pork bone soup

If you have been to a few casual korean places then you have seen this on the menu. I don't know what it is supposed to be, and I have had different versions that are different in one way or more. But the common denominator of course is pork bone, bone from the neck or spine seem to be the choice here. The other thing that you will always find is soft chunks of potatoes.

Although the broth is typically pretty thick (probably from the potato starch), but they can be in different shades of brown or red, and sometimes spicy and sometimes not.

I have had this dish at a few places on the bloor st. korean town here in Toronto, and a couple places in the chinatown area. But I think the best one I have tried so far is from this little place just a couple of doors down from the korean supermarket on Bloor (sorry, can't remember the name right now).

The broth is slightly spicy and very very savory (in a nice porky sort of way), the pork super soft, and the potatoes practically dissolves once in the mouth. The rice is not the white rice typically eaten in north america (like jasmine or calrose), but this slightly purple, short grain variety that is faintly sweet, which goes well with the spiciness, although cooked to a bit soggy for my taste.

I tore through the whole thing including the nice selection of banchan in like 20 minutes. It was a little too much food for me to eat for lunch, but I just can't help it but to finished it all. As the temperature outside dips below freezing, I think I will add this place to pho Tien Thanh on the list of places to go in the winter when I don't feel like making my own lunch.