Korea Diary | Eating Through Edae (Day 30)

9:12:00 PM mandy 0 Comments

I was pretty absorbed with school throughout most of my study abroad summer.  It was pretty evident in the first couple weeks of classes when most my friends and I opted to order delivery or eat convenience store meals.

Bestie C and I were finally settled into our school routines by the 3rd week of classes. How do I remember? Our dinner outings became more frequent and further away from campus on school nights!

Shabu Noodles from Noodle Kimbob @ Edae
To be honest, I don't have much memory of this dish. It probably was one of those places we chose by chance rather than through research. (Those decisions can be hit or miss.)

Portuguese Egg Tarts from Pastel de nata @ Edae
If there is one dessert that I missed from home but didn't think I could get an equivalent of in Korea was the egg tart. Flaky layers of puff pastry filled with a creamy egg custard, love. When I spotted this little hole in the wall shop in Edae, I had to try one. I don't remember it being the best egg tart or Portuguese egg tart I've ever had but it helped fill the void. Plus having one was enough when it was ~₩2,000 a pop. So many other new things to try!


Oreo and Mango Nitrogen Ice Cream from Solid Works @ Edae
I had seen liquid nitrogen being used on cooking shows before. It always seemed so cool on television. Pour, poof, and viola! Liquids seem to instantaneously become solid. When Bestie C said there was a shop in Edae that had liquid nitrogen ice cream, I couldn't wait to make a visit.

As one would imagine, Solid Works' deco was very much science themed. Both staff donned their lab coats and ingredients were in beakers and syringes. Everything was made to order by first pouring the liquid bases into the mixers and followed by the liquid nitrogen coolant. A few minutes, and maybe some toppings, later we were presented with our cups of ice cream.

Solid Works was a little special because of their serving design. The ice cream only sat in a half cup, which was perfectly nestled into a larger cup that acted as a mini cooling device. This was done by adding a small chunk of dry ice into some water to create a cold air circulation. Again, such attention to detail!

Depending on the flavor, the "ice cream" may actually be more of a sorbet. Either way liquid nitrogen ice cream does tend to veer towards the lighter side in terms of texture and flavor. It's an indulgence!...Or is it?