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...

My diet has hit a wall this week. I mean the week started out good. I went running Monday- Wednesday, but then work and meetings and late night drinking took over. I'll get back on the wagon soon. The other thing that is ruining my diet are all the delivery chicken places around here (Haebangchon). The newest one is BBQ Chicken. I think they make the best batter for the chicken and they fry everything in olive oil, so...it's healthy fried chicken, right? The oil does make it seem less greasy and there is a nice crunch. The spicy one was...spicy. Loved it and the plain was just like the crispy chicken from KFC. Good stuff. 02-1588-9282

KFC Double Cheese Tower Burger Talk about heart attack on a bun. This is KFC Korea's new invention. It is a crisp chicken breast topped with sauce, fried hash brown disk, a slice of cheese, squeezed cheese,  lettuce, a ton of mayonnaise on a sesame flecked bun. Yum?

It was a good food weekend. Despite the rain, we had several food tours  and I think everyone had a great time. Yesterday morning, I got to take a family to the Noryrangjin Fish Market and we ate the ocean's worth of fish. We even got a steamed king crab and mixed the top shell that had the delicious juices of the crab with rice and ate that. The family said it was a delicacy they never had before. Of course, we did raw fish, abalone, live octopus and finished the meal with some fish soup. It was great to meet the Knight family. After the fish tour I went to see the play Suicides in Vegas. Great play with incredible actors. It was a very well written play that was well paced, humorous and compelling. The play will be touring the Canadian Fringe Festival. I recommend you check it out if you are there. Hopefully they will do another run of the play in Seoul. For Sunday dinner, I went out with my friends Danya and James to Craftworks where we ordered some burgers with their famous b...

Samgyetang at Mu-gyo Rating 2 Stars: Recommended (Spicy Garlic! Good Chicken Broth and Samgyetang. Good Value for Money. Service could be more polite.) Samgyetang is my gloomy day food. I guess it's because when I was sick or when it was really cold, my mother would make chicken soup with Dutch egg noodles. Hit with a touch of pepper, it was one of my favorite dishes growing up. In Korea, I've had to get a substitute and my Korean equivalent is Samgyetang: Chicken and Ginseng Soup. This dish can be great or average (it's really hard to mess up this dish). Of course the best places for samgyetang have amazing broth. Mu-gyo Samgyetang in Insadong does have great broth and their chicken is quite good. For 12,000 won, it is excellent. I can't say it is the best version that I have had, but it is darn tasty. The place has 39 years of history, so they have a good formula for the dish. Of course, what really stands out at Mu-gyo is the spicy garlic. This side dish brin...

Itaewon Charcoal BBQ Chicken Itaewon Charcoal Chicken has been in business since 1983 because their classic, charcoal grilled chicken is timeless. It takes me back to outdoor barbecues I would have with my family after spending the day swimming and playing beachball volleyball in the pool. I think this place takes Korean people back as well, for before there was fried chicken, there was simple, charcoal grilled, chicken. Ok, I have to admit that it doesn't look like much- actually it looks like the place will cave in on itself. You'll often see the cook tediously grilling chicken on the grill and sometimes using a hairdryer. Yes, if you have been down to the Gyeonidan area just past Taco Taco Chili Chili, I know that you have seen this place. So, why the hairdryer you might ask? That was the first question that asked the cook when I decided to take the plunge and venture inside. "To get the coals hot," he answered. It was a simple and logical answer and of ...

Spicy Chicken Feet: Dakbal Seoul Dakbal is a dish that is often enjoyed late at night and often in tent restaurants. The spicy sauce on the gelatinous, bony legs are great for kicking you out of your drunken state. Sure, the idea of eating chicken feet (or feet of any animal) might seem off-putting, but it's pretty good here. Plus the spiciness of the sauce will burn whatever misgivings you might have away. This is the perfect dish for those that are looking for a pepper-induced mind-gasm. Dan Spicy Chicken Feet: Dakbal Seoul Spicy Chicken Feet: Dakbal Seoul

Kyochon Chicken Kyochon Chicken holds a special place in my heart for it was one of the first chicken places that I went to while in Korea. The chicken is crisp and the sauce was flavorful. Also, it was reasonably priced, so I was quite happy to enjoy some chicken with friends over a bucket of beer.  Now the last time I went, I noticed that my favorite "local" chicken house has all "growns up" (sorry...a bad allusion to the movie Swingers). The interior has gotten more posh, they offer Heineken, and the wait times have gotten longer and prices have gone up. Oh, and the chicken? Meh. The chicken still tastes good, but the wings and legs we got were like all bone and they were tiny. And for 17,000 won to get 18 tiny wings and legs is just unacceptable. And we had to wait 30 minutes to get them! Also, the hot sauce on the spicy ones were just so hot they you couldn't enjoy the flavor. I was thinking I might have played it up too much in my mind- maybe, it real...

Chuncheon Dakgalbi I got a request for a Dakgalbi Recipe today, so I asked Chef Hyejin to send me her recipe and here it is.  This dish originated in Chuncheon which is located in the northern part of South Korea. The city is famous for chicken and it was the place that most chicken farms were originally located. This was originally a dish enjoyed by college students because it was a lot of food that was delicious and cheap. The chicken and vegetables are cooked in a large pan in the center of the table. In Chuncheon there are many many Dakgalbi restaurants. After eating the Dakgalbi, the left over sauce is often mixed into rice and then stir-fried with roasted laver in the center of the table. Different Variations of the dish include Pumpkin, Sweet potato, Perilla Leaves, and chewy rice cake. Foreigners love this dish because they prefer chicken to pork or beef. Also, it's fun and interactive to eat. It's like hot wings but cooked in a pan right in front of you! Re...

Cup of Spicy Chicken How about a cup of fried boneless chicken chunks tossed with tater tots and fried rice cake? at Hong Cup in Hongdae,  Kim Ji-yeon is doing just that. The sauces are homemade, the beer is cold, and the cozy place is great for a quick late night snack with friends. Oh, and the price? It’s only 2,000 won for the small cup of chicken and beer is also 2,000- you can add a shot of soju to make so-maek for only 1,000 more. She even has a cheddar cheese chicken up on the menu (3,000 won)- I’m going to have to get that next time. Hong Cup Mapo-gu Seogyodong 365-16 070-8777-9158 Go out Hongdae Station Exit 9 (formerly 5) and make a left. At the main road make a right and walk to the road. Cross to the other side and make a left at Tony Moly down the little alley. It’ll be 2 minutes up on the left. 2,000-4,000 per person

American Eats: Chick-Fil-A For Christmas, I am in Winter Haven, Florida to spend the holidays with my family. Now just because I'm in America, doesn't mean that I will stop eating. So...for the next 2 weeks or so, the blog will become American Eats. The American food culture is fascinating. Just being here for the last couple of days have opened my eyes to how much my eating habits had changed. I think our Christmas dinner had 1 thing that I would say was from the vegetable group: green bean casserole doused in mushroom soup and topped with Durkee's French Fried Onions. Sure there was sweet potatoes with marshmallows and potatoes, but I feel these fit in the bread and starch group. Anyway, my sister was craving Chick-Fil-A and we went to stand alone store. Now I have had Chick-Fil-A in the past, but I remember them as being a "Mall Fast Food Franchise" that was closed on Sunday. I had found memories of this place, but I nothing that I craved from afar. I ...

One of the reasons I am writing this post is because I would not like to get sued by the food corporations. Secondly, I think it's good to have a well rounded perspective. Gizmodo, has been following the story and they have a great interview with a food scientist, Daniel Fletcher. First, let's debunk the ammonia myth (" Because it's crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually.") Fletcher replies, "You don't mix ammonia with food! That's illegal! And it's stupid. I've never seen anybody pull a stunt like that. These guys invest big money in that product, and would never do that." His strongest point about why we should use this process for meat is: "If we're going to kill an animal for food, we're obligated to use the whole thing." I agree with him, but...after seeing this video on how the processing is done, I still think I'm going to stay away from chicken nuggets and proces...

Mechanically Separated Chicken aka Chicken Nuggets! One of my favorite non-food blogs, Early Onset of Night , posted this picture the other day explaining that this is mechanically separated chicken. This is the stuff that chicken nuggets, chicken patties, and processed frozen chicken is made from. The author Michael Kindt, writes: Basically, the entire chicken is smashed and pressed through a sieve—bones, eyes, guts, and all. it comes out looking like this. There’s more: because it’s crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be reflavored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color. Delicious? I always wondered what part of the chicken nuggets were made from. Now I know.

This Cute Little Shop always has a huge line. In English it is Mamae Cup Chicken. It's 1000 for a small cup and 2000 for a large cup. I believe they recently changed the name to Lee' cup of Chicken. They mix pieces of crisp chicken and fried rice cakes in a sweet and spicy chili sauce and then layer in tater tots and top this with honey mustard. Here are the ladies hard at work assembling the Spicy Cup O' Chicken. Here is the finished cup. Just grab a toothpick and go for a walk. Location: Right down from the main entrance from Sookmyeong Woman's University.

I write up one little Facebook Status Report and I get tons of opinions and threats on my life about which place has the best chicken in Seoul, Korea. Here's the Back Story. My friend Kevin came to Seoul for the weekend and he wanted to go eat Korean fried chicken. I decided that we should go to - not one but- 3 chicken places. We went to Kyochon, Two Two, and Hotsun. All of these places were near the Kyobo building. I'll post the video we made later. Here is my facebook status update Daniel Gray ate at 3 Korean chicken places with Kevin in order to find the best Chicken in Korea. The verdict: Kyochon is the best. By the way, enter the Rice cake contest! http://www.seouleats.com/2009/04/rice-cake-tteok-or-duk-or-dduk-making.html 7:27am · Comment · Like A ND HERE ARE ALL THE COMMENTS. Last names have been omitted to protect the guilty. Therese at 7:31am April 2 REALLY i hate kyochon did you try na na ? Therese at 7:32am April 2 oh and wish I was here for the competition Mich...