EAT DRINK MAN WOMAN - IT'S NOT JUST AN ANG LEE THING!

Lexie - November 12, 1015

It's fall in Germany but it already feels like the beginning of what I'm sure will be another long winter. The raindrops pittter-patter on the window sill as I stare at the plum tree in front of our house through a barrier of double pane glass while I sit at my desk working on graphics. The leaves of the plum tree are a lush forest green interlaced with a few golden ones to break up the monotony of verdant hues and remind us of warm summer days that were not so long ago left behind. But like any other day, I'm preoccupied with images of what was on my plate, is currently on my plate, and what will eventually be on my plate. Today's preoccupation is soup! I make a lot of soup at home during fall and winter but for those days when you want a hearty meal steeping in broth and you just don't have the time to make it, Eat Drink Man Woman.

All photos were taken by Lexie

When I say Eat Drink Man Woman, I'm not referring to the 1994 release of the Taiwanese filmdirected by Ang Lee bearing that moniker; I'm referring to the Korean restaurant in the heart of Stuttgart-West that borrows its namesake from said film. Normally when I visit Korean restaurants I'm All Bulgogi All The Time, but every now and then I order something else. Today I feel like having Szelleng-Tang, which is a clear soup with beef, vegetables and noodles, topped with a sunny side-up egg.

Although many of us hate the long winters, keeping warm can be a whole lot of yummy food-fun. Let me know if you make it over to Eat Drink Man Woman. Maybe I'll see you there.

The Verdict

The service at Eat Drink Man Woman is good & atmosphere is nice. Although the food is tasty, if you're expecting authentic Korean flavor, it's a bit watered down. My measure for a good Korean restaurant is always the banchan (side dishes). Korea's national dish, and arguably the most famous type of banchan, is Kimchi. I love Kimchi and unfortunately, the Kimchi at Eat Drink Man Woman was a watered down version of Kimchi. It lacked the salty-briny taste of fermented shrimp paste and fish sauce. It lacked the spice of a good dose of Gochugaru (hot chili flakes). It also didn't have the rich red color of a good Kimchi. While the soup was good, the beef was dry and over-cooked and lacked flavor. The indgredients used at Eat Drink Man Woman are fresh but the overall lack of seasoning was disappointing. Would I eat there again, yes! The food is fresh & tasty, Korean inspired, and when it comes to Stuttgart, we don't have very many options for good-authentic Korean food.