Korea Diary | Myeongdong Eats & A Tipsy Evening (Day 7)
Myeongdong is one of those places that I think everyone should visit if in Korea. For shoppers, it's a dream...rows and rows of stores in all directions. Plus there is usually some sort of sale to be found in the area. For non-shoppers, don't worry! Food is very abundant here, whether it is found on street carts or in restaurants. |  |
This was the first time I visited Myeongdong during our trip and it was truly an overwhelming experience. So many shops to go to, so many foods to try, and so many people shuffling from one place to another.
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Luckily our group went with a destination in mind: mandu/mandoo 만두 (dumplings) from Myeongdong Gyoza. The restaurant could be difficult to find in the maze-like streets of Myeongdong. I would recommend asking around since it seems to be a pretty popular spot. The line was pretty long when we got there but don't fret because I remember it moving pretty quickly. Even if it isn't, I think it would be worth the wait.
29, Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul (Myeong-dong 2-ga)
서울특별시 중구 명동10길 29 (명동2가)
One of the many (maybe even the most) memorable meal I had in Korea was here. The kalguksoo 칼국수 (handmade noodles) was the best. So much flavor in one bowl of noodles! We also shared an order of the mandoo but for me it wasn't as memorable as the kalguksoo. It was probably pretty delicious too but the noodles...no words from me can do it justice.
Our friend from Los Angeles said Myeongdong Gyoja has a restaurant there as well but the taste wasn't the same. Think she said she preferred Korea's version more. I regret not going again before I left Korea but it is definitely on the list for my next visit.
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Even after a couple hours of walking we were still full from our meal. I didn't have any room in my tummy to try the savory street foods in Myeongdong but when I saw this sweet treat I had to try it out. I first saw this on a Korean variety show and was amazed by how simple it looked to make. Melted sugar and baking soda is all this bbopki 뽑기 calls for, but I have yet to try to make it myself. The idea is to try to break off bits and pieces to enjoy without cracking the design. It was fun to play with my snack but a little too sweet of a treat for me.
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After a much needed break from the afternoon shopping, we headed from our dorms to Sinchon for dinner. There are so many restaurants to choose from in the area.
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Somehow we ended up at Jadamhwaro 자담화로 for grilled meat. I think we decided on Korean BBQ since we were going for drinks afterwards. Need to fill that tummy with food to help with the alcohol!
Before going to Korea I only had KBBQ and Japanese BBQ a handful of times in New York City. I was really intrigued by the grilling setup this place used. It was made up of a cast iron plate with wells that held a variety of wrapping ingredients and a stainless steal plate that sat on top of coals for cooking the meat. So fancy~
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The "highlight" of our night: Bar Pro in Sinchon. Unlimited cocktails in a pretty small and intimidate atmosphere. This was our friends' suggestion. I am not a drinker but ya know~ Korea has a drinking culture and I wanted to try drinking at least once whilst there. Good thing our group of friends weren't heavy drinkers either so we all went out of curiosity.
I think I only had 2 cocktails that night and 1 shot. The fruity cocktails we had here weren't particularly strong but it is unlimited. Get some, lose some~ The lemon drop shot was pretty bad to me, tasted too much like strong cough medicine. Since I had no idea what my limit was I took things very slowly and ended the night feeling quite alright. No accidents from me and drank responsibly! Needless to say I was wiped out by the end of the night. A lot of walking and shopping + alcohol makes for a very sound sleep.
