Abbi’s Diner

Meal for 2: EXO’S 94-LINE ( 구사즈 ): Kai & Sehun

Starter For Sehun: Dduk Bok Gi ( 떡볶이 ): Rice & fish cakes with vegetables in a spicy sauce. This is the Dduk Bok Gi dish, my team and I had made during Week 2: Taste Korean Food & Culture. It was very enjoyable to make. I have always wanted to learn how to cook it and I finally did, so I’m very grateful and happy

Reason Dduk Bok Gi is a very popular snack food and is commonly sold by street vendors. Sehun’s favourite dish is Dduk Bok Gi. There was an incident, where Sehun was eating it, when he was approached by an SM representative and scouted to become a trainee under SM Entertainment. From then on, he became a member of EXO.

Starter For Kai & Sehun: Korean fried chicken ( 양념치킨 ): Lightly battered chicken in a sweet chilli sauce.

Reason Kai is known to love chicken and he’s mentioned his love for chicken many times in radio shows, TV interviews and on EXO’s ShowTime.

Starter Kimbap ( 김밥 ): Steamed white rice and other ingredients rolled in kim (sheets of dried seaweed).

Reason Kimbap is another very popular dish and can be eaten at any time of day, as a snack. It is made from steamed white rice and other ingredients, rolled in kim/gim (sheets of dry seaweed). The fillings can be changed to people’s taste. For example, if someone is vegetarian, they can put tofu in it, instead of beef and chicken etc.

Side Dishes ( 반찬 ) Kimchi ( 김치 ): Korea’s national dish; Chinese cabbage with garlic and chilli.

Reason Kimchi is Korea’s national dish. It is traditionally fermented and is usually eaten at nearly every meal. There are various types of kimchi, made with different vegetables. There are many health benefits from eating kimchi, such as promoting intestinal health. Kimjang, the traditional way of making kimchi, was awarded world cultural heritage status by Unesco.

Main Course Jajangmyun/Jjajangmyun ( 자장면 / 짜장면 ): A noodle dish with a thick salty black soybean paste sauce (chunjang), diced pork, sometimes seafood and vegetables.

Reason There is a lot of history to Jajangmyun. The dish originates from Shandong, China and is called “Zhajiangmian” in Chinese. It was commonly eaten by Chinese settlers in Korea, however a lot of people eat it today in Korea and it is served in many Korean-Chinese restaurants. Also, in EXO’s ShowTime, EXO ate Jajangmyun in one episode. This was the first time I had heard of the dish and wanted to try it for myself. Earlier this year, I had the dish at Kimchee in Holborn. It was very delicious. >> This was when Jajangmyun was delivered to Sehun last, after being delivered to all other 11 members’ noraebang rooms in episode 11 of EXO’s ShowTime.

Main Course Bibimbap ( 비빔밥 ): Meaning “mixed rice”, it is served in a bowl with warm white rice, seasoned vegetables, gochujang (chilli pepper paste )and soy sauce. Raw or fried eggs and sliced meat like beef can be added. It can be served hot or cold and the contents are mixed before eaten.

Reason Bibimbap is very healthy as it contains many nutrients, while being low in cholesterol and fat. It is a dish that is ideal for all, especially for people who are always busy, and on the go such as students etc. It is one of the representative dishes of Korea, along with kimchi and bulgogi. This dish came about from the old tradition of not keeping leftovers when the new year came, so people began mixing the ingredients and rice in the bowl. During many festivals like Chuseok and Lunar New Year, where a lot of dishes are made, the leftover food is mixed and eaten.

Main Course Samgyeopsal ( 삼겹살 ): A popular evening dish. Slices of pork belly meat is grilled on the diner’s table by the diners themselves and eaten in one mouthful in fresh lettuce leaves with garlic, green onion salad and ssamjang (dipping sauce).

Reason Samgyeopsal is a very tasty, easy-to-make, DIY dish. It is fun as you can socialise with friends around the table in a restaurant and grill the meat yourself, eat directly from the grill or dip it in sesame seed oil mixed with salt and pepper., and wrap it in fresh lettuce leaves. Other vegetable accompaniments can be added, according to people’s taste, such as sliced garlic. Many people enjoy eating samgyeopsal, as it can be customized to their liking.

Dessert Patbingsoo ( 팥빙수 ): A popular dessert made of shaved ice with sweet toppings such as chopped fruit, red bean paste, ice cream, syrup etc.

Reason Patbingsoo is commonly eaten in summer to cool down, but it can be eaten after any meal, or eaten with friends when socialising. It is shaved ice, topped with ice-cream or frozen yogurt, condensed milk, fruit syrup, various fruits and sometimes cereal flakes. There are many varieties to suit people’s tastes, so it is very popular. Also, Sehun met up with friends whilst eating patbingsoo, so I think he must like it. Sehun with his friends, eating patbingsoo. The picture was posted on Instagram.

Drinks Chocolate Bubble tea ( 초코버블티 ): A popular Taiwanese tea-based drink invented in Taichung, Taiwan in the 1980s.

Reason Bubble tea is very popular world-wide, as there are many varieties of flavours of Bubble tea, so it suits different people’s tastes. You can customise your own drink with milk tea, fruit tea, tapioca, different flavoured jelly etc. Sehun’s favourite drink is chocolate bubble tea, so serving this would make him happy Cofioca in Seoul, South Korea. Sehun goes there from time to time to buy bubble tea. Due to this, the business of the shop has thrived, as EXO fans also go there to buy bubble tea. Apparently, there is a drink called Sehun, which is probably chocolate bubble tea. Sehun had chocolate bubble tea in a market place during EXO’s trip to Hong Kong in 2013.