no prob, uncle bob.
to start things out right, it's not actually bbq of any kind. it should be called korean grilling.
you and yours sit around a large wooden table in which the center has been cut out, making room for a small firepit. hot coals are loaded into the pit in the table as you are seated, and a sparklingly clean stainless steel grid is placed on top.
you order the types of meats that you want to grill, usually as a prix fixe dinner which includes an array of small dishes, which are called banchan.
types of banchan include everything from iceberg lettuce salad with ginger dressing, to pickled tofu, to kimchi veggies and other unidentifiable stuff
; to marinated clams or octopus, to dried spiced shrimp, and so on. really exotic stuff for us occidentals. i have no idea what some of it is, but i have yet to be disappointed or put off.
also included in the prix fixe dinner, as the banchan are being served is a breaded, deep fried fish that resembles a large smelt. then comes an earthenware pot containing steamed scrambled egg casserole, fluffier than you've ever seen before.
next, the trays of raw or marinated, thinly sliced meats are brought to your table. you grill the meats (marinated beef slices or chunks, beef ribs, pork belly, sliced chicken breasts, shrimp, etc.) on your table's firepit, and when done to your liking, you place them on lettuce or shiso leaves using stainless stell chopsticks, with a bit of bean paste and/or hot sauce. you eat them by hand like a lettuce wrap, grilling your next wrap as you chow down.
finally, small stainless steel bowls of rice (and a spoon. koreans don't believe in driving you nuts by trying to eat rice, even sticky rice with chopsticks) are served, as if you needed more food.
depending on the number of people at your table, the small, shared dishes of banchan are regularly replaced, until everyone is stuffed.
service in a korean "bbq" joint is first rate, even in the smallest places. in fact, it's a bit unnerving the first few times, as the pace of service is so hectic that you feel obligated in a way to match them by eating quickly and getting the he77 out of there.
once you get used to it, you eay at your own pace, and are amazed at the hustle of the waiters, waitresses, bus persons, and the hot coals guy.
ok, well, i hope this accurately describes where i'm going tonight. if you ever get the chance, uncle bob, give korean bbq a go. a gourmande like you will love it.
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