Seoul Eats

Suji's Corned Beef Reuben Sandwich Suji's Restaurant has been on top of the American Cuisine scene in Seoul. They do Brunch, they do Mexican, they do a great burger, and they do Deli meat. Forget the nasty processed Lotte Ham and Spam (I'd rather eat meat rather than processed ears and snouts). Their restaurant makes all of their own corned beef, pastrami, turkey and ham. They even bake all of their bread on premises. It's real homestyle food and it's good. Oh, and those who say that Suji's is too expensive, they dropped their prices by 30% from 1 year ago. It's not that expensive and you get quality food. Here's the contest build and name your own sandwich. Add your entry in the comments section: One 20,000 won Gift Certificate will be given to the best sandwich. One 20,000 won Gift Certificate will be given to the most creative sandwich. Suji's Restaurant will judge the sandwiches Here are your ingredients: Meat:                      

by Lindsey Huster   Tis the season of produce. At every street corner, alleyway, and subway exit, mini-food markets have cropped up overnight (or sometimes just at night). These corners, tables, trucks, and sometimes just blankets, readily displaying ripe produce fit for the picking. While a number of fruits and vegetables seemed to have sprung up recently, most of this produce has only now come into season.   One of the best was to support Korea is to support these local stands and markets. While it may be more convenient to shop at a grocery store, buying your produce through these markets benefits buyers and growers alike.   Fruits and vegetables are the most nutritious for eaters at their seasonal peaks. Although it's possible to buy fruits and vegetables out of season at many grocery stories, they are not nearly as tasty. More importantly, however, fruits and vegetables are the most nutritious when they are in season. Out-of-season produce also tends to be more expensive

PIZZARIUM, NOKSAPYEONG, SEOUL by Kerrie Doerr You can't visit Pizzarium without witnessing one couple taking pictures of their meal. At first glance, one might expect the isolated food photography incident to be the foodie of the pair's blogging adventure. However, a cursory internet search of the place reveals a dearth of articles about the Haebangchon hang-out, leading the investigator to a different line of reasoning. The few articles that do mention the joint are focused on two sole factors: pizza shape and lack of crust. Perhaps these two variables come across as novelty, as pizza in Korea usually comes as a circle laden with twists such as sweet potato wedges, pork donkatsu crust, and fried shrimp embedded in a cheese-filled crust. Pizzarium does have novelty in this aspect, as it shares none of these qualities. More accurately though, if normalcy is a quality that can be ascribed to a food adhering to tradition, Pizzarium is your most regular pizza around. Pizza al

Tighe Kissing the Ice Dear Seoul Eats Readers, A worried mother send me a message and embarrassing photos of her son, because she would really like to encourage her son to eat more. She even sent some photos of her son. Now Ti, lives in Suwon, and according to his Mom, he needs to eat more. Here's what she said, I know he really should follow your blog but I'm just trying to educate myself so I feel like I know something. So far I know Lindsay Huster is from our City- Chicago! He has so much to learn. He's really a fish out of water, and losing a lot of weight! Your post on Indigo- looked good. I can't believe some of the things he's eaten- gag. If you know of anything decent in or near where he is I'd like to pass it on him. He might already know, I mean if he knew the Yum Thai area has more foreigners.... Thanks so much. Hope the cooking classes are going well! Jeannie B  So people in Suwon. I have a proposal. Find Tighe and give him something good to e

The Dragon Hill Lodge on the Yongsan Military Base has some amazing deals on food. You already know about their famous Turkey Dinner. Now they have a Summer Steak and Shrimp Special with a ton of fixings and sides for only $99.95 dollars or W120,000 won. It's enough food for 12 people and all you have to do is fire up the grill and cook the steaks and shrimp. The special is only from June 25- August 15. With a deal this good, it might be wise to get two of them and freeze one stack of steaks. With your meal, you get Macaroni and Cheese, Caesar Salad, Dinner Rolls and their NY Cheesecake (It's good and they even have a deep fried version of it...yum...). Now, the thing is, you have to pick up the food at a military gate. If you ask nicely, they will deliver the food to a gate close to you. For example, if you live in Haebangchon or near Itaewon, you could ask them to deliver to food to gate 3. That's right by the kimchi pots down from Noksopyeong Station Exit 2. Or you

Let's face it. The convenience stores in America and other western countries aren't very convenient. They have so many rules about loitering and stuff. I remember back in Delaware there were many signs that said, "Loitering Not Allowed," "20 minute Parking," etc. Geez...and these stores didn't even have any alcohol. Now in Korea, the convenience stores have everything you could possibility need: snacks, lunchbox meals (called dosiraks), beer, wine, liquor, underwear, tampons, condoms, and even hangover curing drinks called "Condition" drinks. They have tables outside and you are welcome to sit, eat some snacks, and have a beer. It's great and very convenient. I love Korean Convenience Stores! Max Special Hop Pitchers of Beer Here we are at our table beside the GS25 Convenience Store.

Naengmyeon at Pyeongga Oak (평가옥) So how deep does Korean nationalism go? Since the South Korean Navy Boat, sinking, I haven't had trouble getting at seat at my favorite cold noodle house.  Maybe this is a coincidence, but even on the hottest day of summer during peak lunchtime (12-1:30pm). I'm not worried, it's all about taste and this place has amazing food. The name of the restaurant is Pyeongga Oak (평가옥) which is unpronounceable because of the Chinese characters. North Korean Naengmyeon is different from its saltier, chewier, robustier South Korean counterpart; and on a hot humid summer day it tastes so much better. Mountainous North Korea doesn't have the taste for sweet or spicy. The flavors are more subtle with a bit of sour. The vegetables aren't as fermented so they have a fresher crunch and the noodles give when you bite them instead of stretching like taffy (requiring the help of scissors to cut them. These noodles have give and slurping them are e

At a Korean food event that O'ngo Food Communications helped plan and run at the Seoul Park Hyatt , we got to order some of the best Korean liquors to our guests. Yes, soju comes in bottles other than just green. My favorite is Hwayo for it is not as strong as the Andong Soju. The Kanjang Bekseju is kind of like a gin that has oriental herbs and infusions. I highly recommend you try all three. You can get these at the Timberhouse in the Seoul Park Hyatt. Andong Soju Kangjang Bekseju Hwayo Soju

by Klarika Huszar www.helloklara.wordpress.com There is one waffle joint that is my never fail, go-to place for a satisfying waffle. It's the magical sword in my satchel of waffle knowledge. Fog'n Waffel & Coffee has a line outside around the clock, and I've taken many of my friends (both native Korean and American) here for dessert. The waffles are fluffy and filled with a generous amount of airy homemade yogurt cream. This place also has the best combo choices I've seen, offering two different types of filling: Yogurt Cream : Yogurt cream waffle (1,000W), Almond waffle (1,500W), Fresh Fruit waffle (2,000W) Sweet Potato Mousse : Sweet potato mousse waffle (1,500W), Almond waffle with sweet potato mousse (2,000W), Fresh fruit waffle with sweet potato mousse (2,500W) Syrups : Apple, Strawberry, Chocolate If you're overwhelmed by myriad of choices, you can't go wrong for your first time with a plain yogurt waffle. You can pick up a frequent ea

Casse Croute Waffles by Klarika Huszar www.helloklara.wordpress.com You've seen them.  Golden half-circles, half-eaten and gripped in the hand of a rushing subway user, a strolling passerby, shared between the too-sugary mush of a couple. These free advertisements hook you in and, sure,  you want one. But the real question is, WHICH ONE?! But Klarika , you protest, throwing your arms in the air, what's the big deal? It's a waffle with cream in the center, what's it matter where I get it from? Readers. If we were playing Zelda and you had a choice between the wooden sword and the magical sword, there'd be no questions asked, right? Trust me! If you are walking around Sinchon at night, you've probably seen the line at Casse Croute , a waffle and crepe place that has outdoor seating. It's not particularly alluring, and maybe it's only because of the available chairs, but there are usually a number of people outside with waffles in hand to warran

Seoul wants to clean up its streets, and has decided to start with gum chewers. According to an article in the Korea Herald, the city revised ordinances to impose and levy fines of 30,000 to 50,000 won for anyone caught spitting chewing gum on the streets. Under the city's previous ordinance, throwing cigarette butts and litter were punishable with a fine. The "full-fledged crackdown" will begin in September said officials, in time for the Group of Twenty (G-20) meeting scheduled in November. "With citizens' voluntary cooperation with this, we could make a cleaner city," said a city official to the Korea Herald. While it's commendable to spur change, especially in favor of a cleaner environment, these changes should happen without the motivation of a major financial summit. The potential for Seoul to become a cleaner city should occur within the desire of the government and the public. While gum spitting remains focus of this campaign toward

Suji's Restaurant and Bar and Restaurant in Itaewon are serving up some scrumptious deli sandwiches and they have a great Terrace as well. Here are some food porn shots of the food: http://www.seouleats.com/2010/04/brunch-at-sujis-much-better-than-i.html This Friday Night at 7pm let's have a Seoul Eats Meet-up to have dinner. Suji's has been kind enough to give us 2 pitchers of beer for free, now I just need help drinking them. We are going to pay dutch, so you're just liable to pay for your own food. Also, those that think Suji's is too expensive, I learned that they have actually dropped their prices by 30% in the last year, so it's not as expensive as you may think. If you are going to come, please let me know. Also, those that are interested in learning how to cook Korean food, we have a few spots open for our Dakgalbi cooking class on Saturday at 4pm at the Korea House near Chungmoro Station exit 3. If you would like to come, please e-mail me at seoul

Sea Bream Sashimi Not being able to find a restaurant is a good sign, that it is where the locals eat. It's also a good sign for they will not be dumbing down their flavors for tourists. I arrived at this restaurant pretty late at night after 2 other rounds of eating, so it's a blur about exactly where it is but I do recall it's near Sindang Station (Line 2, 6) around exit 9 or 10. You come out of the exit and walk up the road and make a right. It's on that street somewhere. I know if I walked back over there, I'd be able to find it- my stomach is a pretty good compass. Anyway, I picked up a flyer for the place but its for a Dakbal (Chicken Feet Restaurant) so it's near by there (02-2237-9906). Even though the location is a blur, the food is not. We started out with some Sea Bream (Domi) Sashimi and I recall how well cut it was. Cutting fish is a skill and those who can do it well, can slice it swiftly enough to keep the meat turgid- not mushy. This woman h

Lee Jun Ki the famous Ladyboy from the Emperor and the Fool was born in Busan Dear Busanites (people that hail from the Florida of Korea, Busan), I got this letter from a traveler to Korea and I was hoping you could help me out. Any recommendations for eateries down there? I know that the Jagalchi market is the place to go and Heundae Beach has some great crab restaurants. Now are there hidden gems or must eat places down there? Oh, and I've heard about black goat in Busan. Does that exist? Is it good? Please help us out! Dan Here's the letter from Emily. Hi Daniel, I know you're all about the Seoul culinary scene, but I'm emailing you in the off-chance you might have heard of recommendations for restaurants in Busan as well. I'm going on a short vacation there the end of the month, and I'm looking for some recommendations. I'm particularly looking for a nicer happy hour at a hotel or a quiet/romantic dinner with a nice view. I'd lik

From 2010-2015, I worked at O'ngo Food Communications as tour and marketing director. I was recently funded to do a start-up tour and events company by a group of Americans and Koreans ( iFamily ). Our company is focused on offering deep insights and one of a kind experiences. Our food tour service is called Delectable Travels. Right now we are in the development stages but if you would like to inquire about a Korean Food Insights Tour, Ultimate Food Tour, Group Food Tour or other services such as business consulting, please contact me at dnlgray @ gmail dot com Delectable Travels is the startup food tour company which is partnered with iFamily, one of the large wedding and events company in Korea. It is funded via a venture group in America and Korea that believes in the growing popularity in Korean culture and cuisine. The president, Daniel Gray, has years of experience in the tour and video production industry. Before becoming a founding member and the president of

This article was originally supposed to have been published in another publication, but was never released. Hapjeong is still a great place to go.  Mary Jane's bartender/manager, Jake, has left as of this writing. If you didn’t know then you must not be in the know, is what I said to my friend as she told me there was nothing around Hapjeong Station. Maybe she imagined I was taking her to a dark alley instead of a romantic spot to spend a quiet Saturday. Around the outskirts of Hongdae, near Hapjeong Station, is a wealth of hidden eateries, dessert shops, and bars that are so cool that they don't have to brag about it. They simply are. Each time I walk down these streets they seem quite empty: barren. It's chill and relaxed and I don’t have to fight for elbow space among purse-toting guys and their overly-heeled girlfriends. It's what Garaksugil and Samcheongdong were like before the hordes of daters ravaged them. If you head out Hapjeong station exit 6, you’ll have

Last week Michelle and I were invited by Jerry Kim of GSA Public Relations to participate in a temple cuisine cooking class at La Cuisine Cooking Studio. The class was taught by famous Buddhist Monk/Chef Dae-Ahn. Dae-Ahn is a well known specialist in Buddhist Temple Cuisine and I got to meet with her once before when I did a filming special for KBS TV. The class was very informative and the menu for the day was: Burdeok Pancake (우엉전). Mountain Herb Rice (더덕밥) Minari Soup (미나리즙탕) After watching Chef Dae-Ahn demo the dishes, we had the chance to make our own. Ours maybe didn't look or taste as good as what Chef Dae-Ahn made, but it was still good. It was great to learn temple cuisine techniques. Thanks Jerry! Dan Photographs taken by Michelle Min The Cooking Studio at La Cuisine Burdeok Pancake Chef Dae-Ahn

My buddy Zenkimchi was invited to speak at the intellectual forum, TED, and in this video he talks about Korean food and how to promote it overseas. I agree with many of his points and I feel that my work with O'ngo Food Communications has been doing a lot of what Joe is talking about in this video. I feel the best way to get people to enjoy a different culture's cuisine is through experience. Joe, great video. Dan

When it gets hot, I love to eat Konguksu: Chilled Soymilk Noodle Soup. I love the soymilk with the noodles. I love the subtle flavor of the dish for it isn't spicy- which causes you to sweat more- it's the perfect dish to beat the heat. The place I love to go to is over by Hapjeong Station. It's behind the Holt Building. I don't recall the name of it, but I'll have to head over there sometime for I remember they have parboiled potatoes in that dish along with some watermelon. Another safe place to get it is at Myeongdong Gyoja. There they have healthy green noodles. Here's something I wrote on the Kongguksu there a while back: Kongguksu 콩국수: Kongguk is a chilled soy milk noodle soup. Traditionally, it's a refreshingly hearty bowl filled with wheat noodles, soy milk, cucumbers, and ground peanuts. There are variations of this dish. I have had it with watermelon, parboiled potatoes, pear, and various other ingredients. My favorite version can be found at

Food waste habits are hard to break, especially in Korea Growing up in the United States, I know food waste. I am, unfortunately, one of many Americans who throws out on average a pound of day of food. According to the U.N. World Food Programme, the total surplus of U.S. food could satisfy "every empty stomach" in Africa. Although the United Kingdom and Japan also have been ranked as some of the worst food wasters (throwing away 30 to 40 percent of their food each year), South Korea is unfortunately not exempt from this global trend. In Korean restaurants, where a multitude of side dishes accompany most meals, it's not too far-fetched to imagine that there is a nod towards acceptable food waste. According to Stuart Tristram's recent book, Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, wasting food in South Korea is a sign of hospitality and an example of affluence. Eventually, these kind of eating habits began to get noticed. After the Korean government released a re

When Rudy Maxa of Rudy Maxa's World Came to Seoul, the General of Kwangjang market played him a show. This guy has been at the market for many, many years and he always goes around and plays the saxophone. He's a very nice man- possibly a bit off, but very nice.  You can see great characters like him on our Night Dining Tour.

Date: Thursday, June 24, 2010 Time: 7:30pm - 10:30pm Location: O'ngo Cooking Studios, Gangnam   Sign up here on the Facebook Page! Hey all! Booze Bros. is back, and this time, we're doing something a little...different. Are you tired of the beer in Korea? I know I was when I started home-brewing more than a year ago. Since then, I've made a variety of stouts (espresso, chocolate, etc), ales (IPAs and pale ales), and even a mushroom beer! Variety is indeed the spice of life. "Wait, wait, wait.", you maybe saying. "Homebrewing in Korea?" Yes! Not only is it possible, but there's a slow-growing explosion in the number of homebrewers here and the ingredients and tools available. However, Korea's homebrewing scene is extremely new. That's why we've started this class with Daniel Gray's O'ngo Cooking Studio in Gangnam-gu Office. Not only will we teach you how to brew your own fine concoctions, we'll be giving you the

Open Kitchen, High Ceilings Edward Kwon is like Ironman. He's brash, he's rich, he's very outspoken and he is known to over exaggerate. Rumors circulate around this man like a tabloid newspaper under the influence of absinthe.  Now at the end of the day, it's the food that counts. Now, I have to say that the food at Edward Kwon's The Spice lives up to the hype for the price point. You get more than you pay for and the food, I think (but don't tell Mr. Kwon), is a bit under priced for the quality you receive. For example, the Prestige dinner is priced at 39,500 won. With tax and service the meal comes to about 45,000 won for a 4 course meal. In this post, I'm going to focus on the Prestige Dinner - for I feel it's his best course. The concept of "The Spice" seems to be a culinary education. Each plate comes with a confetti of tastes, textures, and worldly ingredients. For example, the first course is: "Foie Gras, Poussin, Pork Bel

On June 26th we have a special cooking class for you, we will be learning how to make Dakgalbi at Korea House . The class starts at 4pm. They have an excellent, modern kitchen and they have been nice enough to allow us to have a cooking class there. The class will be taught by Chef Shawn Park (who was recently picked by Sassy as one of the top 10 handsomest men in Koreaㅋㅋㅋ and he was recently filmed by Food Network Asia). The class will be taught in English and it is open to Koreans and expats that would like to learn how to cook Korean food. The menu will be: Dakgalbi Seasonal Banchan (Salad) Chilled Cucumber Soup Rice and drink (Makgeolli, soft drinks) will be provided. The class will cost 55,000 (including VAT) won per person and this includes a tour of Korea House, Recipe Book, Lesson, and all food. and there are only 20 spots available. If you are interested, please contact Daniel Gray at seouleats@gmail.com or call at 010-6661-7769 to make your reservation. Korea Hous

On Saturday, everyone in Korea will be watching the world cup game. So you are going to have stake out your spot early. Of course you can go to the COEX or to the CGV's (I heard they are doing the games in 3D!). The game will air Saturday, June 12th at 8:30pm. Mass Gatherings in Seoul COEX Mall is going to have a Hyundai-sponsored event. I heard that On-The Borders is going to have giveaway margaritas before the envent. Seoul World Cup Stadium (they will give 4 free tickets per person starting at 9am) Incheon Munhak Stadium Rumors from Davesesl that City Hall Event is canceled, but I don't have a confirmation on this. Here's a list from the Yeogiyo Ttukseom: The riverside stage at Ttukseom can hold 5,000 people and will host a World Cup cheering festival/viewing party with celebratory performances…including some famous singers. Seoul Racecourse Park – This Park, in Gwacheon, hosts an outdoor viewing party with one of the finest high definition displays in

/Oh, yeah. this is a restaurant review site. I should recommend places for you to go eat. /Last night I went to Yum Thai for the second time this week and it was just as delicious as ever. Excellent Som Tam and the Duck Curry was epic. Right now they have a Chang Beer Special: Buy 2 and get one free. /Danny b went to Dong-in-Dong for intense Braised Spicy Garlic Beef . He said it was just as good as ever. /Edward Kwon's the Spice in Hangangjin is definitely worth it. I recommend the Prestige Dinner Course. Review is coming soon. /I went to Cafe JeJe over the weekend. It's in Haebangchon up the street from Kobawoo Supermarket. Excellent espresso there. The barista has mad skills and the atmosphere is quite nice. 02-749-1002. /Rudy Maxa was here last week and he went to Suji's restaurant twice for the pastrami and corned beef sandwiches. I had a chance to meet Rudy and I will be in a forthcoming episode on Seoul. /I visited Mary Jane over in Hapjeong . I found ou

Seoul summers make for the hottest and stickiest days. Flushed cheeks, constant sweating and balmy humidity are a few of the understood conditions that accompany these sunny days. Such weather begs for drastic measures: full blast air conditioners, portable fanning devices, and most importantly, a dessert that will cool your taste buds and  spark (momentary)  feelings gratitude for summer days. Finding the perfect summer dessert proves to be a difficult challenge. The treat must be sweet, but not sugary. It has to be in the ice-cream variety, but ideally will not pack on the calories and fat that comes with such desired desserts. Thankfully, I stumbled into my first Red Mango experience last week. Although I am usually cautious when it comes to fro-yo (usually opting for sweeter treats), I decided to try this to appease my friends I was dining with that evening. The end result was life-altering. I am now, once an lifetime ice cream consumer, transformed into a healthy fro-you a

木苺ワイン （ボクブンジャ） 韓国の クロミキイチゴ から作られた甘い木苺ワイン。 ボクブンジャの意味は‘サッとひっくり返るしびん’理由は、 精力と力を高められると信じられています。 甘い、飲み物、酒   アドング黒い鶏 （アンドンチムタク） 辛口醤油で、じっくり蒸し煮にしたまるごと一個の鶏肉に、 野菜と春雨を添え、 辛口、汁・シッチュ、前菜、鶏肉。  

I love Thai Food and the only good place to get it is at Yum Thai near Sinsa Station. I was just there on Sunday Night, but all that did was make me want more. Here are all my various posts on Yum Thai: http://www.seouleats.com/search?q=yum+thai I get off work late that night (I'm preparing a beer making class) so I was thinking we should meet up at 9pm for beers and some Thai food. You can get to Yum Thai by following these instructions: YUM THAI 02-594-7988 Go out Sinsa Station Exit 1 and walk straight for about 3 minutes. Across from J-Tower. The best Thai restaurant in the city. E-mail me at seouleats@gmail.com to let me know you are coming or not. We'll just split up the bill after people eat or you can go dutch. Cheers, Daniel Gray

Yes, readers, I am an Appleholic. I have 2 iPods, 1 iPod touch, an iMac, and a MacBook Pro. In the past i have owned an iBook and the older version of the MacBook Pro. Oh, and I have owned many shares of Apple stock since 2005 which have helped me purchase more Apple products. The one thing I don't have is the iPhone. Yesterday, I was in an Apple store and I was peering into the display because I was just about to purchase the iPhone 3GS. Why did I stop? I mean I had the money and my current cellphone has been driving mr crazy for sometime( do not buy LG cyon's viewty phone!). Yesterday, I forgot my Korean foreigner ID card. I was just about to sign a two year contract for the phone when the salesperson asked me for it. I told him I didn't have it. Now, the salesperson: Yoon, was being a bit pushy and he said he didn't need it and started to tap things into his computer and make a few calls. It was taking a while and I had an appointment, so I to

Corn Sandwich from 7-11 Here's the stuff Look at those luscious chunks of corn Jack is a genetics professor and while he was in Seoul for a conference, he decided to go on one of our Night Dining Tours. After the tour, we went to the 7-11 to get some ice cream (Jack loves ice cream). So here he is talking about his experience with a corn ice cream sandwich that has chunks of corn. Yum.   http://www.seouleats.com/p/korean-night-dining-tour.html ,