Soondubu Jigae for a Cold Day

I've returned to Ambrosia several times since my first visit last fall, but each time, I've gotten the same thing - Korean chicken fried rice.  It was so tasty the first time and with tax it still comes in under $10, so I haven't really branched out.  Today it was much cooler than I expected, as well as damp and rainy, so I was in the mood for a spicy Korean soup or stew.  Seemed like a good day to try some soondubu jigae (spicy tofu and egg stew).

Ambrosia has several types of soondubu jigae - seafood, beef, kimchi and vegetable - all of which were $8.95 (pre-tax).  Since they were all the same price, I decided to go with the seafood.  The tofu stew came with the usual side of kimchi, as well as soybeans and some pickled cucumbers for banchan.

I'm not an expert on soondubu jigae, so the way the seafood was included was surprising to me.  I was expecting small pieces of seafood, like small shrimp or pieces of mussels (without shells).  Wikipedia tells me that oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp are common ingredients, and other than oysters, these were all present here.  In their shells (which, in the case of the clams, were gigantic).  And in the case of the shrimp, with the head and legs attached.  I've had plenty of experience with whole shrimp thanks to Chinese restaurants, but not when they are covered in tofu and soup and I'm at work with nowhere to put the shrimp to take off its extra stuff.  Eating the seafood was a bit challenging and unfortunately (since it's more costly than tofu) I left a good deal of it in the bowl once I got full.  I probably should have gotten the kimchi but I had no idea that the seafood would come with all of the shells and would be so hard to eat.  Lesson learned.

I did enjoy the tofu and egg with the white rice and thought that made for a good lunch.  (I'm one of those few people who really does just like tofu.)  The stew had a nice flavor but it wasn't very spicy.

Next time I'm in the mood for soondubu jigae I think I'll stick to the kimchi variety, or maybe the vegetable.  I splashed stew all over my shirt thanks to the giant clam and mussel shells and it was just way too much work for a cramped desk with a pair of cheap wooden chopsticks.  Or maybe I'll just get the fried rice again.  That dish is really, really good.