Sunday, May 15, 2011

A Warming Meal at Minato

A few weeks ago, we decided to try Minato on Queen Street and have been back a couple times since.  Although I wasn't a big fan of the sushi, I've loved all the Korean dishes that we've tried.  Our favorites have definitely been the rice-based Bee Bim Bap, and the Mandoo Guk, a traditional Korean Dumpling Soup.

On this night out, we stareted with the always good palate teaser, the Shrimp & Veggie Tempura.  I could make a whole meal of this dish; plump shrimp, creamy sweet potato and tender zucchinni deep fried to a crispy goodness and served with a sweet and salty dipping sauce.
Shrimp & Veggie Tempura
The Bee Bim Bap is served in a searing hot stone bowl.  A layer of greens, carrots, bean sprouts and sesame seeds cloak a mound of white rice, which is then topped with a raw egg and served with spicy sauce.   The idea here is that you stir the ingredients around so that the heat from the bowl and hot rice cooks the egg.  I love watching people getting ready to eat this dish - the sheer excitement of a sizzling bowl and the anticipation of the final result as they break the yoke is a pretty good show.
Bee Bim Bap
The Mandoo Guk is a surprisingly filling vegetarian soup that has often been my way to perk up within the last few cold, damp and rainy weeks.  A steamy, revitalizing  broth with earthy mushrooms and plump, tender dumplings is a meal in itself, and fulfills the heartiest of appetites when you add in the served bowl of rice served alongside. 
Mandoo Guk

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