Hae Woon Dae 2/19, 6:30 pm

I've never had Korean BBQ and after reading LTH posts I've decided to break the ice at Hae Woon Dae. I've already got 4 people, but I'd like to try different things and would love company. I was thinking we'd meet at 6:30 on 2/19 and I'll cap the number at 12 which seems manageable. Anyone interested? I know they serve beer, but I'll call later to see if people who want to BYO can.

Hae Woon Dae
6240 N. California
Chicago, IL 60659
773-764-8018

mbh +2
RubyRed
nr706
Moetchandon
tarte tatin
GAF
lighthouse

Hae Woon Dae is my favorite Korean BBQ place - I haven't been there since the Devon-a-Thon earlier this year. I don't believe they're officially BYO. But to my mind, there's nothing that goes better with Korean BBQ than Soju, which they serve.

A long way of saying Moetchandon and I will see you there.

mbh wrote:I've already got 4 people, but I'd like to try different things and would love company.

I too have been wanting to try Korean bbq with a larger group for some time. So please sign me up for 1. Thanks for arranging, mbh!

I would like to be included. I might be a little late since I have a meeting until 6:00 (7:00 is a better starting time for me, but I shouldn't be too much after 6:30).

This is one of my fave Korean restaurants and their group menu will definitely be filling. 'Wish I could attend but I have a meeting to attend at 7pm. Have a great time!

nr706 wrote:Hae Woon Dae is my favorite Korean BBQ place - I haven't been there since the Devon-a-Thon earlier this year. I don't believe they're officially BYO. But to my mind, there's nothing that goes better with Korean BBQ than Soju, which they serve.

A long way of saying Moetchandon and I will see you there.

I'm happy to have people who know their way around the menu.

tarte tatin wrote:

mbh wrote:I've already got 4 people, but I'd like to try different things and would love company.

I too have been wanting to try Korean bbq with a larger group for some time. So please sign me up for 1. Thanks for arranging, mbh!

I look forward to it, it was great sitting with you at Sun Wah.

GAF wrote:I would like to be included. I might be a little late since I have a meeting until 6:00 (7:00 is a better starting time for me, but I shouldn't be too much after 6:30).

We'll start slowly, come when you can.

May I join in? (for one)

We'd be delighted to have you lighthouse and I'm going consider us full up so I can have a final count for the restaurant. See you Thursday.

I am going to have to pull out due to the flu. I hope you all have a wonderful time.

lighthouse wrote:I am going to have to pull out due to the flu. I hope you all have a wonderful time.

Perhaps fate is telling me to go (if it isn't too late) I just got over the flu (yesterday really) and I'm really in the mood for Hae Woon Dae. I haven't been there since Tony C still lived in these parts and his then fiance (now wife) would bring a gaggle of her Korean girl friends. Good stuff! So, if I haven't missed my chance...

Please come and join us. I'm happy to have more people to explore the menu with.

Great... See y'all there!

Thanks to Mary Beth for arranging this dinner. We had a group of nine people, ordered their dinner for four (plus a couple of other things), and I think everyone went home well-fed.

I only took a few pix (Stagger took more), and I missed a pic of the spectacular seafood pancake (although you can see it here as we had it on the Devon-a-Thon last October)


We had Squid, Beef (kalbi), Chicken, Shrimp, and Ribs on the grill, as well as massive amounts of panchan.

Head-on Shrimp, awaiting their fate on the grill:


and Marinated Squid receiving their fate (Soju in the background):


We also got a spicy noodle dish, which wasn't that spicy, and Jop Chae


It was a fun time, despite the fact that the table was segregated (obviously, I was in the northern, male-only section).

Still, I'll almost always be up for another trip to GNR Hae Woon Dae. Some of the others were new to HWD - I'd be curious to hear their reactions.

Great meal last night. Some of the pics are repeats but good food p()rn anyway.

When you plan an LTH event, prepare too have to cook the food yourself...



Group photo



Outstanding squid. Possibly the best dish of the night IMHO



Wonderful fresh shrimp (even if I did spray myself with shrimp guts while munching on the shrimp head)



Hot glass noodle w/beef & mushroom



Kalbi (sorry my head is still in a bit of a fog... just getting over the flu )

Hey Stagger, I think that's kalbi, not bulgogi...

I was there 2 weekends ago with some friends from work. 6 of us shared the set meal for 4 and there was more than enough too! We headed to the karaoke place after, and had a great time.

Maybe we should have an LTH dinner and singalong one of these days!

I'll go up against CrazyC in karaoke any time!
(and yes, it was kalbi)

Thank you all for a great introduction to Korean BBQ and for guiding us newbies through the menu. Great pics nr706 and Stagger, I got hungry all over again. You asked what our impressions were so here goes. My friends all loved the seafood pancake, it will be the first thing we order when we go back. The panchan was really varied and interesting and the servings were huge I can't believe that 9 of us had the dinner for 4 with some extras. We were surprised at the low level of spice and wondered if they toned it down for us, the spicy noodles were definitely not spicy, still very good, but I was looking for a higher level of heat. The shrimp were some of the freshest I've had and the squid had wonderful flavor, but some of it was too chewy which is clearly part of cooking over a charcoal fire. I mentioned this to Moetchandon and she agreed. The Kabli and chicken were great, but the bacon did not take to open fire cooking, it was the only thing I wouldn't order again and bacon is my middle name.

I'd love to join you for karaoke some evening, but as an audience. I belie the myth the the Irish are a musical people, if I sing in the shower the shower turns off.

Lastly, I'm sorry we segregated the male population, I would have loved to talk to all of you more, we'll just have to do it again and mix up the seating. Thanks again for helping me through my maiden voyage and I think a couple of my friends are going to be LTHers.

I can't believe you did this on an evening when I had to work and couldn't participate! I'm ready to go on the next one! We have discovered take out from this restaurant-- about $16 gets two orders of bi bim bap, two soups (which come with) and a large quantity of panchan. And they are quick, if I can't call ahead, I rarely sit more than 10 minutes waiting for the food. But I would love to eat in the place more often and try some of the items on the menu that I have not had!