Another feather in Clawson’s cap

As reported back in July, Chef Hajime Sato, chef/owner of Sozai in Clawson, won the coveted James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes Region. Now Clawson’s Noori Pocha, a restaurant known for its variety of authentic Korean dishes, has put Clawson in the national spotlight once again. Noori Pocha, made the cut for the New York Times’ annual list of “The 50 best places in American right now.” It was the only Michigan restaurant to earn a spot on the prestigious list. Over the past 12 months, The New York Times sent reporters and editors to travel the U.S. in search of the best of the best. New York Times reporter Sara Bonisteel wrote:  “Walk through the door of Noori Pocha, and you’ll wonder if you’ve found a portal to South Korea without the jet lag. It’s rare for a restaurant to be this transporting, and rarer still to have a meal that’s this much fun.” The restaurant is located on Main Street and is owned by the Kwon family. “Pocha,” is short for pojangmacha, and is a Korean term for a street vendor, bar, or market stall that serves Korean comfort food, snacks, and drinks. A few of the dishes include: Jaeyookbokeum- spicy marinated pork, marinated in sweet, spicy paste, stir-fried with hot peppers, onions and carrots; Cheese Booldak-spicy marinated chicken in sweet, spicy paste, stir-fried with hot peppers, onions and carrots, with mozzarella on top; and Bulgogi marinated strips of beef stir-fried with onions and carrots.  S. Main Street, Clawson. nooripocha.com