Seoul (Part 2) — Food that you should make way for in your tummy
No trip is complete without tasting the city’s local delicacy. Even if you have replica of such dishes in your own country, most of them do not taste as nice as those in the country-of-origin. I have been to Seoul a couple of times and have compiled a list of must-try in my humble opinion (after omitting those which had ruined my taste buds and I had unfortunately wasted my calories on).
Jjimdak 찜닭 (Braised Chicken Stew)
Recommended:
Ewha Andong Jjimdak (이화 안동찜닭) — B1F, 56–126, Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Ewha Womans University is renowned among the locals and tourists in Seoul. When you are in the vicinity, be sure to visit Ewha Andong Jjimdak which is located along one of the main shopping streets near the University. Their signature dish is none other than Andong Jjimdak. Jjimdak refers to a traditional braised chicken stew mixed with soy-based sauce and typically served with glass noodles and potatoes. Whenever the dish has gravy, that’s bound to be the first thing I try. The gravy was a tad salty when sipped on its own. Fortunately, the braised chicken was tender enough and the portion was generous for a table of 2. I also liked the chewy glass noodles and the other ingredients (mushrooms, potatoes, carrots and tteokbokki) that make up this flavorful dish. Tip: Their complimentary pickled radish was one of the best I have eaten thus far so grab more!
Budae Jjigae 부대찌개 (Korean Army Stew)
Recommended:
Mukshidonna Tteokbokki (먹쉬돈나) — 74–7 Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Hwa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Next up, a pot of steaming hot army stew (also known as Budae Jjigae) in chilly autumn. It’s not difficult to find an eatery with army stew but few do it better than Mukshidonna Tteokbokki which throws their signature Tteokbokki into the pot of goodness by default. Besides this, you dictate what other ingredients (ranging from meat to seafood) go into it. You can even top it up with cheese to give it a creamy texture. Lastly, what’s army stew without Ramyeon (Korean instant noodle)? We left the pot boiling for some time before attacking the soggy Ramyeon, Slurp!
If you have spare stomach capacity, do order the fried rice as well. When most of your stew is finished, the rice will be tossed into the pot and stir-fried, soaking the residual bits. The slightly charred fried rice gave a nice crisp finish to the meal.
Ogyeopsal (Skin-on Pork Belly) BBQ
Recommended:
Yugtonglyeong (육통령) — 37–2, Myeongdong 8na-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
After my visit to Jeju Island, I tried sourcing for good black pork BBQ restaurants in Seoul each time I’m here. I finally found the one I’m after on my last visit, Yugtonglyeong. This restaurant’s specialty is its Jirisan Mountain Black Pork Belly (Heuk-dwaeji Ogyeopsal) and you should absolutely BBQ it skin-on as it bestows a chewy texture to the meat. When the meat was being BBQ-ed, the meat fragrance and sizzling sound definitely made us even hungrier. After finishing our portion, I realised that the tender and succulent pork belly did not turn out as greasy as I had imagined and left me wanting more. A pity we had to curb ourselves as the meal came with a slightly hefty price tag but I will definitely return again. Tip: Dip the meat lightly into the salt provided and experience the orgasm in your mouth!
Korean Fried Chicken
Recommended:
KyoChon (교촌) — 464–6 Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
I’m officially proclaiming Kyochon’s fried chicken to be “THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN I HAVE EVER SAVORED”. At KyoChon, you can basically choose how you would like your fried chicken to be — flavors include Garlic Soy, Honey and Red Pepper. I got a tip-off from a friend that Garlic Soy was her favorite and so I went ahead with ordering that in drumlets and wings. When the basket was served, the fried chicken did not look exceptionally appetizing. In fact, they looked deceivingly ordinary. However, the first bite made my eyes lit. I was amazed at how crispy and savory the chicken skin was and that the meat was moist and tender. I especially loved how the Garlic Soy flavor coats the fried skin which left me with no choice but to finish everything except for the bones. The two of us polished the entire basket even when we were not hungry from the start. It was sinfully good! Singapore needs to have a franchise here, right now! In the meantime, I will just have to travel to Seoul to satisfy my craving for KyoChon’s Fried Chicken and hopefully try the other two flavors as well.
Jajangmyeon 자장면 (Korean Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
Recommended:
Andongjang (안동장) — 315–18 Euljiro 3(sam)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Do you know that Jajangmyeon apparently has a Chinese origin? This explains why it is not easy to find this dish in most Korean restaurants in Seoul. Jajangmyeon is a Korean Chinese noodle dish served with thick fermented black bean sauce and minced pork. Andojang, which is famous for its Jajangmyeon, is one of the oldest Chinese restaurants in Seoul since its debut in 1948. It was full house when we visited early that morning but we didn’t have to wait for long before we were allocated a table.
The Jajangmyeon’s noodles were handmade and, albeit being drenched in the thick Jajang sauce, the noodles were relatively chewy. In the past, I have had several bowls of Jajangmyeon but I came to realise that their noodles were always aggregating into a huge chunk which made noodle slurping tedious. However, this bowl of Jajangmyeon at Andongjang defied that and it was pretty effortless when mixing the noodles thoroughly with the sauce. This is probably due to the fact that they drizzled sufficient oil to the dish to minimize dryness, as seen from the shimmering glow on surface of the black sauce and melted onions.
Another dish that most tables had was Tangsuyuk which in fact is sweet and sour pork. That said, unlike the ones we have in Singapore and Malaysia which are typically served in reddish tomato-based sauce, the Tangsuyuk here is a notch sweeter and less sourish. The uniqueness of this dish also lies in that the pork strips were fried instead of grilled which made them crunchy. I absolutely adore this!
Overall, it was indeed a gratifying meal.
Bibimbap 비빔밥 (Korean Mixed Rice)
Recommended:
Jeonju Jungang Hoegwan (전주 중앙 회관/全州中央會館) — 21 Myeongdong 8na-gil, Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul
I would think Bibimbap is so well-recognised that it likely requires no further introduction. But in case you are wondering what is this healthy-looking dish, Bibimbap is a bowl of rice with a variety of sautéed and seasoned vegetables, egg, meat (eg. beef, pork) and Gochujang (chilli pepper paste) and you usually mix them well before consumption. Do you actually know that Jeonju (a city in West S.Korea) is considered the home of Bibimbap? In Jeonju Jungang Hoegwan, they serve customers Jeonju-style Bibimbap. Not only did this bowl of Bibimbap pack a healthy punch, the ingredients also had such vibrant colors that were pleasing to the eyes. Just looking at the dish itself invoked salivation. I especially liked that the runny yolk was still intact when served in the hot stone bowl. It was heartily delicious.
Samgyetang 삼계탕 (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Recommended:
Tosokchon Samgyetang (토속촌 삼계탕) — 5, Jahamun-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
I was never a fan of ginseng, let alone Ginseng Chicken Soup. However, I knew I had to give it a go in Seoul since it’s a well-known Korean dish. A whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, ginseng root and other herbs and spices was submerged into an opaque soup. Apparently, Tosokchon Samgyetang serves, undisputedly, the best ginseng chicken soup in Seoul and was a frequent hangout for Korean’s late President Roh Moo-hyun. In my opinion, the glutinous rice was slightly bitter due to the presence of ginseng while the soup was lightly salted. The chicken meat was very soft and easily disintegrated. Overall, it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined and was worth the dining experience.
Korean BBQ
Recommended:
On The Grill (온더그릴) — 21, Toegye-ro 20-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
On The Grill is a Korean BBQ restaurant opened by a Singaporean and so, needless to say, we had to support our fellow countryman. We ordered their signature pork belly (honey garlic and black pepper). The portions were relatively generous and the marinated meat went well with the beansprouts and interesting sauces served on the side. In addition, their English-speaking staff were attentive to our needs and the prices were reasonably cheaper compared to other BBQ restaurants in the area — I don’t see why I will not return again.
Bindaetteok 빈대떡 (Mung Bean Pancake), Makgeolli (Korean Rice Wine) and others @ Gwangjang Market
Address:
Gwangjang Market (광장시장) — 88, Changgyeonggung-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
My first encounter with Gwangjang Market was through watching Running Man, a widely popular variety show in S.Korea. This market is one of Seoul’s oldest traditional markets and sells a vast array of things, including Hanok, silk, Korean rice cake gift sets, food snacks, souvenirs etc. However, the food stalls should also not be overlooked. One of the highly raved food sold at Gwangjang Market is the Bindaetteok which is a mung bean pancake. We chose to settle down in the shop which has many hanging pictures of visiting celebrities, including the Running Man crew. The Bindaetteok was crispy and tasted good with the first few bites. But due to its oiliness and huge portion, the two of us did not finish it. It was probably wise when we decided to pair it with the Makgeolli (Korean rice wine) in an attempt to flush away the oil lingering in our palate. At the Market, we also tried Mayak Kimbap (something like Japanese sushi), Japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), pig’s trotters and Sundae (blood sausages). Give these a try when you are here!
Ramyeon and Odeng Guk (Fish Cake Soup) @ Pojangmacha
Address: No particular ones.
Eating and drinking at Pojangmacha (Korean street tent) is commonly featured in Korean dramas. Therefore, since you are in Seoul, you should at least experience what natives do. Slurping the noodles loudly, savoring the bowl of fish cake soup and occasionally spicing up the meal with some kimchi— this is life. This is also the simplest but yet one of the most satisfying meals during cold weather.
Kalguksu 칼국수 (Korean Knife-cut Noodle Soup)
Address: Many stalls within the Food alley @ Namdaemum Market.
Ok, I know as Chinese we should not be sticking the chopsticks into food shown in the picture above as it is inauspicious — pls do not mind me. We were coerced into ordering from a particular store once we set foot (literally!) into the food alley and did not have the opportunity to explore down the alley. Nonetheless, we were here to try the Kalgusku which is handmade, knife-cut noodle soup. The noodles are abit thinner than the Japanese udon and the soup’s taste pretty much came from the noodles and brown sesame seeds. Although the soup wasn’t as savory as the other dishes I spoke about earlier, it wasn’t that bad due to the nutty and roasted aroma from the sesame seeds. We ordered a Bibimbap set which is good enough for two persons and, besides Kalgusku, it also includes Bibim Naeng Myun (Korean spicy cold noodles), Doenjang-jjigae (fermented soybean paste stew) and Bibimbap. To be honest, these other dishes were average. Tips: Order one Bibimbap set for two to have a variety and learn to reject pushy Ajummas.
Korean Street Food
Two of my favorite street food in Seoul are none other than popcorn chicken and Odeng (fish cake).
My favorite stall for popcorn chicken used to be on Ewha Womans University shopping street, a short distance from one of the exits of Ewha Womans University Station. Unfortunately, I did not see it on my trip to Seoul last year so I am not sure if it has relocated to another place permanently or I was unlucky to have bumped into their rest day when I decided to visit Ewha. Nevertheless, you can keep a lookout for their red signboard. Their tender popcorn chicken was served with Tteokbokki and fried potato balls. The sauce was so good I couldn’t stop popping the bite-sized pieces into my mouth.
As for Odeng, I do not have any particular recommendation as the skewered Odeng from most stalls tasted similar but the soup that comes along is definitely a quick remedy for the cold tummy and shivering hands during cold periods.
Breakfast
Recommended (many outlets in Seoul):
Isaac Toast (이삭토스트) — 105 Toegye-ro, Chungmuro 1(il)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Isaac Toast is a popular and fuss-free breakfast option for many working adults. There are many outlets spread across Seoul and the menu has a decent number of ingredient combination options for you to choose from. Although the toasts look ordinary, they are really delicious. I recall there was a brown sweet sauce drenching the egg, ham and cabbage slices literally sandwiched between the two slices of bread. Do eat it while it’s warm!
Desserts
Recommended (many outlets in Seoul):
Osulloc (오설록) Tea House — 532–10, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Without a doubt, Osulloc Tea House is my favorite place for desserts in Seoul. I have been to Seoul a couple of times, and never did I once skipped the Green Tea Roll Cake. The vanilla mascarpone cheese cream in the middle is so light you can eat the entire slice without feeling much guilt! As for the Green Tea Sliced Cake, it was slightly bitter due to the stronger green tea taste. But there wasn’t much to rave about as I have tasted better of such cakes in Singapore. The Jeju Tangerine Milk Tea is indeed an interesting drink. The tinge of citrus lingers for awhile with each sip and blends in pretty nicely with the mild tea taste. Fun Fact: Tangerines are famous in Jeju, so much so that tourists purchase cartons of them to bring back home.
Random Bakery @ Myeongdong Shopping Street
This is a random bakery we found at one of the corners while shopping at Myeongdong. The bread is freshly baked at regular time intervals stated on a board placed at the entrance so you will know when the new batch is ready by observing the queue formation. We were lucky to be the first few in line and bought two loaves of bread: a chocolate and a cranberry cheese. Both were awesomely soft and moist. The two of us immediately gobbled down one loaf within 5 mins from leaving the bakery though we just had a full dinner before this. Hence, do keep a lookout for this bakery at Myeondong and you will not regret.
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