Seoul Eats

Alien's Baked Goods! I love presents (readers please send me some). Technically, this wasn't a present, but at the Vegan Bake Sale at Suji's Restaurant I donated 27,000 won towards the cause and I got a gift set in return from Mipa of Alien's Bake Shop . I did this "Omakasi" style, so I asked Mipa to surprise me and surprise me she did. I got a loaf of delicious pumpkin bread and out of this world banana bread. I also got a couple of macaroons, tropical fruit biscotti, and an orange walnut brownie- oh, my goodness, delicious. I highly recommend you place an order with her. Perhaps you can surprise a vegan friend with a gift. Dan Alien's Baked Goods Orange Walnut Brownie

My Dad I get my work ethnic from my Mom and Dad. My Dad was the guy that would work 60 hours a week at his company and still be up at 6am on Saturday morning to work on the yard. We had the best maintained yard in our neighborhood. I tried to get up and join him but I really liked sleep and Saturday Morning cartoons. I think I probably complained most of the time outside when I was younger, but now I miss it. It would be nice to wake up in the morning and work with nature. I wish I wasn't so prissy back then. I was always worried about bugs and dog poop and dirt. I also get my sense of adventure from my Dad. My father was born to hard working farmers in Tennessee and he worked his way through school and later joined the military where he traveled to Vietnam. He was a Green Beret Communication's expert and he has seen stuff many would never see. His nickname in the military was "Geek" and he has survived some of the toughest terrain known to man. He would joke

Cheryl Jennings and me Cheryl Jennings and Chef Hyejin I am starting to think that our company is onto something with this whole culinary tourism thing. Our company is growing quickly and we are getting quite a bit of press. Journalists are people and (luckily) they have to eat like everyone else. They have been joining our tours and asking for our cooking classes for stories to do on Seoul. Last month we were asked by Greg Derego if they could feature us in a story for ABC7 San Francisco.   San Francisco is a favorite city of mine so our team was delighted to host them. Emmy award winning journalist, Cheryl Jennings, her husband, and Greg's wife joined us for a Kimchi and Bulgogi cooking class and our night dining tour. I would like to thank them for contacting us and I can't wait to see the footage. My friends in San Fran, let us know when it airs! Dan The Man with the Plan, Producer Greg Derego Our Night Dining Tour Guests Filming at Kwangjang Market

Writen by the itinellate Inglish Teechr Coffee Chu Coffee Chu Wenever I feal blu I go to Cofee Chu to have meself a coppee and a Churrro from Coppi Chu. THey have themselves de best chorros in Soul or at leest I think so. Eberything is maed flesh on site soe the chullos out of the flyer tase fruffy and sabory. I rekcommend there mud shouwer cause they taste good. Thee tastee moch gooder then ones flom not good plases becuaese they are made flesh. Flshe is gooder then not flesh because flseh ees always goodiest. There cofpi is jost ok, so I rcokeommend their chorlos onry. Eef u get somthing else nd it's not goood, Than it is not my falt.  Thee inteerior is baeutifull nd haas a mery-go-around whorse. Eet rearry sets de room right. Thes cafe ees a poplar plase for celebrityes cause dee design is funner. Eets lokated near Hanganjin station exit 2, paste the Volkswagon dealrship on the lef. Reckommended Coffee Chu Yongsan-gu, Hannam-dong 682-10 02-790-6821

Written by Daniel Gray Picture from various sources. Click on the pictures to find the source Korean Food in Hawaii With all this talk about "globalizing Korean cuisine" I think that we need to give props to those that are already doing it their own way. These Korean chefs are striking out on their own and localizing the food or promoting dishes that the locals already find appealing. One of my guests called me the "Taste Whisperer" because before I start the tour I ask food related questions and try to find the taste that people are searching for. I do that or I try and pick dishes that are exciting and delicious for them. Now each guest is different and it is a kind of a game for me to try and pick dishes that will excite them. The last few months have been fun because we have been getting a number of Hawaiian visitors on our tours (I don't know who has been recommending us, but thank you!). These guests had tried Korean food- or they thought. They ev

Written and Photographed by Troy Zitzelberger M Burger Itaewon For weeks now I have been searching for a real burger. I have been looking for something juicy and delicious instead of these bland overly sauced burgers that lack bite.  When a new burger joint opens I am always a bit critical, but on a stroll on a glorious Seoul afternoon I stumbled upon M-Burger. It is located where the old Fat Panda Chinese takeout place used to be.  Now you may be wondering; what does the M stand for? Massive, monstrous, mars, miscellaneous, mamacita, or perhaps mashisoyo: honestly, I have no idea. M Burger Itaewon But however you decide to spin it, the burger that I ate was all of those things and more gently placed in a bun: with two wooden spikes holding it together. After sitting down on the veranda, we were greeted by the owner Michael, a kind and ambitious LA native. His menu is creative and exciting. I was particularly drawn to the Juicy Luicy: a burger stuffed with cheese in the cen

Itaewon Egyptian Sandwiches Written and Photographed by Troy Zitzelberger Nestled in the heart of Itaewon, right outside of Spy Club, this is possibly the only food cart in all of Seoul with Egyptian food on the menu. After one of my late nights, having already consumed a burger earlier in the day, I decided to try something new. And as luck would have it, I stumbled upon a late night eatery that I had never seen before. I approached the counter interested in what exactly an “Egyptian Sandwich” consisted of. It turns out that it’s pretty much a doner on a roll. There was chicken, beef, vegetable and lamb to please my heart’s desire. Sitting behind the grill was a very humble and friendly Egyptian man, Ali. The smile on his face may have been attributed to the fact that he was busy; all the seats were taken. I ordered the Egyptian lamb and sandwich and I was happy to see it came fully loaded. The meat was piled high and mixed with onions and mushrooms while the roll was lathe

Wow! We have a blurb in BBC's Olive Magazine as the place to cook or to take a dining tour in Seoul. Thanks Marina for the mention. Dan

I did a food tour in Hongdae last night and I was just happening to pass by Hongdae Park when an impromptu drum line just exploded. It was awesome! I just love the big guy to the left with the sunglasses: he has so much energy that he looks like the world could explode any second! Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Pictures are taken either with my Panasonic DMC-G2 Camera with 20mm Lens or with my iPhone 4G Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.

There a great number of great entries for the Ashley Cheeseman Oktoberfest contest. I think it was a very difficult decision for Mr. Cheeseman to pick a winner (I'm sure he pondered this over a great many number of beers. And the Winner for a pair of tickets to the Oktoberfest party on September 23rd-24th as chosen by Mr. Cheeseman is... Eastmeetsmacon with his acrostic for beer!  B is for "Bring me a pint of your best."  E is "Enjoy every gulp to the last."  E is for "Empty - oh say it ain't so."  R is "Refill - I'm not ready to go." Everyone thank you so much for participating! There are still a few tickets available so don't fret. This year's event   will be taking place on September 23rd and 24th. The doors will open at 6pm and the midnight oil will be burned well until 1 am. Tickets for Friday or Saturday night can be purchased in advance for ₩ 120,000 or you can take a risk and purchase them at the door

I was running last week and I fell after doing a Rocky Balboa reenactment going up some stairs. The first thing that ran through my head was, "damn! Crap! Oh, no! Sh!+, Sh!+,Sh!+,Sh!+"then it was, "Is it broken? Will my warranty cover it? Can I lose it and get it replaced? Oh, how will I function without my precious,,, Sigh... it's a shame but I should not have been so shallow. My first concern should have been my body. I should have been thinking, "Am I hurt? Is anything broken?" As long as I am healthy I can buy more iPhones or just get it replaced. But before this I should have had the foresight to not to have gone running at night without my glasses (I am blind without them) and then I shouldn't have tried to be Rocky Balboa. I am not Rocky Balboa, not even close. I am lucky I didn't break my ankle or worse because then I would be in real trouble- not just for myself but for my company, friends, and family. Yeah, not very smart. I have no one t

Originally published in the July Issue of Seoul Magazine Mama African Mama African: Spicy Meat Stew with Yam The restaurant invites you in with a royal blue sign in yellow script and the place has an American cowboy parlor feel with their wood panel walls and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The customers inside are boisterous and upbeat as they let off some steam from their long day. Entering the restaurant, we got a few odd looks but the music and the conversation kept flowing. Nigerian cuisine often has yams, cassava, plantains, rice, and meat and fish curry-like stews. The food is also very fun to eat since you make a little shovel from the steamed, white, pounded yam and use it to dip into the dishes. I recommend you try the egwusi stew that is made from ground melon seeds that give this dish a tapioca-like texture. It is a yellow curry-like stew that has some meat and fish. The sharp taste of the green leaves balances out the savory taste of this dish.  I al

Here is your North Korean Ray of Sunshine Today. It is an amazing video and I love the song that accompanies it. Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Pictures are taken either with my Panasonic DMC-G2 Camera with 20mm Lens or with my iPhone 4G Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.

Maple Tree House Itaewon This place on a Friday night is packed with a mixed crowd of Koreans and International people. The interior design is great. It feels open for the walls are trees that are some what opened and the copper exhaust suckers that hang from the ceiling adds class. The menu is reasonable, not cheap, but for an upscale BBQ restaurant it is ok. Hanwoo grade 1++ starts at 35,500 and American USDA Prime starts at 31,000 won (10% VAT not included).  There is Woo Sam Gyup which is supposed to be a "beef bacon" and they have marinated short ribs (which I was warned against by a fellow foodie). Besides abeef they have Jeju Black Pork (15,500) and Chilean jowl, loin cap and pork belly (all 11,000 won). There is also wine on the menu. A bottle of Blue Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is 30,000 won and they also have Lou's No. 1. Of the list the Dona Javiera Carmenere looks most enticing (33,000). I was able to study the menu closely for my friends were late. I have

By Christine Park D-Cube City Lightning fast isn't that much of an exaggeration when describing how most things get done in Seoul. For the 10 million highly-wired, digitally connected and rigorously educated inhabitants of this frenetic metropolis, breakneck pace is the daily norm. Seoul doesn't slow down for anyone, but this is probably why a war-torn Korea was able to pick itself up and become a global powerhouse in a matter of a few decades. Amidst the buzz of its cutting-edge IT developments, streamlined railways, or high-rise skyscrapers, it's hard to imagine today that Korea lived in sub-Saharan levels of poverty only a short while ago. In search of ever faster ways to expedite processes and save time, Koreans are turning eagerly to one-stop multi-purpose complexes that combine department stores, supermarkets, bookstores, restaurants and theaters. Imagine being able to eat, shop, read, work, attend a concert, try hundreds of different street foods from all

Here is my good friend and business partner, Jia Choi and she is making Sundubu, which is one of my favorite Korean dishes. She has lots of great tricks and gives you culture insight while you learn how to make this a very delicious tasting dish. The video was shot by John and David from the new online video service, PSeight. You can see their website here http://www.pseight.com/ . If you see more great videos on their website. There will be more videos coming up featuring Chef Jia Choi PhD. You can take classes with Jia at our cooking school at www.ongofood.com Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Pictures are taken either with my Panasonic DMC-G2 Camera with 20mm Lens or with my iPhone 4G Join the Seoul Eats Facebook Group Page to keep to date with the latest events.

Written and Photographed by Troy Zitzelsberger Ankara Picnic The first few times I walked by Ankara Picnic, I might have well have been blind. The size of this restaurant gives a whole new meaning to the term hole in the wall. If not for the long line I never would have known of its existence. There are only 6 stools so it’s basically standing room only, a Turkish flag on the wall, and the counter.   I found the simplicity of the establishment a relief; in my mind it means the focus is where it should be, on the food. At this point on my journey to find Kebab stardom, I have tried most of the establishments so my taste buds know what they are seeking: and I am happy to say they finally found it here.  The only thing more simple then the décor is the menu; chicken kebab (₩ 4,000), lamb kebab (₩4,000), or mixed (₩ 5,000). The price is right, so how about the food. I ordered one of each. The first thing I noticed was that this is the only kebab establishment that puts th

Come to Suji's to our Vegan Bake Sale. We have amazing baked goods from Mipa from Alien's Bake Shop, Saehee from Vegan Beats and a number of other bakers. All profits will be donated to benefit the Horn of Africa. Location: Itaewon 1(il)-dong,Seoul,South Korea

Ashley Cheesemen of Grand Hilton's Oktoberfest Written and Photographed by Troy Zitzelsberger OKTOBERFEST!!! Grand Hilton Seoul September 23rd & the 24th. “Ein, zwei, zuffa…,” the Grand Hilton will be satisfying the hearts and livers of Seoulites once again with its annual Oktoberfest celebration. The policy of go big or go home is in full affect this year as the Grand Hilton has decided to go no holds barred. They’re bringing back a blast from the past with all your Deutsch favorites from last year along with some new surprises that will be aiming to please. This past week I was lucky enough to sit down and have a lovely discussion about all things German with the man in charge, the executive assistant manager, Mr. Ashley Cheesemen. Hailing from England and having worked in the restaurant business since he "was a wee lad," Mr. Cheesemen has led a fascinating life. He studied the culinary arts and truly perfected his craft while living in Switzerland. He