Korean ChamPong Makes Me Happy!

As you know, I am on an epic quest for Asian culinary delights in Central PA.  Although the area is one of the least diverse places that I have lived, and I have lived all across the country, I utterly refuse to believe that I should settle for anything less than great ethnic cuisine.  And so the search continues, and today, I happened upon this little gem of a place, while Eric and I tooled around Mechanicsburg, also visiting the Wegman's.  On Yelp it was described as a Japanese restaurant, but then all of the food described was Korean.  Now, I've had my fair share of bad Japanese in the area, and honestly, I'm taking a break from my epic search for that cuisine currently.  But Korean?  The only Korean place I was aware of was in Lancaster at a diner called The Onion Cafe.  It was decent, and I shunned it not.

It was only mid-afternoon.  Eric and I had eaten lunch only a few hours before, so a Korean deep-dive wasn't an immediate desire.  But we're almost an hour away from home, we've got a new place to try out, we shall not leave town without giving ourselves and this new restaurant a chance!

We walked into Spring Garden and were greeted by the Korean owner.  She was extremely pleasant and had a bit of sass, which is always a good thing in my book.  We explained that we would like to take the food to go but that we weren't going to eat until several hours later.  And then I began to peruse the menu.  Oh my goodness, they have JamPong, or Cham Pong, or Jjampong, boy I've seen this spelled differently anytime I've ever seen it.  It's a spicy seafood noodle soup that was brought to Korea from China, so it employs the use of Chinese-style noodles.  But the Koreans are known for their spice, and just as the Chinese everywhere is catered to local tastes, this version became spicier and spicier until it became, for me, a dish that I would consider decidedly Korean, but with the Chinese influence.

Yes, I am a fiend when it comes to noodle soups.  I have found a noodle soup that I cherish in almost all the Asian cuisines.  In Taiwan, it's the rich, dark, and sensuous Beef Noodle Soup.  In Vietnam, the fresh, bright and light Pho.  In Japan, it's the toothsome opulence of the Chinese-influenced Miso Ramen.  In China, the spicy numbness and savory delectability of the Sichuan-style noodles.  In Korea, it's the Cham Pong that makes my heart sing!  One day, I'll round out the group with a definitive choice in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand... I have a lot of traveling to do!

The last time I had a good one was about 10 years ago on the campus of Ann Arbor where I was getting my MBA.  It's a little divey place called the University Cafe.  Oh yeah, it serves Korean food.  Whut?  But the Cham Pong was great, and I've longed for it every since.

At the Spring Garden, I immediately looked up with wide eyes and a string of drool starting to hang out of my mouth.  Cham Pong!  We discussed how I could take it home without the noodles getting all gummy and nasty.  Simple - she'll just wrap up the noodles and I could take them home and cook it there.  She brought them out, and I was stupefied that they were fresh.  Beautiful strands of noodles that were malleable and soft.  So rare in some of my favorite places, and here I am.  Fresh Noodles.  Bodes well...

Fresh noodles are just so wonderful.  They don't really have that hard core that dry noodles have that give them that toothsomeness we're all familiar with, as long as you're not overcooking the heck out of them.  This is a different kind of toothsome - there's an evenness throughout the entire noodle that gives it a satisfying wholesome texture.  These cook really fast, and as soon as it comes to a rolling boil again, it's drain time.

And then lovingly bathed in a splendid seafood broth that is balanced in its spicy savoriness.  My singular complaint is that the actual seafood was rather parsimonious.  I would have wanted big chunks of fish, some shrimp, fat mussels in lieu of the chintzy leftovers. That was the single aspect that left me wanting.  But don't get me wrong.  I still ate the whole thing.

Eric ordered Galbi - marinated beef short ribs that were tender, moist, and with that really great salty-sweet flavor that is addicting.  Asked whether that Philly boy would prefer an Italian Hoagie or Korean Galbi, he refused to answer.

Of note also are the BanChan dishes - those small appetizers of spicy fermented vegetables.  All of their dishes are made in-house, and they are delicious!  Not as spicy as I would normally have it, but hey, it's Central PA, we want folks to actually be able to taste the food.  I get that.  But boy, if you're a spice monger, find a good kimchi in a larger city.  It'll blow your socks off!!

Eric says I should write the Central PA Underground Guide to Great Asian Cuisine, or CPUGGAC.  As I rethink that name, at least I now have the Korean checked off.

Spring Garden
5 South 35th Street
Camp Hill, PA 17011-4409
(717) 737-0238

The Glass Lounge

At the salad bar in the company cafeteria, a friend started talking about a rumor of a dive bar in Harrisburg that had these really huge, delicious steaks that were super cheap.  Steak, you say?  Cheap?  And the scheming began.  Should we just go for lunch one day?  No, too far.  Perhaps a happy hour?  But the folks in the office are highly flaky about large invites and it never garners serious attention.  So we went back to the basics - word of mouth and viral marketing.  Get a few to commit, and voila - a party is born.

The Glass Lounge is north on Front Street and reminded me of those roadside restaurants you'd drive by on your way to a small town on a getaway weekend from the bustling city to go fishing.  Like in Northern Minnesota.  Who knew it was just down the street from the Capital of Pennsylvania?  But it's exactly that dynamic that makes it so interesting when you get inside.  Truly, you walk in and it is quite the dive bar as it was described.  But then you see plenty of folks in their suits and ties, and you realize you must be somewhere special if the suits are blending with the proletarians. 

I ordered the Delmonico, otherwise known as the rib-eye, medium rare.  I find it to be the best combination of juiciest, tastiest, moistest, tenderest cut available.  Yes, it's also the fattiest, but where do you think all that flavor comes from?  23-24 ounces for $21.  I think.  Okay, I admit it, I don't quite remember, and the website says $19.95 which I'm pretty certain is out of date, so yes, I arbitrarily picked $21.  It might have been $23.  But I would be lying if I said I absolutely knew.  

Each steak comes with potato and salad.  I hope you like carrots because that's all you can really get to for the first 15 bites before you start to see some greens that you can dig into.  I remember thinking that if this was the size of the salad, I was really excited about the size of the potato!  Alas, the potato is fairly normal sized, but cooked to that perfection point of soft and malleable to the diner's touch.  Ever since I was a kid and saw the server at the local Ponderosa cut my potato open and squeeze it from the side to make it look all fluffy and wholesome, just like on the print ad, I was hooked and I can't help but do that to every baked potato I have the pleasure of having in front of me.  


And then the steak came.  Look at this gorgeously crusted monstrosity of a slice of cow.  It was so impressive that after I took my first picture, I rued the fact that it looked quite average given the enormity of the plate it sits in.  I joked that I needed a dollar bill to demonstrate its actual size, and when I looked up, there was the crisp face of George Washington ready for a portrait with a side of beef.  


My favorite part of the ribeye is the outer "collar," for lack of a better term.  What is that called, anyway?  Anyone?  It's that part that surrounds the middle and is extra marbled and tender.  So I started in on it.  As beautifully browned as this looks, I have to say that it was a tad oversalted and substantially undercooked.  Medium rare?  It was still practically alive.  But no matter, after a few bites of parts that were cooked to order, I took it home and pan-fried it to medium rare perfection, and it served a few more meals beautifully.





I also took home all the mushroom and onions on top of my coworker's New York Strip.  For some reason, he was thinking there would be a few choice slices of portabella mushrooms sitting atop with some rings of onions.  I can blame him for thinking there would portabella, but I can't blame him for thinking there would be just a few.  But remember the carrot salad?  They have the same philosophy with the mushrooms and onions.  Still the flavor was good, if not for the super-sized portion.  And talking about super-sized portion, his New York Strip was absolutely enormous, spanning the huge platter from end to end.  And dare I say they did a masterful job on his medium rare steak.  Perfectly cooked, perfectly tender.  

As I drove the hour-long path back to my house in Lancaster, I concluded that the Glass Lounge does, indeed, have some great steak.  Is it less expensive than other places?  Yes, it is.  But I know of a place that rivals it and is more conveniently located.  It's called My Grill in My Backyard.  I'm taking bets.

The Glass Lounge
4745 N. Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17110

717.255.9919

Char's Bella Mundo

What a great name.  If Char's world is her charming little bistro oozing with warmth and energy, then it is beautiful, indeed.  If you're heading to Harrisburg, don't miss Char's.

Jamaican pan-seared scallops with a black bean and corn relish.  A hit of spice, but altogether a melding pot of delectability.

Duck breast on top of roasted peppers and asparagus risotto with shaved parmesan cheese.  An EXCELLENT dish all around.  The duck was expertly prepared with very little gaminess, and the risotto was rich and creamy.  And yes, of course it's half-eaten before I remembered to take a picture of it. 

Char's Bella Mundo

540 Race Street
Harrisburg, PA 17104-1646
(717) 213-4002

Lunch at the Singhs

If you're looking for the best Indian of Central PA, you're a tad out of luck, because it's at the Singh House in Hummelstown, and I'm fairly certain they wouldn't enjoy random people showing up at their home looking for good Indian eats.  Fortunately, we are not random people, and just had the most lovely lunch.

On the left, a Northern-Indian style chicken stew that was mild in heat, but rich in flavor and spices. 

On the right, shrimp in more of a Southern-Indian style, which utilizes mustard seeds and curry leaves.  Koel turned up the heat on this one, knowing Eric was a fiend for food that can blow one's head off.  I'm glad it wasn't too hot because though I like spicy foods, I also like to enjoy it without pain.  Perhaps my favorite dish, but not by much.

Cauliflower & Potato Bhujiya.  Tender and flavorful, Koel starts with cutting up potatoes and cauliflower into bite sized pieces...

Okay, so I was supposed to go there and get a bit of a cooking lesson.  I ended up eating and talking.  I'm sorry!  I can't help it!  Next time - less eating, more learning.

Anyway, I will have to get all of these recipes and share.

In the meantime, relish how all the food is captured individually in their own containers on one's plate.  Absolutely delectable.

Lastly, I must share this video of Aviral's mom making Roti bread.  Very cool process.  She is visiting from India and welcomed us to the Singh household with a traditional Hindi ritual.  She waved a candle in a circular motion upon our walking through the door and then dabbed some turmeric on our foreheads.  How welcoming is that?!?  Lovely woman.

Devon, Part Deux

It seems that the lonely picture of the Almond Crusted Tilapia didn't whet the appetite, so here are a few more that hopefully will. 

I love this dish, too.  Pan-seared scallops with a fennel salad, set atop asapargus risotto, and drizzled with basil oil and balsamic vinegar.  This time around, though, I was surprised at how small the scallops were.  Several months ago, I had gotten this dish, and each of them were a good 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.  These were significantly smaller, but they gave 6 of them, so in total, you're getting the same amount of scallop, but it definitely suffers in presentation. 

Regardless, the scallops were perfectly seared, with a beautiful caramelization on each of them and an opaque tenderness that was just right.  It's perfect with the asparagus risotto - wonderfully rich and creamy.  Then you get the coolness of the fennel salad.  As a kid, I couldn't stand the original licorice Twizzlers.  So I snubbed all things licorice, until I discovered the wonders of Anise and Fennel as an adult.  Now I love and appreciate fennel and often include it in my Arugula salads.  It's how licorice should be - delicate, light, and refreshing.

And then there's the Lobster Mac & Cheese.  It's truly a little sliver of heaven.

With immigrant parents, I did not grow up with Kraft Mac & Cheese, or any other kind of mac & cheese, for that matter.  Several years ago, I was grocery shopping through Wegman's in Princeton, and saw a big ol' display of Kraft Mac & Cheese.  I felt this intense desire to experience this prevalent slice of Americana.  I went home and followed all instructions, raised my eyebrow when I tore open the pouch of neon orange "cheese," but continued on.  And voila, I had my very first portion of Kraft Mac & Cheese sitting on my plate.  I took my first bite and was utterly, wholly disappointed.  What was the big deal about this?  It's horrible!  I rooted through my fridge looking for something to save it.  I started grating a very good 2-year aged Parmesan cheese and then stopped myself.  What was I doing?!?!  It was like throwing good money after bad.  In my mind, NOTHING was going to help this abnormally colored dish.  I threw it away, and I don't throw anything away.  But this?  I wasn't sure I should be ingesting it anyway.

But I digress.  During my first trip to Hershey's Devon Seafood, the server said I should really try out the Lobster Mac & Cheese.  I'm a big fan of following servers' instructions, especially when they're open and honest enough to tell me to not get something else on the menu because it's "just not the best thing on the menu."  Instant credibility.  And I was glad I did.  It's rich.  It's tremendous.  It's creamy.  It's complex; you can taste the white wine, and the crunch of the panko bread crumbs is light and textural.  It's so good, it's salacious.

Devon Seafood

When I was living in Princeton, the girls and I would often trek over to Philly and paint the town red.  One of the restaurants along Rittenhouse Square was Devon Seafood, which I had always shunned, "It's a chain for goodness sakes."  Its being surrounded by swanky, independent places didn't help matters.

Fast forward a few years, and I find myself working in Hershey, PA, where the street lamps are made in the shape of Kisses.  Yes.  Really.  As much as you might think a town with such attractions as Chocolate World and Hershey Park would have a well developed dining scene, it's really not that great.  When I interviewed with the company in 2006, my lunch companion drove me to a place called "What If?" because the only walkable alternative was a pizza-by-the-slice joint that was feeding the entire company on a daily basis.  

A year after that, Houlihan's opened its doors across the street and approximately 200 steps to the west. That place was as hot as a sizzling Ball Park frank on the grill.  A huge number of Hershey employees would swarm over there for lunch and happy hour - some even earlier, as they justified, "But we were talking about work..."

A year or two after that, and Devon Seafood opened its doors in the same building, and let me tell you, we now had a "premium" offering.  Guess where we were having all of our power lunches with suppliers and interviewees?  That's right, at that swanky new place across the street and approximately 210 steps to the west.  

On their lunch menu, they have a $10 Power Lunch section.  Below is my go-to.  Almond-crusted Tilapia - hold the beurre blanc sauce on the side, please - with the grilled asparagus and garnished with berries and chives.  And what you see below?  It's half of the dish - you get two of those enormous fillets that are dredged in a bit of egg and flour, rolled in almonds, pan-seared, then finished off in the oven.  In order to keep my svelte figure, I automatically put one of the fillets into a to-go box and enjoy it the next day.  The almonds keep very well, and even after a stint in the microwave, it's still 100 times better than the regular ol' breading.

Who knew I could get so excited about a chain?  Seems you can take the snootiness out of the girl once you get the girl out of a snooty city...

Battle of Breakfast Sandwiches

Since I work in Hershey, PA, you would think I would have a ton of postings on the restaurants there.  Interestingly, it wasn't until a coworker of mine said, "Where are all the reviews for the places around here?"  Hmm.  Good question...

The Hershey Pantry is one of those cute, charming, and stifling small nooks that lies on Chocolate Avenue.  It's my first choice for breakfast, but I also hear the food during the rest of the day is quite good.  I usually get an omelet, but this last time, I got this breakfast sandwich.

It's a beautiful sandwich.  They start with slices of sundried tomato bread, then layer in spinach, provolone cheese, bacon, and egg.  Then the outside of the slices is slathered with butter and grilled.  It's delicious.

So having been inspired by this hearty meal, I woke up this morning yearning for something similar.  Luckily, there were enough leftovers from previous meals to cull something decent together.  

 

Eggs over medium, spinach, roasted red peppers, a hot sausage link on toasted whole wheat bread.  I opted for no cheese and no butter slathered all over the outside of the bread.  I mean, when I'm home, I should try not to clog up my arteries.  Know what I mean?  Despite the lack of fatty, I must admit - not a bad replica.

The Sopranos Thrive in Harrisburg

Yes, seriously, there's a place called Soprano's Pizza in Palmyra, PA, and I recall looking at the logo and thinking, Gee, that looks pretty close to the real thing.  I wonder if HBO knows about that...


But in the end, who cares, because the pasta is to die for here.  I know, it's a Pizza joint, and it's pretty good, but the pasta is what really, really rocks.  Oh, and the garlic bread that comes along with it is equally irresistible.

   

I can't quite recall what this was called, but it's Rigatoni with chicken and sundried tomatoes in a light cream sauce.  It's worth the calories.

Again, the fancy name of this dish fails me, but fettuccine was topped with a spicy tomato sauce with shrimp.  The shrimp was perfect - just cooked through by moist and tender, and the sauce was killer.


Soprano's Pizza
50 lynmar ave

Palmyra, PA, 17078

717 838 3895
Tues - Sat: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Bangkok Wok

Today, the hubby and I decided to be really adventurous, so we headed across the Susquehana River and into Mechanicsburg/Camp Hill area. I had heard of a great Thai place called Bangkok Wok, and I swear, it might be better than my old hole-in-the-wall New York City Thai joint in Hell's Kitchen, Pam Real Thai.

Bangkok Wok is BANGING!!

We got the fresh summer rolls, which were good, but not better than the Vietnamese version at Pho Thanh Thuy in Lancaster. The Papaya Salad had some good heat (just a little more than medium, please!) and it was really delicious - a spicy/tart vinaigrette flavor that was just beautiful.

The green curry with chicken was authentic and simple with the right balance of veggies, meat, and coconut milk - a winner!

Drunken Noodles with beef took home the prize, though. Fresh sheets of rice noodles slathered in basil, heat, and sweet. The beef was tender, and I was so, so very happy.

I envision many business trips beginning with a stop at Bangkok Wok for some Drunken Noodles to be eaten at the airport. I can't wait for my next trip.