serve it in large quantity.

Instead, they focus on what comes in the dish.

Among the ingredients, I loved the back meat of tuna the most.

(The back meat of tuna is cut in 2 ways.)

They used live tuna,

so it was very chewy.

Besides, they had aged it for several days before using it,

(Its color was deepened throughout the 4 to 5 days of maturing.)

so its color was deep,

dark red.

It was so delicious when I put it in my mouth.

Should I say, the maturing degree of sashimi?

It wasn't too much that the texture was...

chewy and nice.

And there was grilled sea eel.

(The sea eel is scored on its skin.)

I liked...

how the hint of smoke stimulated my palate.

Here's what I think.

When I go to a sushi place,

they serve me boiled abalone in soup.

Eating it makes my mouth and stomach warm.

That's how I get ready to eat...

cold raw fish.

This restaurant served cooked abalone as well,

but it was a bit cold.

(The cold abalone was a bit unsatisfying for Sung Hoon.)

There's one more dish at this place. Herring Sandwich.

- It was very tasty. - I know.

- That was my favorite. - Mine too.

They grilled it lightly.

They grilled herring on fire.

(Refreshing whole-grain mustard sauce)

(Herring roe cheese)

(Topping it with grilled herring)

(Soft and light Herring Sandwich)

I was a bit shocked when I first looked at it.

I was a bit scared that I wouldn't be able to eat it.

I had no idea if it would taste good.

(People get curious about how it tastes from the way it looks.)

When I took a bite, it was very delicious.

- It wasn't fishy at all. - That's right.

Herring was so chewy and gooey.

It wasn't fishy at all. It was scrumptious.

Sandwiches are in trend these days.

I recommend this place to those who like sandwiches.

They should really try this Herring Sandwich.

We rated this place too.

Let's check out the ratings.

Han Na gave four stars on its ambience.

Three stars on willingness to revisit.

Their seasoning was quite strong for me.

I wish it was less salty.

On the other hand,

I thought the ambience was...

really good for me to chat with my friends.

Seok Jin represents what those in their 30s like to have.

What's your rating on this place?

He gave four stars on how their food tastes.

Four stars and a half on willingness to revisit.

Good. He's going back there.

There are many dishes that are only available there.

That's why I'm willing to revisit the place.

I thought I should...

visit there again and order dishes that I haven't tried yet.

(He's excited to try other dishes.)

Jung Min represents what those in their 40s like to eat.

You gave three stars on how their food tastes.

One star on willingness to revisit.

- Yes. - Gosh, you are scary.

What's wrong with you every week?

Those dishes that can only be found here are their strength.

However, their food is too salty generally.

I wouldn't have them again.

- Too salty. - People have...

- their own standard on this. - You are right.

If you don't like their seasoning,

you wouldn't enjoy their food...

although they are delicious.

But the food should be salty for those who drink.

It's good for those who drink.

(Professional restaurant visitor)

(Rising gourmet)

(The palate of those in their 20s)

(The palate of those in their 30s)

(The palate of those in their 40s)

(The palate of those in their 50s)

(Chefs make creative dishes...)

(with fresh ingredients.)

(Art piece on a plate)

(Shall we go for the kappo cuisine?)

(Taking a bite)

(Munching)

(It's very delicious.)

(Impressed)

(She's so happy.)

(How about a dish of art tonight?)

(Once you taste it, you wouldn't be able to stop eating it.)

(Irreplaceably delicious)

(Fishcake)

(It's beyond a side dish. It's much more than that.)

(Fishcake hot pot filled with sea scents)

(It's gooier than you think.)

(It's good in any cooking method.)