Everest is a landmark in Seoul and it's known for it's consistent Nepalese/Indian Food. It has been around as long as I've been here and it's still one of my favorite places to go. The food is moderately priced, the atmosphere is comforting like grandmother's house, and the taste is authentic. Good place, but be warned- there is usually a line down the stairs on Friday and Saturday Night. Out Dongdaemun (Line 1) Exit 3. Make the 2nd left and then make the next right. Flower Bread Vendor Got Street Food? Everest Restaurant Nice Spread Palak Paneer A Lentil Curry (Sorry I forget what its called) Naan Chai Everest Restaurant (02) 766-8850 http://www.everestfood.com

So the other day I back to eat at the first Indian restaurant I ate at in Korea: Ganga. It has remained what it was at the beginning an expensive novelty that quelled that desire for Indian food. I mean at first it is fine but then you realized you dropped 50 dollars on 2 curries and some naan. When I was in college Indian food was filling and cheap (for I had no money). For good Indian food full of spice that doesn't break the bank I go to Everest. There is one by Dongdaemun but I found one also by Yeongdeunpo Station. Here I got some awesome chicken masala and palak paneer for only 20,000 won. Not bad and it is a good stop in place.  Everest Restaurant Seoul Yeongdungpo Yeongdungpo 423-103 02-3667-8848 http://everestfood.net/ 공식 Naver Map:  http://map.naver.com/local/siteview.nhn?code=13141669  에베레스트 레스토랑 서울특별시 영등포구 경인로 838-1 서울특별시 영등포구 영등포동 423-103

This is the article that appears in Eloquence Magazine this month on Vegetarians in Seoul. Dan By Daniel Gray with special thanks to Amy Bowler and Kenneth Holman Photos by Daniel Gray Amy Bowler heads the Seoul Veggie Club, which has a very popular Facebook group (type in Seoul Veggie Club) and blog ( http://seoulveggieclub. wordpress.com ). She has been a vegetarian for the last 15 years and she has spent the last of those four years in Korea. Twice a month the group has events. Last month they had a gathering at Everest restaurant in Dongdaemun where I had a chance to talk to Amy about her group and about her life as a vegetarian in Seoul. Dan: So do you find that it is difficult being a vegetarian in Korea? Amy: Oh, absolutely…I am struggling for words that are polite enough to print. It is very, very frustrating. Kimchi is the ubiquitous side dish and it is sort of the idea of ignorance being bliss. You just never know what you're going to get. This is the sort of country whe...

Durga in Seoul: Indian Food Durga and Everest are my go-to places for Indian Food. Ironically, they're not Indian, but Nepalese. Sure there are "authentic" Indian places in the city, but I often feel the flavors there are a bit muddy. Also, overdosing on Indian Buffet is a sure way to make the food less special- especially since when I was a poor college student that's what my friends and I often did. The food at Durga is bright, hearty, and flavorful. The bread seems to be always right out of the oven. You can tell a good naan, if it tears right away and leaves a trail of steam. I have been disappointed by naan in the past to know when the bread is right out of the oven and one that's right out of the microwave (microwaved naan is closer to rubber than bread). I got the Palak and a Spinach Curry (I can't remember which one, but I think it was the Malai Kofta). Both were excellent and we had to order more naan to sop up all the delicious sauce. Tomato ...

Here is a very interesting question and one that I think requires some thought. I know that there are Kosher restaurants in Seoul, but not too many. Also, some of the restaurants such as Indian Restaurants that you would think would be kosher, sometimes are not. Does anyone have any recommendations? Here's the Letter: Mr. Gray: A friend of mine, who is Jewish and Orthodox, will be visiting Seoul on business.  I heard some time ago that a Kosher restaurant had opened in downtown Seoul, but I have not been able to find any description of it online.  Do you know if such a restaurant exists, and if so if it is worth recommending? Sincerely, Joseph Dear Joseph, I know that Sultan Kebab and Petra's in Itaewon are kosher. Dubai and Arabia are kosher as well. I recommend Sultan, Petra's and Dubai. Now, one of my favorite places are the Nepalese places such as Everest and Durgas. Besides that I would recommend the vegetarian places and fish places. Balwoo in In...

Smile for a picture in Korean, and you're likely in for a cultural upshot. One. Two. Three. Kimchi!  In Korea, this ubiquitous fermented cabbage can conjure a native smile faster than any fodder-photo rival. Koreans can smile confidently long after the snapshot, too. This super food is gaining attention for packing one of the healthiest food punches. Kimchi can be found in any restaurant, grocery store and market.  Fridges with delicate temperature dials are dedicated to the sole preservation of this food group. Korean restaurants offer a small heap as a side dish, or as a main entree in kimchi stew or kimchi pancake. Korean is also favored as a topping for western dishes, including pizza and hamburgers. Such proximity accounts for roughly 40 pounds of kimchi consumed by Koreans each year.   Travel north or south in this country, and the kimchi assortments continue to surface in clay pots and crock pots. Kimchi from northern parts of Korea have less...

http://www.everestfood.com/index.htm People have raved about this restaurant for years and I'm going to finally go and check it out on Saturday. I hope it is good. Dan

I recently went over to the new Chakraa restaurant over in Hannamdong. I'm a big fan of Chakraa because they make authentic Indian food. Sure there are quite a few Nepalese restaurants in the city such as Everest, Namaste, and Himalaya and they all serve Indian Curry. These restaurants serve Indian Curry because they realize that it is popular. If you notice on the menu's the authentic Nepalese dishes such as Dal Bhat (Lentils and Rice) and Vegetable Pulao (Vegetable Fried Rice) only have a small section in proportion to the whole menu. If you want authentic Indian food, then there are only a few in the city. In Itaewon there is Agra, Wazwan, Curry Town, Taj Mahal, The Foreign Restaurant, and Chakraa. Over in Hannamdong- if you go down the road from Cheil there is a little curry joint that's way overpriced and with small portions. Over by Myeongdong there is a place...I don't recall the name, but I do remember they served me kimchi with my curry. KIMCHI! Grrrr. In Samch...