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

camping company

camping company
서울 용산구 신흥로 37 1층
tel: 02) 792-0434

what was consumed: grilled meat, camping style!

there's something about theme restaurants that i sort of love. and here in korea, they do it right. 

in HBC, there's a korean bbq place that maintains a camping motif. i'm partial to camping (i have some great childhood memories of family camping trips and the camping company sort of mimicked my experiences). you sit on coleman chairs that are close to the ground, cook atop open flames (though that's pretty common at korean bbq places), drink out of klean kanteens, and everything is served on stainless steel. you order your meats (we ordered pork belly and home made sausages!) and help yourselves to the banchan "bar" that includes some of my camping favorites. good food, fun atmosphere, good for pairs or small groups. definitely a place to check out and one that i'd return to. have fun!

robot kimbap (로봇김밥)

robot kimbap (로봇김밥)
multiple locations (my first was on gyung-ri-dahn-gil near noksapyong at 서울 용산구 녹사평대로46길 3)
tel: 02-794-9595

what was consumed: kimbap, dduk bokki, pork stir fry over rice 

i've been seeing robot kimbaps pop up in lots of different places. and i, for one, am happy about it as i can never have too much kimbap!

what makes robot kimbap different, though, is their healthy eating mantra - brown rice and natural ingredients, clean eating. i'm not the best judge, but i know when i enjoy what i'm eating.

when looking for a light meal or a snack or or or, i will look for a robot kimbap nearby. the kimbap is fresh and the various combinations of flavors is super yummy. they have a pretty extensive menu, though (as many boon-sik places do), and if it's anything like their kimbap, then i'm gonna say that it's worth the try. yay kimbap! yay robot kimbap!

online: http://www.robotfnb.co.kr/

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

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!