Mashi-e-sseo-yo (delicious in Korean)

When I was growing up, the only Korean food I've had was airplane food from Korean Airlines.  As you can imagine airplane food more than twenty years ago wasn't that great, so my impression of Korean food was bland meat, rice, and a side of chili paste at nine years old.  Little did I know that years later, I would be married to someone who is half Korean and whose mother makes the best Korean food.  She has introduced me to a whole new cuisine that I've grown to love.  However, where I live doesn't really have an abundance of Korean restaurants.  Thank goodness for the Internet I've searched high and low for places where my husband and I can have our favorite Korean dishes.  I like to be adventurous when it comes to going out to eat.  It may be too much Travel Channel.  When I found a restaurant that was only fifteen minutes away from my house, and serves traditional Korean food, I was so excited to take my husband.  We were both pleased with what we ordered; Duk boki - Korean rice cakes in hot pepper sauce, cucumber and oshinko (pickled radish) rolls, bi bim bap, and bulgogi.  Everything was delicious! This small restaurant, with less than ten tables, located in a small shopping center that can be easily missed was a hidden gem.  If you're in Hamden, Connecticut Midori is definitely a place to visit, and it satisfied my craving for some yummy, spicy and flavorful Korean food! (pardon the blurry iPhone photos)

I've never had duk boki before, but I was definitely game to try it.  I was channeling my inner Anthony Bourdain.  This yummy duk boki was cooked with Korean rice cakes, napa cabbage, fish cakes (odem, omook, or what my husband calls fish bologna), and udon noodles simmered in spicy chili sauce.  I could eat this again and again.

This is my favorite Korean dish called bimbimbap.  This yummy and beautifully presented rice dish is actually very healthy, with the different vegetables and very small amount of beef and egg on top of white rice.  All of the ingredients are served in a hot stone pot where it makes the rice extra crispy.  Usually I like my bimbimbap with a runny sunny side up egg on top.  Whereas this one has chopped scrambled eggs.  The spicy sauce on top of the bimbimbap is sweet and spicy depending on the recipe.  A bottle of this yummy concoction is also given on the side just in case if you wanted to add more yummy goodness, which I do almost every bite.

This is my husband's favorite Korean dish, bulgogi.  Of course he prefers his Mom's cooking, however, he did say he really liked his order.  This beef dish is usually marinated with ingredients such as soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and a type of meat tenderizer like a fruit juice.  It is most often grilled, but it tastes just as good when pan fried.  Definitely even better with a side of kimchi!