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Vive la révolution!!!! Or, better yet, 오래 살고 혁명 !!!!

It hasn't come a second too soon. I LOVE kimchi. Home made is always better, but you know what? Good prepared is pretty great also.

My dad lived in Korea for about 10 years and he hates the stuff. Can't even look at it without snarky comments about how disgusting it is. He can't believe I sprang (figuratively) from his loins. Of course this is a man for whom ketchup is a walk on the wild side.

I read this earlier and it set up the craving. I ran to a deli by work and bought a jar. I had the best dinner ever of hot white rice topped by cold kimchi. Heaven.

All the manufactured kimchi I had in America sucked. Look at the difference between the jars/bottles in America and the bags in Korea--or even better, compare it to the kimchi factory in the Bizarre Foods episode. In Korea, kimchi is smothered in paste, and the paste ferments the cabbage. In America, it's put in a liquid brine and treated like a pickle.

A good Korean/Asian market will have their own batch. I like the variety between markets. No kimchee is the same...sometimes even from the same vendor. I personally love the stuff. I have some anytime I eat Asian cuisine...and sometimes when I'm just having a sandwich....and sometimes on a sandwich. Restaurant wise, the best I've had (though small in portion) is at Dok Suni's in NYC. Great stuff...also great spicy squid there at Dok Suni's.

The Counter burgers are surprisingly good for a chain - I had one in Charlotte last week. The fries and onion strings are very good as well. The salad dressing was superb, although the salad was small-ish and I liked the sweet tea. Our service was excellent and I particularly liked the waitress' suggestion to forego the 2/3 lb. burger and order the 1/3 instead. It was plenty big - in fact, seemed much bigger than 1/3 lb. as advertised.
On Oahu, I would have a difficult decision to make - either Teddy's or Counter. Perhaps the location would determine the choice.

Aloha Robyn,

Glad you pointed out what I pointed out on those menu options that are unique to the Kahala (Hawaii) menu. I'm very curious how that Loco Moco tastes, as IIRC, D.K. Kodama mentioned the brown gravy they pour on it is based on a demi-glace, so it's gotta' be ono (delicious)!

Only thing, if I order the loco moco on my next visit to The Counter, I may end up feeling I'm missing out on yet another opportunity to Build my own Burger. If I do, that better be the BEST Loco Moco ever.

I see Hadley had a favorable impression of The Counter in Santa Monica.

The Kahala looks destined to succeed, with the right type restaurant for the location, demographic and price point. Surely they'll work out the logistics issue, if they haven't already.

Mahalo,
Pomai