Someone asked me the other day where I thought had the best burritos and Mexican food in Seoul. It's a pretty tough question because Koreans don't do Mexican food well. Sorry, that's the truth because the Korean idea of Mexican is much different than what westerners think. As an American, when I think of Mexican food, I think of cumin, cilantro, tart tomatos, sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole  and fresh onions. In Korea, I've had ketchupy salsa, mayonnaise, sweetened red beans (CASA MAYA...I WILL STILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT...I hope you are closed now).  And Mexicana chicken is not Mexican. Koreans tend to associate Mexican with spicy and not with the flavors. Tomatillo is the closest, in my book, to American style Mexican food. It's very similar to Chipotle in the states. Dos Tacos used to be my favorite, but I think their menu has expanded too much now and quality on what matters (tacos and burritos) have suffered. The food at Tomatillo is made ...

I wanted to give a quick thanks to my sponsors and let you know about the specials going on. Today is Tuesday and that means Buy 1 get 1 free Fish N Chips at the Wolfhound Pub in Itaewon. Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo and Tomatillo will have specials all day: Cinco de Mayo specials at the Jongak Store all day:12,000 won Steak Fajita Platters...2,000won Naked Chicken Tacos...4,000won Mini Chili Cheese Nachos...4,000won Mexican Beer...19,000 Lime Marg Pitchers Lugo Italian Restaurant is Seoul Eats newest sponsor and they have 1/2 price glasses of wine on Monday night. (sorry, you'll have to go there next week).   Thank you so much to all of the sponsors. Oh, and other news, the O'ngo Food Cooking Studio will be opening this Saturday! We will be holding classes there soon. More details to follow. Cheers, Dan Want to advertise on Seoul Eats? Here's this link for rates.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO  MAY 22nd. Here's the note from Tomatillo: WE WERE INFORMED EARLIER TODAY THAT DUE TO THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF THE CHEONAN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THE UPCOMING NATIONAL FUNERAL AND WEEK OF MOURNING, ALL EVENTS, PARTIES, CELEBRATIONS HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN CANCELLED ON THE GFC PREMISES. WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY AND ALL INCONVENIENCES THAT THIS MAY HAVE ... CAUSED OUR FANS. THIS EVENT WILL BE RESCHEDULED TO THE 21ST OF MAY. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE. Cinco de Mayo 2010.... Join us for ASIA's BIGGEST CINCO DE MAYO PARTY..... Tomatillo Mexican Grill's 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta: 12-2 BAND TBA 2-4 LOS DIABLOS BLANCOS 4-6 THE WILLMAN BAND 6-8 MARIACHI LATIN 2,000 won tacos....4,000won Mex Beer....4,000won Margaritas...2,000won Teq Shots! Mini Nachos...Mini Quesadillas....and much much more! CONTESTS....PRIZES.... More details to follow....... Sign up on facebook here: *Tomatillo is a proud advertiser on Seoul Eats*

Thursdays are Naked Thursdays at Tomatillo Grill. So what does that mean? Well a helluva lot of drink and food specials. The naked means that you get chicken tacos sans toppings. Each taco costs only 2,000 won. You also get 2-for-1 Dos Equis. Here's a close up of the tacos. They also have 3,000 won mini chili cheese nachos and 2,000 won drafts at the Gangnam Financial Center Location, 4,000 won Mexican beer and 19,000 won Lime Margarita Pitchers. As you can see it was quite full when I got there at 9:30 last Thursday. Jongak Branch: Go to Jongak Subway Station. (Line 1) exit 6. 50m on the left Hyundai Coex Branch: Go to the Samsung Subway Station (line 2) It's in the food court area of the Hyundai Dept. Store B2. Gangnam Finance Center Branch: Go to Yeoksam Subway Station (line 2). Enter the GFC near exit #2(underground) and walk thru the revolving doors. Walk straight, you can't miss it. (We're on the B2 level) http://www.tomatillo.co.kr The Wolfhound is an a...

Tomatillo Mexican Grill is having a drink and food special tonight. It's going to be one heck of a fiesta from 4pm to 10pm tonight. Be sure to head there to check it out. The specials are: 2,000 won Naked Chicken Tacos--tortilla, chicken, onions and cilantro (you add your choice of salsa) 3,000 won Mini Chili Cheese Nachos--just like the big ones, only smaller 2,000 won Draft Beer (Cass)--GFC location only 4,000 won Mexican Beer 19,000 won Lime Margarita Pitchers See you there! Jongak Branch: Go to Jongak Subway Station. (Line 1) exit 6. 50m on the left Hyundai Coex Branch: Go to the Samsung Subway Station (line 2) It's in the food court area of the Hyundai Dept. Store B2. Gangnam Finance Center Branch: Go to Yeoksam Subway Station (line 2). Enter the GFC near exit #2(underground) and walk thru the revolving doors. Walk straight, you can't miss it. (We're on the B2 level) http://www.tomatillo.co.kr 02-734-0628 *Tomatillo is a sponsor of Seoul Eats....

Tomatillo is having a Mexican Beer Promotion at both of their locations in Seoul. You buy one Dos Equis Beer, you get one free. Here's the info: Come on down to Tomatillo Mexican Grill every Thursday in the month of March (Starting 3/11) from 4pm -10pm for our Naked Thursday's Specials... 2,000 won Naked Chicken Tacos--tortilla, chicken, onions and cilantro (you add your choice of salsa) 3,000 won Mini Chili Cheese Nachos--just like the big ones, only smaller 2,00 ... 0 won Draft Beer (Cass)--GFC location only 4,000 won Mexican Beer 19,000 won Lime Margarita Pitchers   It's Tuesday and that means 2-for-1 Fish-N-Chips at the Wolfhound.   O'ngo Food Communications and Seoul Eats is having a Korean Taste Tour on March 20th. I would like to thank the sponsors of Seoul Eats. It really helps us to put out great content. If you are interested in being a sponsor of Seoul Eats or if you would like to work with me, click on this link. The tour will have people ...

Tomatillo on February 3rd, 2010 donated all of their profits to UNICEF to help Haiti. They raised 5.3 million won throughout the day. I think they did an excellent job and I would really like to applaud their initiative and the staff's hard work. UNICEF also provided volunteers who worked all day to help the restaurant. Seoul Eats had a meet-up at the Yeoksam branch and over 30 people came out. Thank you all for coming out supporting such a great cause. Here are some of the people who came out. Tomatillo will have donation jars throughout the month, so you can continue to support Haiti. Dan http://www.tomatillo.co.kr Directions Jongak Branch: Go to Jongak Subway Station. (Line 1) exit 6. 50m on the left Hyundai Coex Branch: Go to the Samsung Subway Station (line 2) It's in the food court area of the Hyundai Dept. Store B2. Gangnam Finance Center Branch: Go to Yeoksam Subway Station (line 2). Enter the GFC near exit #2(underground) and walk thru the revolving doo...

I think that this is an excellent cause and I'll be doing my part to help. On Thursday, February 4th, I will be at the Tomatillo at Yeoksam Station at 7pm. Please come out and support this great cause. Directions: Yeoksam—Located at Yeoksam Subway Station (Line 2) in the Gangnam Finance Center (GFC) Building, B2. Here's Tomatillo: Mexican chain partners with UNICEF to donate 100% of February 4 th  sales to Haiti relief. SEOUL, 26 January 2010  --  Local Mexican food chain Tomatillo, which has two locations in Seoul, is donating 100 percent of all sales on Thursday, February 4 th  to help the survivors of the devastating Haiti earthquake.  Partnering with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund), Tomatillo announced today that it will hopes to raise money to support UNICEF’s relief efforts for the children and families affected by the January 12 th  disaster. On February 4 th , you can help donate to UNICEF’s Haitian relief efforts by go...

Tomatillo Fish-n-Chips at the Wolfhound First of all, Seoul Eats would like to thank its' sponsors. We wouldn't be able to constantly update this site without their generous support. Here are the events for this week: 2-for-1 Fish-n-chips at the Wolfhound this Tuesday (and every Tuesday). Huge Double Jamesons for only 6,500 won everyday. Tomatillo will be donating all profits earned on February 4th to Haiti so be sure to go to one of their 2 locations. Here are the directions: Gwanghamoon—Jongak Subway Station (Line 1) exit 6, 50m on the left. Yeoksam—Located at Yeoksam Subway Station (Line 2) in the Gangnam Finance Center (GFC) Building, B2. Seoul Eats Meet-up will be having a meet-up at the Yeoksam location at 7:30, so come out and meet other foodies. VineStock in Seoul's French Village will be doing a Champagne and Chocolate Fondue Valentine's Special this Saturday, February 6th at 5:30. Sign-up on their Facebook Page. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?...

I don't know about you, but sometimes I just need a taco, I mean just NEED a taco. And some chili...and some nachos. Luckily, Tomatillo has all of those things. Here is the Taco Set. Their taco shells are top notch and their toppings are fresh. The nacho chips are crispy and very light, the nacho cheese is oozy, and the meat is just right. The chili comes in this really cool bowl and when you open it. You are surprised. http://www.tomatillo.co.kr Directions Jongak Branch: Go to Jongak Subway Station. (Line 1) exit 6. 50m on the left Hyundai Coex Branch: Go to the Samsung Subway Station (line 2) It's in the food court area of the Hyundai Dept. Store B2. Gangnam Finance Center Branch: Go to Yeoksam Subway Station (line 2). Enter the GFC near exit #2(underground) and walk thru the revolving doors. Walk straight, you can't miss it. (We're on the B2 level)   Oh, and they are known to throw awesome parties.

by Bryan Fox Ask 10 North Americans living here which national cuisine they miss the most from home, and it’s a good bet 8 or 9 of them will say Mexican. Mexican food may not offer the widest range of flavors or ingredients – basically, we’re talking a few different meats presented in corn tortillas of varying hardness – but it’s certainly an easy one to mess up. “Bad Mexican Restaurants Around the World” is certainly a travel blog post begging for an author. Seoul is fast becoming a city where it isn’t difficult to get Mexican fare – there are several places in the Itaewon area, and Gangnam and Hongdae have a few locales, too. There are higher-priced offerings that don’t get it quite right (Pancho’s in Itaewon), lower-priced ones that get it horribly wrong (Choi’s taco travesty in Sinchon), and places that taste good, but are missing something (Dos Tacos, Hongdae and Gangnam). As for affordable, authentic Mexican fare, though, there’s a gap in the market. Enter Tomatillo. C...

On August 22, 2009 Tomatillo Restaurant in Seoul opened their 3rd restaurant. They threw a Mexican Fiesta to celebrate. You can find Tomatillo at the Gangnam Fiance Center: Yeoksam Station Exit 2. The amazing thing about Tomatillo is that they do all of their advertising through the Internet and Facebook. See...Point to Point Marketing works. Dan

End of Summer Blues??? Cheer up and mark your calendar for Mexi-Palooza! A day of great food, drinks, and LIVE MUSIC. Don't miss our 4,000won margaritas! Don't pass up on your choice of Mexican Beers--4,000won! And that's not all....check our our EVENT TENTS to purchase your choice of menu items... --2 Pork Carnitas Tacos--4,000won --Grilled Summer Veggies Quesadilla--4,000won --4 Chicken Taquitos--4,000won --Mini-Nachos--4,000won So far, we've got a MARIACHI BAND...stay tuned for other bands joining the show! Tell your friends...this will be an event you won't want to miss!!!! Stay tuned for more information! Go to their Facebook page to reserve!

This is from Steve Reyes. You can sign up on Facebook here. End of Summer Blues??? Cheer up and mark your calendar for Mexi-Palooza! A day of great food, drinks, and LIVE MUSIC. Don't miss our 4,000won margaritas! Don't pass up on your choice of Mexican Beers--4,000won! And that's not all....check our our EVENT TENTS to purchase your choice of menu items... --2 Pork Carnitas Tacos--4,000won --Grilled Summer Veggies Quesadilla--4,000won --4 Chicken Taquitos--4,000won --Mini-Nachos--4,000won So far, we've got a MARIACHI BAND...stay tuned for other bands joining the show! Tell your friends...this will be an event you won't want to miss!!!! Stay tuned for more information! Here are some other posts I've written on Tomatillo Quick Bites Cinco De Mayo