Dining With Plastic Forks

Kale G: As the weather continues to be cold, our tastes continue to drive us towards cuisines that will not only fill our appetites, but also warm us up. When discussing where to go this week, one restaurant stood out amongst all others for our consideration: Hoban. Korean food is a wonderful mix of flavors, textures, and just a dash of wonderfulness. Or maybe that’s some red chilies. It’s hard to say for sure.

Phil B: I got to know Korean food in college while helping a friend with his English assignments. He could speak and write a little in English, but he still thought in Korean which often had hilarious results when translated to paper. He got a ‘B’ in the class, which made him very happy. I ate some really good food at his house, which made me very happy. It was a great trade, as far as I’m concerned.

KG: We made the trek out to Eagan and grabbed a table. One of the nice things about our ongoing adventures is that it has allowed us to share our favorite restaurants with each other, and I can’t thank Phil enough for introducing me to this little place. The first time we went, it was a hole in the wall. Literally, actually. They had just begun remodeling and all Hoban was a gutted building with a glass front. It took a month or so before they opened back up, and it’s been a regular in our rotation ever since.

PB: The first time I went there, Hoban was a shabby little joint with worn-out booths, peeling wallpaper, and great food. I was a bit apprehensive when they closed for remodeling since this sometimes ends up ruining a place. You know the drill: new owners, new furniture, new cook, and a new menu that you end up hating. However, I am happy to report that the owners and the food remained the same, and the remodel job was a great success. The place is much nicer now, and has a lot more seating room. Word is getting out, as Hoban is starting to draw a crowd.

KG: One of the best things about Hoban is the collection of banchan, or appetizers, that come with the meal. A set of seven sides comes with any meal at Hoban – an assortment of potatoes, daikon, and of course, kimchee. We were curious about this traditional classic, so Phil looked up a recipe at http://www.treelight.com/health/nutrition/UltimateKimchi.html. I’m not sure, but I don’t think hugging the cabbage is actually required. Still, in the interest of scientific knowledge, we were forced to find out for ourselves.

It’s not, and Phil’s going to pay for dry cleaning my shirt. It was, after all, his week to pay.

PB: Haha, I think Kale misinterpreted the directions on the website, which include a crucial bit of info: ‘The hugging motion is gentle. Generate love while you're doing it. Its hard to overstate the importance of this step’. Obviously, he was supposed to remove his shirt so he could generate the proper amount of love. I’m not paying for the shirt, but will buy lunch.

KG: Speaking of Phil’s week to pay, we got an additional appetizer – the Man Doo. Which sounds so wrong in English, but I must say it tasted so very, very right. Actually, that still sounds wrong. Man Doo are fried dumplings filled with a mix of veggies and meat, with an extraordinary dipping sauce. It looks like it should be spicy hot, but the only bite is a vinegary delight, and we heaped it on.

PB: Maybe they should call it Man Doo Dumplings … no, that sounds even worse.

KG: Just let it die. There are some things even we can't fix.

PB: The dipping sauce seemed to have some rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and a dash of red pepper. Couldn’t really taste the pepper, but the sauce was perfect when combined with the fried Man Doo.

KG: Next: Entrees. I got the Meat Jun, a Korean-Style pancake stuffed with Bulgogi, and Phil had the Pork Katsu, a fried pork loin with a nice smoky Katsu sauce smeared across it.

KG: The Meat Jun is fantastic – Bulgogi, beef that been thinly sliced, marinated and barbecued, is fried into a sort of eggy-pancake and served with a side of the same sauce (or very similar) to the Man Doo. The egg batter is spongy enough to really soak up the sauce, causing a mix of flavors to careen wildly about the mouth. Plus, the Meat Jun is huge, so come hungry, as it will be enough to fill you up.

PB: Since there was a lot of it, I got a generous portion to sample. It reminded me of an enormous Bulgogi omelette. And Kale is right, the sauce really makes it zing. You could probably split this with someone and still get stuffed.

KG: The Pork Katsu is a pounded Pork Loin that’s been breaded and fried, covered in Katsu sauce. For those unfamiliar with Katsu sauce, think of a deep, smoky, darkly sweet and savory barbecue sauce. Got it? Great. Now imagine something blowing it out of the water. That would be the Katsu sauce.

PB: Pork Katsu has its origins in Japan, where it is called Tonkatsu. It reminds me of a chicken-fried pork steak, but the breading is a bit crunchier since it uses Panko crumbs instead of flour or saltine crackers. Just out of curiosity, I looked up a few Katsu sauce recipes. It looks like the base ingredients are worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and rice wine with some ginger and garlic; maybe a few additional spices such as allspice, cloves, or ground mustard. Whatever they put in it really doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it absolutely rocks when combined with the Pork Katsu cutlet.

KG: While we didn’t get it this time, we would be remiss if we did not mention the Dolsot Bibimbop, a traditional dish which is easily a favorite here. Although it wasn’t on our orders today, it is a delight.

The vision of loveliness there is Bibimbop. Rice, Bulgogi, veggies and a fried egg served up in a Dolsot, a ‘Stone Pot’. Here’s a bit of advice: don’t touch the Dolsot! The Dolsot has been heated to a slightly sub-nuclear temperature, and continues to sizzle your food as you go. The rice along the outer edge of the bowl will continue to cook as you eat, and you may be tempted to leave it stuck to the side of the bowl, but work it free! The toasty, crunchy rice is half the reason to get this Korean delight.

PB: They coat the hot bowl with sesame oil right before dishing everything else into it, which gives a nice aroma and helps create the crunchy rice layer. After the server brings it out, you break up the fried egg and stir it in, then drizzle some gochujang chili sauce over it. Take a bite: my oh my, talk about Seoul food! (sorry, everyone)... I must confess that I had been in a rut before this visit; i.e. I ordered the Dolsot Bibimbop the last 3 times I had been here. It’s that good. Everything here is four tines, way, way up.

KG: Hoban is, as I suggested above, one of my favorite places I’ve been introduced to since the lunch runs began. The staff is friendly, the food is phenomenal, and the entirety of the place must be summed up as only Phil can:

PB: AWESOME!

KG: I’d say that’s the definitive word. Four tines – heck, I’d almost make an exception to give them five. Which would make a funky looking fork, but that’s not the point. The point is, if you’re in the mood for Korean, we can’t recommend this place highly enough. Enjoy!

1989 Silver Bell Rd
Eagan, MN 55122-3167
Phone: (651) 688-3447