100 Days Dinner

We decided to try a new Korean BBQ restaurant called ChoSun Galbee (in Korea Town on Olympic) for Astrid's 100 days birthday. (Uwe took this photo of Astrid with the restaurant's chopstick wrapper. Ingenious!)

It seems to be a very popular restaurant. Although the restaurant has it's own parking lot with a valet service, it was jam packed full with cars and double parking was necessary. For some reason Thursday night is thee weekday night to go out in LA. That plus the fact that the restaurant was really busy, we thought we would have to wait forever for a table, but we were pleasantly surprised when they seated us right away.

They sat us at a communal long table with 2 bbq grills with booth seating on each side. We were happy to be seated so fast but there was little wiggle room and it just barely fit Astrid's car seat.

I have to say though that the service was quick and efficient. At most Korean restaurants you have to flag down a lone waitress to get more water and/or it takes a long time to get your food. This restaurant had plenty of competent waiters and waitresses and our food was served right away. (Although it seems to be a universal etiquette in a Korean restaurant to serve the man first. This irks Uwe to no end because he feels the woman should always be served first. Yes, I married a gentleman.)

Uwe ordered the Korean bbq chicken which we shared and grilled on our table. (Very yummy.) I ordered the black cod and seafood hot pot. (The dish was tasty but there wasn't enough fish and the only other seafood I could find was a single clam.)

I know you're saying why didn't we get any Kalbee (Korean BBQ'd beef) that is the signature dish. 3 words - Mad Cow Disease. Uwe was tempted to order it but I think my art of persuasion (okay maybe the pained look on my face and pleading) worked. (The large photo above with the Kalbee is from the restaurant's website.)

This was Astrid's first time at a Korean restaurant (out of the womb that is). Uwe and I both thought it was a bit too noisy inside for Astrid which made her overstimulated and cry. After a bottle and some hugs and kisses, she was okay to sit on my lap for awhile. I'm getting pretty good at eating with one hand while balancing and bouncing Astrid on my knee with the other. Thank goodness our meal didn't require the use of a knife.

Next time (yes, we will go back) we will sit outside on the patio area where it isn't so noisy and Astrid (and Uwe & I) can enjoy it more.











Here's Uwe with the little one on his lap and a glass of cold OB beer. (Uwe always mentions that the Koreans learned how to make beer from the Germans and that's how they got it right and why it tastes so good.)

The pic on the right shows Uwe pretending to feed Astrid. No she isn't eating solids yet. Her favorite and only cuisine is still Horizon formula (an organic baby formula).

We both realized that it's been way too long since we've been to a Korean BBQ restaurant (3 months!). We went when I was 9 months pregnant but this was the first time since Astrid was born. The food hit the spot. Astrid is showing the back side of the chopstick wrapper. Thank you. Come Again. We will. As you can see from the pic, Astrid is ready to cry, which is our cue to leave.

Even though the dinner was a bit rushed as Astrid was uncomfortable and we were trading off and trying to keep her happy while gulping down our dinner, it was still nice for the 3 of us to have dinner together and celebrate Astrid's 100 days birthday.