Korean Lunch Nirvana

After the frustration of circling around Fourth and Balboa yesterday in search of a new Korean lunch experience, we were ready to join the hunt with new enthusiasm today. Our destination this time was Han Il Kwan, also on Balboa Street, which gave us fear of 'deja vu all over again.' Much like the area we had struck out in the previous try, this is a short block of commercial enterprises located in a largely residential area. Again, no turnover-encouraging parking meters. But for whatever reason, perhaps the lack of popularity of surrounding businesses, we were able to drive right up and get a spot within half a block of the restaurant. Right as you get up to the door you realize this is not your usual neighborhood joint, thanks to the sign that designates the parking area in front of the restaurant as a "no parking except tour bus" zone during business hours. One might wonder just what kind of tour would go to what is by all appearances an obscure Korean restaurant; perhaps the gourmand tour of San Francisco's undiscovered gems? No, actually it is more of a 'coals to Newcastle' scenario; after we'd been in our seats for about 15 minutes, a big shiny bus rolled up and disgorged about 45 Koreans, who shuffled into the back room, which is set up with long tables and obviously exists specifically to feed these tour groups. We had to ask ourselves, if we went on a tour of Seoul, would we look for MacDonald's? On the other hand, Han Il Kwan delivers some serious quality (as well as quantity) of food. So they probably could not have come to a better place.

But never mind all that; the restaurant swallowed up this group and large amounts of food soon emerged on what was obviously a pre-selected menu. We instead concentrated on the highly affordable Lunch Special menu, featuring only nine choices. I predictably settled on the Pork BBQ, which is marinated in 'special spicy sauce,' largely based on Gochujang, which is a paste of sweet peppers, red chile and fermented soybeans that is remarkably tasty. A large Korean market will typically offer multiple brands of Gochujang, usually in three levels of hotness. They probably used medium for their marinade; the recipes I've followed to make this at home require only that the pork sit in the mixture for 15 minutes or so. Most marinades will have just a few additional ingredients added, in small quantities: a bit of soy sauce, a little sugar, and some garlic. This version arrived sizzling on a cast-iron platter. Despite the humble and streamlined ingredient list, the flavor of this rendition was deep and complex, arguably the best I've ever had. Andrea elected the Seafood Combination Beebim Bap (their spelling.) This dish basically resembles fried rice, except it's usually served in some kind of pot. Han Il Kwan used a cast iron pot that had two endearing characteristics. First, it kept the food hot through the entire meal. And it seared some of the rice mixture to the bottom, creating a crusty skin with a smoky rich flavor. She asked about the seafood, which was comprised of scallops, shrimp and squid. All these are either cut into petite morsels, or in the case of the shrimp, are the small Bay type. Andrea, not a fan of mushy eggs, requested hers "cooked through," which was not an alien concept to the waiter. Some soy sauce, and perhaps other flavorings, are added, although the emphasis here is on comfort and simplicity. The net effect was simply stunning.

As mentioned in the earlier blog about New Korea House, one of the mainstays of Korean dining is banchan (or panchan.) These are the small dishes brought out, usually as appetizers, at the beginning of every meal. In this regard Han Il Kwan both exceeded expectations and in some ways let us down, but overall the scales tip in favor of 'exceed.' This is thanks to two mini Bean Pancakes; you can spend $11 and get a gigantic one, but unless you're going to share it among four or more people, it will be more pancake than you want. The minis were just perfect, and were unique. They also serve a complimentary Soft Tofu Soup, again brought out in a cast iron vessel, and more than enough to serve two. The broth had a drop of hot oil in it, and tiny pieces of highly stewed beef. Rich and reassuring. A nice touch were the lightly pickled cucumber wedges, which were reminiscent of half-dill pickles from New York's Lower East Side. The rest of the banchan ranged from competent to somewhat boring; beautiful thin green beans were crunchy but bland, the kimchee was good but not exceptional; the pickled turnip was perfectly competent; the bean sprouts were wilted and uninspiring. But who cares? There was such a wealth of food that there was no way to consume all this stuff anyway, at least not without purging. And we haven't come to that.

The setting was remarkably pleasant. Large vents hover over the tables, which are inset with a cooking grill. Han Il Kwan uses gas burners, which appear to be downdraft-ventilated, so it is possible that the overhead vents are a remnant of previous charcoal-based grills. If we go back for dinner I can further research and perhaps verify this; the deal of a lifetime appears to be the dinner for four, which is loaded with courses and ends up at $105 for the whole group. Looks like tons of fun to me, and if they say it feeds four, it probably will generate leftovers for everyone for days. The back wall is covered by large mirrors, interrupted by dual entrances to the banquet/tour group room. Booths run around the perimiter, with free-standing tables in the middle (no cook-at-your-table vents.) A modest selection of Korean beer and sake are offered at moderate prices. Service was quite friendly if a bit scattered (because they knew the tour was about to land,)and English was spoken. Folks, we have a winner in the Great Korean Lunch category. Next time you're leading your tour of great San Francisco ethnic eateries, you would be remiss to miss Han Il Kwan.