It was another great weekend of friends and food. My good friend Suji of Suji's Restaurant was back in town and what that generally means is that we have a lot of fun. Saturday morning started with a kimchi and bulgogi class in the morning and after cleaning up (strangely, I am back to washing dishes even though I now am a business owner). Lunch was at a Korean restaurant we were testing out for our taste tour and at night we had another Night Dining Tour. One couple on the tour were adopting Korean kids so I really wanted to meet them. We get a lot of people on the tours of people that are in Korea to adopt Korean babies and I am always very happy to meet them. It makes me imagine what my parents were when they were thinking about adopting me and my sister.  After taking them to my favorite makgeolli place, I had to rush off to meet Suji. We were scheduled to go to Patrick and Emerson's going away party on the embassy compound. I got to meet them while I was working with Am...

THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED Memphis BBQ's 4-Hour Smoked Ribs in Bangbae, Seoul, Korea Recently, I was invited by Danner to enjoy some authentic, Memphis-style BBQ Ribs at his restaurant in Bangbae: MKB: Memphis King Barbecue. The idea of eating real memphis barbecue was invitation enough and I headed over there with a few friends for a meal. The atmosphere is nothing special, but it is bright and clean. We were greeted by the owner, Danner and he told us a bit about the restaurant. He said that he and his parents started the place back in July and their goal was to bring Memphis-style Pork Ribs to Koreans. These ribs are imported from Memphis Tennessee after they are smoked for 4 hours and coated in a rich bbq sauce. The ribs are humongous, meaty, and the meat was fall off the bone tender. A full rack of ribs with crispy shoestring fries and slaw is only 25,000 won! Seriously, they are enough for 3 people and with beer, it is a wonderful night out. They also have a great c...

Physical Pizza Networking Theory This is a pizza that would be right out of Austin Power's if Mini-me sat on the face of Doctor Evil. It's a giant pizza topped with a variety of different pizzas: Hawaiian, vegan, meat lovers, pesto nut, etc. It's truly a work of art by John Riepenhoff. Via Gizmodo

So another weekend done and done. I spent the weekend giving culinary tours and cooking classes, so I got the check out quite a few places to eat. I ate a ton of Korean food this weekend and I spent Sunday fasting. My stomach needed a break and it's what I used fast once a week in the past. Oh, it's really not that bad and it really helps you appreciate food more. Anyway, I wanted to tell you some of the best plates that I've had recently, I would recommend you go get them yourself. 1. A Turkey Club Sandwich from Suji's Restaurant in Itaewon. Oh, it's good that I think one day, that I'll write an ode about it. Look at all the luscious bits of turkey there. It's so good and they make the turkey and the bread in house. Yummmmmy. 2. The Vietnamese Rice Paper Wrap Sets at Rau Rau I love Vietnamese food and this place has a vast array of vegetables to make your own Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls. We're talking argula, cilantro, peppers, sprouts, roaste...

Each Meal at Star Chef starts out with a bowl of broccoli with bits of caramelly garlic. The radiant green will prepare your eyes and stomach for the feast ahead. Star Chef is a place I go to to indulge in gastronomic wonders. I mean the menu hasn't changed in a long time, but it's nice to know that you can get great food in the city. The wine menu is something that needs some work. There aren't many exceptional bottles on the menu. Since we were going to have the whole trout tonight, we first went with a reisling. It really couldn't hold up to the spice. I recommend a cocktail or a beer instead. The wine is what it is. Here is the mushroom and beef salad. It is a humongous salad- easily enough to feed two people till they are full. The slightly citrus and creamy notes of the dressing paired well with the savory, grilled morsels of beef. The mushrooms added a earthy note too the dish. The whole cloves of roasted garlic really stand out here. There was one slight problem...

It's Naked Time in Itaewon By Jenny Cleary www.foodcoma911.blogspot.com A recent addition to the Itaewon neighborhood is Naked Bar and Grill (Naked) that has the same great comfort food, but with a different vibe than its sister restaurant, the Naked Grill in Hannam-dong. Naked is meant for those cool evenings, when you seek a more intimate atmosphere to enjoy your burgers and fries with a drink or two. The contrasting rich purple hues and sleek chrome make this loungy restaurant retroglam, yet relaxing. Naked is the perfect place to wind down and sink in to before going home. Their extensive food menu allows you to save or splurge. Naked stays true to their original menu of burgers, tacos, and sandwiches, but also adds more sophisticated fare like pasta, steak, and seafood. For those craving for a surf and turf meal, Naked has the answer. Their 38,000 won Naked Grill Platter beautifully combines elements of land and sea. It consists of a 150g tenderloin, two scallops, a...

It's a bongo truck (flat-bed truck) turned into a DJ Booth and stage. Cobb Chicken Salad with homemade Ranch Dressing. Spicy Chicken Sandwich...a bit too expensive (around 12,000), but the fries are good. I recommend his taco and burrito offerings. It's a parking lot that has been converted into a dance club. The owner Johnny was the guy who used to drive around in that big old yellow taco truck. He's gone inside now. There is a great take-out place up by Hannam and there is a new joint next to B(one) in Itaewon. Good food, at decent prices. I recommend his burgers and his cobb salad sandwich. Dan

This arrived in my inbox today. It sounds pretty interesting. Dan Greetings;  You might find this interesting..... Chef Garrett For Immediate Release Sunday, October 18, 2009 Flu Fighting Cookies Ruby Edwards' TARTINE Bakery & Cafe 119-15 Itaewondong, Yongsangu Seoul , South Korea [Republic of] Contact: Lee, Young-Ho, Co-Owner 02-3785-3400    -  010-4186-2051 contact@tartine.co.kr Flu Fighting Cookies Kimche and Samgatong as a main course might help fight influenza, but what about dessert?  Now you can have it all. Chef D.Garrett Edwards -Executive Chef and Co-Owner of TARTINE Bakery & Café, was trying to develop a whole grain cookie that would be both healthful and delicious.  Chef Garrett wanted the texture to be just right, full bodied from the whole grains, seeds, dried cranberries and toasted pecans; and still retain enough moisture to add a softness. While researching the nutritional values of each ingredient, Chef Ga...

If every time you ate it was a gastronomic, tongue enlightening experience, then food wouldn't be special. Special would simply be mundane. Now I don't have anything exceptionally good or bad to say about Manna Teriyaki. All I can say is that it has a convenient location (near gyeongmidan and down from Taco Taco, Chili Chili); it is decently priced (6,500 to 9,900 won); the place is clean, the service is fast, and the food is well prepared. It's a place to go for a quiet lunch or simple dinner. Sorry, but Dongkas are nothing new to Seoul and it is a staple for many people in the city. Now I will say that what makes Manna Teriyaki stand out is their skill in preparation and their food quality. Their Chicken Katsu (7,000 won) has a crispy crust and the meat is moist. The dish came is a subtle, slightly tart teriyaki sauce for dipping. Another time, I ordered the Tuna Teriyaki (8,500). I thought I would get a thin cut of tuna, but I got a steak that had a crispy exterior a...

Now a Quiznos Here is an article I wrote for the Groove Magazine this month on the H-Diner. These series of articles are called introductions because the restaurant contacted the magazine and invited us to the restaurant. So how do I feel about H-Diner? It's not bad. I would go again for a bowl of chili and a sandwich. The environment is great for having wine and to relax. The owner is also very nice. Dan H-Diner: American Comfort Food All Dressed Up A Restaurant Introduction by Dan Gray and Soo-Hyang Choi H-diner is what an American Diner would look like if it was in Soho in NYC. It’s got the American ideals, but done in a chic way. When I was invited by the posh Kim Hyun-jeong to dine at her restaurant, I brought my good friend Chef Soo-Hyang to join me. Soo is a fan of American diner cuisine and she had been craving a good bowl of chili. The beautiful Hyun-jeong greeted us when we arrived in her black cocktail dress. Dressed in jeans and Birkenstocks, I felt a tad u...

Chicken sandwiches and chocolate cookies The foccaccia bread looks amazing. A mouthwatering POV of the the chocolate cookies. I am currently using a Rebel XT with a 35mm lens and I really think it shows in the photos. These pictures are from San Francisco. Matt Kim was kind enough to show me a few tricks on the camera and to loan me the camera for a little while. You can see Matt's amazing photographs here.

S'more keyboard with marshmallow keys. Via Gizmodo.com

the famous burger all wrapped up and served on a metal tray. A shot of the egg bun and slightly pink meat. This is the classic American Burger at San Francisco's Ferry Market. It was pretty good, but is this a burger that's more hype than substance? It's pricey at $6.99 for the regular hamburger. This price doesn't include fries, drink, or tax. The meat isn't thick, but it is juicy and with a distinct beef flavor. It should because they raise their own cows. This is the main selling point for Taylor's. They raise the cows on vegetarian feed (so the burger is sans mad cow) and the cows don't receive antibiotics or growth hormones. The egg bun is thick and does a good job of sopping up the flavorful juices. I think it was a little too thick and took away from the meat. I agree with limited amount of toppings on the burger. Taylor's hamburgers only have lettuce, pickle, and "secret sauce." Now the secret sauce is clearly "Thousand Island Dre...

for a short time. I'll be on vacation in America until the 26th and here is my itinerary: Seattle until the 11th and then Philadelphia until the 15th Florida until 19th Vegas 19th-21st and then San Fran until the 26th. So...I'll be writing about my trip until I get back. PS. I need eating buddies! So if anyone is in the area around those dates, send me an e-mail. My number is 12064840256. (I know it might be strange to put my number up, but I'm planning on getting rid of my $17 dollar phone after my trip.) Dan

This is a new thing that I'm working on. I'm going to try and get as many restaurant menus as possible so you can peruse the menu before you get to the restaurant. Here is the menu to the Chili King with Directions. If there are restaurants that would like to me post your menus as well, simply e-mail me at seouleats (at) gmail (dot) com. Dan The Chili King 010 6873 1304 Hours 11-11 Closed on Tuesday because the King goes to Three Alley Pub to have wings. Directions go out Exit one of Itaewon Station and make the second right: make a right at "Pacific Shopping," you'll see OK2 Kitchen on your left. Go up the hill about 200 meters and you'll see it on the left.

When someone claims to be the king, there must be a reason. During medieval times, the king was the one that was the strongest and most ruthless. He was king because no one could beat him and if he was, then everyone knew it was time for the old king to be replaced. I don't know if there was a Chili King before in Korea, now if there was he has been dethroned. Let me tell you the tale of a boy who came to Korea and how he became king. Kevin Crys didn't come to Seoul to be king. He came as a man with ambitions to travel the world and have fun. He came as a teacher as most that come to Korea. Here he met other people like him. He soon made some friends, so he went to a few parties. At parties he found out that people liked to eat and he remembered that he liked to feed them. He started to make chili for parties and the people liked it. Then he went to other parties and made chili and they liked it as well. Soon he was being invited to parties all the time and he started to notice...