Happy birthday dad!

February 3rd was my dad's birthday so I've decided to prepare dinner for him. I asked my close friends, Yani and Sally, a day before his birthday about what kind of food I should make for him. Yani said I should make 잡채 (japchae, clear noodles with meat and vegetables) and 미역국 (mi yuk gook, seaweed soup.) I knew I had to make seaweed soup in birthdays, but I wasn't sure why I had to make japchae. She said it's one of foods that must be eaten in birthdays. She gave me instructions and ingredients that I should use, but I looked for a recipe just be make sure. As I was searching for a perfect recipe, I found out people put japchae on their birthday meal to wish for a long life. I was about to give up, but I decided to give it a try.

My grandma came to celebrate my dad's birthday around noon. Grandma, dad, Pastor Park, and I went to a restaurant that's located across from an elementary school where I used to go to eat lunch. We ate bulgogi and 곱창전골 (spicy soup with intestines.) It was good, but bulgogi was definitely sweet. I knew my grandma came over to buy food for my dad yet I thought my dad would pay for it; I was wrong. She actually did pay for the meal. Hmm, I thought he should pay for it to say thank you to grandma...I guess my thought was wrong? Meh, anyways.

 

(finished food shot :D)

After lunch, Pastor Park and I walked over to Kim's Club to buy ingredients for japchae and milk. I just had to buy clear noodles and spinach since I had most of ingredients at home. After we went back home, I rested a bit then started to make japchae. Japchae takes quite a long time just for preparation. I had to slice onions and carrots, blanch spinach and season it, season meat and cook it, and boil clear noodles and such. I think I spend about 40 - 50 minutes just on preparation and 10 minutes on mixing them all together. Japchae is one of hard food to make, but it came out pretty nice for a first try. My mom tasted it and she liked it, but she had to add some more soy sauce in my seaweed soup because it was little bit bland.

(birthday meal is served)

 

(happy birthday dad :D)

 

Mom and I went out and got a cake and prepared dinner around 7pm. Pastor Park, mom, and I sang happy birthday song for dad and started to eat. I also took out 감자채볶음 (chopped(?) potatoes mixed with carrots, onions, and green onions) that I made a day before as a side dish. All of them were happy with how my dishes turned out. They said it was delicious and finished my soup and japchae.

 

(exterior and interior view of Farmer's Kitchen)

After dinner, dad wanted to get some wine for '2nd round (2차)' so they decided to go to a wine bar/restaurant called 'Farmer's Kitchen.' You can buy a bottle of wine for a cheaper price in 1st floor and take it to upstairs and drink with appetizers or main dishes.

We bought a red wine from Chile and took it to upstairs and ordered chips with salsa and caeser salad as appetizer. Wine was really smooth and delicious :D All of us enjoyed our food and wine. We talked about a lot of random stuff (*cough* most of my dad's business*cough*) and came back home about an hour and half later.

I think my dad had a good time: lunch with his mom and dinner with his wife and daughter. Well, I hope he did. My mom and pastor seemed proud of me for preparing a birthday meal for dad. They said not many kids do this anymore (but I know more than half of my friends cook and I'm sure they make food for their parents or siblings :D) Maybe I will prepare full-course meal on their anniversary. I should come up with a plan soon...something with a lot of healthier recipes :)


By the way, I'm going back to a gym tomorrow (or should I say today since it's past midnight lol) morning! I haven't been going there for 2 full weeks, wait no, except Friday, because I was sick for over a week and weather was too cold to go out, so I stayed at home most of time. I rested too well and now I need to go back to strict diet, but I think I'm going to enjoy my exercise and look forward to slimmer and healthier body. Please pray for me to not give up anymore and keep going! :D

Good night :)