Discover Distinctive Flavors at Suki Unique Dining
By MIRANDA ENZOR
Assistant Editor
KOREAN CUISINE: Suki Unique Dining held its grand opening Nov. 27. The Tulsa Metro Chamber welcomed Suki employees to the Chamber and were treated to a preview lunch. The restaurant is named for a type of cooking well-known in Korea where patrons dip vegetables and meats into boiling water to be cooked tableside.
MIRANDA ENZOR for GTR Newspapers
In Middle America, it can be hard to find good ethnic cuisine. It is said by many a Texan straying outside the Lone Star State (this Houston-transplant included) when looking for Mexican fare, it’s best to stick with the tried-and-true bells, buenos and cabanas in the taco world. More often than not, American’s version of Chinese dishes like sweet-and-sour chicken more closely resembles a re-imagined version of fried chicken than something truly Asian-inspired.
In short, this part of the country is ready for something unique—like Tulsa’s own Suki Unique Dining, a restaurant specializing in a Korean method of cooking.
The style of Suki cooking was developed in the 12th century to feed to troops of Genghis Khan. The legend, as told by Suki’s Public Relations Manager Joseph Lee Stanfield during the restaurant’s ribbon cutting ceremonies, is that “Genghis Khan’s infantry numbered in the thousands and an efficient way of feeding the soldiers was needed.”
An unknown source suggested cooking vegetables and meat in boiling water, which would allow the soldiers to gather around a warm fire, cook their meal and use the water and ingredients to cook a nutrient-rich broth.
Stanfield agrees; it sounds a lot like soup – at first. At Suki, a pot of boiling water is heated tableside using state-of-the-art induction heating plates installed in the center of every table. Customers can order off Suki’s set menu, which offers various combinations of fresh vegetables, meats and seafood – all handpicked by Suki’s head chef. Vegetables are brought in daily from the Dallas Farmer’s Market and only top grades of the finest meats and seafood are used to ensure quality.
Once dinner is served, customers cook their selections themselves. Vegetables are blanched through quick dips in the boiling water and meats are sliced thinly enough that they only take seconds to cook. Stanfield says the process is similar to Swiss fondue.
Suki has designed a menu that offers customers a five-to-seven course meal. Courses include: complimentary appetizers such as lettuce cups, soup of the day and a mixed-greens salad; a selection from the Suki set menu; handmade noodles or Jjuk, a Korean rice pudding, which is cooked in the broth created by cooking the vegetables and meats; Paek kimchi, a Korean dish Stanfield describes as a “finicky little creature seen at nearly every Korean meal,” consisting of pickled cabbage, fruits, salted fish and spices; and desserts including ice cream made daily and ginger cheesecake.
Other menu selections include Suki platters offering the same vegetables, meats and seafood in smaller portions and wok dishes like pineapple beef, ginger chicken and spicy seafood. Suki also offers a selection of fine wines and spirits.
Suki Unique Dining is located at 7828 E. 71st St. Lunch is served daily from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner begins at 5 p.m. For reservations or more information, call (918) 307-8008.
Updated 01-02-2008
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