The last 4 weeks have been full of adventure and deliciousness! A big goal for me on this trip has been to eat as much delicious food as I can. I have definitely eaten a LOT of amazing food, yet there’s still so much to eat and do. I highly recommend all of the food and places I show below. So, if you’re in Seoul and want some recommendations, maybe some of these will catch your eye!
Food:
First Korean BBQ in South Korea. The staff cooked it for us, and it was really delicious with plenty of side dishes like lettuce, bean sprouts, 3 different types of kimchi (cabbage, chili, and chive kimchi), garlic and plenty of sauces.
A couple of pieces of bread I bought at a subway station vendor on my way home. The one on the right was a cream bread, and the one on the left I chose at random! It had a marmalade filling with, I believe, chestnuts and raisins. It was so large it took me a couple of sittings to actually finish it all, but it was definitely delicious as well. Both of them together cost me about 6,000 won.
Some friends and I visited a restaurant owned by Jin from BTS’s brother called Osseu Seiromusi, which specializes in Japanese cuisine. Specifically in seiromushi (せいろ蒸し) style dishes which is when dishes are steamed in a wooden, usually bamboo, box. It had a really nice atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious.
These are some of the dishes we ate at the restaurant. The vegetables were especially delicious after a week plus of eating mainly meats. Vegetables are quite expensive here, so having some steamed vegetables was really refreshing. The roasted sweet potatoes with butter were incredible and definitely a must-have!
A friend and I went to a bingsu cafe called Sul-bing near the university and got injeolmi bingsu(a Korean shaved ice dessert) and some honey butter toast they had. Both were amazing! The bingsu had layers of injeolmi powder, which is finely ground roasted soybean flour. This meant that the entire time we were eating, the flavor stayed and left us satisfied. The honey butter was also very delicious, and the roasted almonds added the perfect nutty flavor.
My roommate and I went to Hongdae, an area nicknamed after Hongik University that is always bustling with live performers busking, shops, clubs, bars, and more. We went to a vegan cafe called The Blue Bread and got their burgers which were also delicious. Though it didn’t taste much like any burger you might think of, and the patty wasn’t an attempt to recreate meat, it was very much so a bean patty, but I still really enjoyed it. There were some pickled onions inside that intensified the taste and made it delicious. I may not have liked it as much without them.
And then, the fried chicken! Fried chicken is a must in Korea. It’s in a different league of its own, and I had the chance to try different kinds at multiple places. The one above is from a chain branch called Kyochon Chicken. We were recommended the honey chicken, so we got that along with the soy garlic, original and yangnyeom chicken. My favorites were definitely the honey chicken and soy garlic, which are very popular for a reason. (Sorry for the meh quality picture, we were very hungry, so this is all I got before we dug in!)
More fried chicken at NooNaHolDak in Hongdae! This one is a bit different. It was bulgogi flavored and had rice cakes in the sauce with fries on the side.
Some budae jjigae (Army stew) we ate near the Dongdaemun Design Plaza(DDP). A spicy stew that has a variety of hams and sausages, ramen noodles, beans, corn, and more. It may sound like a strange combination, but it really is a must-try if you ever have the opportunity!
A staple of Korean cuisine bossam (sliced pork boiled in spices). It’s typically eaten in a leafy wrap, often lettuce, napa cabbage, or perilla leaves, with a variety of ingredients inside. For example, raw garlic, kimchi, ssam-jang (a spicy paste), chilis, and much more.
Of course, you can’t miss out on cafes when in Seoul, and here’s one I went to! The first two are from a cafe called Geurim Cafe (그림카페), where everything looks like it came right out of a sketchbook. The drinks were great, and the triple chocolate cheesecake I had was even more delicious!
Another dish I highly enjoyed is actually one from an upon restaurant near my accommodations. This is the spicy chicken mayo rice bowl. It is a perfect, super filling dish that was also super convenient. The restaurant is 24 hours, and you can easily order from the kiosk that has an English option, which is perfect after almost 12 hours of classes and commuting. Ready quickly and only ₩6,500! A definite staple in my diet this past month.
Now a few of the places I’ve been!
Hongdae, so many things to do and see! Hongdae is very much one of the places that never sleeps in Seoul. You could go at 2 am and still find places to go. Definitely somewhere you can easily spend a lot of money on everything from clothing, accessories, street food, restaurants, clubs, photo booths, makeup stores, phone cases, etc. Definitely, a must-visit area in Seoul!
The Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is a beautiful piece of architecture in Seoul. It flows wonderfully and is easy to explore. Definitely many photo opportunities! We explored for about 5 hours and didn’t even have to go into the museums!
Super excited to continue eating and exploring South Korea! Until next time!
The global experience, as told by SDSU students 