Fresh Sheet: Joy Garden

by Robin Salts Beckett on Jan 5, 2012

Beef bulgogi with spicy kimchi

One of my co-workers, George May, is a good cook and leaves samples of his culinary handiwork on my — and others’ — desk from time to time. This makes him one of my favorite colleagues (that and the fact that he’s a fellow Star Trek fan). He’s Korean American, and these delicious little morsels are Korean too. He always delivers his “samples” with tiny bottles of soy sauce and chopsticks. I give a girly clap of my hands when I round the corner to my desk and see a miniature picnic.
So when I heard about Joy Garden, a new Korean restaurant on 56th Avenue and Tieton Drive, I asked George his opinion, trusting his ability to judge authentic Korean fare. With his thumbs up, my friend Brynn and I gave it a whirl ourselves.

While the interior is no-frills, it’s clean and pleasant, and the service is friendly. The restaurant offers Korean barbecue, but unfortunately they can’t actually cook the dishes at patrons’ tables. The menu also includes stews, noodle dishes and even American-style kids’ dishes (chicken strips and fish and chips). I chose the beef bulgogi and Brynn tried the pork bulgogi.  We split a side of kimchi.
Bulgogi is a typical Korean dish using thinly sliced beef in a marinade of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, garlic and sesame seeds that is grilled or barbecued. Kimchi is a spicy vegetable dish (usually made with napa cabbage, but one can use other vegetables or roots). If you’ve ever had a bad experience with kimchi, don’t let it deter you from trying it again. Although kimchi is traditionally fermented, I’ve tasted plenty of varieties (thanks, George), and each one is delicious. I think of it like a spicy cole slaw, although there are many that aren’t spicy.
Brynn and I enjoyed our meals, “mmm-ing” our way through them, and they were delivered to our table quickly. Each steamy-hot dish was a tumble of sweet and savory flavors, punched up with the kick of the cold, crisp kimchi on the side. Although the kimchi was spicy, as Brynn noted, “There are no sweat beads on my forehead.” The warm sautéed vegetables and white rice were nice complements to tender and flavorful beef. Since they were from the lunch menu, our meals were fairly inexpensive, too, with each of our entrees coming in at a mere $7.50. All in all, it’s heartily recommended.

5605 Tieton Drive, Yakima
509-965-9544

If you’re interested in Korean cooking, George recommends the public television series “Kimchi Chronicles,” available at kimchichronicles.tv.

Fresh Sheet: A Tale of Two Cranberries

by Robin Salts Beckett on Nov 10, 2011

The turkey cranberry sandwich at White House Cafe.

For most of my childhood I didn’t realize that cranberry sauce was actually made with berries. I also wondered why folks called it a sauce, since it slid out of a can in a gelatinous log. (I also recently found out that pickles are, in fact, cucumbers, but that’s a different story.)
Sometime during my 20s, I first tasted the cranberry’s tart-tangy splendor on a sandwich made of leftover turkey from Thanksgiving. It was a sauce not made from a can, and it was amazing.
If you’re looking for that sweet/savory combination and don’t want to wait until the holidays, take a seat at one of these local eateries for their version of the classic — and seasonal — turkey cranberry sandwich.

The White House Café makes its turkey cranberry sandwich ($8) all year long, which is something to be thankful for. My favorite ingredient in the sandwich is not turkey or cranberries, though — it’s sliced almonds. They give the sammie an unexpected, and delicious, crunch. The whipped cream cheese, crushed cranberries, lettuce and radish sprouts also add dimension and a whole lot of tastiness. Pair the sandwich with one of the White House’s luscious soups and specialty beverages, and you’ve got yourself one indulgent lunch.

White House Café
3602 Kern Way • Yakima
509-469-2644
whitehouseinyakima.com
Geppetto’s recently added its turkey sandwich, panini style ($14), to a new fall menu. The panini is great, but the star of this show is the cranberries. Period. The cranberries appear in a delightful chutney, one of the foodie world’s “it” condiments these days. This sweet and tangy chutney gets its flavor from apple cider vinegar, honey and — of all things — Tamatio, a popular hot sauce. That complexity is a nice counterpoint to a generous slather of cream cheese, warm turkey and lovely, salty bacon. When two friends and I had lunch there recently, the paninis were accidentally brought to us sans bacon. I am not a fussy customer, but I had to ask about it. A plateful of sizzling slices was brought to our table pronto. Thank goodness, since they would have been missed. It’s a delightful sandwich; however, be warned: it’s not a light meal. But hey! It’s the holidays, right? In that case, add a cup of their cream of mushroom soup…

Geppetto’s
3105 Summitview Ave. • Yakima
509-895-7048

Bert’s Pub: King of Comfort Food

by Robin Salts Beckett on Sep 12, 2011

Photo by Robin Salts Beckett

I think I have a pretty great Macaroni and Cheese recipe. It’s tasty. My friends talk about it and everything.

But put it side by side with the Pepperjack Macaroni and Cheese at Bert’s Pub, and I’m a little embarrassed.