North Korean cuisine to come to Scotland

Kim Jong-un 'set to open a new restaurant in SCOTLAND'

The North Korean leader already has a restaurant in Holland and is hoping to branch out and build diplomatic ties with European cities

Kim Jong-un could try and open a restaurant in Scotland serving delicacies such as dog meat soup, North Korea experts claim.

This comes after the controversial leader brought his chain, The 'Pyongyang' restaurants, over to Europe by launching one in Holland.

Now North Korea watchers believe Scotland may be the next prime location, largely thanks to the popularity of whisky among the communist ruling elite.

Michael Madden, editor of the North Korea Leadership Watch, said Jong-un is desperate to build diplomatic ties with European countries with left-wing leanings.

He added: "It would not surprise me at all if they opted to open a restaurant in Scotland. 

"The Scottish independence referendum catapulted Scotland into the North Korean elite's thoughts.

"Despite voting No' they'd consider left-leaning Scotland to be more suitable to deal with than England. 

"Plus, North Koreans love whisky. Tourists in North Korea are told to tip people in Scotch instead of the currency." 

The chain has begun springing up across China and Asia, with proceeds funnelled back to North Korea to help prop up the secretive regime. 

They are run in partnership with Office 39, a secretive branch of the North Korean government, which uses them as a legal way of raising overseas cash. 

Mr Madden, a frequent visitor to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, said: "They are one of the few ways to experience North Korean culture without having to go there. 

"They are done like a franchise with the state renting the brand out to other Koreans to run. 

"But they tailor the menus to suit. Customers in Western Europe won't get a plateful of dog!"

Fellow expert Jenny Town, of the US-Korea Institute, said she too believed Pyongyang had warmed to Scotland in recent months. 

She said: "North Korea is going to support any country struggling for independence and legitimacy, as North Korea itself still continues to seek validation and recognition of its own legitimacy as a sovereign nation." 

The state-run food outlets - which began springing up about 10 years ago - channel up to 30% of takings back to Pyongyang. But some critics fear the cash ends up in Jong-un's own pockets to fund his lifestyle. 

As well as a love for whisky, portly leader Jong-un is reportedly hooked on Swiss cheese. 

It's claimed he imports vast quantities at huge expense - despite millions of his countrymen being malnourished. 

The FBI recently accused North Korea of being behind cyber attacks on the US. The regime is thought to be incensed at a film, The Interview, which centres around the fictional assassination of Kim Jong-un. 

The North Korean Embassy in London did not respond to requests for a comment. 

McJONG'S MENU 

STARTERS 
Despotted shrimps 
Dictator and leek soup 
Roast peasant 

MAIN COURSE 
Fried Seoul
Red herring 
Cottage spy 
 
Commie chef’s special 

DESSERT 
Don’t or you will be shot

 
 
 
Vocabulary:

to be set to do stg -

to branch out -

to build ties with -

such as -

to claim -

a chain (of restaurants) -

to launch (a business) -

largely thanks to sb/stg -

left-wing (adj) -

to lean / leanings (n) -

to deal with sb/stg -

to tip (n,v) -

to spring up -

procedes (n) -

to funnell -

to prop up -

to run (a business) -

in partnership with -

a branch -

to raise (money) -

overseas (adj) -

to rent stg out -

a brand -

to tailor -

to suit -

a plateful -

fellow (adj) -

to warm to stg/sb -

to support -

to struggle -

an outlet -

to channel -

up to -

takings (n) -

to end up -

as well as -

portly (adj) -

to be hooked on stg -

vast (adj) -

malnourished (adj) -

a request -


Comments

Roberto said…
Hi!. Don´t give up,Graham... Be strong!.
-SUCH AS: COMO
-TO CLAIM: DECLARAR
-A CHAIN: UNA CADENA (DE LOCALES)
-TO LAUNCH: LANZAR (UN PRODUCTO)
-TO DEAL WITH: NEGOCIAR,TRATAR
-TO TIP: ACONSEJAR
-TO RUN: DIRIGIR
-A BRANCH: SUCURSAL
-TO RAISE MONEY: AUMENTAR BENEFICIOS
-A BRAND: MARCA
-TO SUIT: ADAPTAR
-TO SUPPORT: APOYAR
-TO STRUGGLE: LUCHAR
-UP TO: LLEGAR A
-TO END UP: PARA TERMINAR
-AS WELL AS: ASÍ COMO
-TO BE HOOKED ON: ENGANCHADO/ADICTO
-VAST: INMENSO
-A REQUEST: PETICIÓN/DEMANDA
I like asian food,in general... And it´s a vast field. Every Country have hundreds of different dishes (much more than dog meat,uncooked fish,or fried insects).
Maybe the food of that chain it´s a piece of shit (it seems like fast food),but I love the Kim Jong-Un´s hairstyle. It´s awesome!.Very cool...




José said…
Hi Roberto

I think your comment is as a joke. I suppose that you are laughing about Kim Jong-Un’s hairstyle. It seems he’s crazy. I have never tried dog meat, neither fried insects. It’s disgusting. It’s not my cup of coffee. I can´t believe that they prepare shit in the Pyongyang’ restaurants. I look shit up in my dictionary and it translates “caca” in Spanish. Are you sure? ¿How do you order a piece of shit in the Pyongyang restaurants? For instance, could you give me a sandwich of ship, please? And they’ll answer to you: “Sorry, it has finished, only leaves a ship steak”. LOL

See you.
Roberto said…
I´ve trying to be ironic,maybe my english is not good enough.
Graham said…
Hi Roberto and José,

I think the two of you are a bit heavy on the irony - make that the three of us :-))))

Roberto:

I think that most of the translations are fine but maybe:

claim - afirmar
tip - dar propina (in this context)
raise money - recaudar dinero
as well as - además de

Every country has hundreds of different dishes...
Maybe the food of that chain is a shit / crap (it seems like fast food),but I love Kim Jong-Un´s hairstyle.


José:

I have never tried dog meat, nor fried insects. It’s disgusting. It’s not my cup of coffee . I can´t believe that they prepare shit in Pyongyang restaurants. I looked shit up in my dictionary and it translates as “caca” in Spanish. How do you order a piece of shit in Pyongyang restaurants?
And they’ll answer you: “Sorry, it has finished, only the ship steak is left”. LOL


Roberto:
I´ve tried to be ironic,maybe my English is not good enough.



We should go to an Asian restaurant for our next meal. What do you think?
Roberto said…
For me it´s OK!.But I´m afraid josé are not agree whit that idea...
By the way,I´m attending english classes again.I´m in the B2+ level(I skipped the B2).
José said…
Hi Graham,

Please, don’t force me to go to an Asian restaurant. I can’t eat when I see its foods. I don’t like Asian food. I have been once to Berlín and we went to a gathering place where there was Asian food. We said: “Don’t be afraid, we have to eat all Asian food”. We began to try a dish from Vietnam. The first dish was very strange, I didn’t know what it was, but I filled my mouth. Suddenly, my eyes began to cry, I began to sweat, I was chewing ten minutes, at lees, and after ten minutes I didn't know what to do because I was incapable to swallow. They asked me: “What’s the matter fellow?” I hated human being. It was horrible. It was disgusting.

Roberto understands me. ¿What do you mean in the second sentence?

See you.
Montse said…
Hi, Graham!!! How are things going, guys?
Like José, Asian food is not my cup of tea!! When I go to a Chinese restaurant the only thing I usually eat is a vegetables wok...no meat. I don't trust them!!;-) I think I would never be able to eat insects though they say that they are the future in food since we are running out of the rest of meat in the world. When that day come, I' ll become vegetarian.
Anyway, I'm willing to go anywhere with you...I' ll get by!!!

Roberto said…
Hi everyone!.
I understand that every person has his own taste... But sometimes is just something cultural or a question of tradition.
I like Spanish food,but we have some dishes that maybe can be disgusting to some foreign people like "Sesos","Criadillas","Gallinazas"or even "Callos","Cochinillo",or "Boquerones en vinagre"(it´s uncooked fish,if you think)...and not too many people eat insects in Asia,it´s a exotic thing even for them!(just like "Criadillas" in Spain).
Graham said…
Hi M, R and J!

I chose the restaurant the last time - so it's up to you where we go the next time.


Roberto:

I´m afraid José won't agree with that idea...

I understand that everyone has their own taste... But sometimes it is just something cultural or a question of tradition.
I like Spanish food,but we have some dishes that might be disgusting for some foreign people like ... or "Boquerones en vinagre"(it´s uncooked fish,if you think about it)...and not so many people eat insects in Asia, it´s an exotic thing even for them!(just like "Criadillas" in Spain).



Montse:

When that day comes, I'll become vegetarian.



José:
I was chewing , and after ten minutes I didn't know what to do because I was incapable of swallowing it. They asked me: “What’s the matter man?” I hated human beings.



See you all soon!

José said…
Hi everyone,

I don’t like “Sesos”, neither “Criadillas” nor “Gallinazas”. I think I have never tried it. But I like “Cochinillo”, please Roberto, it’s taste. You might invite me to the Casa Cándido restaurant in Segovia, I’ll show you the best way to eat it. I like “Boquerones en vinagre”, but they say that it has “anasaki”, be careful. I “don’t” like barnacles because they are very expensive, it’s a cultural matter! LOL. I like oysters but not too much. Roberto ¿Do you like oysters? ¿Have you ever tried the boiled blood of pig? It’s a bit nasty. ¿Do you like elvers and cocochas? It’s delicious.

I suggest that we might go to the Nebraska restaurant, at 55 Gran Vía street, in Madrid, between Gran Vía and San Bernardo. They have tablecloths and they lay the table with tablecloth. Also, they have a cook. It’s not a Chinese restaurant.

See you.
Graham said…
Hi José,

You won't be surprised to know that I never tried any of these "delicacies" in my meat eating days.

I'm having another dry month so maybe we should put off our dinner until it ends. It's difficult for me to eat out and not have something to drink with the meal.

José said…
Hi Graham,

Don't worry. I understand your making an effort. The drinking water is very dangerous for drunks.

See you.
Graham said…
José,

Drinking water is dangerous for drunks.

I'm almost into my third week without booze. I've decided to allow myself a drink next weekend - just a couple of days short.