I met my friend Youngy the other day and I asked him what he wanted to eat. He answered in his British accent, "I must say, I'm a bit peckish for a proper sandwich." So we decided to head over to Suji's for a couple of Bloody Marys and Pastrami Sandwiches. They were delicious. For this post, I'll just say it in pictures. A Blood Mary Youngy A Fat Pastrami Sandwich

La taco in Samcheongdong CLOSED La Taco by Lauren McPhate When Dan told me a new taco place had opened in Insadong I was instantly intrigued.  I’ve tried Los Amigos, Taco Taco, On the Border (a favorite happy hour jaunt back in DC), and Dos Tacos in several locations, and I find it’s ok but it’s just not the same as home, and you generally have to go pretty far out of your way to find it.  I find it’s expensive for the portion size, too.  Shouldn’t there be leftovers?? Not to mention overflowing amounts of guacamole?  And cilantro?  Remember cilantro?  So on a rainy Sunday afternoon I made my way up to Insadong to try out the newest of the tacorrias. You find La Taco in a cute little alley filled with coffee shops and restaurants.  It has a sweet little sign tempting you to come in.  Once inside, you’re not disappointed at your dining decision.  It looks like a cute café right out of New York.  Checkered black and white tiles,...

Last week the Agency for Traditional Market Administration sponsored a market tour and a Crescent Moon Rice Cake Cooking Class with O'ngo Food Communications for Filipino Mothers and children currently married to Korean spouses in Korea. It was a great day and we started off with a market tour and then we went to a cooking studio to make the chuseok treats: Songpyeon. Songpyeon, or Crescent Moon Rice Cakes, are often eaten during this Korean holiday to signify the coming of Autumn and to commemorate the relationship of the Earth and the moon. Market Tour in Korea The mothers and the children really enjoyed the market tour and the shop owners were very kind for every step of the way, they kept on giving food the children and the mothers. I think they had quite a lot of kimchi, whole baby crabs, crispy bindaetteok and other specialty Korean foods before they got to the cooking studio. Filipino Mothers and Children in the Korean Market Say Cheese! Pumpkin, Chestnuts, Chi...

At the Le Toques Blanc meeting on Monday Night, the special speaker was Mr. Lee Cham: President of Korea Tourism Organization and he gave a very insightful talk on how his organization is promoting Korea. One of the most interesting bits of information was how he likes to sprinkle some Korean red pepper flakes on all the food that he eats. He said he even adds it to his coffee! I can't say, I haven't done the same. Back when I was working in the kitchen, our restaurant would sprinkle a little cayenne into the Diablo Chocolate cake. It wasn't really enough to be noticed, but the spice opened up the taste buds so you could get more of the chocolate goodness. So how does Lee Cham sprinkle his chili on his food? Well, he has a little metal canister with premium red pepper flakes called Kochilli. I want one of these. I got to taste the chili and it is excellent. It is spicy and flavorful. So I wonder when these things will go on sale... Kochilli: Premium Korean Red Chil...

Chuseok is the time of the year when Seoul is empty and everything is calm and tranquil in the city. This year Chuseok is from Tuesday, September 21st 2010 to Thursday, September 23rd. Many people have the Monday off. I'll be in Nova Scotia for a business conference so I'll be missing all the festivities. Chuseok is a ancestor memorial service- to honor the relatives who bore the hardship of life to give a better life for their children. For those looking for a primer, he's an article I wrote explaining Chuseok a while back. Cheers, Dan Chuseok Chuseok is the Korean version of Thanksgiving. During this holiday, the family gives thanks to their ancestors by welcoming the spirits into their houses to taste the ethereal flavors of the year's harvest. This may sound superstitious, but the real intention is to commemorate the departed. Because without our ancestors, literally, we wouldn’t exist. This is a family holiday and to be invited to a family's Chuseo...

Warung Indonesia in Ansan Written by Lindsey Huster Although South Korea may feel (at times) a bit homogenous, the food culture is showing signs that may uproot this notion. According to a recent article, the number of international restaurants operated by foreign owners has risen by more than 10 times in the last 10 years. Send your gaze down a popular alley of Seoul, and perhaps will you see what I mean. Alongside kimbap and galbi restaurants lay a sundry array of foreigner restaurants and shops. Around the Jung-gu area, one can stumble into "Mongolian town" and "Russian street." Venture even more southwest, and you are sure to enter Itaewon, an infamous foreigner district that caters to most gourmands palates. Itaewon, stands out as a hub that serves an assortment of African food, including Nigerian, Ghana and Ethiopian. Venture even more south near Gangnam, and you will stumble into a French district that offers pastries that rattle even the most dev...

My number one search for the last two weeks with 1526 page views has been a post that I wrote about 2 years ago: My Ode to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. It's been jumping all over the Internet and I just got an offer from a rival candy company to write an ode about their candy bar. I'm thinking about it. Hahaha. Anyway, here is a repost of the Ode for your enjoyment. Cheers, Dan Ode to Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Oh, disk of crimped delight- a UFO to my heart. Abduct my sense of control; I want you inside me. There you all dressed all coquettish in your pleated school girl uniform. I pull the skirt down a bit to reveal your smooth finery. Reese's Enjoyment The first bite is like Bacchus's first sip of wine; I won't stop until I have all of you. The chocolate has a bite that gives way to the crumbly salty peanut filling that sends three taste buds asunder. Oh bliss to be. Oh, bliss to be: Salty, Sweet, and Savory. Tart, Bitter, and Spicy are...