Alas, there's my favorite aspect of an Asian supermarket - the food court. Instead of attempting to make something out of these foreign goods, I like to let the experts handle the preparation. For lunch today, I brought my mom to Zion Marketplace, an authentic Korean supermarket on Mercury Road off of the 163 freeway. After perusing the aisles filled with various Korean imported goods, we settled down in the small food court right outside the market.
Happy Family
Of the two food stations available, I suggest trying the Korean option on the left (come on, you are in a Korean market). Happy Family offers a nice selection of various traditional Korean dishes, all for under $10/dish.
The Meal
After walking through the meat section of the market, I decided to satisfy my cravings and order the bulgogi (marinated barbecue beef) plate for $7.99.
Bulgogi Plate - $7.99 @ Happy Family |
Mom ordered the traditional dolsot bibimbap (mixed rice cooked in stone pot) for $8.99. I can't say too much about it, since I didn't get a chance to try it, but I thought this photo might get your mouths watering.
Dolsot Bibimbap - $8.99 @ Happy Family |
Kimchi Sides - included @ Happy Family |
Try Some, Won't You?
If you're craving Korean food and don't want to break your budget at some of the popular KBBQ places in the area, give Happy Family a try! It's located in the Zion Marketplace (map it). Parking can get a bit crazy, especially during peak shopping hours (e.g. weekends), so take advantage of the "additional parking" lot across the street. But don't just go for the meal, soak in the culture, peruse the aisles of the market, try some Korean soda (or soju if you prefer) and enjoy the imported flavors that surround you.
Until next bite, savor the flavor my friends!
Hi Lessie! Its almost midnight, I'm reading your blog and it's definitely making me crave kimchi. I used to not be a big fan of kimchi but when I went to Japan they had non-spicy kimchi and I loved it. Who would've thought there were different types of kimchi?! Have you ever had unspicy kimchi that looked like the bottom side on the "Kimchi sides" pic? Please let me know if you do. Thanks!
ReplyDelete-Jane
Jane! Thanks so much for checking out the blog :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I have! There are so many different levels of spicy and so many different kinds of kimchi.. You should check out Zion Marketplace. They may have what you're looking for!
I like your blog Lessie. Great idea. I am making a list of places to try next time I visit. Keep exploring! Tita Chie
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