Are you an adventurous eater? Do you enjoy eating international cuisine? Looking for a Korean restaurant with Korean cuisine near Philadelphia? We have the perfect place, Chicko Tako.
Chicko Tako is a destination for international food, offering nutritious and delicious traditional and fusion Korean cuisine with a beautiful harmony of various colors. All menu items are cooked to order. The dishes are well balanced and include fresh vegetables and fresh meat marinated with organic spices. Chicko Tako is famous for its wings, rice bowls, and homemade sauces including garlic, spicy, and sweet spicy. Other menu items include noodles and Korean/Mexican-fusion tacos consisting of fillings such as Korean barbecue meat with spicy or sweet sauces. Side dishes include guacamole, nachos, kimchi, and pickled radish.
Just recently, Chicko Tako added an item to their menu called Bimbimbap, pronounced “BEE-beem-bop”. According to Wikipedia, the word means “mixed rice” and is served hot. It is a bowl of rice served with sautéed seasoned vegetables (namul in Korean), chili pepper paste (gochujang) and soy sauce or a fertmented soybean paste called Doenjang. Typically sliced meat, chicken, or seafood and a fried egg are added to the dish.
There are a few historical stories that explain the origins of Bimbimbap. It was traditionally eaten on the eve of the lunar new year because it was a way for people to get rid of leftovers before the new year. It was also traditionally eaten during farming season because it was an easy dish to prepare for many people. Lastly, some think it represents the various food offerings made during an ancestral rite.
An interesting thing to note about bimbimbap is that the ingredients are symbolic and represents both cardinal directions and parts of the body.
- The North (also representative of the kidney) are portrayed by black or dark colored food such as shitake mushrooms.
- The South (signifying the heart) is represented by red or orange food such as carrots or chili.
- The East is synonymous with the liver and is indicated by green food such as spinach and cucumber.
- Last, but not least, is the West, also the lungs. White symbolizes the West including foods such as rice, bean sprouts, and radish.
The next time you are looking for Korean food for lunch in Chestnut Hill or dinner in Chestnut Hill, stop by MARKET at the FAREWAY in Philadelphia and visit ChickoTako. You won’t be disappointed.
Where is your favorite place to eat Bimbimbap in Philadelphia? Do you cook it at home? What’s your favorite variation? Comment below!
