It is always great to meet other people that share a love of food. I got to meet with Seoul Grub a couple months back and he is definitely a foodie. His blog is a great resource for those looking for good eats. Here are some of his favorite places in Seoul. Also, if you are interested in contributing a post to Seoul Eats, please contact me at seouleats at gmail dot com.

Seoulgrub’s 5 Favorite “Grubberies” in Seoul!

In no particular order:

Vatos Urban Tacos

1 – Vatos Urban Tacos: A spunky spot located in Itaewon where they serve up “Tacos, Margaritas, and everything in between,” this place does taco’s deliciously. They have incorporated fresh, authentic ingredients to muster up a delicious fusion blend of Mexican and Korean flavored dishes. Staying true to what a taco should be, Vatos Urban Tacos has a variety of tasty taco choices, finger-licking hot sauces (plural), and a great selection of drinks to accompany your meal. I recommend getting each of the different types of meats, along with the “Makgeollirita.”

a. 2F 66-8 Itaewon-dongt. 02.797.8226

Galbijjim at Gangnam Myun Oak

2 – Gangnam Myun Oak (강남면옥): Galbijim is my all-time favorite Korean dish. There’s just something about marinated beef ribs that tickle my taste buds in the perfect way. This restaurant has got all of the ingredients right and provides a variety of supplemental dishes to enhance your dining experience. I would recommend going here with some close, hungry friends, order the biggest portion of galbijim, some soju, an order of their mandu (steamed dumplings), some naengmyeon (cold noodles), and finish off the meal by asking them to make some fried rice with the leftover galbijim marinade. After this meal, you’ll know why I love this dish so much.

a. Sinsa-dong 588-9t. 02.3446.5539

Samgyeopsal at Hwa Tohng Jip

3 – Hwa Tohng Jip (화통집): Korean BBQ is a must when you’re in Seoul. I absolutely love eating ssam-gyup-ssal (sliced pork), especially when accompanied by great company and some soju. Although you can usually find ssam-gyup-ssal in almost any neighborhood, this place has become a favorite destination of mine, because of their double-cooked pork slices, and their kimchi stew. Whatever it is that they’ve marinated their pork in, I absolutely love it! Order their double-cooked pork, and some kimchi stew (don’t forget the company and the soju!); take a perilla/sesame leaf, lettuce, add some sliced green onions, a little bit of rice, a small piece of kimchi, a pork slice, a roasted garlic slice, and some of their ssam-jang (soy bean paste), eat it, then finish it off with some of the kimchi stew (salivating now…).

a. Jamsil-dong 177-4t. 02.2202.8003 ‎

tteokbokki from Mokshi Donna

 4 – Eat, Rest, Money, Out: Another Korean staple you have to try is tteokbokki, a spicy rice cake dish found almost anywhere in Seoul, even on the streets! A friend asked me to join her for some ddeokbokki, specifically at this hard-to-find place. I was taken aback by the restaurant name because at first it made no sense, but I think I understood what they were trying to get at after my dining experience. This place can get a little crowded during lunch hours so take heed! I would also recommend bringing someone who can read and understand Korean because there is no English menu. The main, most popular dish is ddeokbokki, and you get to decide what other ingredients come with it. We ordered: fish cake, eggs, noodles, fried dumplings, beef, and something else (can’t recall what exactly it was). But it was THE best tteokbokki I’ve had, and will definitely have again.

a. Sogyeok-dong 144-6 (may not be accurate)t. 02-723-8089

Calguksu from Myeongdong Gyoja

 5 – Myeong-Dong Gyoza: A popular destination in Myeong-dong, that serves up delicious “Knife-cut” noodles and excellent steamed gyoza. There’s just something about this place that hits the spot compared to other places that serve up the same dish. I don’t know if it’s the broth, the noodles, the juice-filled gyoza, or their garlic kimchi, but I just love dining here. Can’t say much else about this place, except that it’s world famous!

a. 25-2 Myeongdong 2(i)-gat. 02-776-5348

Seoulgrub is a fellow foodie in Seoul seeking out the best “grubberies” that Korea has to offer. Originally from Los Angeles, Seoulgrub lives by this philosophy: “Good stuff in, good stuff out.” You can find out more about Seoulgrub here.