Looking for a funky venue for an upcoming birthday, bat mitzvah, quinceañera? Party hard Korean-style at Sinko Cafe in Flores! The place is gigantic and easy to decorate, with a capacity grand enough to wine and dine the passengers and crew of the Titanic or the population of a moderately sized country. Owned by the same guy who runs Estilo Coreano in Puerto Madero (see previous entry), this place could not be more different than the latter. Instead of the tightly bound, suited businessmen of Estilo Coreano, the clientele of Sinko consists of tiara-ed and pigtailed little girls in princess dresses, blushing brides, revered grandfathers turning impressive ages, fathers proudly celebrating promotions at work, and the extended network of relatives invited to enjoy the occasion with good cheer, good company and fantastic food. Just sitting in this event hall, one can feel like a part of the hundreds of momentous celebrations that must have taken place in it and this really does make one feel like a part of something great.
We ordered the rabokki, a traditional Korean tteokbokki  dish with ramen noodle added. The dish consisted of chewy little cylindrical logs of tteok (a traditional Korean rice cake made by steaming lumps of glutinous rice flour), slippery, perfectly cooked coils of ramen noodle, thin, sweet slabs of whitefish cake and stir fried mung bean sprouts, green onions, carrots, water chestnuts and shitake mushrooms.
There was an interesting textural contrast in each and every mouthful, which made the dish fun to eat. What made it exceptional, however, was the sauce, soy-based but incredibly spicy and flavorful, slightly sweet but with tons of hot gochujang (Korean chili paste) added. It was perhaps the first time in the past 2 months in Buenos Aires, where I actually had to stop and drink some soda to soothe the burning of my mouth. It was a burn I would not trade for the world, though, one I would gladly experience at every meal of the day if I could.
At the end of the meal, the head-chef and owner came over to talk to us about the dish we had just consumed, as well as to explain the difference between his two restaurants, explanation which were very much appreciated but altogether unnecessary. He seemed way more laid back and happy here, free to become a part of the celebrations of his guests. And we definitely shared his sentiment.