wang thai

wang thai
176-2 itaewon-dong, yongsan-gu, seoul
tel: +82 2-749-2746

what was consumed: papaya salad! pad thai! red curry! appetizer platter!

there is no such thing as too much thai food. lucky for me, there are a few reliable eateries close-by. 

if i remember correctly, wang thai has been around for some time now. and despite the ongoing argument about the best thai places in seoul (wang thai's name is frequently included in diners' top ten lists), wang thai is a tried and true favorite, a solid go to for thai food, albeit a little on the expensive side (of course, expensive compared to food in thailand). that said, i'm happy to pay for delicious food.

friend kenny and i went to wang thai to eat and chat (haha) and we were not disappointed. their papaya salad was served with just the right amount of fish sauce, peanuts, and spice, just the way i like it. this was a good sign (as you know, i frequently judge my choice in thai restaurants based on som tom!); thumbs up!

now i want some som tom. anyone up for thai food? YES!

online: http://www.wangthai.kr/

casablanca sandwicherie

casablanca sandwicherie

what was consumed: moroccan chicken sandwich, lamb sandwich, carrot salad, tomato salad ... all delish!

sometimes (lots of times?) i just want a sandwich. some good bread (and, mind you, i'm no connoisseur), some good fillings, lots of veggies. my friend with a more discriminating palate (at least for bread - she grew up in france!) told me she wanted to check out casablanca for some sandwiches. who was i to disagree! 

casablanca is located in the popular hae-bang-chon area which is rather convenient, but dangerous as i'm likely to visit casablanca regularly.

i've never been to morocco, though i hope to some day. and so, i don't know how "authentic" the moroccan chicken sandwiches flavors are. what i do know is that the moroccan chicken sandwich is delicious. the flavors, the delicious bread, the fried potato inside, and and and ... i've definitely wished for multiple bellies so that i could eat more.

i always see posters for music performances on their window. i want to check it out! i've been so lazy (apologies)! but who am i kidding. i don't need any excuse to grab me a casablanca sandwich. YUM!!!

online: https://www.facebook.com/CasablancaSandwicherie

oh doo san (오두산)

oh doo san (오두산)
jongro-gu jongro 33, in the gran seoul building, ground floor, seoul
tel: 02) 2158-7952

what was consumed: buckwheat stuff! udon, cold noodles, chicken soup, mandoo ... and mung bean pancake!

oh doo san has turned out to be one of my favorite places. they specialize in all things buckwheat: buckwheat noodles, buckwheat mandoo wrappers, etc. and they do it super delicious-ly.

the mandoo filling (i like the kimchee, but they have an order than has both meat and kimchee filling) is super yummy, the broth (whether udon or chicken) is flavorful, the spicy cold noodles hit the spot on any day ... YUM! their fares are good for a light lunch, or order an extra bowl of something to fill that empty belly of yours.

i usually go for lunch, as it's walk-able from the office. but be sure to beat the crowd! the place fills up real quick. the turnaround is also real quick, but why wait? just walk fast and get there asap. and let me know when you do because i will come with! nom nom nom ... 

sung sim dang (성심당)

sung sim dang

what was consumed: fried soboro and chives bun!

while in daejeon, mrs. kim and i couldn't return without making at least a quick stop at sung sim dang bakery! and yes, we waited in that long long line (totally worth it!). apparently, that line is always long and that we were at the train station (where people were getting treats for those in seoul) didn't help.

sung sim dang has delicious korean-style baked goods, but i heard that it is famous for their fried soboro and their chive buns. we got to try the fried soboro straight from the kitchen - a crispy outside and a light red bean past on the inside. delicious. and the chive bun! the light garlic-y flavor sang through without being too mushy or stringy in texture, all seasoned so well in the soft bun.

we made sure to bring treats back for the office and even on the second day, the fried soboro was super delish. must go back again!

online: http://www.sungsimdang.co.kr/

shin-do kahl-gook-soo (신도 칼국수)

shin-do kahl-gook-soo (신도 칼국수)
대전광역시 동구 대전로 825번 길 11 (정동 30-16)
tel: +82-42-253-6799

what was consumed: noodles! 

i got to go to dae-jeon ... for work! mrs. kim and i head to the city about 90 minutes outside of seoul (by ktx) to give a talk. what a great opportunity! and while there, i insisted that we try some of the local fare. i was told that shin-do kahl-gook-soo is one of the "must eats," and prepared in a way that is special to dae-jeon.

kahl-gook-soo is korea's version of (usually) handmade flour noodles in a thick (usually seafood) broth. this dish is especially great on cold days, though in korea, they also believe that enjoying hot things on hot days actually cools you down (i'm not yet sold on this, though i've advised people on this in the past. ha!). shin-do kahl-gook-soo uses an anchovy base (i think) for their broth, so it's a little different, a little deeper, in terms of its flavor. all of it delicious. i also love the kimchee that you get to enjoy at kahl-gook-soo restaurants. usually fresh (that is, less pickled), just the way i like it. shin-do kahl-gook-soo offers radish kimchee, a little different from the more common cabbage kimchee. all in all, totally delicious. a must visit when in dae-jeon!

HBC go-gi--jip (고깃집)

HBC go-gi-jip (고깃집)
서울 용산구 신흥로2길
tel: +82-2-796-5528

what was consumed: all you can eat k-style bbq (sirloin) on monday nights!

beef is expensive in korea. the "all-you-can-eat" mentality of the korean bbq that is ubiquitous in so.cal is not so common here. and yes, i think it's true, that beef is sometimes tastier from other places (in fact, lots of the beef here in korea is not from here. it's from the US or australia or new zealand or or or). but that doesn't matter. korean bbq is korean bbq and there's something really awesome about eating korean bbq IN korea. and so, i was so happy to go to HBC go-gi-jip.

now, i've only been to go-gi-jip (and to both of the locations that are near my home) on mondays because on mondays, they do an all-you-can-eat sirloin day (they do all-you-can-eat pork belly on thursday). i hear they're affordable on regular days as well. anyway, you have 1 1/2 hours to sit and eat as much as you can. and i surely do! you cook your own meat and wrap it in a bunch of greens. YUM. because, you know, sometime you just want to eat lots and lots. or, for me, that's just another day in my life. ha! 

artisee

artisee
서울특별시 종로구 율곡로3길 77
tel: +82-2-725-0081

what was consumed: coffee, desserts ...

there is definitely not a dearth of picturesque coffee shops in seoul, especially in the sahm-chung-dong neighborhood. the artisee location there is no different. a good place to get a cup of coffee, some yummy desserts, and all overlooking a really nice neighborhood in seoul.

there are quite a few artisee locations in seoul. in addition to their coffees, they have a long list of pastries and other beverages that will suit a variety of tastes. artisee also does a really delish mango shaved ice dessert. it feeds a few, as it should considering its hefty price tag. but definitely worth a try. makes me look forward to mango season (i know! me! fruit!)

online: www.cafeartisee.com

sung-buk-dong meh-mil soo-jeh-bi (성북동메밀수제비)

성북동메밀 수제비
281-1 sungbuk-dong, seoul
tel: +82-2-764-0707

what was consumed: chicken soup! and spicy noodles. and korean pancake.

one of my favorite korean dishes is 백숙 (baek-sook), whole chicken stuffed with sweet rice, cooked for a long time until everything is super tender and yummy (at home, i make it with boatloads of garlic. YES). it's a delicate dish, imo, seasoned to one's liking with good salt and fresh pepper once served. 

sung-buk-dong meh-mil soo-jeh-bi offers baek-sook that is super delish. and that, later, toasted sweet rice is served with the chicken makes it so delicious. and be sure to consider some of their other fares - the spicy noodles and the pancake are personal favorites. and the bahn-chan! delicious. must go back ... !!!

lemonster

lemonster
57-16 itaewon-dong yongsan-gu, seoul
tel: +82-10-5439-9653

what was consumed: lemon-ade!

sometimes, you just want a refreshing beverage. sometimes hot, sometimes cold, always with lemons. lemonster is GREAT for this! after a delicious dinner with friends, we stopped by lemonster for an after dinner beverage. i love that lemonster uses fresh squeezed citrus! i love that they make their own soda water (all politics about the company behind soda stream aside, i like the idea of being able to make my own soda water ... )! if you don't look, you might miss it. but be sure to stop by. yes!
  

agra

agra
172-2 itaewon-dong, yongsan-gu, seoul
tel: +82-2-797-7262

what was consumed: samosas, tandoori chicken, palak paneer, and (of course) paneer mahkni (kenny's favorite)

the first time i had "indian" food was in korea (i know. crazy). and now, i can't seem to get enough. and so, in our search for favorites, kenny and i head to agra in itaewon.

agra is easy to find, good with set menus (that sometimes makes it easier to order, especially if unfamiliar), and a pretty solid choice for some of your indian favorites (imo. i'm most definitely NOT an expert. but i enjoyed my meal there!). it's a little on the pricey side, but that's not anything new for indian food or for itaewon. that said, i am full confident that if/when you go, you will not be disappointed. enjoy!  

서촌 친구네

서촌 친구네

jongno-gu chebu-dong

tel: +82-2-720-4763

what was consumed: steamed seafood (해물 찜)

there's a street of restaurants that is near the area by the palace, by work the street has a name, but i (of course) forgot what it's called. whoops. anyway, m and i were one day thinking about what we wanted to eat and came across 서촌 친구네. really, we saw a couple of ajushis sitting outside, chatting over a pot of steamed seafood, sharing a bottle of soju. and we said, "yes. that's what we want." mind you, we had already eaten (but our behavior was not out of the ordinary. hahaha).

we ordered the small, enough for 2 folks. had we not already eaten, we would've ordered a medium. once you order, the server will bring out a burner for the table, the bowl for steaming, and then a basket of all sorts of seafood. and some greens. and even an egg! YUM.

mirak chicken (미락 치킨)

mirak chicken (미락 치킨)
39-2 chebu-dong, jongno-gu, seoul
tel: +82 2-736-6741

what was consumed: garlic chicken! and regular fried chicken and noodles and and and ...

one of my favorite chicken places is near the main palace (i.e., near work) and their fried chicken is delish. i actually like the regular fried chicken best, but when you go, be sure to order their garlic chicken. you will be stinking of garlic for days on end after consumption, but it's so worth it. it's made to order, so it take a few minutes, but totally worth it. especially when you hear the sizzle of the garlic sauce on the freshly fried chicken as the server brings it to your table. YUM.