Seattle: Dog in the park

Dog in the park is a small, unpretentious food stall nestled in to a corner of a park just around the corner from Pike's Place Market. That means it's in a primo location, surrounded by luxury names and high-end products, endless swarms of milling, often quite hungry, tourists. Like I said, it's a pretty primo spot for a place that sells food, especially at such reasonable prices (considering it's in such a high-traffic, high-end area). The food is not going to be overwhelmingly fancy; there's no foie gras to be found, no flourishing of the plate, nay, there aren't even plates. Your food is wrapped in paper and meant to be eaten, now, before it gets cold. The premise, like most street food stalls, is pretty simple: after examining the menu and deciding what you want, you tell the friendly fellow manning the grill and he'll heat it up for you, fresh, so your food is steaming hot when handed to you. A novel touch, for us, was that he sliced the weiners in half, but this is genius in that it gives you even more of those delicious crispy seared edges of sausage. Yum. I opted for the Seattle dog, because it seemed appropriate and I like cream cheese, so it was an easy choice. I don't recall what style Antho ordered, but he prefers to keep his dogs clean and simple, so it was something classic without too many additions or toppings. We were both quite happy with our choices and devoured our hot dogs in glee, hardly wasting any time on photos or erroneous conversation. You know the food is good when it gets notorious chatterbugs to quiet down and focus.    

If I remember correctly, we ended up paying about $12 for our two hotdogs. Yeah, that's a lot when you consider the hot dogs at Costco that retail for only $1.50, but tourist tax is a real thing, and this is definitely one of the more affordable options in that particular corner. When you're hungry and need something quick, hot, and delicious, this isn't the worst sausage you could find going into your mouth on a street corner... 

 

Was that too much? I know, sometimes I just can't help myself. Anyway, it was a gorgeous, albeit slightly chilly, day when we were visiting the stand. It had a pretty regular turn over in our short time of waiting and then eating, and most people seemed to get their food in short order. I imagine that at peek tourist traffic times of year there may be something of a line to wade through to get your fix, especially if they've garnered any awards recently. 

 

Korea: 골뱅이Golbaengi (Sea snail) and 양념 통닭 Yangnyeom tongdak

If this is your first visit to the blog, welcome! I am Nau, an avid eater, and fan of trying new things whenever and wherever feasibly possible, especially when travelling. In the past I've shovelled things like still-living (and squirming) shrimp into my pie-hole, wriggling miniature octopus tentacles liberally lubricated in sesame oil (to keep from choking, of course), squirmy sentient (or at least prehensile) penises of a creature called daebul, and even more controversial things like that time I tried whale bacon in the tiny dining room of a restaurant nestled deep into a narrow back alley of Shinagawa or braved a bowl of boshingtang in a small restaurant buried in a suburb outside of Seoul. There was also that time back in college when my friends and I were camping and one of our cohorts brought along a bag of marinated wild-caught rabbit he'd hunted and butchered not long prior to our trip, lugged to the site along with the grill it would be cooked on via backpack, to be washed down with fancy booze at hot spring hidden in the desert. Suffice to say, bring me your unusual, your wild, your chewy and your squirmy and I'll give it an honest shot. I'm pretty open to most things, from dog meat to century eggs, fish sperm sacs to bull's balls... To be frank, I think the one and possibly only new food I know of but haven't tried that I'd genuinely struggle to eat is balut, the fertilized egg with a mostly-formed bird embryo tucked inside, replete with barely formed feathers and crunchy little barely-done-bones. Well, that is aside from my perverse aversion to yogurt and pudding, which make me gag with their texture. I know, right? This, coming from someone who willing ingests fish sperm sacs. I wasn't especially keen on sea cucumbers when I tried those, either. But this post is not about things that were unpalatable- or things I wouldn't be able to eat- this post is about things I did eat, and also quite thoroughly enjoyed! 

See that cup right there? That cup is full of magic, of glory, and of things chewy, crunchy, sweet, gooey, juicy and delicious. It hits practically every possible flavor and texture profile yet contains little more than chicken, coated in a crispy-crunchy batter, and rice cakes- both of which are then generously drenched in an addictive sauce. All around deliciousness in a small cup, eaten with a toothpick and a delirious grin. I'm still a bit ashamed with myself for not discovering the joys of 양념 통닭, or yangnyeom tongdak, previously, but to be fair it may have taken the cooler outside temperatures to bring the chef out to the streets to share her goods. Needless to say, fantastic!

The other dish on our menu today is grilled sea snails, called 골뱅이 or golbaengi. This was from another small cart not far from the yangnyeom lady, and the freshly cooked snails were liberally seasoned while grilling and then adorned with garnishes upon serving. Those big tan-ish flakes are bonito shavings, a form of dried fish that is a total umami bomb, imparting serious flavor in the thin slices, which happily wiggle in the steam from fresh, hot foods. The snails were a bit chewier, not especially to any surprise of mine, but tasty. Also very affordable, as much of the street food found in South Korea is. Be brave, my little ducklings, there's so many tasty things out there and you never know what new favorite food you might discover if you don't at least give it a try. 

Korea: Galbitang 갈비탕 and Ssamziegil snacks

Undoubtedly, one of the best things about living and working in Seoul is the ready accessibility of delicious, affordable food at any turn. Whether you're in need of a robust, hearty meal with a rainbow of banchan to whet your palate and satisfy your hunger, or simply an easy, light, quick snack to tide you over, you'll never have to go far to find it. The Fun Caricature location I spent a significant portion of my work days at in Seoul's historic arts and crafts district of Insadong, near Anguk station, was especially well-endowed in terms of delicious options- from food carts to sit down breweries, high or low end, it was all there. We could even get food delivered to us right at the location, fresh and steaming hot, should the need or desire arise (it did). Korean food delivery systems are among some of the best in the world, though America is desperately trying to catch up these days with Ubereats and Doordash and whatever other silly-named services have since come out offering to ferry your food directly to you to save you the hassle of going to get it. 

While I frequently opted for the cheap, quick snack from a vendor or the convenience stores, there was no denying the bounty of restaurants available to choose from near the caricature location. At first I was too anxious to go and try to fend for myself in a restaurant where the language is something I sorely struggle to comprehend, but once I started to pick up on reading Hangul (it's really a lot easier than you think it is) and could deduce the items on the menu it was a lot less intimidating. The meal pictured above, a delicious and warming bowl of beef rib soup (aka Galbitang) and ample banchan was reasonably priced, even for being in a nicer restaurant in a tourist-heavy area, and I thoroughly enjoyed it as a change of pace from the usual hard boiled eggs and mysterious sausage-shaped-fish-based-food. My coworkers would sometimes join me on these lunch outings, but this was a solo mission. It was peaceful. If there's a lesson here, my friends, it's to be brave and get out there and try. Believe it or not, most people are actually quite kind at heart, at least in my experience out in the world. 

And who knows, maybe you'll make friends with the sweet lady at the dongppang (poop bread) shop!

Korea: Ewha university district

 Along with being nearly impossible for me to spell correctly, Ewha university district is an excellent destination for anyone looking to soak up some of Seoul's prodigious youth culture. Ewha Women's University happened to be the private educational institution where my good friend Carmen happened to be teaching English at the time of my stay in Korea, so her apartment was in the area, naturally. We had met up in different neighborhoods throughout my stay, but given her familiarity with the area we decided to explore it together on a chilly early-winter evening. The energy of the area is palpable, though, almost immediately after departing the train or bus station. Rich, densely scented plumes of steam billow from multiple street food vendor's carts, a heady mix of odors perfuming the air and young students and residents bustle buy in their quest for cheap sustenance and a safe, quiet place to study. Luckily, Seoul was pretty safe in my experience of it, but that doesn't mean it's an entirely idyllic location free of troubles...

Once your stomach is sufficiently satiated, you have a plethora of options to choose from when it comes to entertainment. Maybe you feel like dipping into a noraebang for Korean-style karaoke, or maybe you want to drop a few thousand won at the flagship Line Friends store and get your photo with the giant teddybear that resides inside. I mean, I didn't get my photo with the bear, because I'm a cynical bastard., but don't let me stop you from living your best life. There are endless shops throughout the area catering to the needs of all the students (and their professors) living near the campus, whether you need some cheap fresh fruit straight from the farmer or some fast fashion to keep up with the endlessly evolving fashion parading through the streets. One thing South Koreans seem quite good at is staying on top of the trends, as you'll quickly notice a very strong color palette present on most train rides through the city, or simply by walking through the crowded alleys of Hongdae and Ewha, where the color du jour will dominate the scene.  

Whether you're looking for a primo-photo opportunity or want to stock up on the latest skincare and fashion trends, Ewha is worth checking out on any visit to Seoul!

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...

Seoul: Gwangjang market at night part three

After the sun sinks behind the horizon and the sky darkens into night, you'd expect people to go home to rest after a long day, nestling into their beds early, right? After all, most towns, after a certain hour, become a ghost town...and even Seoul does grow quiet and more expansive as the night grows deeper, but it's never truly asleep. There is always something going on, whether it's a lone vendor's stone cauldron steaming resolutely into the evening or a gaggle of youth's seated in plastic chairs in front of a convenience store giggling. Gwangjang market is a fairly big place with a lot of people working inside its confines, and when they shut up shop for the night they often don't go very far before finding somewhere to have a meal and some soju as they unwind before heading home. As such, there is almost always at least a couple restaurants and vendors cooking away late into the evening. Whether they keep going past last train I can not confirm, as I never stayed out past that fated witching hour myself. Not this trip, anyhow. 

If you're hungry, which you'll likely be after walking through billowing plumes of olfactory assault, from dumplings to soups, hot vegetable pancakes and all sorts of other goodies bubbling away, you'll be able to get a solid meal (or three) here.  Follow the crowds to find the best spots!

Lots more photos below~

Seoul: Octopus Stir-fry and Seafood pancake Street food stall in Dongdaemun

The food in South Korea is bountiful, beautiful, and naturally quite delicious. You have an incredible variety of options for getting fed, too! Not only was South Korea way ahead of the US on the McDonald's delivery service, you can have all sorts of different foods delivered almost anywhere, whether you're beachside, at the park, or fervently studying at the library. This could be in part due to the fact that being a geographically small country makes it easier to ensure delivery to all its corners, and the little scooters used specifically for delivery are deftly able to navigate the winding alleys and side streets of the city. If you're feeling more like going somewhere sit-down, there are the food carts and stalls such as this one where you can get to pick out your food from either a menu or a mountain of ingredients, then wait while it's prepared (or be annoying like I was and hover with a camera). Your food will be made hot and fresh!  It will likely be pretty reasonably priced, too, unless you're silly like me and accidentally over-order and feel obligated to stuff as much of it in as you can. Even so, for the amount of food, it wasn't very expensive at all.

You'll find these little food carts all over Seoul and, presumably, the rest of South Korea, too. I can only vouch for Seoul as that's where I'm familiar with, but given their ubiquitous appearances, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to find them all over the country. You can always go to a more enclosed sit down restaurant if you aren't keen on the plastic siding that constitutes the barrier to the outside world.  Personally, I don't mind it, but on extra cold days it might be a challenge to endure the blistering chills creeping in. Luckily your meal starts with a hot bowl of soup, free of charge, or at least mine did. Most meals in Korea will have some form of light soup and various side dishes included unless the main itself is a soup, which makes sense, right? It's a small touch, but a nice one. 

For this meal, I opted for stir-fried octopus with vegetables, and accidentally also ordered a seafood pancake that ended up being massive. Both dishes were good, but could have easily been shared with 2-3 other people, so I walked out quite stuffed. I hate to waste food but I doubt they do take out, and even if they do, my Korean skills were pretty weak and I doubted my ability to relay my request after failing to communicate my order properly already. Chalk it up to live and learn. 

More photos below!