Monday, September 23, 2013

The Leptologists Ear at Min-Ga

Candice: Oh, it smells wonderful in here.
Paul: Here is Min Ga, a Korean restaurant here in Columbus on Bethel Road.
Candice: What? No website.
Paul: Not as far as I can tell. They should get one, just so I can know how to spell whatever it is we order.
Candice: The smell is great, but it's freezing.
Paul: You need the blanket again, don't you?
Candice: I'll enjoy lunch so much more if you get it.
Paul: Let me get the blanket.
Candice: Thank you. Now what to order?
Paul: Lunch comes with an array of appetizers, but I think we should get the dumplings as well.
Candice: Good idea.  Dumplings + Us = Necessity. I want to try the Yuk He Beef.
Paul: Unfortunate name. What is it?
Candice: Raw beef with pears and fresh egg over top it.
Paul: Okkkaayyy.

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Appetizers
Candice: Oh, hush and try something new for a change.
Paul: For my entree I get the Dukmandu Kuk, a dumpling soup.
Candice: I get the Mina Spicy Ramen Soup.
Paul: The appetizers arrive and I fear we have over-ordered.
Candice: Unfounded fear, move on.  Besides, look at this selection of food!
Paul: There is kimchi, potatoes, egg cakes, and turnips.
Candice: The Yuk He is interesting, a great combination of flavors. But the meat is actually frozen.
Paul: Like little beef popsicles.

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Candice's Plate O' Food
Candice: I think it needed to rest a bit before we ate it.
Paul: The dumplings are especially good, not like the Thai or Chinese ones we have had in the past.
Candice: The flavor is unique. Have you tried the kimchi?
Paul: Um.
Candice: Go on, you scaredy cat.
Paul: Uh. I like the flavor, but the texture isn't for me.
Candice: At least you tried it. I love these egg cakes. The range of flavors in the appetizers is amazing. This is an excellent start to the meal.

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Spicy Ramen Soup
Paul: There's more?
Candice: Yep, here come our soups.
Paul: This is a lot of food.
Candice: Dude, we review lunches as a hobby - we're bound to order a lot of food from time to time.  Let it happen.  And also, this ramen in my soup is delicious.  It has a sweet earthiness to it. I taste the white pepper. The soup is... calm.
Paul: That's a different adjective.  Now, my soup is fabulous! Seriously, it's filled with dumplings and pleasant little disks of pasta. The taste is wonderful.
Candice: Try mine and I'll try yours. You're right. Your soup is very good.

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Dukmamdu Kuk
Paul: As is yours. This is just a wonderful lunch. Worth coming back, for sure.
Candice: Not just worth coming back. It's worth eating past full, and it's worth telling all your friends, relatives, and colleagues.
Paul: I agree completely, a win in every category, with hardly a misstep.
Candice:  Except for my photography skills...doesn't that look like a spider in your soup at first glance?

Candice   Paul   

Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?

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