Bear with me. I know the name of this restaurant is very odd but they do not only serve frogs. Do they serve frogs? They must to have this name. Frog House Restaurant has been around quite a while, I tried it once years and years ago and wasn’t impressed so I haven’t been back. Well, I had a hankering for bossam last week and my favorite restaurant Jagalchi closed down (MAJOR BUMMER) so I had to find another restaurant to fill the void. It is not easy finding a good bossam place you know! I think this post will probably be mostly for V. LOL.
By the way, this place has horrendous parking. There are a few stalls fronting the restaurant and they are right next to a noodle shop which I no like even name but there is the word Joy in it and they seem anything but. I was trying for park in front and was having hard time, just as my friend was going to ask Frog if we can park there, I see the “joy” lady screaming and yelling at me from her restaurant and gesturing me to go somewhere else. I couldn’t hear her cause she was inside her restaurant with the door closed. She looked so mad. And you know what? What if I was trying for go her restaurant? Well I won’t ever go now.
Anyway, I found out the parking is in the back of the building for Frog and it’s a very tight lot with tandem spots so basically, you will always be blocked in. They know this so as you’re leaving, the waitress will either help you manuever out or ask the other diners to move their cars.
I judge a Korean restaurant by the quality of their banchan and they did not fail here. In fact, their banchan reminded me of Jagalchi’s banchan in its heyday. Near the end, they were giving less and less banchan and with no variety.
From top to bottom, steamed egg (so savory and soft), choy sum, fishcake, bean sprouts. All four items were marinated to the max, no blandness here!
I also judge a Korean restaurant by their kimchee. Frog has some good kimchee, both cucumber and wonbok. I liked these potatoes, it’s the sweet shoyu one. Cooked perfect, not too soft but not hard at all. All three seasoned wonderfully.
Spicy Beef and Vegetable Soup Lunch Special | $12.95
Not my dish but I got to give it a try. So good. They give really good amount of meat and fill it up with all the good veggies (fern, beansprouts, etc.). A nice helping of long rice. I would absolutely order this myself next time.
Korean Sausage Soup Lunch Special | $12.95
I always go for the blood sausage. I know, not everyone can handle this. In fact, this soup not only included the blood sausage, it included all kind intestine and either sliced pig ear or some kind of cartiledge. I enjoyed it but it’s not for the faint of heart. I would get the yukkaejjang next time though this soup was good!
Oysters & Steamed Pork | $34.95
The dish you have been waiting for (well V). The biggest difference so far? The pork. Jagalchi used to make the pork in a nice soy/coffee broth so the pork always looked so nice and brown and juicy. This one, just looks so white and bland yeah? The wonbok “wraps” had a bit of a vinegary taste. The daikon mixture, gosh it was missing the chinese chives that Jagalchi used to use.
In the end, I think it was still a good dish but here is my warning, but I think it was just me. And sorry for the TMI, but I got major stomach problems (ahem) right after lunch. I’m talking, all afternoon kine. I’m talking, I didn’t ask for a full body cleanse but certainly got it kine. But my dining companion seemed to react with it fine so it really could just be me. I have had bad reactions to raw oysters before. Eat at your own risk.
ALSO, the waitress working in the restaurant is SO NICE. Very sweet, seems like a small family owned place and I really liked how homey the restaurant felt and how homey the dishes cooked felt. Reminded me a lot of Jagalchi. Also, I love that each table has a button/buzzer so you can call for help when needed. And small thing but I liked that she brings every table a pitcher of water. It’s the little details.