Restaurant Review: Lee's Korean Restaurant (Louisville)

Lee's Korean Interior shot by Andy Downey of Urbanspoon.Com

It was a Saturday afternoon when I got the craving for some Bulgogi and went looking for a Korean restaurant nearby. I had heard a lot of good things about Lee’s Korean Restaurant on Bishop Lane in Louisville. So, I looked them up and headed that way. This unassuming place was a little difficult to find at first due its location inside the base of an office building. I had heard the place described as utilitarian, and in many ways that fit, but I was actually impressed with the pleasant décor of their main dining area.

It was to be my first meal of the day, so naturally I chose to start with an appetizer. There were lots of tasty options available, but I was curious about the Beef Roll. Being a sushi lover, the thought of a sushi rice roll with cooked beef instead of fish had my attention. And, of course, I was craving Bulgogi, so that was my order for the main dish. It was to be a beef kind of afternoon.

My curiosity served me well this time. The beef was tender, the rice was perfect, and the Noori was fresh. The beef was accompanied inside the roll by fresh spinach and crisp carrots. This hand roll was an unexpected delight and I highly recommend it.

Without a doubt, Bul-go-gi is my favorite Korean dish. The first time I saw my favorite K-Pop idol Kim Taeyeon eating Bul-go-gi on a Korean variety show, I knew I had to try it. Traditional Korean Bul-go-gi is essentially strips of beef marinated in a BBQ or steak sauce and then grilled, broiled, or fried. At Lee’s Korean Restaurant they use a home-made signature steak sauce, and they broil it in a gas stove. They use thin strips of what tastes to be sirloin. I prefer flank skirt, but certainly sirloin is a great cut for Bul-go-gi. I was a little disappointed that there were no shredded carrots, as I have come to expect that at other Korean restaurants, but that certainly did not detract from the great flavor of Lee’s Bul-go-gi. The beef was flavorful and plenty.

One of the best things about a Korean meal is all the other stuff that just comes with your meal: small bowls of various Kimchi and prepared vegetables. The spread I received was fantastic: spicy cabbage Kimchi, radish Kimchi, soy bean sprouts in vinegar, lightly marinated and fried baby potatoes, sweet egg cakes (Tamago for you sushi lovers), and cucumber Kimchi. My favorites are always the cabbage Kimchi and the cucumber Kimchi. But, I was really impressed with the delicious potatoes; it was something new for me.

By the time I had finished my veritable feast, I was completely sated. It had been the perfect meal for my Korean craving. Flavorful, hot, spicy, and filling. My only criticism is that the meal was a bit pricier than I expected, and the beef strips were just slightly dry. Although, I am inclined to believe that the dryness can be attributed to the type of steak sauce they use. Nevertheless, I was thoroughly impressed with Lee’s Korean Restaurant and have added it to my re-visit list. For those of you in the Louisville and surrounding area, Lee’s is well worth the visit. I highly recommend it.

Lee’s Korean Restaurant has a Google Plus profile you can check out here:

Lee’s Korean

My rating: * * * * 1/2

Recipe': Home-made Pizza Dough

Recently I produced an episode of my cooking show on YouTube where I made a Lebanese Lamb Pizza, and it got me to thinking about how much I love pizza. When I was a younger man I ate a LOT of pizza. And I still love the concept and variety of pizza today. Whether it’s a Chicago-style deep dish, or a hand-tossed New Yorker, pizza is a great thing. I especially enjoy making my own pizza at home, especially when I am feeding my posse’. The great thing about pizza is that you can put anything on it: pepperoni, hamburger, ham, veggies, etc. Personally, my favorite is barbecue and sausage with black olives, or pepperoni and onions. The thing that is consistent, no matter how you top it off, is the dough. So, I thought I would share with all of you, the recipe’ that I use to make a brilliant home-made pizza from scratch.

Ingredients:

Canola Spray for baking pan

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

1 Tsp. Sugar

1 Tsp. Salt

1 ½ Tbs. Olive Oil

2 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly dissolve the yeast in the cup of water in a large bowl. Add salt, sugar and olive oil, and mix thoroughly. With the exception of ¼ cup of the flour, add flour incrementally, stirring in. Beat with baker’s spatula, turning and rolling until dough is evenly consistent. Once dough is firm, use last ¼ cup of flour to knead the dough, folding with each knead. Mold dough into an even ball, then let sit for 5 to 10 minutes so that it rises. On a large pizza or baking pan that has been sprayed with canola, set the dough and flatten with hands, pushing out. Once flattened use rolling pin to extend the dough to the desired thickness. This dough will make up to a 16” thin and crispy, although, I usually opt for a little thicker 14”. Crimp edges to make a small “wall” around the outside of the dough. Add sauce first, then toppings. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes depending on size and thickness and desired crispiness. Enjoy!

Restaurant Review: Sakura Blue (Louisville, KY)

I have been a fan of Sushi for 20 years. I first started eating Sushi back in college when I was studying Asian Cultures, and fell in love not only with the food, but the whole culture around Sushi and its preparation. In the past 7 years, the growth of Japanese Cuisine in America, and the desire to eat sushi has exploded. 20 years ago it could be difficult to find a place where you could get sushi. In those days, the most notable chain restaurant for this was Benihana. These days, it seems you can throw a nickel and find a sushi place. Being a discerning sushi eater, I explore these places with some trepidation;  there is a huge difference between sushi and “good” sushi. But over the years I have found some great place- at least here in Louisville- that I trust and where I always enjoy eating. Sakura Blue on Shelbyville Rd. is one of those places.

Situated in a plaza just West of Mall St. Matthews, Sakura Blue is a small and cozy Sushi and Steakhouse, with a somewhat intimate ambience. They take to heart the older Japanese custom of sharing much like what you see around a Hibachi. Ken and I sat just a seat away from a family of 3 enjoying their meal. And on this particular Saturday, I was fairly hungry and ready to dig into a lot of sushi and sashimi.

The thing about Sushi places is that often you can request something that is not on the menu and get a creative take on the dish from your sushi chef. In this case, I had it set in my mind that I needed some octopus in vinegar or a seaweed salad. Or both. So, I asked my server if the chef could throw me together an appetizer that consisted of sweet vinegar, some octopus, and some seaweed, however he chose to make it. I was not disappointed. On a substantial plate, the chef set a fair amount of mixed greens.  Mixed in were bits of seaweed. Then laid upon spinach leaves around the mound of greens were 8 thick slices of octopus. Sweet vinegar had then been drizzled over the whole of it, and red roe sprinkled about. And… it was absolutely delicious, a perfect start to my meal. Ken opted for a garden salad which he enjoyed.

I continued my meal with a Sushi and Sashime Combo. I was treated to 6 pieces of Nigiri including Tuna, Shrimp, Salmon, Yellowtail, Tilapia and Fatty Tuna. For the sashimi I was surprised at just how much I got. I did not expect so much: there were four sets each of 3 thickly cut pieces of Tuna, Salmon, Yellowtail, and quite honestly… I have no idea what the fourth was, but it was extremely tasty. When my plates hit the table, Ken looked at me as if to say “you’re going to eat ALL of that?” And yes I did. Including my other order of the signature Sakura Roll: a spicy tuna roll on the inside with salmon and tuna on the outside. It was all very delicious, and very filling. Of course, in the end I spent about $50 on my meal. But for me, being such a sushi lover, it was more than worth. Meanwhile, Ken delved into some steak and shrimp from the Hibachi with rice and tonkatsu sauce. We even had some enjoyable conversation with our incidental companions at the table over the size of my meal .

All in all, it was a wonderful, filling meal. I don’t have any complaints myself, but based on other reviews I have seen, there are some things that you need to know up front going in. First of all, a lot of Japanese Restaurants are fairly communal. And that is mostly by design, not because of lack of space. Going to Sakura Blue or a place like this is a perfect opportunity to be the social creature we human beings are and break bread- or fish- with interesting people you have never met before. As I said, the atmosphere at Sakura Blue is somewhat cozy and intimate. So, if you don’t desire to hob-nob with strangers, it may not be for you. In many of my reviews, I espouse the economical  attributes of the restaurants I visit. Know that going to a sushi  place is going to cost you some money. I don’t find it expensive, because I believe my experience is worth the price. But it is pricey.

Like most sushi restaurants, Sakura Blue’s rolls cost anywhere from $5 up. And a combo platter will likely put you in the $15 to $30 range, depending on what you get. Also note that if you are going to venture into the foray of sushi, not all sushi is the same. Here in Louisville we see three different styles: Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese. Each one has its own methods and processes, and thus flavors and consistency. Sakura Blue serves traditional, Japanese style sushi. In the end, if you are a sushi lover, and you enjoy being in the midst of humanity, you will likely enjoy the experience at Sakura Blue.

Wolf’s Rating: * * * *

Ken’s Rating: * * * 1/2