dwen-jang-yeh-sool and sool (된장예술과 술)

dwen-jang-yeh-sool and sool (된장예술과 술)

서울 종로구 삼일대로15길 20; also at 서울 종로구 관철동 12-7tel: 02-733-4516

what was consumed: fermented soy bean paste stew (된장찌게)

mjk found a new acupuncture place and suggested we try a new dinner place, partly because the reviews commented on the delicious dwen-jang jji-gae as well as the soy sauce crab (an obsession of ours). we were happy to oblige.

after work, we walked over to dwen-jang-yeh-sool and sool. we were looking forward to more traditional korean fare, as much as we enjoy fusion and international cuisine. upon being seated and ordering, our table quickly filled with all sort of side dishes (ban-chan) - YUM - including a mung bean pancake, one of my favorites. the dwen-jangg jji-gae was salty, mixing well with rice or in a lettuce leaf. so delicious! the soy sauce crab was also up to par, though not as salty as i would have liked (especially in comparison to the dewn-jang jji-gae), though this didn't prevent me from devouring my entire plate. hehehe ...

one of the classic korean dishes is dwen-jang jji-gae (fermented soy bean paste stew). some people find the smell a bit strong (it is), but definitely something to try. and if (no, when) you do, look up dwen-jang-yeh-sool because they certainly do a good job!

mah-jang market (마장 시장)

mah-jang market (마장 시장)
서울 성동구 마장동

what was consumed: hanwoo beef!

in celebration of mjk's birthday, we head toward mah-jang market for the experience and delicious eats! mah-jang market is wholesale meat market. they also offer fancy cuts of meat for commoners like us. much like the fish market, you purchase your (usually) beef and then are directed to the associated restaurant. at the restaurant, they charge a minimal fee for the use of the equipment (grill, charcoal, etc) and the fixin's (lettuce leaves, sauces, etc). we'd been told that mah-jang market offers better quality meat for a lower price. not cheap, but better than what you would get at local retailers and definitely less than the department stores.

mjk had been to mah-jang market before so instead of dilly dally-ing and doing a market survey, we went back to the store she had purchased from before (better deals for return customers!). when the ajumma suggested a small plate, we looked at each other, chuckled, and asked for more. and then we asked for service (freebies as a result of a large-ish purchase (for 3 ladies, anyway). and then we head upstairs to grill our wares. YUM.

at the end of our meal, as we rolled out of there, we were happy to have had our first mah-jang market experience. happy birthday, mjk!

moromi kushi (모로미 쿠시)

moromi kushi (모로미 쿠시)
서울특별시 용산구 이촌로88길 16; also at 서울특별시 용산구 이촌동 300-268
tel: 02-794-7901

what was consumed: sashimi plate, squid ink calamari, and loads of yakitori

az and i were looking for a chill dinner place and stumbled upon moromi kushi. izakaya style, they offer japanese-style bar food as well as the usual japanese fare. we sat at the "bar" and watched our yakitori being made.

we perused the yakitori menu and were excited to see all sorts of things on the list. chicken skin, meatballs, kebab-style options, etc. we wanted them all! one was served with a sauce made with an egg yolk. yassssssss.

in addition to the yakitori, we made sure to sample some of the usual fare. the fried calamari was delicious, light, not too oily. and while squid ink stuff is en vogue these days (or so they say), i can't say i can taste the difference. but i like it anyway.

we also wanted to sashimi, and were told by the server that we had to purchase alcohol (otherwise, we'd have to pay what seemed like double the price ... !!!) but who were we kidding. saki, please!

while a little pricey, i can say that we enjoyed watching the craft of our yakitori being prepared. that made it that much more delicious for us. whoopee!

online: http://blog.naver.com/hulehule

sables

sables
dragonhill lodge, usag yongsan

what was consumed: lobster! and steak. a perfect christmas dinner

looking for a sort of "classic" american style surf and turf dinner? people may direct you to sables at dragonhill lodge on usag yongsan. and while i have known about sables for quite some time, it wasn't until khj suggested we go for christmas dinner that i thought of it as a possibility. she nabbed a reservation and we were set!

now, i've had quite a bit of lobster in my time, both at restaurants and at home. but the lobster we were served was definitely fit for three ... !!! and we dug right in, enjoying all of the lobster pieces, dipped in butter. so decadent, despite the mess. hehehe. the steak we ordered was also well cooked and delicious, but the lobster was the highlight, for me.

and the sides! i'd missed all of the sautéing in butter. i take that back re: lobster (which still is a highlight, don't get me wrong, but ...). i could have dined just on those veggie siides.

khj, let's go back! and this time, i'll get my own sides. and maybe my own lobster  ;p YUM.

오근내 닭갈비

oh keun neh chicken galbi (오근내 닭갈비)

서울 용산구 이촌로29길 15

tel: 02-797-0131

what was consumed: spicy chicken (dahlk) galbi!

spicy chicken, cooked to order at your table, with loads of veggies. chicken galbi has been one of my favorites and go-to dishes for friends visiting seoul. but, for whatever reason, this time around, i either didn't find myself near dahlk galbi places or there were just so many other things that eeked their way on to my plate before dahlk galbi. most likely, it's a combination of both. but when one of the other grace chois made this request, i went on the trek to find a recommended one nearby.

oh-geun-neh is a sort of hole in the wall place with no frills. if i hadn't done a search, i probably would not have just stumbled upon it. but the quick search was worth the effort! offering classic dahlk galbi was just what we were looking for. once seated, you decide on regular or delux, and then the number of servings. the server brings the ingredients over and you cook up the lot in the cast iron skillet at your table. and don't forget to order the fried rice (with cheese!) to round out your meal. yum!

while chun-cheon is supposed to be the most famous for this dish, i didn't get a chance to make my way there to enjoy. thank goodness for places like oh-geun-neh!

online: http://cityfood.co.kr/h9/ogeunnae