san
january 08, 2005
i usually don't stop into starbucks on a saturday night. no, i'm usually at home doing something not very worthwhile. but tonight after my jaunt to barnes & noble, i decided to hit starbucks for something warm since my hands were like icicles. it's been forever since i've been to the local one near my house. it was full of kids and couples clustered in tiny groups. i got a table in the corner and sipped on my hot cafe mocha. starbucks isn't all about conversation - it's also about people watching. i noticed the number of young'uns who were just wearing a tshirt with jeans in this low 40's weather. i also noticed the number of people who wore "too tight" clothes thinking that will make them look sexier or hotter. instead they just looked like they were going to burst with their next sip of their venti caramal frap.
during the course of my visit to starbucks, i got into a rather deep discussion and ended up shedding tears. there i was, dabbing my eyes with a tissue while all these people around me were laughing and talking as vanessa mae's music droned on in the background. i kept on looking out the window watching the big drops of rain drift slowly to the ground. i knew eyes were on me and probably wondered what was happening in my little corner of starbucks.
i felt like i was in a japanese soap opera.
in my continual quest for korean food, i decided to go to san for dinner tonight. i was actually wanting another night of korean barbeque (as if my gluttony last night wasn't enough) but i thought i better quit while i'm ahead and try out something else. afterall, the garlic is still on my breathe and i'm still nursing a mild hangover from all the beer consumed. san is a 24 hour korean eatery that specializes in korean style jook (congee). i find it interesting that jook is referred to in the same way in cantonese & in hangul. in fact there are many words that are similar but that's another entry for another day.
since i wasn't really hungry, we just ordered the haemool jook - seafood congee and also the daenjang chigae - miso paste stew with tofu. perhaps i was still dreaming of the one from last night that made me want to have this hot and spicy soup. the waitress remarked that my pronounciation was very good and said she was surprised. i suppose that will be the next language i'll try to pick up. god knows i've tried before.
the menu at san is pretty extensive for a 24 hour eatery. the food was good and the service was very decent. i really wanted to try their haemool pajan - seafood pancake - as i heard that was good there but my stomach wasn't ready for it so perhaps next time. i mean, if i get hungry at 4am, at least i know where i can go get grub.
