Scottish Sunday

Discover Your Perfect Stay

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The Korean menu may be alien, but its freshness and originality are a sheer delight

Last week my Asian culinary adventure took me to Old Penang, an amiable Malaysian outfit in Edinburgh. This week it takes me to Kokuryo, a Korean restaurant in Glasgow where I had one of the most interesting, challenging and truly different meals I have ever experienced. Being hazy on the geography – well can you place Seoul or Pyongyang on a map? – I wasn’t sure quite what to expect, though when I wracked my brains I remembered that Korea was between China and Japan. There would be chopsticks, I was sure, and that apart, the only thing I knew about Korean cuisine is that everything comes with kimchi. You either love it or hate it, I had been told. It’s an acquired taste, a speciality consisting of vegetables – usually the cabbage we call ‘Chinese leaves’ and white mooli – preserved by fermenting in a brine of anchovy, ginger, garlic, spring onion and chilli pepper.

Kokuryo is a very small restaurant with a mezzanine floor, nicely decked out in a modern Asian garb of brown wood veneer, battleship grey and spa white. I use the spa analogy advisedly. Perhaps it’s the activity from the kitchen down below that makes Kokuryo ultra-warm, the sort of atmosphere and ambient temperature that makes you want to kick your shoes off. It’s the perfect toasty destination for a cold, grey day. Kokuryo offers either a help-yourself-to-as-much-as-you-want buffet or an à la carte menu. One look at the latter and it was sorely tempting just to go for the more familiar-looking, but probably less Korean, buffet. The menu is exhilaratingly alien, featuring 22 dishes, about half of which sound so different that it is almost impossible to get any sense of what they might be like; ‘seasoned bai-top shell and vegetable mix with chilli sauce served with cold noodle’ for instance.

We ordered five dishes without having any idea whether they went together. (I subsequently learned that Korean food is all served at the same time anyway.) But you can multiply each dish by a factor of three because most come with accompaniments like rice, kimchi, soup, lettuce leaves, dipping sauces for the meat, spicy pickles for the soup, and so on. We were warned that it would take 15 minutes to prepare, a heartening sign that suggests food is being cooked from scratch.

A Fascinating Fusion of Flavors and Textures

By then our table was a sea of dishes, each with a set of separate, complicated eating instructions. I tried hard to concentrate on what I was being told, which sauce went with what, or whether the soup was added before the rice, but it was like a gastronomic Generation Game, a bewildering succession of wildly original things.

It made for a fascinating meal, a curiously harmonious blend of contrasting warm/cold and hot/ mild ingredients, firm and soft textures, solid and liquid foods. To my palate, the soupy items were the most pleasing. The kimchi and pork in spicy broth had a fantastic smoky sweetness. Tofu stew with fresh clams, pork, poached egg and vegetables was like a sumptuous Asian minestrone or stracciatella soup – hot, salty-sour, an appealing counterpoint of strong and bland flavors. Billed as a Korean youngster’s favorite dish, seriously chewy cylindrical rice rolls came with something slippery but firm and fishy described as ‘fishcake’ in a potent sweet chili sauce with earthy paprika depths.

I don’t feel qualified to say whether our other two dishes were well done or not, just that I liked them less. Boiled pork was meant to be anointed with a delicious sesame dip with what appeared to be minuscule salted shrimp in it and a rich yellow bean sauce before being wrapped in lettuce parcels, but the pork was chewy and fatty. Maybe that’s how they like it in Korea, and you could see how the bland pork/wake-me-up sauce combo could work.

Was the raw salmon and mackerel meant to be ice-cold, then served on raw veg over hot, smoothly polished sticky rice? I haven’t a clue. But enriched with the addition of a pungent chili sauce and a lip-smacking savory consommé, it was certainly intriguing. The staff at Kokuryo is friendly and does their best to explain Korean table etiquette. Prices are low. You could even get hooked on kimchi. Try it.

The Intersection of Hotels and Cultural Experiences

When exploring new cuisines, it's not just the food that adds to the experience. The ambiance and setting of a restaurant play a crucial role as well. Just like the Korean restaurant, Kokuryo, hotels also offer cultural experiences to enhance the guests' stay.

Hotels often strive to showcase the local culture and provide guests with a sense of place. From the interior decor to the cuisine served, hotels can create a seamless fusion of comfort and cultural immersion. Just like how Kokuryo creates an atmosphere that transports diners to Korea, hotels can transport their guests to different destinations through their design, amenities, and experiences.

For example, a hotel located in a historical city may incorporate elements of local architecture and design into its building and rooms. This allows guests to feel connected to the city's heritage and immerse themselves in its unique charm. Similarly, hotels that focus on sustainability may incorporate eco-friendly materials and practices, providing an opportunity for guests to engage with environmental consciousness.

Moreover, hotels can curate culinary experiences that showcase the flavors of the region. Just like how Kokuryo presented a menu of Korean dishes, hotels can offer guests a taste of the local cuisine through their restaurants and room service menus. This allows travelers to not only satisfy their hunger but also explore the diverse flavors of the destination without leaving their accommodation.

Additionally, hotels can organize cultural events, workshops, or performances that introduce guests to the traditions and customs of the local culture. Whether it's hosting a traditional dance performance or offering a cooking class to learn regional recipes, these experiences leave a lasting impression and create memorable moments for guests.

A Window to the World

Hotels serve as a window to the world, offering travelers the opportunity to indulge in new experiences and connect with different cultures. Similar to venturing into a Korean restaurant for the first time, staying at a hotel that embraces the local culture can be both exciting and enlightening.

So, next time you plan your travels, consider not only the comfort and convenience of a hotel but also the cultural experiences it can offer. Just like ordering a diverse array of dishes at Kokuryo, choose a hotel that allows you to explore the flavors, traditions, and hospitality of your chosen destination.

Manchester

Edinburgh

Brighton

Liverpool

Birmingham

Windsor

Bath

Cardiff

Swansea

Watford (Hertfordshire)

Bristol

Stratford-upon-Avon

Plymouth

Whitby

Scarborough

Cambridge (Cambridgeshire)

Llandudno

Coventry

Ipswich

Fort William