KMK: Sanchon Buddhist Traditional Cooking

I am way late on this blog post, but you know what they say… So here goes! Some time ago Joe from ZenKimchi invited me to come along on a lunch excursion to Sanchon in Insadong with a group of other bloggers.
Now the highlight of this experience, besides the company and great food, would be that KBS would film it for a spot in an episode of one of their programs. Awesome, right?
I met Joe, his wife Eun Jeong, Fatmanseoul, Dan of Seoul Eats, and Rob of Roboseyo, in Insadong and we proceeded to head into the intricate maze of side streets that could mystify even the most street savvy ajumma.
Once we arrived the TV folks started filming and our job was to just act normal which I thought would be easy enough. Though it proved a tad tough because the TV people kept probing with open ended questions hoping to get a specific answer instead of just telling us what they were focusing on with the piece.
We thought they wanted to know what about Korean food would appeal to a worldwide audience while they simply wanted us to describe how Temple food was healthy and well being. After all the hoopla we sort of met in the middle.
The inside of Sanchon is like a Buddhist temple with a modern extension to accommodate more customers. The staff wore smiles and eagerly waited on us. The other customers didn’t seem too disturbed by the goings on at our table. I was also told that they hold performances of temple dancing and drumming with dinner as an option.
Now for the part you’ve been waiting for: The food! Did I mention that everything at Sanchon is vegetarian? It is! Sorry, to disappoint you carnivores out there but the closest thing you’ll be getting to meat is the texture of some of the mushrooms. The food is not only the items eaten by Buddhist monks but also includes the dishes made for the royal family.
I have to say that I didn’t miss having a meat dish at all. The various vegetarian dishes with the combination of texture, taste, and spice delivered a more than satisfying meal. Unlike some vegetarian experiences I left Sanchon feeling quite full and content. I mean I didn’t run off to Burger King afterwards which is always a good sign.
http://www.sanchon.com/index.php
14 Kwanhoon-Dong Chongro-Gu, 735-0312.