Although banchan are part of the meal, the modern, western take on Korean food extends to the menu, where you’ll have to look to find most starters.  A selection of seasonal jeon is delicately prepared and seasoned, but both portions and service are westernized.  Those used to more generous Korean serving sizes will come away surprised (and hungry)

Moving on to the main courses, Bamboo House offers a range of cuts of beef, but the most popular are the 꽃등심 (ggeotdeungshim:  sirloin) and 왕갈비 (wanggalbi:  short rib).

The sirloin is exceptionally mild and well marbled, while the short rib is so well marbled as to border on decadent.  There’s so much fat that it maintains a luxurious richness even after grilling, nearly melting in your mouth.

Unlike most grilled meat restaurants in Korea where you handle your own meat, the attentive staff will do all the grilling and turning for you, placing the finished meat on cool spots on the grill or on your plate. The service here is almost entirely western style, with staff handling just about everything on your behalf.

There’s also a short menu of non-meat dishes, including upper-crust favorites like crab preserved in soy sauce over rice, bibimbap, and grilled fish, and there’s even a short dessert list that touches on both east and west. The 홍시 (hongsi: frozen persimmon) makes a sweet, refreshing end to a meat heavy meal. Bamboo House also has an extensive wine list, and a shorter but well-selected list of Korean alcohols.

Bamboo House is long on quality and ambiance and also on price. Prices start at 45,000 won, and a meal for two with drinks, appetizers, sides, and dessert will easily run to the hundreds of thousands of won. This is a place that will impress you with its lovely mood, beautiful garden, exceptional food, excellent service, and the deep dent it will make in your wallet.  Hey, if you want to dine in the same rarefied atmosphere as Ban Gi-mun, Mariah Carey, Koizumi, Rain, and Jackie Chan, you pay for the privilege.  And really, if our dear leader beloved president Lee Myeong-bak has eaten there, don’t you want to, too?

And, as befiting a trendy spot, it’s hard to get to from public transportation.  From Yeoksam Station (역삼역) head to Chabyeongwon Intersection (차병원사거리)/Dongho Bridge (동호대교) and make a right at Cha Hospital (차병원).  At Catholic Orthapedics (카틀릭 정형외과) turn right again, and Bamboo House is straight ahead, two blocks in.  If you get lost or need reservations, call the front desk staff (who speak Korean, English, and Japanese) at 02-566-0870.

image from wikipedia commons

Speaking of the fortress, near the north gate is one of the most famous examples of Suwon’s premier product.  Suwon was home to a large cattle market which in turn meant Suwon had some of the best beef eatin’ in Korea.  한우, 한우 . . . as far as the eye could see!  And thus Suwon became the place for wang galbi.  Wang galbi is a slightly different cut than standard galbi – a large, single segment of rib is sliced, and the rib meat itself flows off like a streamer.  Grilled plain or with just a little bit of salt, this meat is usually tender and delicious enough to just eat plain.

But what fun would that be?  Suwon wang galbi has a slightly sweet marinade with a suprisingly subtle garlic kick.  Ginger, soy, and myriad spices play around with the normally assertive vampire repellant, but instead of becoming forward and assertive, the whole mix becomes a mellow companion to richly marbled shortribs.  There’s plenty of Suwon galbi restaurants all over town, but the most famous of these is Yeonpo Galbi/ 연포갈비.

This venerable institution starts things off right with high quality charcoal. Koreans have a bit of an obsession with charcoal for grilling, but what a glorious obsession to have. The kind of flame used to cook has a great influence on the flavor of food, and there’s many a fellow who will turn up their noses at the mediocre char of gas grilled galbi. True connoisseurs will always go for the burning black coals, but even then there’s a hierarchy. Big briquettes are common, but here they use only high quality sticks of oak.


In addition to the marinated Suwon wang galbi, Yeonpo also serves unmarinated cuts, like this marbled beauty.

Although not of uniformly high standard, the banchan here show more variety and attention to detail than many places in Seoul. Standouts included a bright, vinegary jellyfish salad and marinated seaweed. The wait staff here are unusually dedicated, and will take over the entire process of grilling the meat for you if only you’ll yield the scissors.

If you still have energy gorging on both meat and the view of the fortress right outside the window, Suwon has other delights. Soccer fans should head to the Suwon World Cup Stadium where you can catch a Samseong Bluewings game. Right next to Ajou University, the stadium itself is a pleasant place to while away the time, with prettily groomed park-like grounds.
Remember poor Prince Sado? King Yeongjo spiffed up Yongju Temple (용주사) for just that purpose. Right next door are the tombs of Sado and his long-suffering wife, Lady Hong, whose memoirs still form one of the most complete pictures we have not just of the Eulmi Incident, but also of Korean court life of the time. (get your own copy in English or in Korean) The temple also houses some outstanding paintings and a massive bronze bell decorated with dragons.

image courtesy buddhapia

Finally, we should also mention the immense pride that Suwon takes in its beautiful restrooms.

Suwon can be easily reached from Seoul by express bus(Gangnam, Sadang, Nambu Terminal, or Guro Industrial Complex Stations), train, or by subway (line 1 to Suwon Station).  Fatman suggests starting your tour of the fortress at Paldalmun, but if you’re lazy or like really cute trams, try taking a ride on the Hwaseong trolley. Prices for Suwon galbi run about 20-30,000 won per person.