Korea: Roasted bird and fire's goods

There are few things that harken back to our primordial days as proto-hominids quite like fire-grilled foods, whether it be slow-roasted rotisserie style duck (like above) or crispy crackly fish on sticks broiled over charcoal, charred and oh-so-creamy eggplant grilled whole, sweet and softened onions in kebabs next to blistered tart and juicy cherry tomatoes and hearty chunks of flavorful meat, or full-on-whole-hog slow-cooked to crispy, succulent perfection. All humans hark from a time where the invention of fire served as the literal spark for that catalytic change from beast to a beast with a torch and toasted foods. With fire, we were able to spread from the milder climates of the fertile valley or whichever particular garden our species sprung up in and spread out into colder reaches. With fire, we were able to cook our food, as my quixotic rant above demonstrates, but this also meant making some foods accessible that previously hadn't been, along with improving the overall quality and safety of the food. Cooking makes a lot of foods more easily digested, after all, freeing up more of our energy towards things like growing our brains to adapt to our evolving lifestyles, or experimenting with tool-making.  Fire provides light, and warmth, and all those cozy things that make surviving a harsh, cold winter more bearable, too. 

Is it getting cold where you are, yet? Winter was beginning to sink her claws deep into Korea by this point, though snow hadn't fallen enough to stick just yet. A flurry here or there, though, definitely added a romantic touch to the days, especially when I worked at the Ssamji location, though the outdoor nature of that location meant we had to take proactive measures to keep from freezing our hands to inoperability.  Even with our blankets and scarves and portable space-heaters, the cool seeped into your bones over time, making warming foods all the more necessary to get through. And what more warming or soothing foods than those roasted over a fire or in an oven? Roast bird and breads are a popular pairing the world round, even in a country that came upon bread later in the society's culinary evolution such as South Korea. These little loaves of bread had sweet beans and nuts, a lovely treat to round out a cold evening!

Korea: 해장국 Haejangguk (aka Hangover Stew) in Hwajeong

This little blog here is starting to evolve into something of a food blog these days, though this was certainly not an intentional directional decision. Personally, I'm not complaining, because these are my photos of some absolutely fantastic food that I was lucky enough to be able to shovel into the single biggest gaping face hole I possess at one point in time, but I can understand how for some readers this might have gradually slid into Facebook-worthy lunch photo territory. "Boo, hiss, I don't care what kind of unusual or unfamiliar foreign foods you ate while living in Seoul" some may be shouting at their keyboards, frothing with virulent hatred and disdain. To that I'd say, whoa, man. Pump the hate brakes.

After all, food is a necessary substance for our survival. Not only is it a needed source of energy to power us through our days, but we need to stop and refuel pretty regularly. There are different theories and approaches to the timing and manner in which one chooses to eat, and that's all pretty personal, but even more personal is the emotional component involved. In a lot of situations, there's an emotional or cultural attachment to the foods, too- Antho and I both love macaroni and cheese because on top of having a drug-like congregation of brain-stimulating compounds and flavors, it's something we grew up eating and it brings up fond memories of childhood and a general sense of safety and contentment... though, again, that might have more to do with the compounds throwing your brain into a neurochemical shitstorm, but I digress. Every person is going to have their comfort foods, and there are few things quite so demanding of comforting than a hangover, and if you're in Seoul, chances are you'll wake up with a real ass-kicker of a hangover sometime during your stay, too. Soju and makkgeoli, the drinks of choice in So. Ko., are quite potent and can sneak up on you real fast!

 And for those mornings when you wake, bleary-eyed and head pounding miserably, hangover stew will be there, waiting. It's a heady mix of that familiar Korean red-pepper heat, in a rich bone based broth with the addition of iron-rich coagulated blood in many versions. Funny looking off-cuts of meat join the fray, as do a multitude of vegetables to help nourish you back to fighting form. 

Seoul: Kongnamul gukbap

Gukbap, or soup with rice, is a staple budget-friendly food in the Korean diet. Typically a vegetable-heavy soup with roughly a bowl-full of rice added in for carbs, it's a cheap and filling dish to power you through a night or day. Whether you've been out drinking all evening and need something substantial to soak up the booze in your belly, or you just need a good nutritious meal to get you through the day, gukbap is generally going to be a good, affordable idea. This particular bowl cost me something around $5 US, and came with ample rice, soybean sprouts, banchan, and an egg for additional protein. It was a delicious meal and the restaurant was open 24 hours, so it was always available for the denizens of Hwajeong who needed a good, healthy, meal for whatever reasons. It comes to the table boiling hot in its stone bowl, and the egg is up to you to add at your leisure, so you control how done your yolk is. I like my eggs more on the runny side, so I added mine later in the procedure, but you do as you like because it's your meal when you're there, baby, so enjoy it! I've since recreated this dish stateside for myself and it's wholesome, satisfying, and oh-so-homey in a nostalgic way... even though I'm not Korean in any way that I'm aware of, Kongnamul gukbap is such a delicious and low-budget dish that I will always be grateful for being exposed to how delicious it really is. It doesn't take much to make a delicious and nutritious bowl of soup. This will forever remain one of my favorite simple meals from Korea because of it's pure simplicity and deliciousness! 

Seoul: Dongdaemun Street toast

Korean Street toast is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Warm, sweet, eggy, crispy, toasty...it's all the things you need to cozy up and face the cold mornings, or to soak up any residual soju that might still be lingering in your well-partied belly. Whatever the case, I miss it dearly and look forward to recreating it for Antho and I at some point...until then I can reminisce about the butter-scented clouds drifting off the hot grill as the auntie's skilled hands grease, fry, flip, and toast away. There's a lot of options for customizing your toastie, too, whether you like ham or hamburger! I'd always opt for a coffee with my meal, because caffeine is crucial to my functioning like a semi-cogent human being many mornings. We've all got our vices, and coffee is at least a well-accepted and highly-accessible vice to have in Seoul. Coffee shops are practically everywhere- inside train stations, on busy street corners, nearly anywhere you can tuck a tiny business into. I mean, look at the vast floor plan these women had to work with!

That's it. That's right folks, that photo above comprises the entire floorplan of their restaurant. When you're in an area as densely packed and busy as Dongdaemun, in a city with land-constraints like Seoul, who's mountainous peaks not only prevent invasion but limit expansion, space becomes a premium. I was surprised to learn from friends who'd been living in Seoul that you can find reasonably affordable accommodations, as I'd expected rent to be quite high as it is in/near Tokyo. Businesses, of course, have to pay their share of rent and I'm sure it's pretty high in these corners, but people make do. And they make seriously tasty food out of these tiny, micro-kitchens. It's really no wonder I'm so enamored with the concept of minimalism and tiny-house living after seeing the incredible and ingenious methods people use to optimize even these little corners of the inner city for maximum practicality. With an item like this street toast, which is quite simple in concept but offers multiple means for customization, they're able to really hone in and do what they do best with a simple menu.

And believe me, that toast? SO GOOD!

More photos below...

Korea: Spicy octopus dinner out in Hwajeong

Given that Korea is a peninsula surrounded by the life-teeming waters of the ocean, seafood plays a crucial component in the cuisine. There are countless delicious dishes utilizing this bountiful booty in endless ways, from still squirming sannakji (small octopus) to bubbling cauldrons of seafood stew called maeuntang, to quick dishes like this octopus stirfry. It's a dish I ate several times during my stay in Korea and have since recreated for Antho, who quite enjoyed it too. There are a lot of awesome recipes for it out there on the vast expanses of the internet, but it's always nice to go out and try it in a restaurant! On this evening, Yonie and I went out for a meal together and enjoyed this delicious dish in a restaurant I had walked by hundreds of times without realizing. Even in the suburb of Hwajeong practically every building is multiple stories tall with various shops and restaurants occupying the many rooms within... walk down a hallway and you may find yourself surprised to pass a budaejigae (Army base stew) restaurant, a nail salon, a fashion shop and noodle house before exiting to the other side.  There are simply so many options available, it's really astounding. Personally, I love it. There's absolutely no way I could have tried every single restaurant in the time I was there, even if I ate out every single night of the week. Another mind-boggling thing is how affordable it all is... because of the steep competition there, costs of dining out in restaurants is often less than $10 per person! It can go up depending on the cuisine and the location, of course, as again there's no shortage of options for high-end dining, too, but for a budget diner and aspiring gourmand, South Korea is a wonderland. There's something for everyone, too! Whether you like spicy food or prefer to keep things on the mild side, can't get enough noodles and carbs or are devoutly carnivorous... Even vegans can find some tasty things to eat, though I have to admit that's one particular culinary leaning that doesn't have much traction there just yet. There are temples and places that do serve strictly vegan food but you may have to seek them out specifically, as even seemingly innocuous "safe" things like vegetable banchan will frequently have fish broth or sauce as a base or flavoring component. I'm decidedly omnivorous to the point of eating live shrimp and squirming octopus, so this isn't an issue for me, and I'm in love with the abundance of different dishes that proliferate the Korean dining table. To each their own, though! Make it your own. 

More photos below!

Seoul: Hangover stew in Dongdaemun and snacks

After having lived and worked in Seoul for a while, the company I worked with opened a new location in Dongdaemun. If you're unfamiliar with the area, it's a fashion shopping mecca and houses multiple buildings tailored to a variety of textile needs, whether you're a casual shopper looking for something cute and unique or a maker searching for your latest inspiration. There's truly something for everyone! And it's a massive area, too, because despite the relatively small footprint there are multiple high-rise buildings packed with shops on every single floor to explore, along with many small shops spilling onto the streets and alleys below. On top of all that, there's a thriving immigrant community with Cyrillic menus and writing popping up alongside buildings. If you've been missing some Russian or Eastern European classics, this would be a good neighborhood to find some. There are also many food stalls, street vendors, restaurants and chains proliferating here, so there's no shortage of options when it comes to food. I tried Korean Street Toast in this neighborhood for the first time and found myself hooked, unfortunately. So tasty, but not the sort of thing that really made it's way back to the US yet. It's not the most difficult of things to make, I suppose, and it was a lot of fun watching the ladies make it on their hot griddles in a stall the size of most bathrooms stateside. The billowing steam, rife with the smell of hot butter and sizzling ham, would attract many visitors and there was often a line. Some days, however, you need something more substantial, and that's where the hangover stew comes in.

It's not going to win any awards for beauty, but it's a hearty, filling soup to heal what ails you. If you're squeamish, don't ask what cuts of meat are used. It's full of protein, though! And the broth is studded with enough spice to wake you from a half-drowsed state and reinvigorate your senses. Good stuff. Not to mention the serve-yourself banchan bar so you can load up on all the crunchy pickled radish (spicy kkaktugi this time), kimchi and other goodies your heart desires. It's good stuff. I ate it a couple of times during my stay and I'd recommend it to any brave eater. It kind of reminds me of posole, actually, so if you're familiar with that dish it might be an easy one. 

The restaurant I ate this in, this time, was right behind the building I worked in and I think it was actually more of a barbeque restaurant than a stew one, but I digress. There were at least 20 restaurants nestled among the buildings and alley, though, to be fair. No shortage of options, believe you me. They left me to my stew and banchan with no fuss, though they may have judged me. I left happy with my belly full, reenergized and ready to tackle the remainder of my day!

More photos below!

Korean Fried Chicken

Korean fried chicken is an absolutely glorious thing. There are two schools of thought when it comes to the term "KFC"- for many people it brings up images of a white-haired dude in a suit, and for the rest it conjures crisp, crackling batter encasing steaming hot chicken in a rainbow of sauce options served with little cubes of sweet-tart pickled radish to cleanse your palate. For me, I'm firmly in the latter camp. No trip to Seoul is complete without eating some chicken at some point, it's a cultural institution! You can get it delivered anywhere, whether you're next to a river watching the sunset or nestled in at home against the winter cold. Out and about? You can pop into any number of chains that serve it up fresh from the fryer, or grab some in a cup from a streetside stand. And did I mention the seasonings?! Good lawd, there's so many options! You can go with a dry approach, where your hot chicken is doused in the powdery seasoning that packs a serious punch, with flavors ranging from sweet corn to cheese... or you can opt to go the saucy route, as I did, and drench your bird in the flavor. 

 

Being a girl who loves all things hot and spicy, I'm partial to the yangnyeom sauce, which is sweet and spicy and all around delectable. It's a popular sauce, but there are countless options ranging from mild and sweet to face-melting and each chain is going to have their own unique options to choose from, too. This chicken came fresh from a little shop on one of the main roads in Hwajeong, about a block and a half walk from where I resided. Along the way, I'd pass a farmer's market, ssamgyupsal restaurant, quick-casual noodle joint serving $3 jjajjangmyun and $5 jjampong, a pizza place, and a cellphone store. I went to this restaurant a couple of times, though, because it was really good! They had some goofy mottos on the bags, too, something like "Mom chooses the best chicken and papa provides for happy family" or something... Always interesting to encounter random English on otherwise native language packaging. It was a lot of chicken, so I had leftovers for a day or two, though it's never as good the next day... They definitely intend for this to be a family portion! There were several side dish options, like corn or rice cakes, but I already had more than enough food to contend with when it came to just the chicken alone, so I never opted for more. Those radish pickles are absolutely essential, however, and come included I believe. They're so refreshing, cool, crisp and cleansing after mowing through a spicy-sweet mass of chicken.  

If you ever find yourself in Seoul, don't hesitate to stop into a chicken restaurant and indulge. It's so very worth it!

Cheers!

🍗

XOXO,

NAU

Korea: Jjajangmyun in Hwajeong

Hwajeong is a little suburban area outside of Seoul city proper. It's a short drive, about 20-30 minutes to the heart of the city, and about forty-five minutes to an hour by train/subway into Insadong and the Jogno area. With it's close proximity to the big city and all its entertainments, I still enjoyed taking some slow days to wander around the neighborhood and try some of the restaurants. It's really no less convenient than being in the inner-city, as Hwajeong had a plethora of shopping options and restaurants all relatively close to the apartment. Yonie's place in particular was SO close to the station that you could literally walk out the entrance and hit 5 convenience stores, 7-8 cosmetic stores, 5 different grocery markets (from sprawling Wal-mart type department stores of food and housewares to a roughly10-foot square farmer's market that spilled onto the sidewalk in front)... Then there were all the restaurants! From fast food favorites like Lotteria and McDonalds, Burger King, Pizza Hut and KFC to specialty restaurants serving specialty wild boar meat barbeque and fish fresh from their tanks. There was even a restaurant serving boshintang, dog meat soup. Yes, that's right, you can still find dog meat throughout Seoul. They've definitely tried to tone it down over the years and protests occur quite regularly in the more densely populated tourist centers, but if you look in some tucked away alleys or narrow hallways of large food centers you might find a restaurant serving it quietly.  This post, however, is far more dog-friendly! No dogs were harmed in the making of this post! Huzzah.

What I ate instead was jjajangmyun, a chewy, springy noodle with savory black bean sauce stuffed with meat and vegetables. It's delicious and comforting, not at all spicy, which makes it a kid-friendly nostalgic favorite I'm told. This is a dish that was originally based on a Chinese noodle dish but has been adapted to suit Korean palates and taken on a life of it's own, so it's often found in places that serve similar dishes, like jjampong, a spicy seafood noodle soup or tangsuyuk, sweet and sour pork or beef. While jjajangmyun arrives with the sauce piled on top, you get to stir it all together at the table which can be quite fun. This is not a dish to eat when wearing a light colored shirt, though, so be warned. Slurping the noodles can sometimes cause a bit of sauce shrapnel spillage if you're inexperienced or clumsy, but a lot of places that serve jjajangmyun offer napkins or bibs to protect your dignity. I know that I, for one, have a mild meltdown over stains. The shame, I tell you! 

Since the sauce itself is decidedly pretty tame, you'll typically get some sides to perk up your meal. Pickled radish is common, as are chunks of sharp raw onion and a bit of black bean sauce. I like onions and pungent funky things of that nature, so this is all fantastic and perfectly acceptable to me. This dish has, of course, become a nostalgic favorite for me so I'm always happy when I find places that serve it in my area, whether it be in Hwajeong or Vegas. I enjoyed this meal and then went about exploring the area a bit more, for a relaxing day off. Sometimes the slower days were the nicest, just taking in the cool autumn breeze as the weather gears towards winter and the trees start to change their tones. 

More photos below!

Korea: World Cup Stadium Station and dinner

This post, compared to some of my other ones (like the recent Kwang Jang market post, or this older post about Takao-san in Japan), will be quite short. For this trip out, I didn't take all that many photos. Sam Gorrie, a Canadian born caricature artist, had joined our household at Yonie's and the three of us (myself, Sam, and Yonie) were going to catch the movie Doctor Strange, which had just released in Korea (a full month ahead of the US!)... We decided to catch it over at the World Cup Stadium station as it was close to our area but had a very nice theater. Sam and I went from the house together ahead of time to meet Yonie there, which gave the two of us time to talk and get to know each other better. Much like meeting Kelly, Sam has been a prolific presence throughout many of the same circles, cities, and companies I've worked/lived in yet we'd never actually met previously. I had heard much about her and we were friends on Facebook, as you do, but it was fun to actually meet face to face! She's a very vivacious person who's passionate about fitness and art, so it's hard not to get a major boost of motivation when around her! It was super fun hanging out. Since we had a bit of time to kill before the showtime, we three walked about the shopping center gabbing and grabbed a bite to eat. 

Overall it was a peaceful, enjoyable evening out. I picked up some hand lotion and goodies to send/bring back for friends in the US while we were out, the movie was an absolute blast, and it was fun getting to know a fellow artist. Yonie can be a very welcoming and generous host, and while I didn't spend as much time as I probably should have with her while living in the group house, it was generally a good time when we did get together. She's the one who initiated the whole artist exchange program that leads to my living in Korea, after all, and Sam was one of the very first (if not -the- first, as she'll argue with a wink and a grin- the program started with her and another who arrived close together) artists to live under her roof. Naturally, the two of them have a much stronger and intimate friendship so I might have been a bit of a third wheel on this outing. 😉

More photos below~

Korea: Garak market part two

Garak market is an established agricultural and fish wholesale market open to the public. In recent years it's come under the wave of modernization, as many markets have, and been updated with a shiny new shopping center to replace the original warehouses. The new building is air-conditioned, bright, and clean- all good things, right? And there's parking available on each of the floors, of which there are three, each tailored to a particular need. The ground floor comprises the majority of the photos I took as I found it the most interesting of the three. The second floor was more or less a Costco-style store with vast quantities of a wide array of foodstuffs available, and the third floor was all restaurants. I didn't make any purchases, partly because I'd already been out and about all morning and was growing tired, but also because the trek home was going to be quite long and I wasn't sure if I could eat any substantial meal without summarily falling asleep on the train....then waking up in some far off train station confused. 

The move for modernization was pushed as being an unavoidable necessity as the surrounding neighborhood itself grows more modern and affluent. Whether that is true or not is debatable, but residents are probably grateful to have a cleaner market to do their shopping in. I felt a bit underwhelmed by the experience, but this could also have been in part due to my getting there later in the day. I've read that if you arrive early the market is more lively as the butchers prepare their cuts for the day and fishermen have their latest goods being carved or tanked for the day, but other blogs have said that they arrived early only to find the place as desolate as I found it. Perhaps the newer building has priced out vendors with higher rent, as was the case for many vendors who resisted the move to the New Noryangjin building. 

Still, as tired as I was, I wanted to make the best of it and get as many photos as I could before heading towards home. Even though they're not as exciting, there is a certain charm to catching places like this during the slow periods. 

More photos below!

Korea: Spicy jjampong on the way to Ilsan lake park

Oh, jjampong, what a delightful dish!

It's a spicy soup with seafood and crisp vegetables atop springy, chewy noodles. Served with pickled radish and savoury brown sauce here, it was a warming lunch indeed. This restaurant advertises their flare for spice with these cute posters adorning their walls; 

I mean, look how satisfied he looks despite the sweats! What spice level would you dare? I tried to order the level 3 but the two people I talked to advised against it, and when the cook himself comes out of the kitchen to try to admonish you about your food choices it's probably time to sit back and listen. In the end my soup was plenty spicy, just enough to make my nose and eyes water without being inedible, so I was able to eat the entire bowl with little problem. I do remember my lips burning for a little while afterwards, but that's a reasonable price to pay for the thrill of the heat. I wonder what a level three would have been like...someday I hope to try it, but until then it was a good meal and I enjoyed myself. It gave me plenty energy for the afternoon hike around Ilsan lake park that was to come, and then the ambitious hike back to Hwajeong after that. If you've never had jjampong, I highly recommend it! You can find it in a lot of Korean restaurants in the US, like Island Style or at the food court of Greenland Market here in Las vegas, along with countless restaurants in most large cities. Tiny restaurants like these are all over the place through any suburban area of Seoul and they're one of my favourite things, so I'm always happy when I find places back home that remind me of that experience. It's a special kind of nostalgia, the kind that leaves your lips tingling and your belly full and satisfied. One of the best things about living in South Korea is how affordable the food is- this big bowl of goodness and all the side dishes were only 6,000₩, or roughly 6$US (give or take, depending on exchange rate) with no need for a tip. It was a fully satiating meal and had lots of fresh colourful vegetables and seafood so I'd consider it reasonably nutritious...I mean, it's a lot of carbs and likely a lot of oils too, but probably not the unhealthiest thing you could eat for that sort of value. Most fast food orders cost more than that, after all, and how many veggies are you getting in that typically that aren't deep fried? Suffice to say, I love and miss meals like this, and try to replicate them when I can. So good!

After lunch I made my way to Ilsan lake park, which was only one or two trainstops away from where I was staying at the time. During my first week living there I'd walked back from there to the apartment where I was staying after my guide had to leave for other matters. We'd ridden to the area in her vehicle, so i'd been able to watch the roadside landmarks as we passed through and was able to use those to guide myself back. It was a long walk, over 10 miles, but it felt good and this trip was taken with the intent to recreate that original trek. This time I had a pedometer and map with wifi so I was better equipped than the first time through...yet in the end I found myself getting rather lost... so it's quite a good thing I fueled up with a hearty bowl of jjampong before striking out on my adventure! Ilsan park is beautiful and I highly recommend giving it a visit at any time of year, as it's charms change and evolve with the seasons. There's even a toilet museum. How can you resist that?!

More photos below!

Korea: Noryangjin New Fish Market Fall 2016

Now that I've feasted on the flesh of still squirming shrimp and sampled the infamous slithering octopus tentacles of sannakji once more, it's time I set aside my unease and explore the newest Noryangjin building. In my previous visit to Seoul in 2014, Noryangjin was one of my favourite destinations! It was so raw, quite literally, and seeing so much seafood bubbling in tanks or still twitching it's last throes on the icy tables while the bright-apron-clad aunties climbed up the tanks to wrangle out a massive lobster, crab, or other delicacy was fascinating. The old building, which is still operational next to the new market, has been in it's current location for over 40 years and feels like an established, and invariably older, market.  The new building still offers plenty of seafood, yes...but it's in a much more sterile environment. The floors, while still prone to being slick, are a lacquered linoleum reflecting the bright florescent lights from above. Instead of feeling like a wet market, it's more of a department store gone super fishy. Some people will indubitably prefer this, and I suppose that's okay. I don't despise shopping malls, after all...I can see how the clean, austere, controlled environment and crisp appearance would appeal. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions on the matter, and everyone's tastes are different.  Seoul is a city that strives to perfect itself and strive towards modernisation whenever and wherever possible and their old, established markets are not immune. To me, though, it feels like a shadow of the former market. If I came to Seoul for the very first time and had never visited the older market, maybe I'd have swooned over this one. From what I've read, the new building costs more for the vendors to rent their stalls, which means that their prices are typically higher to account for that, but it's also a sticking point for many of the vendors who site the higher rent as prohibitive. Roughly half the vendors have refused to move into the new building, so the new market still feels a bit unfinished and empty as a result. You'll still find people diligently breaking down fish for various methods of consumption and various uncles and aunties mostly eager to sell their goods (when not in the midst of an afternoon nap, of course), and there are restaurants upstairs you can take your choices to, should you opt to purchase anything while here. If you find yourself in Seoul, check it out and decide for yourself. For now, here are my photos.