Summer Dinner at Han Oak

When my mom came to visit, I tried to put together a restaurant dining itinerary that included classics as well as something new – so it included the Haan Ghin Laotian food cart, a Swedish weekday brunch at Broder Nord, classic seafood lunch at Jake’s Famous Crawfish, traditional Japanese at Shizuku for dinner or Shigezo for lunch. I had to throw an experience at a pop up restaurant in there since I’m such a fan and supporter of pop up restaurants as a way for chefs to cook food they have a passion to share. So I picked out for us a Summer Dinner at Han Oak.
Summer Bo Ssam Dinner at Han Oak Summer Bo Ssam Dinner at Han Oak

Here’s a look at what that experience may be for you this summer if you also decide to visit – make your reservations ahead of time at their website, usually I recommend a couple weeks ahead of time. Also note Han Oak is only open for their Bo Ssäm dinner as shown here on Friday-Saturday, and on Sunday and Monday is their walk in dumpling and noodles nights.
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Han Oak Dinner

Earlier this year, Peter Cho transformed a hidden space between The Ocean microrestaurants and Providore Fine Foods store into a prix fixe restaurant Han Oak. They are only open a few days a week and are reservation only. I’ve covered their Sundays only brunch before which provide you with a tray of multiple goodies so you only have to worry about your beverages and everything else is set. This time, I wanted to show you a Han Oak Dinner.

Head this way towards the brown/orange doors to enter the Han Oak space
The door to the secret garden of Han Oak – it’ll be to your right through a huge tall door after this. Of course when you visit for dinner it will be dark – this photo is from the day. Look for it between the doors of Pie Spot and 24th ad Meatballs on NE 24th between Sandy and Glisan

The seating is communal (unless you have a big party that takes up a whole table…) either at communal tables with benches on the main floor or up a few steps by the counter and high backed stools overlooking the open kitchen.

The Han Oak Dinner is by reservation only Fri and Sat night with seatings at various time 6 – 9 PM. They offer 3 courses for $35 plus any additional drinks and dishes you can order a la carte.
Han Oak Dinner, by reservation only Fri and Sat night 3 courses for $35 and Bo Ssam with additional snacks and drinks extra and a la carte Han Oak Dinner, by reservation only Fri and Sat night 3 courses for $35 and Bo Ssam with additional snacks and drinks extra and a la carte

You will already have a menu at your seat – peruse to see what additional dishes you want to try. I always get the Soondae, or blood cake here because I love how they serve it in a square that is crispy on the outside and the grains are tightly packed and dense, here topped with a big duck egg. Maybe it sounds scary, but its like a dense meat version of a potato cake.
Han Oak dinner service snack of blood cake: soondae, duck fat fried egg Han Oak dinner service snack of blood cake: soondae, duck fat fried egg

I also highly recommend the ddukboki, a chewy (almost like long gnocchi sized that is the texture of al dente pasta) dish of rice cakes in a gravy with bulgogi (marinated tender thin slices of beef), padron peppers and onions.
Han Oak dinner service snack of ddukboki: rice cake, bulgogi, padron peppers and onions

Meanwhile Mama Cho is hand making those pork and chive dumplings in a black vinegar broth with ginger. If you need more vegetables, there’s another option in the snacks, a korean fried cauliflower with spicy gochujang and tamarind glaze (a bit of sweet and sour and sticky).
Mama Cho making pork and chive dumplings for Han Oak dinner by hand Mama Cho making pork and chive dumplings for Han Oak dinner by hand

They start you off with Banchan – small side dishes of food that are accompaniments during the first and second course. They inevitably include a little spicy sour kimchis (cabbage, cucumber, radish, etc.) and seasoned vegetables of some sort. You eat from the various dishes in between and even with your savory dishes.
Han Oak two snacks of ddukboki: rice cake, bulgogi, padron peppers and onions and of blood cake: soondae, duck fat fried egg along with Banchan

During my visit, the banchan included four dishes

  • napa cabbage and daikon kimchee and cucumber and radish quick-chi
    Han Oak Dinner Banchan of napa cabbage and daikon kimchee and cucumber and radish quick-chi
  • wilted bitter greens with oyster mushrooms, whipped tofu, tsuyu, and bonito
    Han Oak Dinner Banchan of wilted bitter greens with oyster mushrooms, whipped tofu, tsuyu, and bonito
  • roasted carrots, delicata squash, cress, toasted seeds and rice
    Han Oak Dinner Banchan of roasted carrots, delicata squash, cress, toasted seeds and rice
  • sweet and sour new potatoes
    Han Oak Dinner Banchan of sweet and sour new potatoes

Starter of Kalgooksu, hand cut wheat noodles in an egg drop chicken broth with poached chicken, scallion soy dressing, and nori. You can see in the kitchen the noodles being created and cut fresh!
Han Oak starter of Kalgooksu, hand cut wheat noodles which are made fresh as you can see just looking at the kitchen Han Oak starter of Kalgooksu, hand cut wheat noodles in an egg drop chicken broth with poached chicken, scallion soy dressing, nori
Again, don’t feel compelled to necessarily finish off all your banchan – I like having the kimchee especially as a bit of a palate cleanser between bites of the ssam. And oh, that delicious ssam. You will get two meats as part of your ssam, which is a course of meat and stuff you wrap either in greens or noodle sheets. One will be the Ember Smoked Hanger Steak with lettuces, perilla, chrysanthemum, cabbage slaw, and ssam-jang. Then there is also the Koji Marinated Slow Roasted Pork Belly and Coppa with rice noodle sheets, pickled daikon, and scallion salad. Don’t make me choose which ssam is better because they are both incredible in different ways.
Han Oak Dinner Ssam course with Ember Smoked Hanger Steak with lettuces, perilla, chrysanthemum, cabbage slaw, and ssam-jang and then Koji Marinated Slow Roasted Pork Belly and Coppa with rice noodle sheets, pickled daikon, and scallion salad Han Oak Dinner Ssam course with Ember Smoked Hanger Steak with lettuces, perilla, chrysanthemum, cabbage slaw, and ssam-jang and then Koji Marinated Slow Roasted Pork Belly and Coppa with rice noodle sheets, pickled daikon, and scallion salad Han Oak Dinner Ssam course with Ember Smoked Hanger Steak with lettuces, perilla, chrysanthemum, cabbage slaw, and ssam-jang Han Oak Dinner Ssam course with Koji Marinated Slow Roasted Pork Belly and Coppa with rice noodle sheets, pickled daikon, and scallion salad

The dessert course is the one that seems like it varies, unlike the ssam, sides, and general format of the banchan – for this time it was chilled fruit on ice, the fruit here was Rubinette apples, Crimson Crisp, 20th Century Asian Pears.
Han Oak dinner dessert course of chilled fruit on ice with Rubinette apples, Crimson Crisp, 20th Century Asian Pears

There are multiple beverages you can choose from varying from the exquisite cocktails curated by Michele Ruocco (ok I’m biased here), but also great wine and beer and non alcoholic drinks. The cocktails change seasonally and probably change the most if you return for multiple visits. For instance, there’s the cocktail Seoul Structure with gin, cucumber, celery, lime, togarashi
Han Oak cocktail Seoul Structure curated by Michele Ruocco: gin, cucumber, celery, lime, togarashi Han Oak cocktail Seoul Structure curated by Michele Ruocco: gin, cucumber, celery, lime, togarashi

Another option was this cocktail Gone ‘Til November created with brandy pear, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, served warm.
Han Oak dinner cocktail Gone 'Til November: brandy pear, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, served warm along with two snacks of ddukboki: rice cake, bulgogi, padron peppers and onions and of blood cake: soondae, duck fat fried egg

This dinner is sooo good – with my favorite parts being the snacks, ssam, and cocktails. I would definitely recommend for a full dinner experience you need to order a snack for every 2 people – I saw the dumplings and rice cakes particularly as easy wins for any dining party. Have you had ssam before, what catches your eye during this Han Oak dinner?

Han Oak Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Meadowlark PDX Seollal Korean New Year Dinner

I’ve had the pop up Supper Club Meadowlark on my to do list for quite a while, and finally got to experience my first dinner with them earlier this week on February 9, 2016 with the Meadowlark PDX Seollal Korean New Year Dinner. They popped up at Din Din, located at 920 NE Glisan. Just getting to the location you may have some doubts if you’re in the right place along the dark roads and warehouses, but the bright lights of the Din Din sign confirm that you’re not lost and isn’t parking so conveniently easy?
Meadowlark PDX Seollal Korean New Year Dinner, popping up at Din Din on February 9 2016 Meadowlark PDX Seollal Korean New Year Dinner, popping up at Din Din on February 9 2016

After my experience at supper club, I kept kicking myself that I waited so long. Chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park focus on being very local and hand crafted, with everything made from scratch. Even though the dinner I attended included almost 40 people, it felt as intimate as a dinner party.
Meadowlark PDX hostd almost 40 people at the Seollal Korean New Year Dinner on February 9, but it still felt like a dinner party

At the cozy location of Din Din, the open kitchen is brightly lit and teases you with direct line of sight and smell to the preparations and finishing touches as they bustle in aprons.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park preparing dinner meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park preparing dinner

Upon checking in and hanging up your coat at the wall long coat hooks, guests were welcomed at the adorable bar nook with a cocktail of rye whiskey with Korean Cinnamon and Date Tea, as well as a little take out box filled with Popcorn with nori and chili powder.
Bar at Din Din is an adorable nook meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / snack of popcorn with nori and chili powder while being seated along with a cocktail of whiskey with korean cinnamon date tea meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / snack of popcorn with nori and chili powder while being seated along with a cocktail of whiskey with korean cinnamon date tea meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / snack of popcorn with nori and chili powder while being seated along with a cocktail of whiskey with korean cinnamon date tea

The tables are decorated simply with a few vases of willow so that there is little in the way to chatting and making new friends with those around your seat. A menu at each setting also looks simple and straightforward, but belies the complexity of flavor and how fulfilling this dinner will be for all. Although there is regular water available for instance, at first the offering was a chilled barley water that has only a faint grain taste and is a nod to the ubiquitous roasted barley tea popular in Korean culture.
Menu for Meadowlark PDX Seollal Korean New Year Dinner, February 9 2016 meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / chilled barley water

Bottles of Kooksoondang Draft Makgeolli (a rice wine) and Heater Allen Pils appeared shortly after the cocktails and popcorn snacks were cleared in anticipation of starting dinner. They remained on the table to share for each table of 6.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / beverage options of Kooksoondang Draft Makgeolli or Heater Allen Pils meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / beverage option of Heater Allen Pils

I tried to take the hint to try several glasses of the Makgeolli since it seemed like they were encouraging the pairing when 2 more bottles of it showed up to share by the time the main course arrived.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / beverage option of Kooksoondang Draft Makgeolli

To get our attention before describing each course we are about to receive, the ladies behind Meadowlark ring a big bell.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park ring the dinner bell to start Supper Club

The first course was Tteok Mandu Guk, with pork belly and shrimp dumplings, rice cakes, kimchi consommé. This was served last year at their Seollal dinner as well. Emily explained how Seollal is one of the two biggest holidays in Korea, and eating dumplings is traditional although they make no claim that all the preparation and dishes is necessarily traditional since they used local seasonal ingredients and added personal touches.

The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park took turns ladling in the Kimchi Consommé – the gentle focus I saw in both of them underscored the care they put into each dish and giving individual attention to the details.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park preparing dinner - the tteok mandu guk dish is waiting for the pork belly and shrimp dumplings and kimchi consomme meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park preparing dinner - the tteok mandu guk dish is waiting for the pork belly and shrimp dumplings and kimchi consomme

The dish is exquisite- the chewiness of the rice cakes, the slight kick to the broth, the rich chubbiness to the dumplings, and the beauty of those floating carrot flowers…
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / tteok mandu guk dish with pork belly and shrimp dumplings, rice cakes, kimchi consommé meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / tteok mandu guk dish with pork belly and shrimp dumplings, rice cakes, kimchi consommé

Each dumpling is hand formed, and the skin, the filling, broth is all from scratch like from a Korean grandma.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / tteok mandu guk dish with pork belly and shrimp dumplings, rice cakes, kimchi consommé meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / tteok mandu guk dish with pork belly and shrimp dumplings, rice cakes, kimchi consommé

The tease of seeing them put together the banchan, or side dishes, and seeing Jen take the Bo Ssäm roasted and smoked pork out of the oven and start plating in that bright open kitchen…
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Sides dishes (banchan) and sauces for the bo ssam course: Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration. Meanwhile Jen Datka plates the Bo Ssäm roasted and smoked pork meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Sides dishes (banchan) and sauces for the bo ssam course: Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration

while Emily supported a pescatarian option by frying up some fish!
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Emily Park frying up some fish to support a pescatarian option for a few guests meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Sides dishes (ban chan) and sauces for the bo ssam course: Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes

Here’s a detail look at all the banchan and sauces:
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Sides dishes (ban chan) and sauces for the bo ssam course: Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration; Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes
I love banchan – all the little dishes all over the table as small bites of accompaniments to go with the main!

  • Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy
  • Braised Burdock Root
    meadowlark no. 15, Side dish (banchan) Braised Burdock Root
  • Kimchi with radish and napa cabbage
    meadowlark no. 15, Side dish (banchan) Kimchi with radish and napa cabbage
  • Apple and Watermelon Radishes
    meadowlark no. 15, Side dish (banchan) Apple and Watermelon Radish
  • Pickled Shitake Mushrooms
    meadowlark no. 15, Side dish (banchan) Pickled Shitake Mushrooms
  • Ginger Scallion sauce
    meadowlark no. 15 one of the two sauces for the bo ssam course: Ginger Scallion sauce
  • Ssamjang sauce with gochujang that is a Marshall’s Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration
    meadowlark no. 15 one of the two sauces for the bo ssam course: Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration

Bo Ssäm is pork belly that is traditionally boiled, but Jen and Emily not only upgraded us with the best pork shoulder in town from Tails & Trotters, but also chose to slow roast and then smoke it. Rather than slicing it, the ladies served it shredded to show off its tenderness and perhaps as a nod towards American pulled pork.

Add Hapa Rice and Lettuce and time to eat!
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Sides dishes (ban chan) and sauces for the bo ssam course: Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration; Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Bo ssam and the sauces and banchan of Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration; Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes

My plate with a little bit of everything from every plate… man I really want this plate again. You can see such a mix of sweet and salty and savory and spicy and acidic/sour
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / bo ssam plate with slow roasted and smoked organic sustainable pork shoulder from Tails & Trotters; Banchan and sauces including Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration; Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / bo ssam plate with slow roasted and smoked organic sustainable pork shoulder from Tails & Trotters; Banchan and sauces including Sauteed Spinach Mizuna with sesame and soy; Braised Burdock Root; Ginger Scallion sauce; Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration; Kimchee with radish and napa cabbage; Apple and Watermelon Radish; Pickled Shitakes

You can eat it with rice, but wrapping it in lettuce adds that extra refreshing crunch to the slow roasted and smoked organic sustainable pork shoulder and pretend healthiness to the fattiness and richness, here accompanied by Ssamjang sauce for spicy funky kick. I also admit I may have just smeared a bunch of Ssamjang sauce on rice and been every happy with that combo.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / you can eat it with rice, but wrapping it in lettuce adds that extra refreshing crunch to the slow roasted and smoked organic sustainable pork shoulder from Tails & Trotters; here accompanied by Ssamjang sauce with gochujang from Marshall's Haute Sauce and Kim Jong Grillin collaboration

Dessert was a satisfying lightness of ice cream sandwiches – a duo of Ginger Cookies with Yuzu for tartness or Brown Butter Cookie with Black Sesame that offered more toasty notes.
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Dessert of Ice Cream Sandwiches of ginger cookie with yuzu or brown butter cookie with black sesame meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / Dessert of Ice Cream Sandwiches of ginger cookie with yuzu or brown butter cookie with black sesame

I did at first miss a little bit that they didn’t have my favorite banchan, which is the Mung Bean Sprouts. I can dump a whole little plate of that on my own plate and ask for more several times at a Korean meal. But, since the sauteed until just wilted mizuna provided the same flavor profile of garlic and sesame, I didn’t miss it much and plan to do this with my spinach in the future.

F tells me that he always can tell when I find something spectacularly delicious. I stop talking for a while to turn internally because I want to focus on just savoring each bite, and my eyes may not even be focused. I take smaller bites to stretch the experience. I might take little samples of elements of a dish, or before, with, and after a sip of beverage, and then compose a perfect bite with a little bit of everything. I may even shake my arms with excitement.

I did all of these at Meadowlark. I can’t wait to visit another Supper Club Dinner again and enjoy the care and thoughtfulness in composing each dish that Jen and Emily do. Most chefs have an appreciation for Northwest ingredients, and Jen and Emily particularly are adept at keeping it simple but also doing just enough to coax the best of each ingredient in a way that as an eater, you have that same appreciation while also recognizing the expertise of labor and vision brought by the chefs to transform ingredients into a dish and an experience.

Oh no, me and my camera have been caught by Jen and Emily! It’s true, I’m one of those people…
meadowlark no. 15, Seollal Korean Lunar New Year Theme / The ladies of Meadowlark PDX chefs Jen Datka and Emily Park preparing dinner

I was also really struck by the warmth and how it really feels like they enjoy nourishing everyone – chefs often vibrate with excitement for ingredients, the enthusiasm of inspiration and ideas behind a dish, the control and mindfulness of perfect execution, the focus of tracking details and being organized. Some chefs are boisterous with the bravado of creativity, some are quietly deliberate, some are organized and meticulous, others are flexible and a bit chaotic. Jen and Emily stood out to me for how they emanate the feeling of welcome, generosity, hospitality, and especially grace.

Meadowlark changes up their theme every month, so make sure you follow them on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and sign up for their mailing list to be in the know before a dinner sells out. When you purchase your Brown Paper ticket (this meal felt like a steal at $40 – their prices generally are in the $40-$60 range historically so far), everything is included – food, beverage, and gratuity.

Have you had Bo Ssäm before? What’s your favorite banchan? Do you have a favorite Korean restaurant in Portland, what is it?

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