A new spin on barbecue

Certain things come to mind when I think of summer. A mental image of long, hazy days, filled with baseball and lemonade. On the same note, some foods are ubiquitous with the season -- especially barbecue.\nGrilling out seems so ingrained in the American culture that at times it is shocking to realize that not all barbecue comes from the South. That's why I decided to taste a little Korean barbecue at the Seoul Garden.\nFrom the outside, Seoul Garden, 2522 E. 10th St., looks like a dive. There are no better words to describe the run-down appearance of this restaurant. The interior of the establishment didn't appear much better. Inside, the restaurant closely resembles an Asian version of a diner. Stark walls house the simple tables, while a large television sits on top of the bar blaring the latest in news. This is not the place to go if you want to be dazzled by flashy appearances or overwhelmed by foreign aesthetics. However, appearances can be deceiving.\nWhile the restaurant was bare, the wait staff was rather helpful. Smiling, they patiently answered all my questions.\nThe meal began with a round of free appetizers. Although I imagine these dishes would change based on the season, the highlights of these dishes were kimchi and a marinated vegetable dish.\nKimchi is cabbage marinated in vinegar. If you enjoy extremely spicy foods, you will love this. The cabbage adds a nice, full texture while the spices themselves overwhelm the taste of just about anything you just tried. It was truly spectacular.\n The marinated vegetable dish is almost the counterpoint to the kimchi. It was what I believed to be radishes sliced into slivers and placed into a clear vinegar broth. This leaves a very clean taste; the light rice vinegar cleanses the palate and allows you to enjoy all the other dishes.\nThe menu at Seoul Garden was diverse, even offering octopus. For dinner, my friend and I split an order of Bul Go Ki for $7.50 and the $13.99 order of Bibim Bop. \nBul Go Ki is a great dish. Thinly sliced pieces of meat are marinated in a sweet sauce, then grilled with a few vegetables. The meat was cooked thoroughly and each bite was better than the last. It was truly enjoyable. The sweet marinade brought out the best in the meat. The vegetables seemed like an afterthought, but they absorbed the marinade nicely and tasted wonderful. The portions at Seoul Garden were immense. In all honesty, this absolutely amazing dish is enough for two people.\nBibim Bop is what I would call Korean comfort food. Good, sticky, short-grain white rice is topped with vegetables and a fried egg. This is served with a tangy chili sauce that adds sweet and hot elements to the dish. The vegetables and mushrooms mixed nicely with the rice. The egg added harmony and depth. The chili sauce is not overly spicy; it has a pleasant kick but it is not overpowering. Although this sounds somewhat unusual to those who haven't sampled Korean food, I urge you to try this. It is simply wonderful. \nAlthough the ambiance is lacking, the food at Seoul Garden speaks for itself: truly wonderful barbecue that is different in tastes and textures than anything you will find in American cuisine. Though this restaurant is somewhat expensive, it is well worth every penny.