kkaolli pochana

kkaolli pochana
서울 용산구 녹사평대로54길 11; also at 서울 용산구 이태원2동 706
tel: 070-8872-1995

what was consumed: pad thai, fried spring rolls, seafood curry

oh, thai food, i love you so much. all of the rice noodles, all of the fish sauce, all of the papaya salads. so, when kkaolli pochana got on our radar, we were all about it (once we could figure out when they were open, anyway).

kkaolli pochana didn't have some of my usual favorites that i associate with thai cuisine (aka papaya salad). someone told me that kkaolli pochana focuses on thai street food and while i'm not sure if that's necessarily true, i went with the story. the eatery has a sort of last minute pop-up sort of feel to it, but as long as the food is good, i'm happy to enjoy.

the highlight for me was their seafood curry. chock full of different seafoods, rich with coconut milk and curried spices that i associate with thai food. YUM. i hear that they've raised the price on this dish, but thinking about this dish makes me agree to pay the higher price. 

Yum.

street churros

street churros

170 noksapyeong-daero, yongsan-gu, seoul, korea

tel: 010-6263-0303

what was consumed: churros! with ice cream. of course. and coffee.

looking for a tasty treat while walking the streets of seoul? look no further, street churros are here! what seems to have begun as a sort of fad has turned into a regular part of korean street food (and you know how the koreans love their street food).

fried dough, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, made to order and served hot. and, if you so choose (and i don't know why you wouldn't), you can order chocolate dipping sauce or some ice cream (my preference). when street churros first started, as a sort of stand on the streets of noksapyeong, people would wait in line, 30, 40 people deep. the street churros folks had their act together, though, so you never waited too long. now, they have locations all over the city (and, it looks like they've expanded and they've gone international at that! locations in LA and taipei ... good job!) which just means more street churros for everyone!

online: http://streetchurros.com/

 yes, i have a churro in each hand ...

cheesewick

cheesewick
서울특별시 용산구 녹사평대로 236; also 서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 656 2층
tel: 02-797-8415

what was consumed: pizza! and mac 'n cheese with bacon

a friend of mine, allergic to dairy, once told me he went to cheesewick and had a delicious meal. i wasn't sure why he went (with his dairy allergy and all), but decided to see for myself if cheesewick lived up to its name. so, on a cold winter day, m, a, and i head over to cheesewick.

like many of the hip-ish places near gyung-ri-dan gil, cheesewick sits, maybe, 30 people. right as you walk in, you see the dim lighting, high top stools as well as regular four-top tables. the chalkboard listed the menu along with beer specials. and most everything had cheese (with some items having the ability to "hold" the cheese. you know. for friends with allergies). YESSSSS! 

on this cold and quiet monday evening, we grabbed a seat next to the window. we decided what cheese covered dish we'd be enjoying and quickly put in our order. and now, the waiting and anticipation.

note: i find my love of cheese so strange, especially when i consider how much i hated cheese as a kid. i didn't understand why my mom and sister wanted to cover everything with cheese. blech. and then i grew up and got some taste buds. hahaha. and now, i can't get enough. the sharper the better, the stinkier the better, and when there are those little crystals in the aged cheese, oh YUM.

anyway, contrary to what i had remembered about cheese in korea, our dishes came out, loaded with oozing and delicious CHEESE. the pizza crust was nice and thin, but thick enough to hold all of the cheese (and bacon, as our case may be). and the mac 'n cheese! overflowing with cheese, macaroni that was cooked just right, and with just a touch of a broiled topping.

the only downside with all of the cheese is seeing it when the dishes cool down. of course, maybe not hte most appetizing, but as we thought about what it looked like just minutes ago, and because it still tasted delicious, we easily overcame it and continued enjoying!

must. go. again.

joong shim (중심)

joong shim (중심)
서울 용산구 녹사평대로 32길 14
tel: 02) 2235-0707

what was consumed: "salad" kahl-gook-soo, kko-ma kimbap, jjambbong kahl-gook-soo

noodles! i love noodles. and this great little place in itaewon specializes in korean flour noodles, cut with a knife (and so, appropriately, named "knife noodles"). 

in our attempt to fill our empty bellies post-work, a and i head over to joong shim. we'd heard about this place and even tried to visit at a previous time (it was closed. turns out, they close early AND they have weird-ish hours). but on this day, we were successful - they were open, serving food, and we were hungry.

we ordered the recommended fare - salad noodles, noodles served in spicy seafood stew, and mini kimbap in both regular and spicy. YUM.

some highlights: the noodles are so chewy and delicious! the dressing on the salad is such a delicious way to use black sesame! the spicy seafood stew was made with a bit of tomato sauce for a delicious rendition of "east meets west." the spicy kimbap had just a little bit of spice in the tuna, just enough to let you know it was there and just enough for you to want more.

a and i definitely left more full than we had intended, filled with delicious noodles and kimbap. go and enjoy!

dahl-ryuh-rah gae-mi by gae-mi-jip (달려라 개미 by 개미집)

dahl-ryuh-rah gae-mi by gae-mi-jip (달려라 개미 by 개미집) 

(or, if you're looking for a direct translation: run, ant by ant hill)

서울 용산구 녹사평대로46길 18, 2층

tel: 02-794-5955

what was consumed: makgulli (막걸리) and associated anju :D

i love the current trend/fad/popularity of traditional korean wine specialty bars. many of the bars make their own makgulli and all of them offer some sort of goodies that pair well with the makgulli. i, of course, just go to eat. hehehe.

after some delicious korean bbq (and after a few drinks elsewhere), friends and i make our way to gae-mi jip for some makgulli. gae-mi jip makes their own makgulli, and a few variations - we tried original, citron, and toasted rice (i heard the greatest number of compliments for the citron flavor). and, as some will argue is the correct way, served in metal teapots.

more importantly (for me) were the tasty treats. we, of course, ordered pancakes. gae-mi jip offered a few fusion versions of my favorites. kimchee pancake with cheese? chives pancake with beef? yes please!

there's something pretty awesome about going to places like this. a bit hip, a bit traditional ... a combination of all. i can't wait to go again!

the baker's table

the baker's table
244-1 Noksapyeong daero Itawon dong Yongsan gu
tel: 070) 7717-3501

what was consumed: brunch!

t is in town! and considering is 6am arrival (he actually didn't make it to seoul proper until a little later, but it was still pretty darn early), we didn't have difficulty nabbing a table for an early meal (note: it became difficult to nab a table soon after we sat down). 

the baker's table (and mira's bakery) has become the go to place for many expats when it comes to delicious and varied breads. they also offer a variety of different cakes that are great on a rainy day, with coffee, or at any other time of life. yum. it makes me glad that i don't have a glutton allergy and that i can enjoy (within reason? in moderation? oh, who am i kidding ...)

t and i went for brunch and we were not disappointed. mind you, we probably ordered for 4 people and did not hesitate in devouring the entire thing. but it was delish and would definitely be worth a wait. nom nom nom nom nom ... 

online: http://blog.naver.com/mirabakery and on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Bakers-Table/166508706726020

swi:t b

swi:t b
yongsan-gu itaewon-dong 673, seoul
tel: +82-2) 792-0749

what was consumed: ice cream!

sometimes, fog machines just work. friend simon and i were walking past swi:t b after dinner and were drawn in by the magic that is the fog machine. lucky for us, they serve ice cream which was exactly what we were looking for.

swi:t b serve soft serve (and for whatever reason, soft serve is exceptionally delicious in korea) with your choice of syrup topping. they have a variety of flavors and can even make one that is not on their menu. they have a variety of other ice cream desserts that they make with the softserve as the center/base. 

note: swi:t b is a "brick and mortar" version of an ice cream stand. they put 2-ish sets of chairs right outside, but they're usually occupied (though not necessarily by swi:t b customers. oh well). the idea, though, is for one to purchase, then consume while walking. i like it!

online: http://www.switb.co.kr 

look at me! i'm so mesmerized by the fog ... hahaha

craftworks

craftworks

651 itaewon 2-dong yongsan-gu, myungsan buildling 1st floor, seoul 140-834 (one of multiple locations)

tel: +82-794-2537

what was consumed: beer! and wings. and chili cheese fries

lush or not, you can't disagree with the positive addition to the korean food scene - craft beer! craftworks has a variety of beers, all named after different mountains in korea. neat! you'll also frequently see craftworks' fare in local restaurants around town. so, enjoy!

and for the non-drinkers (i.e., those who just want to EAT), fear not! craftworks has some delish bar food. fries, wings, and specials that will suit your fancy any day of the week!

i frequent the noksapyoung location. in addition to it being close-ish to where i call home, it also has a semi-indoor, semi-outdoor set up (i.e., patio). it's super nice to be able to sit outside with good friends. and good food and drink!

online: http://www.craftworkstaphouse.com/

골목 vinyl & pub

골목 vinyl & pub

용산구 녹사평대로 222, 이태원2동, 서울특별시, 140-861

tel: 02) 790-5979

what was consumed: drinks! and dehydrated veggie snacks. and bar nuts (though these are complimentary).

calling all vinyl lovers! if you haven't been already, be sure to head to goal-moke for somme drinks and some tunes played on vinyl. goal-moke has a large wall filled with vinyl after vinyl. you can peruse and once you find one (or many) tunes you'd like to hear, you take it to the DJ who will then incorporate your request in to his playlist (though not on fridays and saturdays. but the DJ is good! go to listen to good tunes). 

goal-moke is a bar in almost completely a western sense (they're located in the heart of the international area of itaewon. makes sense). as a result, they don't have a whole lot of food. but they have a few great snacks. and that they've chosen these particular snacks is what i'd like to comment on. in particular, i couldn't get enough of the dehydrated veggie sticks. i know, sounds weird, right? i don't know how they're prepared or even if they're prepared in house (i think you can purchase this off the shelf - must. find. it), but love that it's a part of their menu. i am frequently tempted to order an entire order just for myself. when did i start worrying i would look like a pig? 

goal-moke have a pretty standard drink list, though i will also comment that their prices are a little on the high side. or higher than other places, anyway. but i look at the price as including admission and the chance to hear (possibly) good music. in a chill environment. so be sure to put in your requests early and often to ensure you will hear your favorites.

online: https://twitter.com/golmokvinylnpub,

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

magpie

magpie

녹사평대로 54길 7 (용산구 이태원2동 704)

what was consumed: thin crust pizza, cheese plate, roasted nuts, and on-site micro-brewed beer!

of the great many things i love about my local staff, they're also great resources when it comes to delicious places to eat as well as trending locations (this, of course, in addition to being able to do some research on my own). so when kgj suggested we go out for beers at one of his favorite places, who was i to protest? in fact, and rather, i insisted (hehe).

magpie is conveniently located in an area increasing in popularity for tasty treats, near where most of the expats venture, on the nok-sah-pyeong side of itaewon. i guess convenient is relative. it's location is convenient for me. there are usually groups of people standing outside, enjoying a pint, mostly expats. looks like it's convenient for them too.

magpie has a list of pretty tasty pizza options. they make all of your pizzas to order, which means it takes a bit more time. that said, it also means they will accommodate  special orders and personalized requests. bonus.

 

their level 1 is where they brew the beer (from what i understand). next door, on the B1 level, is where they offer more seating, and where they make the pizza (you can order pizza on either level). polished (?) cement seems to be the primary choice for decor. i like that that gives it a bit of a brewery and almost rugged feel. also interesting is that magpie has bar seating, western style. i don't see that very often, but am happy to see it as sitting at the bar (alcohol or not) is probably one of my favorite places to sit at comfortable restaurants like this.

magpie is definitely on my list of places i take my guests, especially the beer enjoying ones. and even for those who are not, a must go. i've certainly been back, already and happily, multiple times.

online: http://www.magpiebrewing.com/