Last summer my dad introduced me to Wang Be Sung, a "Koreanized" Chinese restaurant deep in the countryside in Andong. This was also the place of our dog's birth, where both of his parents live. In fact, the owner gave Dongpoong to my dad because he's a frequent visitor and she really liked him. Haha.
Unlike other Korean-Chinese restaurants, this place cooks its jjajamyoung (noodles in black bean paste sauce) without pork, just the way I like it. They also use less oil, fat, and grease, and I can definitely taste the difference.
After we made our order, the owner brought us goonmandu (pan-fried dumplings) as a service. I don't eat dumplings, especially since it has minced pork, but this was one of my brother's favorite treats when growing up. We spontaneously called him (he's in California right now) on the phone and told him how much we miss him and how we wished he was here with us.
The dumpling is pan-fried, supposedly, but judging from its crispy surface, it looks deep-fried. Inside the dumpling is a mixture of clear noodles, scallions and chopped greens, and minced pork.
One thing I like about Chinese cuisine is that the food comes out relatively quickly. My order, noodles in oyster broth, came out first. The broth warmed my whole body and I could taste the ocean in it because of the oyster, vegetables, and other seafood, including shrimp, squid, and mussels.
I loved the chewy texture of the noodle. It would have tasted a bit nauseating just eating the noodle and the broth, but the kimchi and the sweet pickles on the side was a nice accompaniment. Say ahh!
Both my parents ordered the jajangmyun, a classic Korean-Chinese dish. The noodles mixed with black paste and sprinkled with cucumber. The sauce and the noodle came out separately.
All mixed in! I liked that there are big chunks of onions, scallions, and shrimp in the sauce.
Yumm! Mom also asked them to use less oil when sauteeing the vegetables.
