By LACI GROSSER
Columnist
Growing up in a Korean and Welsh household, I have had plenty of experiences with Korean food. Every time I visited my grandparents, I was greeted with warm seaweed soup, squid jerky and other cuisine.
Upon hearing that Amarillo finally had a Korean Barbecue restaurant, my family was filled with excitement. The Amarillo community could finally have a taste of the comforting food of my childhood.
However, after giving the restaurant multiple chances we have been left with an experience akin to a lukewarm disappointment rather than an exciting fiery volcano.
The basic dishes left me not only disappointed, but also a bit nauseous hours later. Volcano serves tteokbokki, a spicy dish that consists of simmered rice cakes in a spicy fermented red pepper paste, known as gochujang.
The tteokbokki came out in a tiny portion, which was a blessing in disguise because I couldn’t bring myself to finish it. The sauce the rice cakes were simmered in was extremely bland instead of the normal robust spicy and slightly sweet gochujang flavor. Sprinkled on top of the mockery of this cuisine was a bit of cheese, which did actually assist in covering up the lack of robust flavor, but usually cheese would be a great combination with the spice that the dish should have brought.
The Korean miso soup that I was served was downright confusing and dreadful. My taste buds felt practically assaulted from the flavor that was barely present. There was near to no seasoning, it was almost like tasting dishwater with some chunks of tofu rather than a traditional Korean miso soup that is salty and has a bit of spice.
Those who enjoy tender and tasty protein may be disappointed with Volcano’s selection of meats. Traditionally Korean meat has lots of flavor due to the marinades used. They usually consist of a lovely combination of spicy, salty, and sweet. The proteins at Volcano however, come out barely seasoned or marinated, if any is present at all. The lack of seasoning leaves most with a figurative bad taste in their mouth, it would be literal if there was any flavor to the meat at all.
Overall, what Volcano needs to do in order to be more successful is not water down the
amazing flavors of Korean cuisine that could bring new life into Amarillo.
I would hate to see another new restaurant shut down within a couple of years due to the refusal to change, especially one that is sharing a new culture.
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