When we lived in Shanghai, if we couldn’t agree on where to go for dinner, we could always agree on Korean BBQ. It had been more than four months since we had Korean BBQ and we were all missing our favorite neighborhood restaurant in Shanghai, Ya Benjia, that served authentic charcoal Korean BBQ. The owner was a hard-working Korean guy named JB and we got to know him a little bit before we left.
On our last night in Athens, we found a Korean restaurant on the internet that looked fairly authentic. We were all excited to go there. We drove there with thoughts of tender meat, fragrant white rice and fresh lettuce floating around in our heads. After circling for about half an hour, our hope started fading and eventually, we gave up on finding a parking spot.
Our rumbling tummies hastened our realization that Friday night in Athens necessitates a reverse strategy. We found a parking spot first and then we searched for restaurants within walking distance. Since we parked too far to walk to the Korean restaurant, we decided to gamble on an “Asian” restaurant that served Korean and Japanese food. We ordered udon noodles, tonkatsu, bibimpap and a big plate of kimchi. I wouldn’t say it was exactly good, but given the circumstances, it was good enough. We weren’t picky and without hesitation, we gobbled it all up.
The night air was crisp and cool. The streets of downtown Athens were filled with people dressed in warm coats. The weather was getting chilly and rightfully so because Christmas was fast approaching.
We followed the direction of the crowd, past shops and cafes, and arrived at Syntagma Square, the main square of Athens. The square was full of people, young and old, enjoying the magical atmosphere created by the festive lights strung onto the trees, the illuminated fountain and the main centerpiece – a giant Christmas tree, gracing the center of the square. Once again, we had stumbled upon something very special. We soaked up the atmosphere and joined in the revelry, grateful to be in Athens so close to Christmas.
