Arirang In Roma

30/07/2025: I've been there twice. The 500 Bulgogi is the best!! The kimchi stew is also good!!!

28/07/2025: After ten days of southern Italian food, I was tired of the flavors and thought back to the Korean meal I had on the first day. I took a 30-minute ride and arrived in heavy rain. Running to the restaurant with only 20 minutes before their break, I asked if they could still prepare a hot kimchi tofu stew. Thankfully, the owner said yes. One young Indian looking staff member was clearly unhappy—he stared at me, slammed things, and roughly took back the napkins I used while I was soaking wet. He seemed and without empathy, It wasn’t the first time—on a previous visit, his attitude had also been unfriendly. He always seemed angry, and it left quite an impression. I couldn’t help but feel that maybe he was having a hard angry life. In contrast, an older staff member warmly brought my food with a smile and said, “For you.” His kindness lifted my mood. We exchanged where we were from—that’s how I learned he was from Bangladesh. I finished quickly and left. The sun came out as I walked away—just like the warmth I felt from that one kind gesture. That simple meal became a special memory before I left Rome. I had just finished a ten-day trip to southern Italy. As delicious as the Sicilian food was, it was just that—so stale. I was so tired of it that I remembered the Korean food I had on the first day. After a 30-minute ride, I arrived and was caught in a torrential downpour as soon as I left the station. I ran to the restaurant with only 20 minutes left before my break. I asked the owner to make me a piping hot kimchi and tofu stew. Thankfully, he agreed. Although I could tell there was a young, strong man in the restaurant... The guy, who looked like an Indian, was very unhappy. He glared at me several times and threw things. I was soaking wet and was wiping myself with a small napkin when he came over and rudely snatched the napkin back. He glanced at me sideways and muttered something, showing no empathy at all. His attitude was very unfriendly the first time I came. It felt like he had a very hard life. Both times, his expression was angry, which was very memorable. When the food arrived, another older waiter smiled and handed it to me. "It's such a delight," he said. He even asked me where I was from. I asked him back, and after some research, I learned the English name for Bangladesh. Not wanting to disturb anyone, I quickly finished and left. Surprisingly, the sun was out, and the weather was just like the two waiters I'd met at the restaurant. Thank you so much for this hot meal; it's a wonderful memory for me as I leave Rome.