Seoul Eats

Balwoo Gosang These are some shots from my visit to Gosang. You can look for my review in the August Seoul Magazine. Now this restaurant is different from Balwoo Gongyang. The original can be found here at www.baru.or.kr Dan Gosang www.baru-gosang.com 02-6030-8995 서울 중구 수하동 67 센터원 빌딩 B2F

Spicy Galbijjim at Bujagalbi My regular haunts in Korea seem to be split these days in the Jongno area and the Itaewon area because of my work and home- both areas are quite good for food. The other night I was in the mood for Kamjatang, but...one of my friends had an issue with sitting on the floor so we decided to check out this spicy galbijjim place I had been eying for a while. The place is right out Jongno 3-ga Station exit 2-1, so not far from my work. The interior is just regular. I think there were tacky Christmas lights hanging and the place had a few ajossis and ajummas having some food with soju- a pretty laid back place. We ordered the Spicy Galbijjim and it came out pretty fast. The tender pieces of meat were tender on the bone and it sat in a blood red broth. In the broth was also some sweet potato noodles, rice cake, mushrooms and some minari (edible chrysanthemum).  The food was spicy. Really spicy. Now, not spicy and flavorful and not spicy right up fr...

Ippudo Ramen, Japan Ippudo Ramen Ippudo Ramen is well known for being one of the top ramen shops in Japan. The noodles are slick and firm, the broth is salty and savory, the vegetables are crunchy and soft- it is simply a harmonious state of being- just one step in any direction could ruin the dish. The chefs know how to tread that line and they put out a consistent product every time.  Actually, I noticed while I was here that there is a ramen shop in Hongdae that I had rated number one. I noticed that that shop basically stole the concept (and the recipe from Ippudo). The one major difference is the noodles- Ippudo's noodles are much more refined. Excellent place. I recommend you check it out if you are in Japan.  www.ippudo.com Ippudo Ramen Japan Ippudo Ramen Japan Ippudo Ramen Japan

Cappuccino at Aa Design Museum It is tough to survive in Korea as a cafe. Especially when a few cafes set the bar so high. Aa Design Museum started the whole trendy coffee/ furniture/ fashion space years ago in Hongdae (A s seen here ). Then they decided to start another one over by Samcheongdong and its concept is just as sleek and stylish as the previous one. The best new addition is the outdoor BBQ so you can have your wine or coffee with some freshly grilled meat. The space is stylishly decorated with many authentic designer furniture, lamps, and other collectables. It's sort of a hodgepodge, but all of it works in this space- obviously, the designer has a discerning eye. Now the cappuccino was topped with high with a dry foam and that foam was decorated in leaves made from the espresso. Not only was it pretty, it also tasted pretty good. I recommend you check out this space. They have a light food menu, wine, coffee, beer and an awesome space. Rating 2 out of 4 Stars aA...

Here is an e-mail I got from a guest that was in Korea to adopt a Korean baby. They had joined our food tour and they were really wonderful guests. It was great meeting you all! Dan Hi Dan, Stacie, Evan and I (along with new baby Leah) are back in U.S.  We wanted to say again what a great time we had on the night time foodie tour. Thanks, Mark P.S. Attached is a pic of Evan on the tour as well as a pic with us and Leah.

Originally published in the June Edition of Seoul Magazine. Reprinted with Permission. The Gyeongnidan area is one of the hottest places for food thanks to the rise of young entrepreneurs that are focused on taste rather than slippery dreams of franchising. If you are tired of the Itaewon food scene, head out Noksapyeong Station (Line 9) exit 2 and cross to the other side of the street. Here are a list of some of my favorite new establishments. Stop #1: Chan Bros. Coffee Hands down, the best cappuccino I have had in Seoul. The espresso is perfectly pulled from the precise La Marzocco Machine and the milk is gently frothed to create sweet micro-bubbles of moist foam. Chans Bros Coffee Price: 4,000 070-8863-6353 Stop #2: Trevia Pizza di Roma Hand-pulled pizza dough that goes through a baking and then a toasting process to create a snappy crust. They don't skimp on the toppings here. My favorite is the cheese-less Siciliana topped with tomato sauce, fruit capers, anchovie...

This is a class that we've had a number of requests for. After working on the recipe for a long time, we finally have one that tastes great. So on July 9th we'll have an Andong Jjimdak Cooking class. Our Saturday Classes are designed for those looking for more interesting Korean dishes and those that are currently living in Korea. On Saturday, they are priced at only 55,000 won per session. ($50 USD). If you are interested in signing up, please contact us at ongofood@ongofood.com or fill out our reservation form here: http://www.ongofood.com/?page_id=19 July 9: Andong Jjimdak and Banchan July 16: Kimchi Fried Rice, Korean Soy Sauce Pickles made with Cucumber and Onion July 23: 3 Types of Panfried Pancakes: Chive, Chili Paste, Potatoe, Sujeongwa (Persimmon and Cinnamon Punch). For this class you need to bring your own bottle so you can take your drink home with you. August 13: Marinated Galbi and Chive Salad August 20: Vegan Doenjang Chiggae and Pan-fried Burdak with Ch...

Here is an interesting post my friend sent me over. It was published in the Joongahn a while back. The gist of the story is that single men tend to hang out at nice restaurants, instead you'll find them at your regular, greasy BBQ house. Dan Greasy ribs and soju: Food for shy men November 03, 2005 When a group of single women get together in Korea, the conversation naturally boils down to one thing ― where do the nice single men hang out? A friend once noted that the only handsome single men she glimpses are in cars, driving away. This is true in a sense. The traffic lanes for single men and women in Korea don’t always merge. For example, you don’t see men and their buddies hanging out in the posh restaurants where women hang out with their girlfriends. And they never go to movies with other men either. I took an informal survey of male friends, and most agreed that they would never do so, even to see a great film. They would rather download it online and watch it at ho...

Sosun and Jihyun The other night I was at Beodul Yeeyagee in Itaewon to have some spicy seafood tteokbokki to celebrate my friend, Sosun, passing her CPA exam.  To celebrate we had shots of soju mixed with peach and pineapple juice. It was a good time with good friends. Beodulgol Yeeyagi Itaewon Korean Dining Bar 02-797-0167 Directions: Go out Itaewon Station Exit 4 and make a U-turn and make a right. At the first street at Chef Meili's make a right and walk to the bottom of the hill. You'll see a tent outside.

Tomato Cheese Tart I know, this might sound weird, but this is a tomato cheese tart. It's on a thick crust with a cream cheese like filling topped with glazed and skinned cherry tomatoes. So how did it taste? Actually quite good. It was hard for me to initially wrap my head around the idea of tomato, but it tasted good. I mean tomatoes are fruit after all. Dan

Catherine at from Women and Wine Two things I really like: Women and Wine resumed their meetups after a long hiatus. Led by the ebullient, Catherine, the meeting on Wednesday night was attended by about 20 people. Everyone brought bottles of wine to share- some brought 2 or 3 (thank you Cidi). The food was excellent as we ordered almost everything off the Macaroni Market menu.  I ordered the Petite Charcuterie and the Gambas with Chorizo which paired well with the wine. Throughout the meal we had frites and baguettes. Macaroni Market has a French concept at the moment and it has a pretty impressive menu. You can get the classics like Salade Nicoise, Quiche Lorraine, Escargot, and they also have an impressive grilled menu with Lamb, steak and Chateaubriand. From what I was able to taste, I appreciate the use of high quality ingredients. It's not 100% French, but they do follow the French approach to food and ingredients. I highly recommend the desserts at Macaroni Market. The C...

Cheonggukjang for Breakfast I am at O'mori Kimchi Chiggae and I am having cheonggukjang for breakfast. The beans in the soup are a bit pungent like natto. It tastes like navy bean soup that has some bleu cheese melted in. With all the side dishes it is the breakfast of champions.

Balsamic Brushetta at TAF Foodie Meetup at TAF with Joe Mcpherson and Sarah Lee Warmed Spinach Dip My life is pretty good most of the time- especially when I get invited by restaurants to come eat. TAF or Total Art Festival is a nice little cafe with good food over by Sinchon Station. I was invited to come by the owner Dori Lee and when I arrived I was surprised to see a few other food bloggers. Sarah Lee of Seoulinthecity.com  and the Might Joe McPherson of Zenkimchi.com  were already there. As we talked about our foodie lives, Dori and her staff prepared a tasting of their menu.  First came the warmed spinach dip. Quite nice with crunchy walnuts on top. The dip was cheesy and had good flavor. They went well with the nachos, but I think I would have preferred a pita or some flat bread. Next came a curried spinach salad over steamed pumpkin. Excellent presentation and I loved the earl grey soaked raisins in the dish. It paired well with the pumpkin. The last ...

Daechu Tomatoes They call cherry tomatoes, daechu tomatoes here. I like to snack on them at night.

Halmoni Calguksu My adopted granny over at Halmoni Calguksu knows how to cool me off in the summer time. As you might know, one of my favorite dishes in Korea is Kongguksu. Here they only make it when it turns summer. The noodles are chewy, the cucumbers crisp, but the star of the show is the freshly ground soy milk that is slightly and luscious like liquid velvet. It has a hint of ground peanuts and sesame seeds. Sprinkle a bit of salt on your dish to bring out the flavor. Delicious. 2 Stars out of 4 The place is located in the alleys outside of Jongno 3-ga (Line 5) exit 6. Kongguksu

Hyatt Regency Summertime Barbecue The last LTB ( Les Toques Blanc, Korea's International Chef's Association ) was at the Incheon Hyatt Regency Hotel at Incheon. It was a famous meeting with amazing food. We had a tasting of their summertime garden barbecue. It was a variety of barbecued ribs, salmon, steaks, chicken and much more. There was also a smoker that made some smoked sea bass. They also had an assortment of sauces such as demi-glaces, mustards, salsas, and gravies to dress your meat. Inside they had salads and cheeses (I totally pigged out on all their cheeses). The most interesting plate they had has the smoked shark meat. I can't say my favorite, but it was there. The barbecue is totally worth the drive to Incheon, or if you are on a layover, I suggest you check it out. Get more information on their Garden BBQ here:  http://www.hyattregencyincheon.com/upfile/HyattRegencyIncheon_2011_Summer_Package.pdf