Traveling the World From Home: Supporting Local Businesses (Panda Korea in Longview TX)

At this point in time, I know that many of us out there wish we could travel right now. For some of us, it's not possible simply due to finances; for others, it is due to the issues from Covid-19. Either way, we wish we could drop everything to explore the world, and we can't do it.

Instead of feeling sad about it, I've realized that I can experience some of the fun of traveling right here at home!

I can do this by supporting small, local businesses.

You see, I'm blessed enough to be living in an area in Texas that is rural, yet still a melting-pot. My nearest two cities have a wide range of different cultures, nationalities, and... (wait for it)... foods. We have access to everything ranging from Indian food, Greek food, Japanese food, Italian food, Mexican food, Vietnamese food, and (to my joy) Korean food. Believe it or not, many of these small businesses are run by people who immigrated to the US and started up businesses of their own. Furthermore, lots of local restaurants purchase their fresh items (like veggies and meats) from local sellers as well, bringing in even more income to the community.

Sadly, many of these small businesses are struggling or completely failing due to how Covid-19 has affected the world. These failing businesses not only affect the community as a whole from an economic standpoint, but they also directly affect the families and people who own them and work in them. Good food is disappearing and people's access to exploring different cultures is also disappearing.

That's why supporting local restaurants and businesses is so vital! By buying amazing food and products that you might otherwise buy from a chain location, you are helping people within that community with real lives and real stories. And in the meanwhile, you're enjoying food that is likely more authentic and tasty than what you would get from a common chain restaurant. 

There is literally no downside.

Because I am so passionate about this topic and because I am unable to travel at the moment, I have decided to start a blog series about visiting local restaurants where I will try authentic cuisines. Not only am I "taking a trip" to these different places through exploring new food, but I will also be supporting my community by choosing to support small businesses.

All that to say, I began my "tour" at a local Korean restaurant called "Panda Korea" in Longview, TX. Thankfully, I had a dear foodie-friend by my side, so I was able to enjoy some good conversation along with the delicious food we were served.

We arrived at 5:30 in the evening, so we ordered from the dinner menu. I ended up ordering the Hot Stone Bibimbap with beef and an appetizer of Fried Vegetable Dumplings. This was served with traditional kimchi, 3 different side dishes, and a hot of soup-of-the-day.

For those of you who don't know what bibimbap is, allow me to explain.

Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish, made up of rice, meat, and a ton of veggies. My particular bowl included carrots, bean sprouts, cucumber, mushrooms, and (I believe) onion. This bowl is also topped with a raw egg, which is then cooked in the hot stone bowl as it is stirred. The dish is also traditionally served with gochujang sauce, which is bright red, sweet and spicy, and made out of chili paste.

Lots of Westerners who try it say that it reminds them of a deconstructed sushi roll––and I can see where they are coming from. There are a lot of the elements of sushi in this bowl, but the flavors of the combo with the gochujang sauce made it so different from sushi! And when I added in each of the different side dishes with a bite, it changed the flavors all over again.

The kimchi (the 2nd dish from the right) is fermented cabbage with many spices, and it had a very powerful, tangy flavor with a slightly spicy kick. When I added that onto my spoonful of bibimbap, it provided a delightful crunch. Out of all the side dishes, the kimchi was my favorite. If I'm completely honest, I probably could've eaten an entire bowl of it and been completely happy.

The cucumber kimchi (3rd from the right) is pickled cucumbers in spices and a sauce. The cucumber kimchi carried an entirely different flavor from the regular kimchi though! It was vinegary, subtly sweet, and incredibly crunchy. It was a close runner-up to the regular kimchi.

The last two dishes (far right and far left) were unknown to me, but they were both sweet. The dish on the far left was a sweet potato dish (perhaps gamja-jorim?), but I didn't have a chance to ask. The dish on the far right was made up of chopped apples and pineapples, smothered in a creamy sauce. Both were definitely refreshing after the tangy and spicy flavors from the rest of the meal.

The soup was also delicious and warm. It was a very light broth with green onions and a thinly cut vegetable that somehow reminded me of a mix of a potato and an onion from the texture. Upon doing some research, however, I believe it was muguk or Korean Radish Soup. 

Sadly (but not really), the food smelled SO GOOD, I wasn't able to control myself and take more photos or ask a ton of questions. Next time I go back, I hope to find out a little more about each dish, but for now, I am incredibly happy with my first-ever experience with Korean food. It's even better than I imagined.

The meal itself cost $10.99 (including the side-dishes, soup, and water) + $3.99 for the 5 vegetable dumplings.

I could have easily spent $25+ for a similar meal at a bigger restaurant or at a chain in a bigger city, but I doubt the atmosphere would have been as comfortable and the food would have been as delicious.

I am in the process of planning the next leg of my "food tour," so stay tuned for my next post about it. In the meanwhile, stay safe and eat well.

~~~

UPDATE (02/08/2021) - 

It has only been 4 days since I ate here, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I went back again today at lunchtime to enjoy yet ANOTHER bibimbap... Definitely worth it.

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