woo lae oak: i love you.

Do you ever have a meal that wraps you deep in ecstasy? For me: it's a combination of aesthetics, variety and involvement. Yesterday evening, I met up with Alvarez at Woo Lae Oak in SoHo.


The nouveau Korean BBQ spot was filled with warm smells, sexy legs and glances. We took off our shoes and settled in our table upstairs: wrapping our legs on cushions on the floor. The first thing I noticed (after spending some calculating the best way to position my self without giving the dining room a peep show, in my short dress) was that there were not only families with small children seated in nearby tables, but solo diners as well. Alvarez and I briefly discussed this before selecting cocktails: Lychee Martini and Woo Lae Oak's spin on a Julep.



To start, we selected (on enthusiastic recommendation of our server):

Pae Joo Gae- Minced Sea Scallops and Korean Pine Mushrooms baked in a Silky Shrimp Mousse. This was a bit of a production. The mousse came in shells, and on flames. The server distributed them on our plates, then took the flames away...we didn't get to play with fire, yet-

Dae Ji Jim- Slowly roasted Baby Pork Ribs basted in a tangy Soy and Chili Glaze on Crostini. The ribs proved themselves with moisture and accented slip off the bone and you played with them.

Go Chu Ti Kim- Korean Green Pepper stuffed with Tilapia Filet and Beet in a light Sesame Tempura Butter. A hearty appetizer with a pronounced kick. The spice wasn't one to linger- just catch your attention. The beets were a nice touch, and a bit of a surprise in flavor.




We switched to Ketel vodka with the transition to entrees. We decided on BBQ- when in Rome, n'est-ce pas?

We shared:

An Shim- Filet Mignon. A decent sized portion of thinly sliced beef with sliced onions.

Kal Bi: Boneless Beef Short Ribs. Decent-sized chunks of meat with a few mushrooms.

We flopped the meat onto the grill between us, attempting to prepare the meat through Ketel induced buzzes. Although we charred a few pieces, the involvment in the meal proved a lovely pleasure.

The server also brought us a colorful variety of kimchee and crispy seaweed chips. Ideal accents to the hearty BBQ and spiced appetizers. A wonderful meal. I'd return. Despite their bad rap for poor service (which was proven, despite the total of eight people serving us). Go in good company. Go to get knee deep in it.