Can’t tell if this is an old guy yelling at clouds thing, or a cultural difference (maybe both), so I’m posting it here.
I’m the default BBQ cook when we fire up the grill at home. I’ve happily served family and friends several times over the years, and they’re fun to host on the weekends.
But recently I went out twice with friends to Korean BBQ restaurants, and I think the cultural aspect of it was completely lost on me. Aside from saving time on marinating meat and cleaning up, I’m not sure I completely understand why I’m going to a restaurant to cook, when I can host and do the same in my own home?
Now if you’re travelling or live in the city and don’t have a BBQ at home, I get it, it’s far more convenient than taking a portable grill somewhere with all the supplies. But when I have a perfectly good grill at home, why am I going out to a restaurant and throwing down $$$ to cook my food?
I’ve read that it’s a fun social activity, but is that not what I’m already doing when I’m hosting a BBQ in the backyard? What am I missing here?
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It’s like fondue or Mongolian hotpot. It gives you all something to do while you chat.
So yes, it’s social. Everyone in the group should be involved.
Lol the thing is, the BBQ you cook is probably nowhere near the same as KBBQ flavor wise. And the appeal of KBBQ is that, usually, everyone cooks the food, not just one person. And then there’s all the sides that come with it that some would argue is the best part. And you can combine the mean with a lot of things and eat it different ways. Wrap it in lettuce with some pickled veggies and rice, eat it with just rice, etc. It’s not even close to what you do at home. It’s a totally different flavor, environment, and culture.
The good ones cook for you. When you go with Koreans, one will usually be looking forward to managing the grill portion and it becomes a battle between how the employee wants to cook the meat vs. how your wife’s cousin wants to cook. As a doofy white guy, I sit back and enjoy. I’ve never been allowed to hold the tongs or scissors.
This is a very common complaint about kbbq and it is indeed mostly old people who say it, so, you’re not alone, but yes you might be old.
I’m with you our Mongolian barbecue place you just pick the ingredients out in your bowl and then pass it off to homie and he chefs that s*** up real nice for you. That’s what I prefer
Holy fuck lighten up and enjoy yourself for an hour
>Aside from saving time on marinating meat and cleaning up,
No, you nailed it. Outside of the 4-6 hours you spend cleaning the house, shopping, marinating, portioning, prepping, chopping, cleaning all that up – then the great time you have together – then another 2-3 hours of doing a metric ton of dishes and cleaning it all up – it’s exactly the same experience.
I did forget to mention that sometimes you invite over 10 people, Sally wants shrimp, Timmy wants steak, Bob wants his rare, Bob’s wife wants hers well, Bob’s kid’s girlfriend doesn’t eat meat and wants grilled potatoes, and her 8 year old only drinks diet pepsi and will riot if you don’t have any.
The KBBQ place has them all handled, you just make a reservation and go in.
I’m not saying it’s the perfect scenario and grilling at home sucks – I’m saying *sometimes* it sure works well.
Is cooking the meat yourself really that big of a deal? Honestly it’s the easiest part aside from eating it.
You still don’t have to purchase, store, prep, cleanup, etc.