myung-dong gyoza (명동교자)

myung-dong gyoza (명동교자)
서울특별시 중구 명동10길 29; also at 서울특별시 중구 명동2가 25-2
tel: 02-776-5348

what was consumed: mandoo! aka gyoza. and spicy noodles.

in myung-dong, the food options are oh so overwhelming. but in the midst of all of the street food and all of the shopping is myung-dong gyoza. 

go for some simple mandoo (steamed is my preference) as a light snack as you engage in some retail therapy. the delicious flavors in the center of each mandoo will be a nice pop of flavor and give you energy to head out to your next retail location. or sit down for a noodle meal (and i recommend going half-sies with a spicy one and a brothy one); either way, ask for some broth to accompany your noodles because it's really yummy. 

for some reason, the first time we tried to visit myung-dong gyoza, we couldn't find it. and then we felt pretty dumb (because it's sort of right off the main drag with a huge sign) and were enthralled to find that we had made it just in time (i.e., they were open). mandoo for all! YUM.

online: http://www.mdkj.co.kr/en/

hakadabunko (하카다분코)

hakadabunko (하카다분코)
서울 마포구 독막로19길 43; also at 서울 마포구 상수동 93-28
tel: 02-338-5536

what was consumed: japanese style ramen!

i'm glad japanese style ramen is taking the world by storm. don't get me wrong, i love the korean style as well (what's up neoguri!), but it's about variety, right?

the first time i visited hakadabunko was with isa and al, in one of our many eating adventures. there was a line outside, letting us know that it was either not open or that it was really popular because it was delicious. lucky for us, it was the latter. we waited a bit and were thankful for the quick turnover. also note that hakadabunko has a limited number of bowls that they serve. i.e., once they sell out, they sell out. and that's that. as a result, each time i've been to hakadabunko, all i've had was their ramen. they have a few other things, but their popularity made them unavailable to me :(... next time!

but yeah. the ramen noodles are solid and each bowl is made to order. and there's something about the delicious delicious ramen broth that calls my name and makes me want more. rich, yet simple. YUM. i can see why the wait is long and people are willing to stand in line. have a bowl or two for me, folks!

bbongsin (뽕신)

bbongsin (뽕신)
서울특별시 종로구 동숭길 62; also at 서울특별시 종로구 동숭동 130-27
tel: 010-9779-0936

what was consumed: jjam-bbong! and its variations ...

noodles. YUM. always up for noodles. when cousins and i would go to lunch after church, i was frequently intrigued by bbong sin. the restaurant was always packed (i imagine we didn't frequent it as much as we would have liked because it was always so crowded) and steamy from all of the hot soup. but one day, neice sarah insisted (and they had a table available), so bbong sin it was!

bbong sin specializes in noodles. to be more specific, they specialize in the korean-ized version of chinese noodles in spicy seafood stew (my favorite when i go to korean chinese restaurants). bbong sin then takes those noodles and uses them in a series of other soups and sauces, of course along the lines of the korean palette (like the korean-ized version of a soupy seafood cream sauce. still delish). 

their portions are a bit small (major downside!) and noodles digest so quickly (for me, anyway) that we also ordered a ... pizza. or what sort of looked like a pizza. with, yes, a square of american cheese melted o the top (in addition to inside of it). out of the ordinary as it was, it didn't prevent us from devouring it and enjoying every last bite.

bbong sin FTW!

online: http://www.bbongsin.co.kr

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!

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 ... 

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!

dong cheon hong

dong cheon hong

5 dangju-dong, jongno-gu, seoul

tel: +82-2-72506887

what was consumed: 친구들은 짜장면, 난 짬뽕. 항상! 그리고 탕수욕.

yay korean-style chinese food!

i was looking forward to getting korean-style chinese food delivered straight to my residence once i returned to seoul; food delivery is awesome in korea. but my current living situation makes it a challenge and the options are limited. no matter - if the food doesn't come to me (sadly), i will go out for the food!

of all the korean-style chinese food restaurants near work, our local staff tell me this is their preferred. it will, then, be my preferred as well. done! 

when visiting a korean-style chinese restaurant for the first time, i measure how much i will like a location based on their jjam-bbong, the spicy seafood noodle dish. and dong cheon hong does it right! the soup is spicy, chock full of seafood, and the noodles have just the right amount of chewiness. i will usually de-shell the shellfish and cut up the small squid after allowing it to finish cooking in the soup before digging in. scissors are always placed on the table, per korean "custom" when noodles are served (i like to think it's a modern and practical custom, anyway - haha). i then try to create bites that have a bit of everything - noodles, seafood, maybe a veggie (usually cabbage or onion) in some soup. but let's face it. i will more frequently slurp the noodles, shovel some seafood/veggies, and gulp the spicy broth. mix up the order perhaps, and definitely repeat. 

every time i visit dong cheon hong, i say that i'm going to try something different. but there's just something about their jjam-bbong that i can't get enough of. let's go, right now!

online: http://www.dongchunhong.com/

wagamama

wagamama
@360 mall

what was consumed: noodles! 

i love noodles (that's probably the primary reason i cannot go paleo, if i wanted to, that is). i love noodles in all shapes and sizes. there can never be too many noodles. 

knowing that wagamama was in kuwait, it was a must visit for me. what's more, it was a perfect before/after movie meal at the 360 mall :D

wagamama has a whole slew of noodle options (and, from what i remember, a slew of non-noodle options as well, spanning the entire pan-asian cuisine). i found it odd that wagamama was so empty every time i visited, only to remember that i sought after the less busy times because 1) i eat like an american (as opposed to a kuwaiti) and 2) crowds suck. no matter. the noodles still hit the spot.

i remember when there was a storefront in penn quarter (in wdc) teasing us noodle lovers that a wagamama was due. and then, years later, the sign was taken down and no wagamama appeared. i'm glad to have gotten to try (and super enjoy!) this chain of restaraunts ... in kuwait of all places!

online: http://www.wagamama.com.kw/ 

toki underground

toki underground
1234 H street NW, second floor, washington, DC 20002
tel: 202) 388-3086
hours: monday-wednesday, sunday 5pm-10pm; thursday-saturday 5pm-12am

what was consumed: toki hakata classic, kimchee ramen, curry chicken hakata, masumi vegetarian, pan-fried pork dumplings, fried beef dumplings, taiwanese style cold tofu, pickled cucumbers, dessert bento box, warm cookies
toki underground is FINALLY open!!! woohoo!!! toki's chef, eric, let m know that they were doing a sort of unofficial opening. bunches of us, then, put ourselves on the reservation list and counted the days. yeehaw!

i remember when, while still under construction, i had the pleasure of visiting the (then future) site of toki underground. i got the low down on what the space was going to look like, some of the knick knacks that they planned on putting up, and the flare that sort of represented their version of youth. the space was once described to me as "a boy-hood playground for me," and i think it pretty accurate (haha). the decor of toki underground is chock full of skateboards, bar-like seating, plinko, and japanese culture-infused figurines (ok, so i probably butchered what all of the things are called. sorry!). point is, the decor is a lot of fun, well thought out (minus the hooks for ladies' bags - i hear they're coming), and a great effort regarding the efficient use of space.

we started our meal with some appetizers. one of the things that they want to make sure they get good at is dumplings - a great pairing with ramen. i personally like the pan fried option the best. when we went, admittedly the dumplings needed some work - the deep fried ones were too fried and the pan-fried ones were fried strangely. BUT, m went back and said that they adjusted their dumpling times and now, they're just right. and delicious. that's great to hear! so yes, pan-fried pork dumplings is what i would recommend.

in addition to the dumplings, we also enjoyed some of their other appetizers. for some reason, i looked at the cold tofu and thought it said cold noodles (i know - brain fart). but that's ok becuase they were delicious. the soft tofu was in a more salty than sweet sauce, topped with all sort of goodies (fish flakes? what are those things called?). i could eat this all day long - i love tofu. m got the pickles (yay pickes!), cucumbers that were slightly pickled in the asian way (i.e., more salty, a bit sweet. not dill or sweet like american pickles). yum.

and then, the ramen. i love ramen (makes sense, seeing that i love noodles. i've mentioned that here, i think). all kinds. even the cheap-o top ramen (seriously, you can make it pretty darn tasty), though that's not necessarily my "go to" (obviously). i've had real japanese ramen (i.e., ramen IN japan) and have had delicious japanese american variations. i got the kimchee version of the toki hakata classic (a way for me to get a taste of eric's kimchee along with the ramen. the kimchee was good, but i prefer my mom's kimchee. isn't that how it always is?). the pork broth was delicious, full of flavor, and salty as ramen should be (i know that it's just the right amount of saltiness when i, in the middle of eating, have the need to dilute the broth with some water. i know. gross. but i like it that way (and i do it, hopefully, discreetly). leave me alone!). i wish there were more noodles; i will order the extra noodles the next time i go. the noodles, in and of themselves, were also delicious - just the right amount of chewiness, not soft and mushy at all.

m had the vegetarian option and it was GOOD. i mean, really good! the broth had a lot of flavor, resulting from seaweed/dashi, soy sauce, radish, etc., i imagine. i tried making a vegetable broth (also for m) when making seaweed soup once and it was hard (though i'll have to say that mine didn't come out half bad. i will try again). oh, and i like the pork broth. what's wrong with that? nothing! haha ... for me, i think if i was wanting a lighter ramen option, this vegetarian bowl would be great. lots of other little toppings came along with this bowl. i wish all of the other bowls of ramen came with it as well. a girl can dream~

w had the curry chicken ramen. i was curious as to how this would be, as japanese style curry has its own flavor and flare. i would say that the chicken was cooked well and the broth, while chock full of curry, was more along the lines of se asian-style noodles in broth. the curry wasn't overpowering, which is good, and a nice option for those who may want an alternative to the more pork-y ramen (i don't know who says no to pork, though). now, w doesn't eat a whole lot. but while i was barely halfway through my ramen, he had demolished the whole bowl and was on the verge of licking (literally) up the droplets left. now that's a good sign!

to round out the meal, we had dessert. i'm not really one for dessert, but the containers that the dessert came is was just so darn cute. the dessert bento box was filled with chocolate truffles, all a different flavor (coconut and lemongrass, some sort of liquor, miso, and sea salt). we all literally took tiny bites of them, just to taste. delectable. i didn't think i would like some of the flavors because they sounded so ... odd. i mean, miso powder on chocolate? weird. but delicious. i like miso, i like chocolate (for the most part), why not put them together! i didn't get to taste the milk and cookies (and yes, it comes with actual ice-cold milk), but the presentation (imo) was just lovely.

i think there are a few kinks that the staff at toki are trying to iron out. it's also super hipster (for those of you who are not into that), but it's also on H street NE, so i guess you can't really avoid that (no offense). nonetheless, it sounds like it's already a great hit (yay!) and have full confidence that it will soon join the others on the list of DC's "must-dos." yay yay yay! now, if only i could get a seat ... hee hee~

online: http://tokiunderground.com/

sushi taro

sushi taro
1503 17th street NW (between church street & p street), washington, DC 20036
tel: 202) 462-8999
hours: lunch monday-friday 11:30pm-2pm, dinner monday-saturday 5:30pm-10pm, closed on sunday, closed for lunch on national holidays

what was consumed: ramen, rolls, blah blah blah

coming from california, having lived in korea, and having travelled to japan, it's hard to find good japanese food. i mean, GOOD japanese food. granted, i don't mind (and will eat in mass quantities) average japanese food. as long as it doesn't make me sick (and who knows about that until after the fact, eh?), i will eat sushi, sashimi, and all of that other japanese goodness. and while i don't enjoy eel and prefer my sushi sans wasabi (don't judge!), i feel as though my constant search for a good japanese food was neverending ... that is, until now. hooray for sushi taro!

so, my co-worker and i were thinking of where to go to lunch and we decided to go to his favorite japanese restaurant (his wife is japanese japanese and she recommends this place as well). this time around, we had a goal - ramen. real ramen. not the kind that dry kind that comes in packages at the market. rather, the kind in the thick broth with pieces of pork floating around in the midst of the ramen noodles, veggies, and the standard half hard-boiled egg. the kind that is so delicious that we wait out the summer months when they don't serve it for that first day of fall when it comes back on the menu and they give us quizzical looks as we eagerly (and hungrily) order our bowls. i wish they had ramen all day long (it's only on the lunch menu, from what i remember) and all year long (though i can only imagine the sweltering heat that would come out of their kitchen from cooking the ramen broth in the summer) ... alas.

they also have this great soft tofu, but lightly fried, in a tempura broth appetizer that is just delicious. i find myself going to sushi taro more often for lunch than for dinner and while the tofu dish isn't on the lunch menu, they will make it for you (how lovely!).

don't worry - sushi taro has a large array of other dishes, of course. their sushi is fresh, their rolls are tasty, and they have a good selection of other dishes (even for those who are squimish about raw fish). they have americanized sushi rolls as well as the more traditional japanese ones. there's a plum one that is a great "dessert" roll (and by dessert, i mean that there is a bit of a fruit flavor making it a nice end of meal sort of bite to eat). i forget what it's called, but my goodness, it's so great!

sushi taro has generally known to be popular (especially for dinner), so i do recommend making reservations. i don't make reservations when i go for lunch, but i often have lunch later than the lunch rush. and i'll sit anywhere - at the sushi bar, in western style seating, in japanese style seating, whatever.

sushi taro has recently gone through some interior renovations, and i hear it is gorgeous. i can't wait to see it and enjoy me some japanese food once more!

online: http://www.sushitaro.com/