Hearth and Seoul: an exploration of eastern flavors by way of Choga Korean BBQ
Photo by Cassondra Jones
Watch out, Kansas City barbecue lovers—there’s a new sheriff in town. Make way for Korean barbecue, interchangeably known as KBBQ.
If you’ve never tried KBBQ, it is a unique approach to the barbecue experience that is rooted in tradition and culture. The differences and similarities between Korean barbecue and American BBQ warrant a showdown of palates and flavors. The good news? There is certainly room for both in KC.
Meaty history
The origin of American BBQ, particularly in Kansas City, is steeped in history. This dates back to the early 20th century, characterized by a slow-cooking process over wood, a smoky flavor, and a sweet, tangy sauce. Kansas City BBQ consists of a variety of meats, including beef brisket, pork ribs, pulled pork, burnt ends, and chicken.
On the other hand, KBBQ has ancient Korean roots when it comes to cooking practices. Dating back to the Goguryeo Dynasty in 37 BC, grilled meat was a standard part of meals for the royal court. Thus, it was a luxury not afforded to everyone. During the Joseon Dynasty in the 17th century, meat dishes became more accessible to the general public, eventually leading to what we know as Korean barbecue today.
A KBBQ meal is an interactive dining experience, involving tabletop cooking over a sizzling hot plate. This unique grill is built into the dining table. The protein differs from American barbecue because, in addition to meat, they also have many seafood options grilled on the table. You’ll most commonly find thinly sliced beef or pork, pork belly, beef tongue, beef intestines, short rib, squid, and shrimp.
Photo by Cassondra Jones
Banchan
Another factor that sets KBBQ apart from American barbecue is its marinated meats. The marinade is a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, fragrant sesame oil, garlic, and usually a fruit (most often Asian pear or apple). This creates a complex flavor of sweet, savory, and a bit of umami. These flavors are further enhanced by the inclusion of banchan or Korean side dishes. These side dishes offer some spiciness, tartness, and balance to the meal.
Commonly eaten banchan you may find at your KBBQ experience include kimchi varieties (fermented vegetables), braised potatoes, pickled radish, steamed spinach, spicy cucumbers, stir-fried octopus, steamed eggs, Korean pancakes, and marinated tofu. Each KBBQ may offer something a little different when it comes to banchan. The best part is there are free refills on the side dishes.
Banchan is a crucial, unique part of any KBBQ experience. Korean dishes are mostly cold versus hot and offer a tang to offset the richness of the meats. It is always a visual delight when all the banchan is brought out to accommodate the meats because there are so many colorful, little dishes.
Photo by Cassondra Jones
The secret sauce(s)
Another significant difference between the two types of barbecue is the cooking techniques. Kansas City barbecue is all about the art of slow cooking, where meats are smoked over low heat for many hours. It really takes a good amount of patience and skill to achieve the perfect tenderness and flavor.
In contrast, Korean barbecue focuses on cooking meat rapidly. Much like the Korean philosophy of life, which is constantly being in a hurry and moving fast (Palli Palli Culture), their barbecue approach is more about instant gratification. There is also a focus on the social aspect of communal cooking around the grill and enjoying Korean barbecue as a social affair. The meat is cooked quickly over high heat in just a few minutes, allowing diners to enjoy the process of grilling and eating almost simultaneously. This method highlights the freshness of the ingredients and the joy of dining together with friends and family.
Diverging dining experiences also illustrate the differences between Korean BBQ and American BBQ. Here in Kansas City, BBQ is often enjoyed in a traditional restaurant setting, where dishes are prepared by pitmasters and served to diners. It’s a hearty, sometimes heavy, meal of many meats and traditional sides like baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, cheesy corn, mac and cheese, cornbread, and fries. If you’ve got a stomach like a bottomless pit, you can end your meal with dessert—oftentimes pie.
Meanwhile, Korean barbecue is an interactive experience. It’s not just about the food but also the act of cooking together. This dining style fosters a communal atmosphere of eating and drinking with friends and family. Whereas Americans may pair their barbecue with a cold beer, Koreans enjoy their barbecue with hot or cold soju (distilled spirit, fermented from grains) or makgeolli (sweet, fermented rice alcohol with a lower ABV than soju and a milky appearance).
In fact, soju is considered the national drink of Korea because it is a cultural icon, especially the traditional green glass bottles. Soju and makgeolli come in various flavors like peach, apple, yogurt, plum, etc. Whereas soju can be sipped or thrown back like a shot out of short shot glasses, makgeolli is typically sipped from small, individual bowls but can even be more communal when served from a large bowl where you would ladle out the drink.
Photo by Cassondra Jones
Room for two
In Kansas City, our love for American barbecue runs deep, especially after adopting our own style of sauce and cooking. But we are fortunate to have Korean barbecue as an option that is equally tasty, as well. There is definitely room for both here. These two different styles and approaches to barbecue offer the chance to indulge in two different cultures and two different traditions.
Everyone is quick to name their favorite local (American) barbecue spot in Kansas City. Sometimes, it becomes a hot take of varied opinions and palates. There are endless options in the area. With Korean barbecue, the options are fewer, but what we have is pretty good quality.
My personal favorite Korean BBQ restaurant in KC is Choga Restaurant. This is a casual spot with speedy service in an unassuming strip mall in Overland Park. They do have a private dining room and a section of the restaurant that is partitioned for large groups. Fun fact: Choga is the only Korean BBQ restaurant in KC that offers AYCE (all-you-can-eat), and it is a great deal.
Photo by Cassondra Jones
AYCE BBQ at Choga includes the following 13-15 proteins: LA Bone-in Short Rib, Bulgogi (thinly marinated beef), Chicken Breast, Thinly Sliced Brisket, Rib Finger Meat, Beef Tongue, Pork Belly, Spicy Pork Belly, Pork Bulgogi, Spicy Pork, Shrimp, Spicy Squid, Intestines, Ribeye Steak (premium option) and Short Rib (premium option). The shrimp come shell-on, so you do need to peel them. Intestines, or gopchang, are very popular in Korean casual dining but are an acquired taste. The meal comes with a trio of dip options, including sesame oil with salt, gochujang (red chili paste), and ssamjang (soybean paste). Depending on the meat, each dip highlights certain flavors that elevate the meat.
The price for AYCE BBQ at Choga is $32.95 or $44.95 (premium) for adults and $16.95 for children ages 3-6. Gratuity is automatically factored in at 18%. The meal includes steamed egg (gyeran-jjim), cheesy corn, choice of soup, radish wraps, salad, the three dipping sauces, and (refillable) banchan.
If you order pork belly, I highly recommend eating it the traditional way, as a wrap. You’ll want to ask for a pair of food scissors to cut the pork belly into small pieces. Then take a piece of the lettuce, place a piece of thin radish or perilla leaf inside it, dip your pork belly in a sauce and place it in the lettuce, top with a piece of kimchi (and raw garlic, if they have it). Trust me, this is the only way to eat pork belly. It’s so good.
Whether you’re drawn to the slow-smoked, saucy meats of Kansas City BBQ or the interactive flavor bomb that is Korean BBQ, one thing is clear: Both cuisines celebrate sharing good food with good company.
Choga Korean Restaurant is located at 6920 W 105th St., Overland Park, KS 66212 and are open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
