Jang-oh: Korean Eel The Korean twist on food is to add lots of little sauces and flavors and wrappings for the delicious grilled meats. I think that's what makes Korean food so comforting. I remember having eel at a Japanese restaurant back in the day and loving it, but each piece had to be savored slowly for after one bite, it was all gone. In Korean you can order a whole eel and they'll nail it to a board, fillet, dress, and broil it to perfection. Freshly grilled eel has a flavor that incomparable- the texture is skin is crispy, yet the flesh is gelatinous. Plus, you can have your eel done with soy, red chili paste, or plain with salt. To make an eel wrap, you get a leaf and top it with some slivers of raw ginger. Then put your piece of eel on that, dip it in the sauce and enjoy. I just found a very good one over at Nagwon-dong. It's called Gohyang. 서울시 종로구 낙원동 94 02-763-3142 Directions: Go out Jongno 3-ga exit 5 and make a right and go down the alley betwe...

You may ask, "Is that Whoopie and Michael Jackson on the wall?" I would have to say, "Why yes it is." If you go out exit 4 of hongdae station and make a right at the corner you will eventually run into Hongik Sutbul Galbi. This is one of the most famous barbecue places in Hongdae. It's famous because the owner is a butcher, so the meat is of top quality. The place is always packed with people for that reason. Here is my friend Basil grilling. This is one of my favorite places to go for meat because I just love the energy and the vibe of the place.

Here is the article I wrote for the Seoul Tourism Website. Please go to this link and leave a comment because they are one of my sponsors. Dan Grilled Australian Beef with Garlic...ymmm... With the numerous Korean barbecue restaurants in Seoul, it might be hard to find one that stands out from the rest. One of my favorites, however, is in Seoul’s Cheongdam-dong neighborhood and they differentiate themselves by offering top quality meat, original menu choices, and dessert. Hwajang Hangogi House is a local favorite and the clientele include many local families that live close by; it’s a meet up for old friends who have been going for years, and it’s a place for foodies looking for a good meal. The restaurant’s name translates to “Beautiful Korean Barbecue House,” but the locals have shortened it to “Hwago Jip.” Rustic Interior with great food. The restaurant’s interior has a traditional feel- rustic walls and straw mats and seat cushions for floor ...

Often, I am asked to give restaurant recommendations in Seoul. I decided to post that information here as well, so you can also find good eats in the city. Chef Anna Kim's friend specifically asked for some Korean Barbecue restaurants, so here is a short list with contact information. Dear 김아나, Here is a list of recommended restaurants for your friend. There are more restaurants on my site www.seouleats.com . Bossam: Gung Jung Bossam has four locations across Seoul, to get to the one featured, take Subway Line 2 to Guro Digital Area, get out exit 3, and walk towards the Colon Science Billie building. Tel: 02.2025.2999 Garmaeggisal at Galmaegi-sal Jeonmun(click on the link for Robyn Lee's Story) I remember that it wasn't far from the Jongno 3-ga stop on the 3 line. Bonga: It's a Korean BBQ with very thinly sliced 우삼겹 (beef with fat layers) and lots of salad and side dishes. The place is called 본가 (Bonga). If you take exit 5 of Hongdae station, turn left before P...

When it gets hot, I like to eat Korean Jang-o. My favorite place is up by Hongdae at a place called Jang-o-rang. I went there like 1 year ago and I think I'll have to go back there soon. Here is a recap of the review: Eel in the City By Daniel Gray Freshwater eel is a summertime specialty. Slowly grilled, the flesh has a marbled quality like a fine rib eye steak, a silky texture that resembles lobster. It melts in your mouth seasoned only with salt, but when lathered with a soy glaze the smell simply wafts up to your hypothalamus and makes itself a permanent fixture. While I was making my excursion to “Jangeorang” in Hongdae, trying to convince my expatriate friends to come join me for grilled eel and soy marinated crab was like trying to pick all the red pepper flakes out of kimchi. When I approached my Korean friends, it was the complete opposite reaction. One of my friends even canceled a date in order to have a meal of eel. This differing reaction made me wonder. Why do some pe...

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살):grilled pork belly. So while I was in Seattle, I was asked by Jonathon Kauffman about samgyeopsal. Now I didn't know that I would be quoted. Thanks Jon! Here's the article and hit the link for the rest. Dan Beyond Bulgogi: Korean Pig Is What’s Worth Eating Leave the beef to barbecue neophytes. By Jonathan Kauffman K oreans believe that if you dream of a pig, you'll get rich in the morning," Dan Gray of the blog Seoul Eats recently told me. Unfortunately, this isn't specific enough to help me interpret my dream journal. Must it be a live pig, or is roast pork sufficiently auspicious? Will grilled pork belly do, or can it be braised pig knuckle? If so, my lottery winnings must be in the mail. Most of the best-known Korean dishes in America contain beef: bulgogi, kalbi (short ribs), japchae, bibimbap, even many kinds of kimbap (Korean sushi) and soondubu (soft-tofu stews). But anyone who thinks kalbi is the ne plus ultra of Korean cuisine should...

This is my article on Don Valley for the Groove. Let me explain a bit about restaurant Introductions. When I do an introduction, I have been invited to the restaurants to write an article about the place. The restaurant will foot the bill, so unless there is something substantially wrong, I will keep my write up very positive. It is more of a descriptive piece of writing, rather than critical. Introductions are not reviews. When I review a place I will anonymously go 2 to 3 times and I or Groove Magazine will foot the bill for the meals. I tend to blend in pretty well so most restaurants don't know what I look like or I have a couple of disguises. So...with that said, here is the restaurant introduction to Don Valley Dan Written by Dan Gray with help from Tracey Stark and Sara Kim When the Tracey, Sara and I were invited to Don Valley for a meal, I was surprised to hear that all 3 of us had not been to this Korean Barbecue Restaurant. I mean it’s not in a hidden away alley. It’s ...

A story told in pictures. Awesome food at a hole in the wall joint. You can see Chef Rachel Yang and Super Foodie Robyn Lee with me. Grilled Pork tastes good. Here is a post that Roboseyo wrote on this place a while back. Dan

So about a week ago I got a message on Facebook from another foodie adoptee that was considering coming to Korea to learn about the culture. So, I gave him some advice about living here and how to get visas, jobs, housing, etc and then we started to talk about food. We decided to meet and so we went up to Hongdae to this Korean 등갈비 (deonggalbi) place called RIB's. It was recommended by a friend of mine and it's over by Seven Springs in Hongdae. If you go out exit 5, make a left. Go straight and then make a right on the road and make a left. Go about a block and then make a left into a little side street. You'll see a sign that says RIB's in big letters. The place isn't fancy. You'll see poloroids of patrons from the past pasted on the walls. You have three choices for meat: plain with salt, spicy, and black pepper. The service is great. They are very friendly and enthusastic about the food. Michael and I got the black pepper and the spicy Ribs. They bring the th...

If you go out exit 2 of Nowon and make a left and down the alley you'll find this amazing Rib's place. No, it's not galbi. What you'll get is ribs right on the bone because that's where all the flavor is. This is my new favorite Korean meal because it appeals to the caveman inside me. I don't think there is anything better than to sit around a glowing charcoal pit while gnawing on meat off the bone. What makes this place stand out is the sauce. They make this amazing smokey tasting BBQ sauce that has some soy sauce, honey, pepper, vinegar, and magic. It's a simple sauce. Its clean taste waltzes with the charcoaled pork flavor. Yummmm.... I can't tell you the name of the place or the number. Just wander around Nowon until you find it. It's around exit 2. Dan