The real biggest reason why I went back to Korea for 2 years was FOOD. I've been watching Korean food shows;삼대천왕, 맛있는 녀석들 and Mukbang (My favorite Mukbang-er is 밴쯔 (Bentz?) who also lives in Daejeon) on Youtube for years while drooling furiously. When I got the opportunity from Woosong University, I was so happy to be back and ate all the Korean food that I've been dreaming of. Now I am back to U.S., drinking fabulous Oregonian Pinot noir and think that it doesn't matter how much I ate ate ate, I still want to eat more- Never enough! Another problem is that as you all know, you want to eat what you've eaten and tried. My want-to-eat-food list is getting longer and longer :) Before I forget:I don't think so but ... :P , I'd like to share all the fabulous food that I had in Korea. I'd gained weight but was very happy.
Daejeon
I took this photo from my apt veranda when the air quality is superb. One of the reasons we are back to U.S. is the air quality. Once in a bluemoon we get this kind of air and weather. The Two-Tower- I called them :P- is Korean Rail road head quarter. We lived very close to the fast train station which was super convenient to go anywhere in Korea.
BBQ time
One can't talk about Korean cuisine without BBQ! So delicious! I miss you!
Korean BBQ has many styles.
I love this ventilation system. Works super well with all the smoke at BBQ restaurants
One of the most memorable Pork BBQ place near Hangju fortress. Super yummy! It was my husband's the want-to-eat-again food but we didn't have a chance T.T. Next time!
One of my husband's favorites!
My brother is a BBQ master. I don't like to cook while I am eating - I do that for all my life. BBQ is a perfect treat for me when my brother is with me. In fact, I don't really like to go to Korena BBQ place with my foreign friends since I have to take care of them: I can't enjoy as I do with my brother or family or Korean friends next to me. Of course it's fun sometime with foreign friends who never had Korean BBQ experience :) It's fun to show off all the side dishes and how big SSam I can eat in one bite :P
Often BBQ restaurants serve a delicious pot of Korean beanpaste soup, 된장찌개.
Delicious Marinated Pork BBQ for my father's birthday lunch.
Woooo this was the best pork. Our first meal in Jeju Island where has the best pigs in Korea. Super delicious! We have some relatives live in Jeju Island and they gave us lots of good tips;where to go, what to eat. This restaurant was for local people so tourists like us was blown away by all the deliciousness.
Another more fancy black pork BBQ restaurant in Jeju Island with my sister-in-law's uncle. Another perk in Korea, when you dine with older people, they pay for you~! Haha! good system :P
You must eat Korean BBQ with Somak =Soju + Beer
Delivered Food
Korea is a land of great delivery system. It's small, many people live in so very compact area, lots of restaurants that are competing each other so delivery system does really work. But you must speak Korean :) and have a smart phone to do so.
These first two foods aren't from delivery system but a local big supermarket. It's before I got my cell phone set-up for my awesome Korean living. It was super cheap! In Korea, food is cheap if its Korean food or/and no beef contains.
Tonkatsu and Pizza. Very Koreanized food.
Very typical Korean-Chinese food: Black-bean noodle, Sweet & Sour pork, Fried potstickers, White Oyster zangbong and of course, Korean signature side dish; picked yellow radish and raw onion.
After you finish eating, you must put all the dirty dishes outside of the house or apt for pick-up by the restaurant delivery person.
One of my favorite! Teokbokki! Spicy rice cake with fishcake and ramen noodle.
Another orders from the Koreanized Chinese restaurant. Spicy squid, Sauteed glass noodle with veggie. The fried potstickers are usually on-the-house!
Typical Korean restaurant usually give lots of side dishes even for delivery food. I got Japchae for free because I ordered huge amount of food :) 8 side dishes - Soysaucy quail eggs, Kimchi pancake, Seasoned cucumber, Vienna sausage, Spicy garlic scape, small egg omelette thingy, Seasoned fish cake and Green onion kimchi
One of my favorites; Braised Squid & Tofu & Sautéed Spicy Pork
Mandu house! Lots of Korean style potstickers/Gyoza/Bun. Very yummy, cheap and super fast delivery. Pork bun, Fried pork, Spicy chili pepper, Kimchi and Pork mandu
My favorite Fried Chicken place. I usually added Fried octopus. Sooooo goooooood!! The corner you see white package? Thats Pickled radish that only serves for fried chicken .
We call it, Chicken Raidsh.
This is typical Korean chicken at a restaurant. I used to go to New York City, Kyochon to eat them :) I will probably do that again since I am U.S. now T.T
Huge amount of Korean-Chinese food for my colleagues and me. Happy time. It's very nice to eat together with bunch of colleagues - we can share all different dishes! The restaurant delivers to our office and pick the dirty dishes later. I loved them.
Home-made food
These 3 photos are taken on New year's day at 3 different places - My parents', Grandparents' and my sister-in-law's parents'. We ate all these foods one day, morning to night. We were so stuffed! Korean festival days are always with some kind of special food and family favorite dishes. I love Korean holidays if I don't have to do cooking and washing dishes :P
My sister-in-law's breakfast for us; Kimchi fried rice with sunn-side up eggs, Korean bean-paste soup and lots of fruits. Korean enjoys fruits for dessert.
Wow Korean Food
Korean people eat a lot and they are skinny! I don't understand :P.
4 photos are showing the Korean course meal at a restaurant. It was my mother's birthday. Guess what, there are many food that I amn't showing you now. My mother is skinny, just so you know and she ate most of them :)
Pork SSam lunch with Sarah and Cassie near our school. I believe it was $7 per person and we got this much food.
Ha! Woosong college professor retreat. Unfortunately I was sitting next to the president, the chairman and all the bosses so I couldn't enjoy as I wished :P
Gwangneung Bulgogi. Super yummy! There is Side-dish buffet table that you can keep refill any side dishes you want. Just so you know, we order the middle Bulgogi and all the other dishes are come with the Bulgogi :)
Next to Seoul City Hall, Grilled fish restaurant. The side dishes were very good too. According to my sister, it's no longer THAT good :)
Sanchaehyang(Google it, you can find it very easily. There are several locations in Seoul), my go-to place when my friends visit me. It is located near Gyeongbok palace and Gwanghawmoon. This restaurant is specialized in bellflower root food. Again just so you know, I order one dish and all the food you are looking at are come with it :)
This restaurant, Chogalang(251 Ihyeon-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon) is specialized in picked veggies. We ordered Sautéed pork and Seafood pancake additional to this set-menu. I posted a review on Google map :)
Seafood!! My sister visited me in Daejeon and we ate them. Just us, two :P
My colleague invited me and Mina for early dinner at this famous grilled fish restaurant in Daejeon. Thank you again, 최지유교수님!!! 또 먹고 싶어용.
If you visit Buyeo, little town one hour drive from Daejeon, this is the dish you must have, Deok-galbi (Beef Rib Cake, Grilled Short Rib Patties) set menu with Rotus leaf rice. I went to this restaurant with Singaporean exchange students from ITE college. They enjoyed it a lot.
Another Gwangneung Style Bulgogi with my family
Ok. So these 2 photos are same table. I couldn't take all the food in one shot :) Most impressive place I have to say. Food was all very delicious! Highly recommended, Chungmok. Near Icheon Ceramic village - You should go there. It's great place to be and near Seoul: good park, museum, restaurants and near King Sejong's tomb(worth visiting also)
I have over 500 photos that I chose carefull for this blog and realized that it's too much. I will post more photos of Korean food on my next blog.
Are you hungry yet?
