costco

costco

2 Chome-6 Sachiura, Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0003

tel: 0570-032-600

what was consumed: hot dog (100% pork here in japan) with lots of sauerkraut (no limit! just a vat of it next to the mustard!) and mustard; matcha and vanilla swirl soft serve.

i love costco. don't judge me. i understand that japanese don't really have the storage/space to buy in bulk; that said, costco is always packed (granted we usually go on the weekends). it's so popular that people will line up before opening time. every time we've been, we've made sure to get to costco at least 30 minutes before opening and yet it's already bustling with people by the time we get there. i don't get it. there will also always be those who are at costco just to ogle at how people will buy "in bulk"; photos are also taken (i sometimes want to as well. i mean, who needs 20 gallons of mac 'n cheese? well, i do, but that's besides the point!). costco is also great for their pre-prepared foods, which, in the case of japan, includes platters of sushi.

i will also note that the costco i've been to in korea, and now in japan, have at least one item on the menu that is a reflection of the local culture. in japan, it's the matcha soft serve. they took it off the menu for a little bit, but then brought it back. yay! the line for food is often 30+ people deep, even at 10:30am. you can bet that we've stood in that line. i can't not!

online: https://www.costco.co.jp/

bakers and baristas

bakers and baristas
501 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
tel: 202) 347-7895

what was consumed: Butterkuchen (german butter cake), coffee with lavender

among the hustle and bustle of galleryplace/chinatow, is bakers and baristas. if you're looking for a quite bite to eat, some delicious coffee, and/or a sweet treat, be sure to check them out.

their signature butterkuchen is more butter than sweet (that's the best!). find time to enjoy it on location as bakers and baristas will heat it up so that it's oh so delicious!

online: https://www.bakersandbaristas.com/

85 degrees

85 degrees

2700 Alton Pkwy #123, Irvine, CA 92606

tel: (949) 553-8585

what was consumed: asian bakery bread! and salted cream black tea. YUM.

i remember the first time i went to 85 degrees. stacey and i waited in line. for a long time. and when we finally got to the front, we were greeted with glorious, glorious rows of delicious looking (and delicious tasting!) baked goods. you make your selection and the staff will wrap individual selection in little bags (the selection that you're not going to eat immediately, anyway). they're also supposed to be well known for their mocha bread, which they didn't have this time around. sad face. i'm always up for baked goods from 85 degrees. will you please bring me some?

online: http://www.85cbakerycafe.com/

osulloc

osulloc
many locations, such as this one in insadong: 서울특별시 종로구 인사동길 45-1; also at 서울특별시 종로구 관훈동 170
tel: 02-732-6427

what was consumed: green tea! and green tea lattes and green tea ice cream. try the citrus lattes ... YUM.

tea seems to be a part of east asian culture, no matter which culture. in korea, green tea is one of the many popular teas and of the many brands, shops, and options that are available, there was always something about osulloc that called my name.

osulloc offers green tea and a slew of other tea beverages a la coffee shops (i.e., tea-based lattes, served hot and cold). their green tea is probably the most well known, and most enjoyed. they also have a slew of other teas, as well as green tea ice cream and a few other baked goods (like the green tea roll cake! yum). and be sure to also pick up some of their green tea spread, which is DELISH on shortbread cookies.

bjl and i went to osulloc's tea fields during our trip to jeju island. it's quite expansive and we could see how much care goes in to all of the tea production, as well as all of the other green tea products that result from osulloc.

also, as my time in seoul comes to a close, i thought it appropriate to end my seoul posts with memories of osulloc green tea. the creamy lattes, the subtle but fragrants scents of the teas, the delish ice cream ...

and so, in celebration, let's go get some ice cream :D

online: http://www.osulloc.com/

potato house (청년장사꾼감자집)

potato house (청년장사꾼감자집)

서울특별시 종로구 자하문로1길 25; also at 서울특별시 종로구 내자동 24

tel: 070-7778-4676

what was consumed: fried potatoes! both sweet and regular. and beverages in pyrexes. fun!

a place that focuses on fried potatoes? yes please! as we were leaving dinner, despite being full, we couldn't resist the sound (and sight and smell) of fried potatoes, both regular and sweet:

their fries are seasoned so deliciously and the sweet potato fries are served with honey (turns out, that's a pretty delish dessert-ish combo).

and yes, they serve their beverages in pyrexes. it's a fun idea AND you know how much you're actually being served because you can see the measurements. hahaha.

so don't be deterred by what looks like no seating - they expand to the "tent" next door. so especially when the weather is nice, be sure to stop by and grab a drink and some fries! YUM.

online: http://www.facebook.com/passionpotato

nak-seo pah-jeon (낙서 파전)

nak-seo pah-jeon (낙서 파전)
서울특별시 동대문구 회기로28길 11; also at 서울특별시 동대문구 휘경동 319-32 (off of hwe-gi station)
tel: 02-968-6019

what was consumed: seafood pancake! pancakes galore ...

in one of our many eating adventures, isa and i head out to hwe-gi station, near kyunghee university, in our attempt to find delicious pah-jeon (seafood pancakes). as you know, i'm not a scallion/green onion/spring onion fan, but everything else in the pancake is so dar delish, i couldn't say no.

while nak-seo pah-jeon was majorly out of the way for it, we had a fun time making the trek and finding this little hole-in-the-wall. and while we were there around lunchtime, as pah-jeon is frequently served as an ahn-ju (food accompanying booze), we were told that we had to order beverages. we got away with ordering soda (which we would have anyway), but the table next to us were definitely quite a few bottles of makgeolli in (good for them!). and then, the pah-jeon. crisp on the outside, just the right amount of chewy on the inside, chock full of seafood (mostly squid. i will take it!), and huge. one pah-jeon would definitely be large enough for a meal.

let me know if you're up for the trek. nak-seo pah-jeon it is!

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/

kervan

kervan
서울 용산구 이태원로 190 
tel: 02-792-4767

what was consumed: baklava, turkish coffee

the connection between the koreans and the turks continue! especially here at kervan bakery and dessert cafe. have a hankering for baklava? miss turkish coffee? kervan is definitely the place for you.

i'll usually pick up a few things from kervan and enjoy my wares with friends. but note that they do have a little bit of seating if you're looking for a quick break from everything else in itaewon.

they sell a few varieties (i think varieties. maybe just shapes? all delicious, though) by weight. you can purchase a piece for immediate enjoyment, or a package to share with friends.

and don't forget your turkish coffee! it reminds me of my time in the middle east where turkish coffee is the norm. don't drink the sludge at the bottom (so strong!), but the coffee beverage is a treat and just the caffeine jolt you might be looking for.

four b

four b

서울특별시 종로구 종로3길 17 1층 21호; also at 서울특별시 종로구 청진동 268-2
tel: 02-2251-8125

what was consumed: coffee!

yay coffee! i seem not to get enough of this good stuff and seoul is filled with them. yay!

four b roasts their coffee beans and serves pour over coffee. i don't have a sophisticated enough palate to be able to tell you about the hints of this and the hints of that. what i do know is that you can get a darn good cup of coffee (albeit sort of expensive) at four b. 

four b also has ample seating, so you can sit with friends or sit and do some pretty solid people watching. i've done both and have enjoyed myself thoroughly ;)

online: https://www.facebook.com/FourBfactory?fref=ts

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 ...

gim'story

gim'story
서울 용산구 이촌로 264 삼익아파트; also at 서울 용산구 이촌동 300-301
tel: 02-792-9241

what was consumed: kimbap! and other korean snack foods ... my favorite!

there is no such thing as too many korean snack food (boon-shik) places. i have my preferences, but doesn't everyone? 

gim'story is one of those places that popped up in our neighborhood. and then it appeared in another neighborhood. and another. we had to try it out, of course. i was impressed with their extensive menu, to include ommurice (fried rice, covered with egg, dressed with ketchup. yes. ketchup. can't forget that essential part!). mjk also says that gim'story kimbap reminds her of kimbap she had as a kid.

YUM. and nostalgic. that's the best!

online: http://www.gimstory.co.kr/

ankara picnic

ankara picnic

서울특별시 용산구 이태원로 182; also, 서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 127-11

tel: 02) 793-2550

what was consumed: lamb kebab with spicy sauce!

looking for a late night snack? or just a snack whenever? think of ankara picnic! i do, anyway.

m told me that there were lots of things turkey and korea had in common, beyond language (she knows waaay more than me - she was in istanbul and studied/speaks turkish!). and so, i was glad to see turkish wrap/kebab options in seoul. delicious!

there are a few different options, but my preferred is ankara picnic. part of it is habit, part of it is convenience, but most of it is because their wraps are the most delicious. i like it with extra spices and even the onions (which i actually always forget to ask them to remove. oh well).

when you pass ankara picnic, you'll see their meats cooking at the window, in usual kebab style. they have chicken and lamb (i prefer the lamb) and they'll prepare your wrap to order. in the wrap, they'll put an ample amount of the the seasoned meat along with some veggies (tomatoes, lettuce, and onions) and then slather on some turkish cream along with the spice blend (this is also optional). i remember there are a couple of options between wraps and something else (i think sandwich). i like the wrap that reminds me, in looks, of a tortilla or a flatbread. yum.

the last few times, there have been a few incidents outside the doors of ankara picnic (mostly because ankara picnic is right around the corner from a subway exit, imo) with some yelling and some police involvement. that said, the folks in ankara picnic were really nice and supportive ... and i keep going back! may the enjoyment continue ...

retrona pie: tart & more

retrona pie: tart & more

서울특별시 종로구 팔판길 39; also, 서울특별시 종로구 팔판동 17-2tel: 02) 735-5668
what was consumed: coffee and dessert! specifically: banana, strawberry, and earl grey pie slices

team building aka forced fun (but delicious, in our case), part ii.

after a delicious lunch and some walking around (did i mention that the team building activity/forced fun was a scavenger hunt? the coordinators did a really great job and we had lots of fun. definitely a successful team building activity ... and without trust falls! imo, thank goodness!), it was time for a little pick me up. aka coffee and dessert! as we were in the bukcheon area, the team remembered a cute bakery/cafe which was a favorite of a previous deputy chief (she left before i arrived at post, so while i have never met her, i feel like i know her because i've heard so much about her!). anyway, it seemed an appropriate location for our mid afternoon break and snack.

retrona pie specializes in baked goods, specifically tarts (as its name suggests). our team ordered a slew of coffees and a couple of different tarts to share and for tasting. and oh, how delicious! the crusts as just firm enough to hold the shape of the tarts, but not so firm that you can't take a fork-full for tasting. the pies are so creamy and not too sweet (just the way i like them), using what i felt was just the right amount of flavor to hint at the essence without overpowering the topping, whether it be earl grey cream, strawberries, or caramelized bananas. my coffee was ok (i prefer mine a little darker/stronger) and others enjoying with me had no complaints. a quite note: each slice of pie does come with a bit of a high price tag. it was worth it, for me, because eat bit was so delicious! remember to bring me back a piece when you visit retrona pie!

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!

two two chicken

two two chicken
multiple locations (likely one near you). for lunch, we went to this location:
gwanghwamun location
서울 종로구 사직로8길 42
tel: 02-737-2292

what was consumed: ddukbokki! cooked at the table (their lunch special. do all of the two two chickens do this?). and an order of fried chicken. of course.

lunchtime! and when t told us that he wanted to go to one of his favorite places, especially good when it is cold, we took his word for it. when he led us to two two chicken, we first thought he was joking. now that we've eaten there, we're glad he wasn't (joking).

two two chicken is one of the most popular fried chicken places in korea (or so i've heard). but for lunch, at least the location by the office, they offer spicy rice cakes, cooked at your table, will all sorts of fixin's (i've been hankering for this as of late. our meal started with some warm fish cake soup and a big bowl of rice. a note about the rice. it looks like a big bowl of rice with a bunch of dried seaweed on top. and a plastic glove. what the ... you're supposed to put the glove on (of course), mix the rice with the dried seaweed, and make bite-sized rice balls. YES!

soon after, our server turned on our burner and plopped a large pot of spicy rice cakes accompanied by fried mandoo, ramen noodles, egg, etc. a bit salty, a bit spicy, and totally a delicious, warm, and filling lunch. we also couldn't come to two two chicken and not order chicken. the sauce is a little sweet and a little spicy. i was able to nab a few pieces that were sans sauce. they were just the right amount of crispy and seasoned so that no sauce was necessary. a great lunch!

let me know if you want to go. i will endure smelling like ddukbokki afterwards and join you. yes please!