Letters to Seoul Eats

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Chicken in a cup at Hong Cup

Here are some letters I got from readers and my responses. Thanks for asking me questions and I’ll keep doing my best to answer everyone!

Dan

Hey Dan, As you know, we have American relatives heading to Seoul over US Thanksgiving. While they will be eating mostly Korea while here, we would like to have a family feast of the turkey type. Last year I ordered in a Turkey dinner for 20 and added my own sides. It worked out great. This year I am having a difficult time finding options. Sadly, we need to host the dinner on Tuesday the 22 and we cant make the Ongo dinner on the 26th.Suggestions??!!Thanks for your help!Sarah

Hi Sarah,

High Street market in Itaewon will be selling frozen turkeys. The military base has stopped doing so. Costco has frozen turkeys and so does Haddon Mart. If you have a military contact you should be able to arrange something with them. They are about 100 USD with sides and each turkey feeds 8-10 people.

Dan

In case anyone else asks- Chef Meili is doing catered dinners that you can pick up from the restaurant! 160,000Krw for 8 people includes turkey and sides (i dont know all of the details)
very reasonable!

Sarah

Dear Seouleats!
Hi! I emailed you a long time ago asking about plantains and I was wondering if I could get your help again.
I am interested in going to Noryangjin Fish Market and I was wondering how it works. Are you able to buy different types of seafood (shrimp, crabs, fish, etc) and just take it to any restaurant in the market and they will prepare it?

What are some recommendations you have for the best restaurant?
I’d really appreciate the help! I’m trying to show my friends visiting a real authentic fish market experience! ^^

Cheers! Tiffany

Dear Tiffany,

You can buy any of the fish at the stalls and then take it to any restaurant and they will prepare it. Keep in mind that they cook things and charge by weight or size. The cooking charge is usually 5,000-10,000 won for 1 kilo. Steamed crab might cost more. A regular fish or seafood soup can cost 10,000 -20,000 won depending on size. Restaurants also have different rates for grilled fish and for eel. Once you sit at a restaurant there is also a sitting charge of about 3,000 won a person. At most restaurants there is no charge for raw fish and sashimi, but you will still have to pay your sitting fee. At all restaurants you are expected to drink alcohol (even really early in the morning). Most of the restaurants are pretty good. I like Seoul Restaurant.

Dan

We’re two foodie foreigners leaving Seoul shortly and just wanted to say thanks for your blog…we’ve learned so much! Before we leave, I was wondering if you have any recommendations for the best 되짱찌계 in Seoul? It’s my fiancee’s favorite Korean food (strange for a foreigner..I know) and we were hoping to get it one last time. Thanks!

Also, besides all of the traditional Korean food we are huge fans of Korean fried chicken, so I thought I’d share what we think are the best places in Seoul. For the majority of my time in Korea, I was convinced that the chicken at Hongade’s Onion Chicken was the best in Seoul. It’s definitely worth a visit, but, we also recently discovered this unbelievable place near Chungmuro that evidently uses this new technology to spray hot oil all over the chicken instead of dipping it in oil…it’s called 그리그리 and the naver site is here! Their plain and 양영 chicken are both amazing.

If you could make it to either one I think you would love it! Enjoy and thanks again!
댄

Hi Dan,

This is a tough one because doenjang chiggae is usually an accompaniment to a meal and not the main part. It usually comes last. The best places I think are:

Hongyongjae near Coex http://www.seouleats.com/2011/09/hong-yeong-jae-how-restaurant-that-bean.html

And Sandang: http://www.seoulinthecity.com/imported-20110126183114/2011/7/6/chef-im-jihos-sandang.html

For just the soup, I would recommend O’mori Kimchi Chiggae and get Cheonggukjang.

Thanks for the recommendation on the chicken place.

Dan

Again, thanks to everyone that has been leaving comments and for sending me e-mails.

Cheers,

Dan

About the Author

Daniel

Daniel Gray is a Korean adoptee that returned to Korean in 2005 because he wanted to try and find his birth mother and to learn about Korean culture. He started a restaurant review blog in 2007, www.seouleats.com, that became a local and international hit. He and his blog has been featured in the New York Times, Monocle Magazine, The Kimchi Chronicles, Bizarre Foods, Rudy Maxa, Olive Magazine, Euronews and much more. He now is a partner at O’ngo Food Communications (www.ongofood.com), which is a culinary tourism and consulting company that offers Korean cooking classes and restaurant tours to travelers. Their food tours and cooking classes are ranked as one of the top attractions in Seoul according to tripadvisor.