By Ines Min
Staff Reporter
The posh, cafe-lined streets of Seoul’s French district Seorae Maeul do not cry out to passersby as a place to find the homegrown flavors of the deep American South. Yet, nestled close to the village’s main street is the dark facade of Shy Bana, a restaurant that boasts traditional comfort food as its specialty.
Inside, the interior’s focal point is the semi-open kitchen, where several cooks and waitstaff can be seen on the job, grilling, cooking and baking, creating a variety of aromas that waft toward sitting customers.
Several close, small tables create a cozy atmosphere, while low lighting lends toward a more romantic feel. The cushy, upholstered chairs add to a pleasant, if not entirely typical, ambiance for the fare in question.
A look at the menu is both heartening and worrisome. Though most of the basics are covered ― from macaroni and cheese to po’ boys, coleslaw to Texas’ classic Dr. Pepper soda ― there are telltale signs of a restaurateur unacquainted with true Southern-style homecooking: jambalaya is renamed “Cajun fried rice,” meatballs constitute as the main meat of gumbo, and po’ boys bypass the more traditional catfish and shrimp fillings, opting instead for chicken drizzled in honey.
The absence of potato-based sides also glares from the menu, which would be well-rounded with the addition of the starchy basic.
The buttermilk biscuits are the first to arrive at the table. From the promising golden-browned crisp exterior to the hot, soft flesh within, these palm-sized pastries are a picture of perfection that do not disappoint in aesthetics or taste.
However, the following side dishes of coleslaw, corn salad, and mac n’ cheese ― though all fair attempts ― fall short of the bar set by the meal openers and are remarkable only in their complete adequacy.
The mac n’ cheese in particular tastes heavily of the North American favorite cheat-cheese Velveeta, as opposed to the naturally sharp, nuanced cheddar.
Next up is the meatloaf, a mostly classic rendition that integrates a flurry of breadcrumbs, chopped carrots and onions into a moist and tender slab of 100 percent all-natural beef.
Topped with fried onion fritters and accompanied with a light tomato sauce, the meatloaf proves to be a solid dish, if one without much flair or imagination.
The only real low point was the hair that had been cooked into the meat’s center.
For the oft-variant chicken pot pie, the chefs go with a singlecrust pastry dough, though set apart with a distinctive twist ― the savory pie is baked in a rectangular casserole dish.
Unusual, but shape can be forgone in the name of taste. The flaky crust gives way to emit a steaming puff of gravy-flavored air and immediately hits the nostrils, decidedly whetting the appetite.
Unfortunately, what is revealed underneath the delectable crust is a rather disappointing, thin concoction of gravy that is more a soup that happens to contain small bits of vegetables and chicken in it, than a filling thick with those main components. An excessive use of buttermilk makes the meal too sweet, a role that should be taken care of by the crust alone.
Overall, the pot pie leaves the diner with the feeling that they just ate a bowl of cream with too few bread slices. This dish also had an unwanted surprise: a small bone stubbornly clinging to the poultry, warranting a painful grimace and an unflattering spitting gesture.
To the undiscerning patron, the food might be worth the money ― save for the kitchen slip-ups in preparation ― but for those who have experienced the real delights of the region, Shy Bana only has its feet vaguely pointed in the direction of the American South.
The eatery makes an honest effort, but the results turn out to be nothing more than mere machinations to create an illusion of authenticity. And, really, what is comfort food without heart?