Vegas: Sushi Twister

When it's time to #TREATYOSELF, to pick out one of your utmost favorite, most luxurious and decadent choices to eat, what would you choose? For me, there's no doubt I'd veer hard into the seafood section, especially towards things like sea urchin, sweet shrimp, salmon, and salmon roe. I'm a sucker for sushi, what can I say? I won't say it's the penultimately perfect food, though it's bite-size portions with their perfectly balanced balls of tender seasoned rice and meticulously sliced servings of succulent fish are definitely getting pretty close to what might entail perfection. Each bite of rich, creamy sea urchin gunkan (or battleship) style sushi floods your palette with that briny essence of the sea and deep umami flavor that makes sea urchin such a decisively loved or hated food for many, much like raw oysters who's texture and flavor I find absolutely enjoyable, despite their resemblance to some kind of awful lung-lump you might hock up during a particularly bad chest infection. Maybe I'm the weird one here, but Antho loves many of the same oddities I do, so perhaps they're not so odd after all.

If the gonads of sea urchin and roe of salmon are too freaky-deaky for you baby, you can always opt for the warm, flaky, oily goodness of grilled eel smothered in a sweet and sticky sauce that compliments its flavor. Not only is the eel cooked, for those who struggle to stick cold slices of raw fish into their maw, but it's also served warm fresh from the grill so it's extra-enjoyable! There's also a ton of different side dishes available, along with "hidden" extras like the fried sweet shrimp heads, which a chef may politely inquire about your interest in prior to dishing it up. I recommend the crispy little craniums, but I've also mowed them down in raw, living form while living in Korea, so it's safe to say I love all things shrimpy. What I'm trying to say here, though, is that Sushi Twister has long been a staple restaurant of mine for sushi in Vegas for a very good reason: their food is good, very good! And consistently, at that! That's a wonderful thing, because there aren't that many restaurants on this side of the Strip offering sushi, let alone quality sushi, so Sushi Twister is a unicorn of sorts. They were the first decent sushi restaurant I ever encountered this side of Eastern, and the chefs have always been extremely pleasant, or at least polite when I interacted with them. This place is a gem, and while I no longer reside within a reasonable distance to visit them, I hope they are able to prosper and dish up these delicious dishes for years to come!

Korea: 설렁탕 Seolleongtang, again, because it's delicious AF

South Korea is something of a wonderland when it comes to delicious food, regardless of your preferences! Are you a total carbohydrate fiend who can't get enough of the starchy stuff? You'll be pleased to learn that there's not only the spicy noodles you've probably heard about or seen on places like Youtube (or even here on my own little blog *blush*), delicious things like steamy jjampong loaded with seafood and vegetables in a warming red broth or chilled mixed noodles like bibimguksu, but there's plenty of non-spicy options to get your fill, too! One of my favorite hot noodle dishes combines a rich and milky beef broth with ultra-tender pieces of beef, chunks of aromatic vegetables and silky mushrooms with thin wheat noodles to slurp it all up with. This delicious, warming, soothing cauldron of goodness is known as 설렁탕 Seolleongtang, which can be found throughout much of Seoul as well as in any community stateside with a large enough Korean population. If you're out somewhere where you're unable to find this delight served in a restaurant, you can always opt to make it yourself! It's a labor of love more than anything else, as the ingredients used aren't especially scarce or rare for the most part, they just require a long cooking time to extract all their goodness into that unctuous, ridiculously-good broth. A point of note is that in many recipes for seolleongtang salt is added at the very end, as in by you at the table, so don't be surprised if you eagerly dip your spoon in and ladle up a big unseasoned slurp of soup! It's okay, my dears, don't fear. Happens to the best of us sometimes when we get over-eager about our tasty treats, right? Once you regain your composure and whereabouts, you should find a small bowl with a salt and pepper mixture to add seasoning to your preference. This is pretty ingenious, really, as it prevents the dish from being overly salty when reduced further and allows salt sensitive patrons to limit their sodium intake, or for those without any sensitivity what-so-ever there's the freedom to go as hog-wild with your salt as your heart desires. You do you, booboo. 

Korea: Samgyeupsal dinner with egg river!

One of the greatest joys in travel is discovering new foods and exploring the different cuisines of the various cultures of the world, and Korea is an exceptionally excellent location for any food-obsessed fellow. Each culture, each region, dramatically influences how the food culture develops and what ingredients will be most abundant throughout the area. South Korea is lucky in that it not only has ample access to the sea and all the wonderful fresh (and sometimes frightening) foods that can be dredged from its depths, but they also have a robust agricultural community and system throughout the country and a good growing season during the spring through fall, though the harsh winters influenced the development of pickled and fermented goodies like kimchi to preserve and extend the harvest. This also means quite a wide array of delicious regional goodies to choose from, whether it's apples from Andong, dakgalbi from Chuncheon, or grabbing some sizzling hot samgyeupsal in the Jogno-3 area. On this particular outing, I didn't venture all the way into the city for my porcine fix, but instead popped into a small restaurant (part of a larger chain throughout the country) that was just across the street from my residence. A lot of the restaurants in my smaller suburb catered solely to larger parties, turning me away at the door for being a solo diner, adding insult to any potential shame one might feel at having attempted to feast alone. I guess that's just not how food culture in Korea operates, though- while in Japan it's not at all unusual to go to a restaurant and pull up a stool at a counter to grab a quick bite, dining out in Korea seems to be generally more of a social endeavor. This restaurant, however, had no qualms with allowing me to get my pork belly barbeque on in solitary fashion! Not only that, but they provided a river of egg along with the delicious grilled meat, a first-time encounter for me. It was delicious, and an all around filling and robust meal that is perfect for celebrating any occasion, whether it's with a large group of friends or you just so happen to go solo. Be forewarned that it's not always easy to find restaurants in South Korea that will accommodate single diners, though, so you may need a smidgeon of patience in your pursuit of deliciousness. 

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!

Vegas: Flippin' Good Burgers and Chicken

Regulars to the blog will be fully aware of my feelings about fried chicken, and how a particular country's chicken rises above the rest as the supreme form of deep-fat-fried birdy goodness... But every once in a while a contender comes along with a coating so crackly, crunchy and good that it gives me pause and makes me reconsider that stance. Naturally, I've always gravitated back to my original opinion thus far, which is that Korean fried chicken is the penultimate greasy bird, but I've gotta give Flippin' Good credit for serving up some pretty damn good chicken! Which, ironically, isn't even what their primary focus is if the name is any given. Burgers and shakes are the main feature of their brief menu but their chicken is legit. We opted for delivery because, believe it or not, we're balls-deep into the process of moving out of our current abode as of my writing this, and will long since be out of Vegas by the time this reaches posting, so while it would have been nice to go out and sit down with one of their shakes in what I presume to be their fine restaurant, we had sh*t to do and things to pack. Even though we opted to get our food brought to our house, like the lazy bastards we are, it was all nice and fresh and hot still when it arrived. And look at that food porn above- that crispy crackling coating is to drool for! They did a damn fine job on their batter, and the Nashville heat seasoning we opted for on our tenders was definitely bringing some heat for Antho's palate. I got the fire fries as an upgrade with my Dirty Bird, featured above. The Dirty Bird is certainly one dirty, naughty bird! Not only does it come with the super crispy hunk of bird, but a nice thick slab of bacon and an egg with a still-creamy yolk adorn it for extra pizzaz. If any city calls for being extra, it's certainly gonna be Vegas, right?  

They also offer fried pickles, y'all. FRIED PICKLES! Served with ranch, because, duh, right? I mean, I'll be honest here...I'm not a Southerner, even though Las Vegas is squarely located in the Southwestern corner of the United States, Nevada joined the union during the Civil war to back our buddies in the North (because f**k slavery) so I'm absolutely not a person of authority when it comes to what something like fried pickles are supposed to be served with. For all I know they're traditionally served in the hollowed out gut of a rusted old Ford and drenched in pure molten lard... But suffice to say, these fried pickles right here, they were damn fine fried pickles as far as my uneducated palate is concerned. I pretty much scarfed the entire box to myself, because I forgot that Antho is vehemently anti-pickle. His loss, my (weight) gain! 

And if we're gonna be extra, why not upgrade for $2 and get the dressed up fries? They have a few different variations, most with some cheese and bacon, though I opted for the "Fire Fries" in particular, which came with pickled jalapenos and a dangerously generous heaping of powdered spice seasoning dumped on top. The fries definitely lived up to their name, and were too spicy for me to conquer on the first night...but, also, we had a mountain of food to work our way through. The fire fries were a bit soggy and yielded to the cheese sauce by the time I got to them the next day, but the heat had also spread a little bit more evenly throughout. Still spicy, even for my tastes, though!

All around solid meal, and I'm sure their shakes are good, too. They have booze-filled milkshakes, guys, what's not to love?

Korea: Simple snacks at home and lessons in simplicity

This may come as something of a surprise to you, but I'm a person who absolutely and utterly adores food. Not only is food a necessary form of fuel to power us through the routine tasks of everyday existence, but it's also a form of entertainment and escape, an art in and of itself. The foods that speak most strongly to each person's soul are going to be as unique to that individual as their thumbprint, due in large part to what they grew up eating but also to the formative food experiences they've had over the years. I know, some of you probably rolled your eyes so hard at the phrase "formative food experiences" that you're reading this sentence through your nostrils. That's fine. I understand your hesitance, the skeptical glare sweeping your eyes. For a lot of people out there, walking around, food is solely fuel and therefore maintains a lowly stasis as something that must be done, not something that should be done, and that's a shame. A formative food experience, however, is a resplendent and unimitable experience, where something simple takes on all new elevation. 

    

Fish was one of these formative food experiences for me. Growing up I was pretty lucky, for a desert dweller, to be blessed with the opportunity to try various kinds of seafood at an early age. I was a pretty adventurous eater from youth, so I was more than happy to mow down mussels or join my dad for a crab leg night at the local buffet, and an obsession with the original Japanese Iron Chef (dubbed over for American television) didn't hurt either. Even so, fish itself wasn't something we ate much of- definitely never was it ever cooked it in our home. It was looked down upon as a diet food, something bland and boring to be breaded and deep fried and only eaten on a whimsical flight of fancy in the form of a filet o'fish on some drunken eve. Plus, there's that notorious smell it's known for releasing, so it just wasn't around much. One fateful day while living in Japan, however, I found myself introduced to a new approach to eating fish- skewered, simply grilled for a long, slow cooking period over charcoal. The skin was crackly, crispy and had that deep, unmistakable charcoal essence while the juices ran down the stick and along my arms. I sat hunched over among the stones at a temple near my home, a festival raging around me, focused on my fish. It was ridiculously affordable, and in the end it changed my approach to fish. Now, any time I confront an unfamiliar type of fish at the market, as I had while living in Korea and found a package of these long iridescent belt fish, I would grill them, simply, with salt. While using a frying pan sorely lacks the charcoal essence, you're still able to get a decent level of crispiness to the skin and the salt brings out the flavor in the fish without burying it in unnecessary extravagance. The method is simply called 塩焼き or shioyaki, salt-grilled. While Korea has taught me to appreciate soups, Japan taught me to enjoy rice and the simple pleasure of a well-seasoned fish.  

And, of course, dessert is always nice, too.

Korea: 우동불볶이 Udon-bul-bokki

Mm, gods bless the carbohydrate, the staple energy source for most human meals and a highly adaptable, multi-purpose foodstuff. Grains have come a long way since the dawn of the agricultural age, and what better exemplar of this than noodles. Not only does wheat flour allow us to make pancakes, cakes, and bread (both leavened and flat), it can be rolled out and sliced into noodles of any variety of shapes and sizes. Sometimes you want the super-thin and slippery angel hair or somen type of noodles, and some days you want the big, fat, slurpable succulence of udon. Don't worry, love, if noodles are your jam, you'll have more than a reasonable amount of options available to get your fix. Korea is a heaven for noodles and carbohydrates, from the tender yet addictively sweet and spicy tteok-bokki (떡볶이 ), to the endless walls and shelves of ramyun (라면) in all it's assorted spices and seasonings, to this: udonbulbokki- or fire udon noodles in the style of tteok-bokki or ramyun-bokki. This is another of those super simple, super affordable meals that came prepackaged from the supermarket.

 I opted to gussy it up with some cheese, as suggested by the package. You don't have to, in the name of keeping it simple, but the noodles have fire (불 "bul") in the name for a reason: they are HOT! And I'm not just talking about spicy noodle bae on the package here, these noodles were definitely on the fiery end of the flavor spectrum. Did you know that the fats in lactose-heavy foods can actually help cool and soothe the burn? That's why you'll so frequently see people with a bowl of ice cream or big glass of milk nearby when doing spicy food challenges! Hence, throwing a slice of melty processed cheese on top of your spicy a$$ noodles helps calm the burn a bit,which makes it a popular seasoning choice for the nearly incomprehensible selection of noodles ready to bring the fire in Korea. The udon was pretty good, though I think it would have been better as part of an overall meal and not as the singular main course. I'd eat it again if I ran into it, but it's not my favorite thing I ate in Seoul...

Keep chasing the fire!

🔥

XOXO,

NAU

Korea: 청국장 Deadbody Soup! (aka Cheonggukjang)

What is the scariest thing you've ever put into your mouth?

(that's what she said)

There's actually a surprisingly large amount of ethics and consideration that can go into food if you put any thought into it. After all, as anyone who's met a vegan can attest, they've invariably put a lot of time and energy into their diet of choice. Personally, I'm not going to be a vegan, not for any extended period of time in the foreseeable future unless it's as a temporary dietary change, key word being temporary. I'm not terribly shy about putting weird and potentially disturbing things in my mouth in the name of trying new foods, and that adventure led me to eating 청국장 or cheonggukjang. This particular breed of soup has a very pronouncedly pungent odor, sometimes dubbed vaguely reminiscent of "wet socks". So strong is the smell that it's lead to the alternative name of "Dead body soup" after an urban legend cropped up about the notorious smelly soup leading to false accusations of murder. If that doesn't hint to the fact this is some seriously stinky shi*t, I don't know what else to tell you guys. It's made with fermented soybeans, which are also eaten in the form of natto, a mucilaginous dish that has its own notoriety for being famously divisive.

I'm sure the fellow denizens dining in the tiny little restaurant I opted to go to for my helping of this stinky soup were probably less than excited about my decision to order it. It's considered a healthy dish, nourishing to help power you through the depths of winter's chill, but the winter chill also meant that the doors to the small establishment were shut. The stinky little sauna was strongest in my immediate vicinity, but there's no escaping the severity of the stench on this one, not in a space this small. I've eaten this dish in the past and gotten a wretched case of indigestion, but this time through it went without issue. The soup itself is rich in umami with a bleu cheese kind of fermented depth, which I find enjoyable but may not be palatable for some. I've never been one to be put off of a food due to its odor, so the famous smell isn't a problem to me. I know that I'm in a rare camp on that count, and I am grateful.   

For what its worth, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal!

Korea: 삼계탕 Samgyetang in Hwajeong

If you've found your way here through a convoluted series of fortunate internet-fated factors, only to come up confused at the title, asking yourself, "What even is Samgyetang?", don't worry. I'm here for you, boo-boo! First off; samgyetang is delicious, and it's something of a mandatory dish for any Korean-foodie and/or fan, especially during the summer months. While I opted to eat it for this blog post in the early creeping tendrils of winter, when the chill started to seep in a bit more and I needed a hot bowl of chicken soup to revive my spirit, this dish is typically eaten in the peak of summer swelter. Brought to the table boiling hot, the dish typically consists of a single small, young chicken stuffed with sweet, glutinous rice and a mixture of dried fruits and herbs to imbue the broth with a distinctly subtle and sweet medicinal flavor that I personally adore and now, coincidentally, find myself craving at least once or twice a year. Not only is the meat from that tiny little bird super delicate and tender, but the broth absorbs all the richness and flavor from both the herbs and meat to turn a soothing milky color. It's mild, which might come as a surprise to those who know my obsession with spicy food (and South Korea's generalized obsession with fiery foods, too), but it's an excellent dish to get you through the doggest of dog days of summer...or a brisk winter evening. Whatever floats your boat or sinks your submarine, after all.



Not only is it hearty, warming, and soothing all at once, but the dish gives you an excuse to consume an entire small bird to yourself. Alone. That's right- one serving is one bird. How fun is that? Indulge your desire to feel like a giant and get some nourishment. Winning. Stews and soups hold a very special place in the Korean food lexicon, too, so it shouldn't come as a particularly huge surprise to anyone who's cursorily familiar with the food. Samgyetang holds a special status in a cuisine well-known its deep and complex love of soups and stews, from hearty gamjatang with its dense and umami pork bone based broth studded with potatoes or light and slurpable miyeok guk for birthdays. While most soups come meticulously pre-seasoned, samgyetang comes to the table with it's own mix of salt and pepper for you to season the meat as you go, adding an additional element of DIY to the meal. You'll already be getting hands-on, anyway, as you deconstruct the little bird you're devouring, unless you're a serious pro with your chopsticks. I've yet to reach that degree of aptitude, however, and ended up with chicken-sticky hands by the end. Not the worst thing, not at all.  I'll gladly take chicken fingers in exchange for a bowl of samgyetang, any day.

Vegas: Jjolmyeon in Greenland Market

After spending an incredible six months living over in Seoul, South Korea, it shouldn't catch anyone off guard that I absolutely adore the food there. In fact, true hardcore readers (if such a thing exists) might recall one of my earliest ever blog posts (on my much neglected food-oriented sister blog, Culinarily Curious) being about a simple Korean soup with beef and radish- and that was back before I had even ever traveled to Korea! I was enamored with the clean, simple dishes full of complex flavors, and my love of Korean food has only deepened since the days of wandering the many narrow corridors of the city streets and eating anything I could find. Not only is the food itself often exceptionally healthy due to being predominantly vegetable based, but the flavors are often complex and comprised of fermented ingredients that bolster gut health and add incomparable depth. Suffice to say, it's good stuff and I am always happy to find an excuse to dig in on some K-grub.  

Here in the city of Las Vegas, one of your better options for finding a variety of common-place (in Korea) dishes (and ingredients) at a reasonable price point with expedient service is to head over to Greenland market, on the corner of Rainbow and Spring Mountain. Spring Mountain road is pretty much our version of Chinatown, with a huge assortment of different restaurants and businesses catering to all things from the East, whether it be cars, banks, food or fashion. If you're hankering for some dim sum or conveyor belt sushi (or an izakaya, Korean barbeque, hot pot, etc) and don't want to linger in a casino, you'll find the bulk of your pick of restaurants on Spring Mountain. Greenland, however, is especially oriented to the Korean population, which is pretty large here in Vegas. It's my favorite destination for Korean foods and groceries, with the fresh food cafeteria by the front doors offering all sorts of tasty meals to fill your belly before buying your groceries. While out and about on this particular adventure, we popped in and I finally was able to satisfy the fiendish craving I'd been having for jjolmyeon, a cold chewy noodle dish made with wheat noodles and a sweet and spicy sauce that coats the fresh, crispy veggies and makes each bite a savory mix. It's good stuff, and while not as commonly seen as bibim-naengmyun or bul-naengmyun, which also consist of cold noodles in a savory sauce, it holds its own. Ever since summer settled in and started grabbing us by the balls, I've had a need to stuff cold, spicy noodles in my face hole. Am I the only one?  

It ain't a rounded Korean meal without banchan and some soup! This meal came with some kimchi, braised potatoes, macaroni salad and a clean, simple beef broth alongside my big heaping bowl of noodles. Even with Antho's help I wasn't able to finish the whole portion! 

Awesome!

Vegas: Unicorn Donut

Look at those eyes, pleading with you; "Please, human, don't devour my sweet cakey flesh! Spare me!"

Unfortunately for our little pastry friend here, they're unable to speak due to lack of any form of anatomically accurate vocal chords or mouth. No words of protest will be uttered aloud should you decide that you want to actually move forward and eat with your mouth and not just your eyes. The lifespan of these majestic creatures is fairly short, as it goes. Once they're frosted, sprinkled and suitably bedazzled for a mythical beast, they're set forth into a display case in the bustling Fulton Street food court area of Harrah's where they sit and watch in horror as their horde diminishes over time until one sad, sole survivor lingers awaiting their inevitable fate. There's also something I've heard about a "buy-one-get-one" donut happy hour deal after 5 or 5:30? I've not gone and secured any donuts for myself due to work obligations, but Antho has gone forth and gotten us some, which explains the appearance of this fancy feast, but I cannot confirm the hours of the sale on donuts with total certainty. It's worth trying to find out, though, as with most things in the casinos these aren't going to be what most people would consider reasonably priced. There's also Captain Crunch bedazzled donuts, a maple bacon, and several others that sounded pretty promising. They're all very, very sweet, of course, so bear that in mind if you're worried about your blood sugar in the slightest. There are plenty of healthy food options in the nearby food court, but the donuts are the polar opposite of healthy here. I mean, we all kind of know that, don't we? Deep down? Donuts are not, and likely never will be, considered health food in any way, shape or form. They are damn delicious, however, and that is why we eat them!

 

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!

💖

XOXO,

NAU

Seoul: Fry dog

Ah, yes, look at that glistening testament to the powers of innovation and deep frying! 

What, exactly, are we looking at here? Let me break it down for you- similar to how a corn dog is a wiener on a stick coated in golden-brown fry batter that is cooked in oil until steaming hot and cooked through, this beast takes it a step further and adds wavy-cut french fries to the mix for an external barrier with immense crunchy-carby glory. All those crunchy, crispy edges from the fries crackle as you bite in, but the steaming hot interior is all fresh-hot potatoes and batter, the glue holding the fries to the dog. The batter to sausage ratio is definitely leaning towards the carb-heavy side of things, so don't expect a spectacularly meaty bite- but maybe this is just the particular vendor I got mine from, and other's will have a better ratio. I cannot say. As delicious as this treat was, it was definitely more of a novelty than something I could eat on a consistent basis. Even with all that pretty red ketchup drizzled over top for color, this is pretty much void of any beneficial health value. It was fun to mow down on the side of the road as floods of tourist and local traffic streamed by, but I definitely felt it like a brick in my gut as I got up to walk around and explore further. 

Overall, I'm gonna say try it at least once if this sort of thing is your bag, baby. Life is short and no one lives forever. I enjoyed it, and next time I'm in Korea I'm sure I'll try another vendor's variation on the theme, because why not? There are so many delicious options to be found throughout Seoul, for any preference and palate, that you shouldn't limit yourself. Food is also pretty affordable throughout the area, from my experience, so be brave and try all the things!

Until next time dolls~

💖

XOXO,

NAU

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!

Japan: Lunch in Ginza with A-chan 2012-11-29

Girl's day out in Ginza with A-chan!

Ginza is a beautiful upscale neighborhood of Tokyo.

A-chan had heard great reviews about a restaurant in the area from friends, so we decided to try it for ourselves.