Ko Hayang Jip Part I

*** Update: Ko Hayang Jip is now Go Ba Woo, but the menu and the food seems to be the same.

One of the really nice things about having a food blog are the recommendations that I get. Recently, I received an Email from Calvin informing me that a new Korean Restaurant had opened on Convoy St. Having exchanged Emails with Calvin in the past, I knew Him to be a very knowledgeable and credible source. So on a recent wet and cold evening we made our way to Ko Hayang Jip (aka Ko Hyung Jip).

 

The interior of this Mom-and-Pop restaurant was small, yet somewhat "cozy."

Looking at the cover of the menu, I had to laugh at the Homer Simpson-Dilbert looking character on the cover.

After looking over the menu, we placed our order. And then the panchan began to arrive, 8 plates all told.

The panchan consisted of many of the usual suspects such as moo(daikon), namul( marinated bean sprouts), and baechu(napa cabbage) kimchee. But there were also a few items that I hadn't seen before.

The hit of the evening were the marinated lotus root with a slightly sweet-soy sauce-light sesame oil flavor and in spite of being marinated, the lotus root was still quite crunchy.

We started with the Gum Mandu($6.95):

The Mandu were really not very good, oily, bland filling, and the wrappers hard and thin. They reminded me of the frozen gyoza that you buy at Nijiya. The Jap Chae($8.50) arrived next. At first I was disappointed at the small portion size. But the Jap Chae was pretty good, and not oily in the least bit.

Even though the signage says Ko Hayang Jip features Korean Barbeque, we saw something on the menu which we haven't had since we moved from Los Angeles. Black Goat Casserole (Black Goat Meat w/Vegetables and Broth) for Two($28.50). A portable stove was brought out, and a wide pot was brought out and placed on it.

Once bubbling, we mixed the greens into the broth, and starting eating. The broth was very warming and spicy, but not as spicy as it looked. There were chunks of slighly gamey, but not too fatty goat meat, onions, and other veggies in the broth. The greens were crunchy with a slight peppery bitterness that cut through any heat that the broth had. So hearty, healthy, and delici-yoso!!! Served along with "Black Rice" this was more then enough food for us, and we had quite a bit left over for lunch!

So good, on a cold and rainy night. Coincidentally, that night I received an Email from Calvin regarding Ko Hayang Jip. Here's what he wrote about the Korean Barbecue:

"We got the standard bulgogi, which they cooked at the table on a hot iron griddle and later kept moist with broth. I also got the chicken bulgogi variant, which came on a platter pre-cooked. Both were a tad underflavored compared to Boocho, but tender and yummy."

Thanks for the recommendation Calvin!

We knew we'd be back soon, but didn't realize it would be the following night!

To Be Continued...........

Ko Hayang Jip
4373 Convoy St.
San Diego, CA 92111

Comments

[Ted]

Hmm... So is this place worth going to for good Korean? How does it compare to Korean BBQ in LA? Where did you go for Korean BBQ when you lived in LA by the way?

Thanks,
Ted

[Rachel]

Mmm that goat meat hot pot looks so tempting. Hehe I was giggling not about the cartoon but about the promised "new pleasure". Wonder if the shop moonlights as something else? ;)
What was the stuff that looked like ice cream in your second panchan photo? Also what was the orange stuff?
I love hot pots and soups and it sounded like you chose the right night to go for it too. Can't wait to see what the next meal brings!

[thess]

ha ha! that was one funny menu cover.
I seldom eat goat meat, but the way you described this pot, made me want to taste it (now where in the world can I find that here?)

[Kirk]

Hi Ted - The category "Good Korean" is quite large. We hadn't had Black Goat Hot Pot for a while - so I would recommend that. The panchan was pretty good. The Korean Barbecue in San Diego does not even come close to LA's Koreatown - like Soot Bull Jeep or Chosun. Also the two better Korean Barbecues here (Buga and Boo Cho) expect you to eat the meat "duk bossam" style. But the food there is decent, though a bit on the expensive side.

Hi Rachel - I think you're asking about the radish (Daikon) kim chee, and the potato salad - which was really good, and very "eggy".

Hi thess - The goat was very good for a cold night!

[elmomonster]

I've always wonder how many restaurants you've covered in SD county...it seems like it's probably easier to count how many you HAVEN'T visited! Keep up the great work! I never tire of your awesome posts.

[stacey]

ahh, korean food posts are always appreciated. my friends and i went to a korean bbq place in mira mesa, and i was quite dissapointed! I forgot the name, but it's on mira mesa blvd right next to a pizza hut at the 15...

[dietchilicheesfries]

kirk,

elmo's right...

you are a machine... nothing can stop Robofoodie and Fendi Girl..

look out SD restaurants, you betta shape up your acts or Robofoodie and Fendi Girl will work you over...

hey, kirk do they have the ratings thing in SD county? i don't recall

[milgwimper]

Kirk,

The foodl ooked delicious, and black goat chongol. Wow, i haven;t had that since I was well little. ;P I am jealous of the Korean restaurants in Korea town in La, but it seems you have some really goood ones there too! I don't think there is a place around here that serves the back goat. Boo Hoo :(

[Kirk]

Hi Elmo - I think it's about 130 +/- different restaurants in the greater San Diego County, not including dessert places and booths, and stuff out of town. You should see the places that didn't make the cut because photos didn't come out!

Hi stacey - Is it Shozen?

Hi DCCF - Man you always crack me up! At least you didn't call me Robo-pig.......They use the standard SoCal food rating system in San Diego, but the DOH website doesn't publish the ratings like in LA.

Hi Mills - The black goat was pretty good. We still don't think that the Korean restaurants in SD are even close to those in LA. But still we're satisfied with them.

[milgwimper]

Well the restaurants here are pretty good, but I think L.A. has better. I just can't wrap my head around all that traffic down there. the last time I got stuck in traffic there in L.A. I vowed I was never coming down there again. Hmmm Maybe Korean Food, and definitely seeing you and meeting the Missus would defintely be worth fighting th traffic. Although I could be mean and rouse you all up ar 3am, and there would be wall to wall cars. ;P But then I want to live. ;P LOL

[Kirk]

Hi Mills - And the bad thing is, traffic has gotten steadily worse!

[Jason]

It's a sad sad day now that this place has changed management. This place used to be my favorite Korean BBQ spot in SD. Great value for lots of food. We'd used to get at least 10 plates of panchan-one time I counted 15. The Jap Chae was twice as big as shown in the pic and the bibim bap was actually in a bowl not a plate. Prices were cheaper too. You guys would've loved the old place. A moment of silence please to remember the passing of a great homestyle restaurant. R.I.P. K.H.J.

[Kirk]

Hi Jason - A loooong moment of silence for all those favorite restaurants that have "passed on"...