I came here during Korealicious to try traditional Korean soy-marinated crab and shrimp…read more
The complimentary side dishes were great. My favorites were the sweet soy-braised tofu skin, japchae, and spicy cucumber salad. The hot barley tea also paired really well with the marinated seafood.
Marinated Crab
The platter comes with six half pieces of soy-marinated crab and six half pieces of spicy marinated crab.
The soy-marinated crab tasted very traditional, with a strong sweet soy sauce flavor. Compared with another Michelin pop-up restaurant I tried before, this version was much richer and saltier. The blue crab meat had a soft, jelly-like texture from the curing process, which was impressive. However, the soy sauce became quite dominant after a few pieces, so I highly recommend pairing it with the beef tendon soup or barley tea to balance the flavors.
The spicy crab, however, wasn't my favorite. Instead of the sweet, savory heat that I usually associate with Korean gochujang, it leaned more toward the direct heat of Korean chili flakes, similar to the spice level in tteokbokki. I felt the spiciness overwhelmed the natural sweetness of the crab rather than enhancing it.
Marinated Shrimp
I was worried that eight shrimp wouldn't be enough, but the plate was huge. They use giant tiger prawns, each about the size of my hand, so two or three are already quite filling.
Because the prawns are so large, they are only lightly cured, so the meat stays firm and springy instead of becoming soft like the Cantonese-style marinated shrimp I'm more familiar with. The sweet soy marinade penetrates the meat very well, making every bite flavorful. However, after a few shrimp, the soy sauce becomes increasingly dominant and the flavor starts to feel one-dimensional. Personally, I prefer the layered flavors of Cantonese-style marinated seafood, where the freshness of the seafood is complemented by ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and fish sauce.
Beef Tendon Soup
This ended up being my favorite dish of the meal.
The broth was rich with beef flavor and had a wonderful silky texture from the collagen released by the tendon. It paired perfectly with the marinated seafood. A sip of the soup cleansed the palate from the strong soy sauce, making the next bite of crab or shrimp taste fresh again. The tendon itself was tender and well-cooked. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the mustard soy dipping sauce served on the side.
Overall, this meal felt more like experiencing two very different marinated seafood traditions. Korean-style marinated seafood emphasizes the deep savory flavor developed through soy sauce curing, while Cantonese-style marinated seafood highlights the natural sweetness of the seafood with layers of ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and fresh aromatics. Even though I personally still prefer the Cantonese style, I enjoyed experiencing this traditional Korean approach.