smile ichon ddukbokki (이촌 떡볶이)

smile ichon dukbokki (이촌 떡볶이)
301-18 ichon-dong, yongsan-gu, seoul
tel: +82-2-749-5507

what was consumed: soondae, kimbap, ohdeng, ddukbokki, ... boonsik!

there seems to be a dearth of good boonsik (korean snack foods, frequently eaten, collectively, as a meal) near where i live. boonsik is frequently the best in local "neighborhoods" and near universities. lucky for me, ichon ddukbokki exists and they quench all cravings. nothing fancy, but all delish. additionally, the people working at ichon ddukbokki are super nice and are most interested in serving yummy boonsik, not making a quick (but wasteful) buck. YES!

p.s. i've returned to ichon ddukbokki and realized they have soondae bokkeum (순대볶음), sauteed korean sausage with rice cakes, noodles, sesames leaves, etc. all in the spicy ddukbokki sauce. m and i ordered 1 serving (we also ordered a bunch of other stuff) and that really was enough for the both of us, big eaters that we are (for reals). and i will say, the bokkeum hit the spot. delish. super delish. will definitely be going back just for this. can't wait!

han gang chicken

han gang chicken

301-139 ichon-dong, yongsan-gu, seoul
tel: +82-2-795-2668

what was consumed: fried chicken!

there is never a dearth of fried chicken places to go to. and so, we had to check out han gang chicken right outside the ichon gate (well, outside-ish). we tried both regular and the seasoned. i generally prefer regular (savory over sweet) and that was the case this time as well. some pretty solid chicken!

a quick comment, though, about the salad (i.e., shredded cabbage topped with ketchup/mayonnaise dressing). admittedly, i'm not a fan of thousand island dressing, or anything in that vein. but there is just something that i love about the shredded cabbage they serve at these chicken places! would never make/eat it at home, but there's something about it when they serve a large pile of it next to my fried chicken. YUM.

coffee smith

coffee smith
142, samcheong-ro, jongno-gu, seoul (among may other locations)
tel: +82-02-720-0916

what was consumed: coffee! and desserts ... 

one of the many things korea is known for is the plethora of coffee shops. coffee shops come in all shapes and sizes - small and boutique-y all the way to huge international chains (e.g. starbucks and coffee bean. both which i frequent). people go to chat, to study, to hang out, and, of course, for coffee.

one of my favs these days, though, is coffee smith.

you'll see coffee smiths on most streets in seoul (and, probably, the rest of the country). their coffee is good, their service is good. but what i like most about coffee smith is their space. that is, the coffee smiths i've visited are sort of narrow, but always multi-storied with wide windows that open up when the weather is nice. love.

i.e., come for your coffee fix, stay for the view because you know the people watching will be great. and you know it'll totally be worth it. yeah!

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/

han chu (한추) chicken

han chu (한추) chicken

서울 강남구 논현로175길 68

tel: 02-541-0969

what was consumed: fried chicken, with and without sauce, and pork stuffed peppers!

chi-mek (fried chicken and beer) is in full force in my life. let's go!

if you're over in the apgujeong area (remember when we used to hang out here all the time?), be sure to check out han chu. it's no frills, but i super enjoy the fare at han chu. i prefer the regular fried chicken (i.e., no sauce) and the pork stuffed peppers is a must! let me know when you wanna go and i'm there. in fact, i'll drive. or lead you through seoul's subway system. hehehe ...