Does the bright purple color of the cabbage come through in the photo? It tasted even better than it looks. Right underneath was the silkiest 알찜 (aljim) ever, a custard-like egg concoction with the most amazing texture. Another favorite was included in the panchan, the first item in the middle row -- 무킴치 (moo kimchi), a fiery hot pickled and slightly fermented radish. Sura was the first Korean restaurant I have ever been to that did not oversalt the food. Everything was light, fresh, healthy tasting, and delicious, although my potato soup had a flavor I am unaccustomed to: perilla leaves, which I like by themselves in soy sauce, but was not as crazy about in a soup.
I had a fascinating conversation with a friend today regarding (the resistance to) vegetarianism in Korea. Sura could be a place in which you would be able to get the closest; while many other Asian cuisines have been more readily translated to accommodate vegetarians (and even vegans, re: Burma Superstar), Korean food remains particularly resistant. Seafood and beef in particular are national sources of pride in Korea, and to not eat them may seem almost, well, un-Korean? For all I know there is a burgeoning vegetarian movement in the bustling city of Seoul, but in America, the Korean restaurants have had a continued focus on bulgogi and kalbi as the stars of the cuisine's show, and fish or shrimp in various forms manage to sneak their way into almost every little panchan dish. Sura seemed to offer a few vegetarian options, more than I have seen at other Korean places, but it is a far cry from the variety you can get at say, Burma Superstar or a million Thai restaurants.
Is it because Burmese or Thai food are more adaptable inherently? I don't actually think so. I think that you could create amazing Korean vegetarian food, especially with the use of interesting vegetables and frequent pickling. I haven't jumped on the vegetarian boat yet though I try to ration my meat consumption for sustainability reasons, but I feel about vegetarianism the way I feel about shopping... it's more fun when you can go shopping with your friends, regardless of what size each of you are, and feels awful when you can't spend time in the same store or department because your size isn't offered. Similarly, it feels pretty crappy when your friends don't have vegetarian options on the menu to choose from. As yummy as tofu can be, that shouldn't be the only vegetarian option available.
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