Ram-don (or jjapaguri, a combination of two types of instant noodles) with steak is what people worldwide have been craving, thanks to a food scene in Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite.”
That one scene in the Academy Award-winning film has spawned countless copycat recipes online. You can find them everywhere, from food blogs to YouTube videos. Even the Los Angeles Times has created its own version.
Jjapaguri is made by mixing two kinds of instant noodles: Chapagetti black bean ramen and Neoguri spicy seafood udon. Add cubes of sirloin to create the steak-topped “Parasite” version.
If you don’t have the patience to hunt down those specific noodle packs and make your own, you can always try chef Patrick Go’s version. He serves it at Gochu-Gang, stall No. 6 at The Grid in Rockwell’s Power Plant Mall on weekends.
Go, who says “Parasite” is now one of his top two favorite films of all time, was struck by the ram-don scene. “I think everyone could relate to that scene… it’s something very homey that we Filipinos can relate to. It’s like making pancit canton with bread and egg.”
His love for jjajangmyeon (Korean black bean sauce noodles) inspired him to create his own take on the dish. “Whenever I eat jjajangmyeon, I always mix it with kimchi. Kasi ’di ba, jjajangmyeon is sweet, salty, savory, so when they made that combination in the movie, I could relate to the flavor profile.”
But unlike the many online recipes, Go didn’t just throw together two kinds of instant noodles. He used udon, created his own sauces, then topped the dish with Australian striploin “so it has a bite.”
He also serves it with a side of kimchi. “This is perfect with kimchi. Ram-don kasi is salty, sweet, earthy, and kimchi is sour so get one bite of each,” he explained.
He introduced this delightful bowl of noodles called Steak Ram-Don, at The Grid last Sunday and it’s already such a hit that they’re already thinking of making it part of Gochu-Gang’s permanent menu later this month. “A lot of people are looking for it. Some people returned the next day looking for it,” he said.
It’s no surprise—Gochu-Gang’s Steak Ram-Don is joy in a bowl. It’s flavorful, comforting and absolutely delicious.
And if you’re headed to The Grid, try Gochu-Gang’s other Korean offerings, too. “Our specialty is bibimbap. We make our own ssamjang and our own special sauces. We have a salmon bibimbap and a beef rib eye bibimbap. We also have our smoked bacon kimchi rice.”
He also has tips for people who want to make the dish at home: “Get the real jjapaguri and then add sriracha or your own special spicy sauce. And your topping doesn’t have to be steak. You can also use grilled chicken or pork belly. Mukhang masarap siya with pork belly. You can play around with different kinds of noodles.”
