Food Fridays - Seoul
Seoul is city that holds over 9 million people and with that size of population, there is no shortage of food options 24/7. Sweet, salty, spicy, soupy, meaty, snacky…, we had no problems finding delicious things to eat.
Our very first meal in Seoul was Korean BBQ. We ordered on touch screens which displayed the menu in English, and shortly after our meal and side dishes were brought right to our table. We ordered a pork set menu for two and it was more than enough!
Chamchi (tuna) ham salad mayo gimbap from a convenience store. Pre-cut snacking goodness perfect for a portable afternoon snack in the park or an after-midnight treat.
When jokbal (braised pig feet shown on the left) meets bossam (brine-boiled pork shoulder, the one on the right) , it’s a very lovely thing to behold and an even more tasty thing to eat.
It’s the battle of the bingsu! Earthy green matcha bingsu verses fruity fresh mango bingsu. Who emerged victorious? In this case, mango won!
While waiting for a bit of rain to pass, we hid out in a small tea house and enjoyed a tray of mini traditional Korean sweets.
Along with the traditional treats, we got a traditional drink. An iced persimmon Jujube ginger tea with a whole persimmon hidden in the middle.
Tosokchon samgyetang or chicken ginseng soup. A nourishing soup with a whole oh-so-tender chicken stuffed with sticky rice. There were even special instructions on how to eat the chicken. In a side dish, make a bed of kimchi cabbage and radish and put pieces of the soft boiled chicken along with some salt and pepper. Mix and eat. So good.
We have bibimbap a lot at home, so I definitely wanted to try some here. I think the dolsot bibimbap is one of the prettiest dishes.
Abalone juk. A warm rice porridge that is one of those perfect comfort foods for a late night (or early morning), with a side of kimchi, of course!
Time for a little street food. Bungeoppang is fish-shaped, crispy on the outside, and sweet on the inside. This one is filled with red bean paste and hot off the grill. We got three of these for 5,000 won (approx. $5) which was our light breakfast for a few mornings on the way to the metro station.
Nestled deep within a palace garden lies a pond. Across the path from said pond lies a vending machine. It was the perfect time to try some new drinks (sponsored by Lotte, apparently) and enjoy some scenery.
Jjajangmyeon is noodles smothered in a delicious savory black bean sauce. We got the option to include a side of tangsuyuk (fried pork in a delicious sweet sauce).
Korean corn dogs are more exciting than regular corn dogs. This one comes covered in fried potatoes. Fries and a hotdog together on one stick, yes, please!
A local acquaintance introduced us to this convenience store option where you get a cup of ice, select a drink in a bag from several different options. Pour and enjoy.
“Meat” the best katsu we’ve ever had. The crispiest tenderest pork medallions ever with a salad, rice, miso soup, and one special touch. See that white grainy stuff on the plate with the wasabi? An umami packed sprinkling of truffle salt!
We started this food post with a BBQ, so let’s end it with one. We went to a restaurant that only serves one thing one way. Beef ribs cooked over hot coals. This was our grill and our table so we cooked and ate standing up. The meat was so soft and flavorful. Definitely an experience!