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15.019 Sake Aburi Donburi

katch4246

January 24

Cycle 15 - Item 19

24 (Wed) January 2024

Sake Aburi Donburi

4.0

at Jinjak Dining

-Seongsu, Seongdong, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with SLS staff

Jinjak Dining is a Japanese restaurant. Limited menu offers a few donburi, fusion pastas, but most famous for futomaki (even though no other sushi items are available).

Located 747 meters from the office (237 meters from Ttukseom Station, Exit 1).

Lunch was scheduled a while back as a celebration of the sales team taking over IRIS-related operations, including book fairs; Heather - focal point for IRIS - was reassigned to the team. But last week, Heather informed me that she would be leaving the company at the end of March and moving to Canada. So, lunch became something of a farewell.

While Heather will certainly be missed for supporting the development of the IRIS program, she will be missed even more for helping to foster an open, relaxed, and fun work environment - including to take the lead in organizing social events (see for example 14.351 Fancy Pretzels) and finding hip restaurants to eat lunch (see for example 14.201 Signature (Burger)) - this will likely be her last.

Embodies perfectly the gentrification of Seongsu, especially the trend of converting former industrial buildings (e.g., warehouses, factories) into chic retail spaces (see for example 11.283 Lehsuni Tikka Chicken; 14.095 Vongole Ul Myeon).

Sakedon is a Japanese dish. Salmon sashimi (sake) served over steamed rice (donburi).

At Jinjak Dining, the twist is that the fish is slightly torched (aburi).

Futomaki (3.5): 16,000 won seems to be the going rate for this dish these (see also 14.254 Futomaki); this one is the best that I've had at least in GMTD history.

It was excellent. Perfectly cooked salmon, a delicate hint of char, perfectly seasoned, enhanced with a teriyaki sauce on the side. The clear clam soup made an ideal accompaniment. Most important, everything looked and tasted authentic and free of artifice.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)