Jessica Lin
Google
Essence of Simplicity
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Since 2018, OKDONGSIK Seoul has been listed in the MICHELIN Guide Bib Gourmand. Recognized as one of the top 8 Best Dishes in NYC 2023 by Pete Wells from The New York Times.
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They only offer one main dish:
Dweji-Gomtang / Gluten Free
Clean and savory pork broth • Served with rice, Seokbakji, and Gochuji - $16, with extra meat -$20
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The dish doesn’t look anything special, it looks plain if anything. A bowl of rice, hot pork broth, with thinly sliced pork and topped with some scallion. It’s really nothing fancy but man, it was so good. It was so comforting. It’s not very strong in flavor, so you really taste the pureness of the pork broth. You can enhance it with their house made fermented pepper paste, to me, it doesn’t need it. The taste is very homey, as if your mom or grandma made it. It really soothes the soul. When I grew, we would eat rice with hot water to stretch the meal, except here, it’s pork broth.
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The rice isn’t mushy, so it has a nice texture to it. It’s like overnight nice except it wasn’t. Each grain is on its own is what I’m trying to say.
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The pork is very thinly sliced, thinner than some shabu shabu meat.
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This kind of food is not for everyone, I think it’s more of a mature palette. I think as I got older, my palette is more simple. I still like food that has lots of salt/strong flavors but i also enjoy simple foods like this.
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They have a few sides, kimchi dumplings, seafood pancake and their slow-cooked pork-chilled which is served with their house made pepper paste but this one has anchovies so it has a saltier taste.
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It’s not the largest serving but to me it was the perfect portion. I seldom finish any broth dish but here, there was no a drop of broth or a single grain of rice left. I was very satisfied.
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Prices differ in the city, this is the one from Bayside. I’ve been to both locations, the bayside one feels a bit more relaxed and spacious.