The ebb and flow of the waves and the saltiness in the breeze continued to remind us that the sea was close by. But night had fallen upon the island, limiting our sight to what was within the short reach of our headlights. Our outdoor adventure around Jeju-do had to come to an end for the day, but we hoped to make one more stop before setting our course back home.
As we approached the destination on our GPS, a growing white glow in the darkness gave us a most welcome assurance that Kim Man Bok was still open for business. We gleefully secured a bag of our midnight snack: three orders of the signature jeonbok (abalone) kimbap and the equally essential ojing-eo muchim (squid dressed in a gochujang-based sauce). A sign at the restaurant advised us to enjoy our food within the first two hours of purchase to avoid food poisoning, so we gladly made our way home as fast the darkness allowed.
After unpacking the kimbap, I was puzzled by its appearance – less so by its square shape and more so by the thick slab of egg where I had expected to find some form of jeonbok (abalone). It took a bite to confirm the presence of the namesake ingredient. A mixture of ground jeonbok viscera and white rice had been toasted in oil before being cooked for use as two-thirds of the kimbap. The egg, cooked in the oven, was smooth and soft, but firm enough to hold its form in between the two layers of rice. Each square packed subtle notes of the sea combined with fragrant sesame oil.
JEJU KIM MAN-BOK
Address: 제주 서귀포시 월드컵로 193
Hours of Operation: Daily 9:00AM~8:00PM
제주 김만복
주소: 제주 서귀포시 월드컵로 193
영업시간: 매일 9:00~20:00
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