Pro-soy Crab in Sinsadong One of the better meals that I have had this year has been at Pro-kanjang Gyejang. This place specializes in soy-sauce marinated crab. This dish is a delicacy in Korean culture and some might (I heard that Chef Pierre Gagnaire didn't care for this dish). This is a dish that most people can only have at certain times of the year and winter is the best time for the crabs gorge themselves on food to get ready for mating season. What sets Pro-kanjang gyejang apart from other places that the crab is delicate in texture yet not overpowering in flavor. Some of the places that make this dish make the dish too salty and it requires several bowls of rice in order to eat it. Here the crabs are full of flavor and yet subtle enough that you can eat a whole plate of them without any rice at all. They are simply addictive. I was lucky enough to follow Chef Andreas of the JW Marriot Hotel to Prosoycrab. He was doing a shoot for a German Television Show and I wa...

Our company had our end of the year party at Mercado Brazilian Restaurant in Sinsadong. It's located across from Cinecity there. The food was exceptional as always and I ate way too much meat. I particularly love their picanha (top sirloin) and their alcatra (rump steak). The chicken heart aren't too shabby either. What makes Mercado stand apart from other Brazilian Restaurants in Korea is their attention to quality and authenticity. They have real Brazilian chefs. The sauces are delicious- I particularly like their red pepper sauce. The green verde sauce is nice as well. This is one place that doesn't try to pass off grilled hotdogs as real Brazilian BBQ. Dan Here are some past reviews on the restaurant. Review: Mercado Brazilian Restaurant Photo-Restaurant Review: Mercado Brazilian Churrascarria in Seoul Who has the best Brazilian Churrascaria in Seoul? by Manuel Lara Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.ongofood.com Join the Seoul Eats ...

Our company had our end of the year party at Mercado Brazilian Restaurant in Sinsadong. It's located across from Cinecity there. The food was exceptional as always and I ate way too much meat. I particularly love their picanha (top sirloin) and their alcatra (rump steak). The chicken heart aren't too shabby either. What makes Mercado stand apart from other Brazilian Restaurants in Korea is their attention to quality and authenticity. They have real Brazilian chefs. The sauces are delicious- I particularly like their red pepper sauce. The green verde sauce is nice as well. This is one place that doesn't try to pass off grilled hotdogs as real Brazilian BBQ. Dan Here are some past reviews on the restaurant. Review: Mercado Brazilian Restaurant Photo-Restaurant Review: Mercado Brazilian Churrascarria in Seoul Who has the best Brazilian Churrascaria in Seoul? by Manuel Lara Come take a cooking class or take a Culinary Tour in Seoul! http://www.o...

The Mistress of Pain at Hongmi Dakbal I asked my Korean friends why they would want to eat something so spicy that it burns going down and later going out. They said that it relieves stress and that it feels good. Hmmm...about a week ago I went to Hongmi Dakbal located over by Sinsa Station for a video shoot. This place is famous for their extremely spicy chicken feet. I am an adventurous eater, but even I cringe at the idea of chicken feet. First of all, there isn't that much meat on them and I always imagine the little claws getting snagged in my throat. The feet are first washed (thank gosh). Then they are parboiled and later stir-fried with chili powder. The chicken feet here is spicy. It's so spicy that my mouth burned the whole time. I can't really describe the flavor of it except burny. There is little meat on the chicken feet and as you nibble, the heat ignites your entire head. The burn started from the corner of my mouth and went to my temples. From the...

Som Tam: Papaya Salad Pad Thai Panang Curry Service! Thai Steamed Egg Here is the story that Chang Mai Charlie wrote before: http://www.seouleats.com/2010/01/yum-thai-best-thai-restaurant-in-seoul.html. Here's Charlie in person: I am trying to do more video on Seoul Eats. I am still learning how to edit, so be patient. You can check my youtube page with more foodie adventures. YUM THAI 02-594-7988 Go out Sinsa Station Exit 1 and walk straight for about 3 minutes. Across from J-Tower. The best Thai restaurant in the city. View Larger Map

Across from Club Mool (Korea's most famous nightclub for older men and women), you'll find Dongin Dong. They serve Daegu (Southeastern part of Korea) style food that is spicy, filling, and flavorful. Since Daegu is my hometown, I felt right at home.  You can find it if you go out Sinsa Station exit 6. and make a right just before the Beans Bin Coffee. You'll have to wait (we waited 25 minutes) for a table, because it is quite popular. While we were outside waiting, the hostess gave us a plate of oyster jeon. These are oysters that are dipped in egg and sauteed in oil. The oysters are like what you would find in a Cajun Po'boy. Dang, are they good. Here is some eggplant banchan. Here are the famous pork pancakes with a pitcher of makgeolli (Korea's Rice Alcohol). The pork pancakes are about the size of a baby's head. Now we get to the spicy galbijjim. Galbijjim is a beef dish that is slowly cooked in sauce until the meat falls off the bone. Usually it's ...

**You can get a hard copy of this article in this month's issue of Groove Magazine. -Dan** YUM THAI By Charlie Brennan As the owner/chef of a small Thai food business back home I have been disappointed to find Seoul Thai eateries failing to deliver on even a basic level. In truth, I have stopped visiting Thai restaurants in Seoul and will only visit following a specific recommendation. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that I urge you to visit YUM THAI near Sinsa Station. Our appetizers cheerfully signalled the start of fine dining experience. Fresh spring rolls were an excellent start; uncooked, the fresh vegetable contents cleared the palate whilst the sweet chilli sauce provided a pleasant foretaste of what was to come. The deep fried spring rolls were plain in flavour but had a crispy texture. The king of the starters was the prawn balls, which took me straight back to the land of smiles. The dishes arrived in perfect order. The Stir Fried Vegetables with Oyster...

This is one restaurant I don't want you all to find about because the food is just so dang good. Hands down, this is the best Thai restaurant in Seoul. We knew it was going to be good when we bit into the shrimp balls and found an explosion of kaffir, lime, lemon grass and silky shrimp. I was just like these balls taste like Thailand. That's me sweating like crazy. It's not a heavy burn; it's a sunny citrus burn. The interior is cozy and they have really high ceilings (I love high ceilings) Here is the Thai Chili Chicken. This was the spicest dish of the night and it really got the endorphins working. Keep in mind, that we did ask for the food to be made "Thai Style." I am sure they can make it "Sissy Style" if you ask them. Close up of the Chili Chicken The Beef Penang Curry was another hit. The Penang had a hit of sweetness in the very thick coconut broth. One of my guests said it was a bit salty, but then ate 3 servings of it. Clo...