To some Hongdae is known for it's bars and clubbing scene. For others it is an artsy and indie music cultural hub. But that night my friends and I were on the hunt for something totally different, themed restaurants.
With so many bars and restaurants in such a concentrated area, everyone has to differentiate themselves somehow. One of our friends was a big fan of the anime called One Piece and found out there was a place in Hongdae that was all about it. This place was pretty difficult to find because it was not only on one of the quieter streets but it is also a lower-level establishment. The only major indicator that it was the One Piece shop was the sole green illuminated flag hanging in between two buildings.
Even though I was not familiar with the anime, I was just as amazed by those who were at the restaurant's decor. Various themed merchandise were strategically placed: t-shirts, stuffed animals, figurines, etc. A projector was airing the anime against a free wall. We all thought it would have been a great to eat, chat, and enjoy the anime. That was until we were given the menu and saw how expensive the food dishes were. Would it really be worth it?
After a little while of confused and indecisive glances at the menu in front of us and then to each other, the staff let us know that this was actually a bar and the food items were more like accompaniments rather than entrees. Since we hadn't ordered or given anything yet, our group was able to walk out no strings attached. I still don't quite understand the concept of that restaurant/bar but at least the big anime fans were able to get to see a space dedicated to their favorite show.
To say those friends were disappointed that they couldn't get to eat there was probably an understatement. It also didn't help that we were trying to locate the place in rainy weather. By the time we left the One Piece bar, we were getting hungrier and hungrier. At some point we stumbled upon the Chinese-style restaurant named Caiyuan. At this point, I think it is safe to say that if it wasn't a meal that made a particular impression on me it was probably just alright. Nothing bad but nothing great either.
While one friend really wanted to find the One Piece spot, another had her eyes on the Hello Kitty Cafe in Hongdae. How can someone resist such cutely decorated foods and drinks? Cakes and waffles shaped as Hello Kitty's head. Lattes with Hello Kitty's face outlined in cocoa powder. Even the tables and walls had her imprint. I wouldn't say this is a place to go for outstanding sweets. It was definitely more of a novelty stop to let our inner child get all giddy.
Last post I said that we were finally venturing outside of campus on school nights for our dinners. I want to say that was mostly true....but after another full day of eating on campus.
Kimbap and Coffee @ Yonsei University
Thinking back on it now, I am not sure how I managed to eat that much rice for breakfast on the daily. It seemed like a norm for other Korean students on campus. So I thought I'd give having roll and tofu kimbap a try one morning. Snacking on the small rice pieces throughout class time definitely curved those hunger pangs that usually came a knocking mid-way through the lesson. But boy was it filling! I also found that sweetened vinegary rice and unsweetened coffee made a very balanced combo.
I forgot the premise of the situation. When you're shown a shirtless singing Taeyang, who really cares? Eyes, Nose, Lips was all the rave in Korea that summer. Every corner we turned, every shop in every neighborhood had this song and/or a few others on constant replay.
Beef spaghetti @ Yonsei University
For lunch that day my friends and I tried a different cafeteria in a building that was right next to the General Ed building. It surprisingly had some Western items on the menu. Please do take Western with a grain of salt in most situations in Korea. Foods tend to be quite Korean-tastes oriented.
Perhaps Day 31 was close to a language exam day? One of my classmates accurately showed our struggles. The teacher certainly felt like we needed extra motivation, "Fighting!! 파이팅!! (You) can do it! 할수있어!"
Instead of ordering our typical delivery-fare, a.k..a. jajangmyeon and tangsooyook, we decided it was finally time to try some Korean pizza and fried chicken. Of the two, the boneless chicken was definitely the star. This pizza was alright but nothing to sing any praises about.
Oh the boneless chicken though! Please give me some more!! More soonsal chicken 순살치킨!! Mooorrreee!!! No sauce, yes sauce, cheese flavored...anything!!!! Just give me more.
When we hear about Korean Fried Chicken States-side, it is always referring to the double fried bone-in variety. But really the boneless type is, I think, even better. It isn't as crunchy, but crispy enough. I think the beauty is in the effortlessness and popability (if that's not a word, I am declaring it a thing here). It is akin to the Taiwanese-style popcorn chicken but crispier and meatier. The Korean style is also not just limited to dry seasonings. There are also wet varieties: soy sauce based, pepper paste sauces, etc. Here is yet another food that I really miss and haven't found anything like it in NYC.
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?
We had a late start on our last day in Busan. Luckily our AirBnB host allowed us to check out later since she didn't have any prior reservations for the studio. Before our pre-scheduled afternoon departure train back to Seoul, the three of us wandered around Busan for more food.
Our first stop of the day was to Busan's Chinatown. It was conveniently located right near where we stayed, across the street of the Busan Station and near Choryang. Most of the shops and restaurants weren't open yet even though we got there around noon. I noticed that despite it being named Chinatown, there were also a lot of Russian (I think) shops as well.
Since the Korean tourism site stated that this Chinatown was built as a collaboration between Busan and Shanghai, I had an inkling of hope for somewhat authentic Shanghai-style Chinese food. While I cannot attest to all the restaurants there, most of the ones we saw some menus of served mostly Korean-Chinese dishes.
We didn't have too much time left after lunch. Our final stop in Busan was back to BIFF Square. This time it wasn't to re-explore the square. Instead our actual destination was the nearby Gukje Market 국제시장. Everything someone might need or want can be found in this one market: clothes, accessories, homeware, old stuff, new stuff, and even all kinds of street foods.
I think the three of us probably had a bunch more snacks while at the market. But the one thing that I was most excited to see and try was the red bean porridge or danpatjook 단팥죽. I LOVE the Chinese version and I really wanted to try the Korean version as well. From my memory, the Korean version (at this particular vendor) was pretty watery and not very sweet.
And so that was the end of our 3-day weekend trip to Busan!
Our final stop for our last night in Busan was to see the Gwangan Bridge 광안대교. The night view was supposedly spectacular with all the lights.
We ended up getting a little lost, very hungry, and wet from rain while looking for the Gwangalli Beach 광안리해수욕장 and Gwangan Bridge. This little inconspicuous shop caught our eye with people inside grilling and fresh eels swimming around in tanks outside. Okay maybe it really just caught my eyes. Eel wasn't something that was on my list of To-Try in Busan, but after seeing a few shops offer gilled eel at Haeundae I craved it...bad!
The three of us had no idea what we were getting ourselves into with this restaurant. We were only guided by the knowledge that they offer grilled seafood and meat. The staff there did not speak a speck of English and we didn't know enough Korean or the Busan dialect to understand what they were saying to us. It wasn't until after we sat down and ordered both that we noticed a big sign with words in Korean that said Moohan Repil 무한 리필 or unlimited refill next to Jangoh 장어 or eel and Gogi 고기 or meat. Unlimited refill you say?! JACKPOT!
I don't know if I can say my craving was satisfied that night. I definitely left full. We had requested for more, order after order, of fresh eel. I still crave this type of KBBQ to this day. Someone please bring grilling eel to American KBBQ spots!!
The 3 of us also ended up getting meat since Bestie C wasn't too into fish. None of us had ever grilled fish and meat together so the table setup really intrigued us. There was space for 2 burners, one hooked to a gas hose and one had an opening for a coal briquette. The gas was for cooking the meats and coal for the eel & other seafood. Meats also got a heavy cast iron pan whilst seafood was cooked over a messed stainless steel rack. So much detail in every aspect of the cooking process!
I am not sure if this place had a specific name. The signs outside basically just listed a bunch of stuff they offered and noted that it was unlimited refill. Heck, I hope this place is still running because I would definitely go back. If not, the words to look for are Moohan Repil 무한 리필.
Perhaps luck was on our side? The rain had stopped by the time we left the restaurant. There was surprisingly a lot of people there despite the fact that it was pouring just an hour or two earlier. Some people were even playing with sparklers and setting off fireworks nearby.
But our stroll along the beach and boardwalk didn't last very long. Once it started to drizzle again, the three of us went off to find shelter in a nearby Baskin Robbins. Surprise, surprise! To say we just had ice cream in Korea is a major understatement. We probably had years worth of ice cream (if including bingsoo) in those 50 days.
