The One Small Difference That Makes the Flavor of Braised Eggplant in Sweet and Sour Sauce, as Recommended by a Local Doctor in Jamsilsaenae

As the time I have spent running Piyafu Clinic in Jamsilsaenae has accumulated, the alleys of this neighborhood have come to feel as familiar as the front yard of my own home. After giving my all while seeing patients, on the way home from work, or on evenings that run late because I am immersed in planning events or studying procedures, local favorite restaurants naturally become places I keep returning to.

Today, I’d like to share a brief reflection on Xiaolongbao, a restaurant that has already become well known thanks to a recommendation from entertainer Sung Si-kyung.

When I first tried wonton noodles, the flavor really left an impression on me. I kept thinking, “This doesn’t taste like something you can eat in Korea, does it?”

Food photo of the Jamsilsaenae Station branch of Xiaolongbao, taken just before the staff’s chopsticks started moving briskly

In particular, the braised eggplant in sweet and sour sauce, fried with an extremely thin coating of starch, is a true delicacy and one of my favorite dishes.

The texture that crumbles with a crisp “crackle” the moment it enters your mouth is art. Thanks to the thin batter, the eggplant’s natural tenderness and juiciness remain fully intact, and I end up forgetting to take photos every time because I’m too busy admiring that delicate balance while eating.

The mala-flavored zha jiang noodles, shrimp baozi, and dumplings are of course delicious as well... but still, for me, the star is the braised eggplant in sweet and sour sauce.

As a doctor who is obsessed with details, am I being a bit unusual for seeing that thin starch coating as something like the subtle differences handled in surgery? Just as eye surgery can lead to strikingly different results through very tiny points of difference, I imagine the chef must have put tremendous effort into bringing out that one small detail, and that is probably why it felt even more dear to me.

Just as a cook’s philosophy can be felt in the thin starch and a sip of broth, I too want to convey that kind of sincerity to patients in the examination room.

Although I do not have many photos left, I prepare to head to the clinic again tomorrow, remembering that clean, refined flavor that lingered in my mouth. I hope this small culinary pleasure I found can also become a pleasant breath of fresh air in your daily life.

Written by Director Lim Jin-young of Piyafu Clinic.