Tag: Korean culture
Sorak Garden, longtime Annandale landmark, offers standard Korean fare
By James Moon Sorak Garden (4308 Backlick Road) has been a landmark for the Korean American community for a long time, practically as long as I’ve known Annandale existed. The restaurant is named for Korea’s famous Mount Sorak (commonly known as Seoraksan). The national park nearby is an autumnal mecca for leaf peepers in … Continued
Explore Korean cuisine at Seoul Garden’s do-it-yourself buffet
By James Moon Enter any respectable Korean restaurant and as soon as you’ve ordered (if not as soon as you’re seated), servers bus to your table a core element of the traditional Korean meal—the little side dish accompaniments called banchan (pronounced “bahn chahn”). They’re kinda like tapas, but they’re included with your meal, and what … Continued
KORUS Festival will take place at NOVA’s Annandale campus
The 2010 KORUS Festival After efforts to keep the popular KORUS Festival at the Kmart parking lot in central Annandale failed, it now appears the three-day celebration of Korean culture will take place at the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College. Mike Kim, who is in charge of organizing the festival for the Korean … Continued
Annandale losing popular KORUS Festival
The 2010 Korus Festival Organizers of the annual KORUS Festival held in September in the Kmart parking lot are unhappy that the event won’t be happening in cental Annandale this year. Kmart doesn’t want the festival any more because it hurts business, says Mike Kim of the Korean American Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area and … Continued
To Sok Jip offers homestyle cooking at reasonable prices
Dak kalguksu, a noodle soup in chicken broth. By James Moon To Sok Jip (pronounced roughly as “toe soak jeep”) is a hole-in-the-wall Korean dining hall at 7211 Columbia Pike that could be described as a refuge for homesick foreign students on F-1 visas. The prices are relatively cheap, the portions are large, the food … Continued
DaMoim puts a Korean spin on quesadillas and tacos
DaMoim, a Korean fusion restaurant and bar in Annandale offers a mix of Korean and American fare, but most people come for the tacos and quesadillas, and with good reason. They are delicious. The buldahk quesadilla, a perfect combination of caramelized onions, spicy chicken, and cheddar and jack cheese in a soft tortilla ($8). is … Continued
2010 was an eventful year in Annandale
These are the most popular posts from the Annandale blog in 2010: The Annandale cat hoarders and their neighbor explain how they ended up with a house full of cats – Nov 21. Eventually, animal control would remove 161 cats from the house on Village Drive. The organizer of the annual KORUS Festival offers a … Continued
Korean cultural center opens in Annandale church
A new Korean cultural center was established recently at the Messiah Presbyterian Church of Washington, 4313 Markham St., Annandale. The center’s purpose is “to provide an introduction to the Korean culture for the Korean American community,” says Jin Young Kim. The center will host movies, classes, poetry readings, and discussions. The cultural center is not the … Continued
Annandale business spotlight: D.C. edition of Korea Daily published here
Among the businesses based in Annandale, Va., is the Washington, D.C., regional edition of the Korea Daily, which is produced in an office building at 7023 Little River Turnpike. The Korea Daily is the largest and most influential newspaper in Korea, with a circulation of 2 million, says Jim Suk Kim, publisher of the Washington … Continued
Videos from Korus Festival performers
Check out these videos by James Moon on some of the entertainment at the Korus Fesivital last night in the K-Mart parking lot in Annandale: the B-Boys and the Jump comic martial arts performers. And there was also this weird clown.
KORUS album: Saturday afternoon at Annandale’s Korean Festival
Politicians speak at KORUS opening
Keam By James Moon Local politicians welcomed the audience at the opening ceremony of the KORUS Festival in Annandale last night. Among those who addressed the crowd were former Gov. George Allen, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova, Mason District Supervisor Penny Gross, Springfield Supervisor Pat Herrity, Rep. Gerry Connolly, state Del. Mark … Continued
Thousands expected in Annandale this weekend for KORUS Festival
The eighth annual KORUS Festival, which takes place this weekend in the Kmart parking lot on John Marr Drive in Annandale, has several new features, says one of the festival’s coordinators, Kyung Jun, including talent competitions and performances from other countries in addition to Korea. The festival, extending from Friday evening through Sunday evening, is … Continued
You’ve got to try the fried chicken at Annandale’s Bon Chon
By James Moon Many Koreans—like much of the general population—have a weakness for fried chicken and beer. And although fried chicken didn’t catch on in Korea until 1979, the 30 years that followed saw the peninsula become a culinary powerhouse in the fried chicken arena. Fried chicken in South Korea is everywhere—from ubiquitous mom-and-pop shops … Continued
Seoul Soondae: A Korean diner offers something for the adventurous
By James Moon Seoul Soondae, at 4231 Markham Street, nestled deep in Annandale’s Seoul Plaza, is the Korean equivalent of a diner, serving the underside of Korean cuisine: working-class soups, homey noodles, plenty of fried foods, and the sort of exotic snacks you might eat with friends at a street vendor’s cart in Seoul, such … Continued