Gangwon-do Delicacy - Makguksu

One of the good things about Singapore is that, we are really a foodie city.  And especially with the rise in interest in Korean culture, the number of Korean restaurants in Singapore have increased significantly.  I recently checked out Singapore's first Handmade Korean Noodles House - Guksu 1945, located at Suntec City and was treated to the variety of guksu options available.

But wait... what is Guksu?  It is essentially the collective term for Korean noodles or colloquially known as myeon eg. ramyeon (Korean instant noodles), naengmyeon (Cold noodles), jjajangmyeon (Korean-Chinese noodles with black bean sauce).

With Korean's long history, many guksu varieties have been created.  The commonly known ones will include gamja guksu (main ingredient for the noodles: potato starch), hobak guksu (main ingredient for the noodles: pumpkin and wheat floor), kong guksu (noodles in cold soybean soup), janchi guksu (noodles cooked in clear anchovy or beef broth).

(Guksu from Jeju - 국수회관, 신제주점)

I had a lasting impression of a bibim naengmyeong (spicy cold noodles) which I had at the Incheon Airport in 2015 and have been searching for a naengmeyon which resembles what I had.

Seeing that naengmyeong was on Guksu 1945's menu, I didn't hesitate to place that order.  But it turned out to be another variety of naengmyeon which comes with ice cubes in the soup and tasted entirely different.

When will we be able to try ALL the guksu varieties?  But one thing for sure, Makguksu (buckwheat noodles serve in cold kimchi broth), is one of the 2 Gangwon-do specialty dishes.  The other dish is Dakgalbi, which I have introduced earlier.  Click on this link if you missed the post.

Makguksu became a Gangwon-do delicacy because buckwheat is the staple crop that is widely cultivated in the province.  This delicacy has come a long way and it has been around since the Koryeo Dynasty.  And now, the go-to place for Makguksu is the Dakgalbi Alley where you can get enjoy both Gangwon-do delicacies at the same time!

Makguksu is similar to naengmyeon with the key difference being in the high concentration of wheat flour used in Makguksu and the greater use of vegetables in this dish.  In terms of taste, it is chilly, spicy, savoury and wheaty.  Doesn't this make the best combination to go with the warmly pan-fried spicy chicken during the cold seasons?!  Go for it!

(source: Korea Herald)

[Gangwon-do, Korea] The Must-Go Place in Chuncheon

There are many scenic places in Gangwon-do (aka Gangwon Province) such as Nami Island, Seoraksan (Mount Seorak), ski resorts.  Besides the play and fun, there is a famous place in Gangwon to visit for it's specialty food - Chuncheon Dakgalbi!  Dakgalbi is pretty common in Korea but Chuncheon is THE place where the famous dakgalbi restaurants congregate.

Getting to Chuncheon Station (in Gangwon Province) from Seoul is easy with ITX connecting Yongsan / Cheongnyangni stations to the Gyeongchun Line.  Chuncheon station is the last station on the Gyeongchun line and it takes about an hour to travel by ITX.  Fret now that the journey is long and boring, you can enjoy the scenic scenery while travelling or if you prefer to get connected, Olleh wifi is available on the ITX.

The local specialty in the Chuncheon region is that Chuncheong Dakgalbi, a stir-fried marinated chicken dish in chilli pepper paste with vegetables (cabbage, sweet potato, onion, scallion etc) and rice cakes.  For years, the chuncheon region has been famous for its abundance in poultry produce.  This dish started off as a side dish to go with drinks in the early days in the 1960s, it gradually grown to become so popular, so much so that a street has been dedicated to this dish.   There is even an annual festival held in Chuncheon to commemorate this dish.  The festival is known as the Chuncheon Dakgalbi and Makguksu (spicy buckwheat noodles) Festival.  The 2017's festival is happening now from 26 August to 3 September and is held in front of the Chuncheon Station.

Exiting from the station entrance, the most convenient mode of transport would be to take a taxi to the Chuncheon Dakgalbi Street.  When I was there, loads of taxis were lining along the side of the road.  The exact location is Myeongdong.  So, you can simply inform the taxi drive to go to Myeongdong Dakgalbi Golmok (명동닭날비골목).  Golmok means alley or street.  The journey is should not take more than 5 mins.  Alternatively, you can walk to the Dakgalbi street if you have a map on hand and know the way.  It takes about 20 mins by foot.

The taxi should let you alight at this entrance signage.  Follow the directional sign and walk into the alley.  There are approximately 20 dakgalbi restaurants in the alley. 



The dakgalbi restaurants are all rather traditional and require guests to sit on the wooden floor.  Once seated and order has been placed, they would start cooking almost immediately, right on the dining table.  The round flat pan is filled with freshly cut vegetables, topped with richly marinated de-boned chicken chunks that were also cut into bit sizes.  No oil is added in the process.  The moisture from the vegetables and the fats from the meat is sufficient for the cooking.  Generally, this is a rather healthy dish since white meat is generally healthier than red meat.

The cooking takes about 10 to 15 minutes.  When done, the chicken is tender and juicy.  The portion is usually generous so my advice is not to eat any heavy meals before having a dakgalbi meal.  At some restaurants, they may even add rice to the remaining dakgalbi and turn it into dakgalbi fried rice!



Dakgalbi is a very flavourful dish that is sweet, salty and spicy at the same time.  That is also one reason why it is popular amongst the general population.  It was said that sweet potato and rice cakes were not part of the original recipe.  Sweet potato, not only added to the sweetness of the dish, it was used as a gauge as to whether the meat is cooked.  When the sweet potato turns soft and edible, it means that the meat is already cooked too.  How interesting!

Getting there: Point A refers to the position of Chuncheon Station and Point B is the Dakgalbi street. 

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[Seoul, Korea] Food Series: Tteokbokki



Tteokbokki, Korean rice cakes with fish cakes in spicy pepper sauce, is known to be a quick take-out snacks which you can buy from street stalls in Korea.  Have you tried eating Tteokbokki from a big pan like that?  It is delicious and you have to try this!

Years ago dated as far back as Joseon Dynasty, Tteokbokki was a royal court cuisine instead of a daily dish.  Soy sauce was used instead of gochujang and main ingredients included kelp, dried mushrooms, onions, vegetables and meat.  It was a stir-fry savoury dish then.  

The modern tteokbokki dish is a popular dish which can be taken as a full-meal instead of having it as a snack.  There is even a tteokbokki street at Sindang-dong area with several restaurants serving this dish side by side.  These are just a few of the restaurants.

The full-meal tteokbokki is cooked in a pan with rice cakes, ramyeon and sweet potato noodles piled beneath the other ingredients including fish cakes, eggs, quail eggs, fried fritters (in seafood or vegetables), mandu (dumplings), sausages and onion.

Since those served in the restaurants are more elaborate and sumptuous, the price is also slightly highly, approximate 5,000 to 7,000 per pax depending on the number of persons sharing a pot.  Serving portion for 2 persons could costs approximately 12,000 won.  Additional ingredients can be requested and the price will be charged accordingly.

Getting to Tteokbokki Town:  Take the subway to either Sindang station (Line 2 and 6, Exit 6 or 7) or Cheonggu Station (Line 5 and 6, Exit 1 or 2).  Walk along Dasan-ro until you see the big Tteokbokki Town arch signage.


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[Seoul, Korea] Foodhunt: Black' Smith Sinsa by Song Seung Heon [Closed]

If you think that Korean food is all the Koreans love, you are in for a big surprise.  Western food is a big influence in Korea, especially Italian food.  Many chefs, native Koreans, obtain their professional culinary trainings abroad.  Look at the recipes they had created, the food is totally enticing!  These yummy Italian dishes are from Black' Smith located at Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Spoon pizza is one which I personally like very much.  Key ingredients include roasted bacon and potato, sweet potato and cheese!  Baked to perfect golden brown.  Why is it called spoon pizza?  Because it is to be eaten by scooping using a spoon.

Gorgonzola Pizza is a basic (yet delicious) pizza.  It is gorgonzola cheese served with honey ... simple is good.  You get to focus on the fragrance of the gorgonzola cheese which has a nice buttery taste.

This pasta is Black'Smith's signature dish - Black Smith's Cream Pasta cooked using mushrooms, green peas, bacon, onion and deep flavoured cream sauce.  If you are not a fan of cream pasta, you may find this a little too rich.

If you prefer tomato-based pasta, then try Promodoro.  It is a basic pasta with basil, delicious cheese, extra virgin olive oil and of course, tomatoes.  

Warm bread rolls are served as appetisers, with olive oil dip.  The bread comes with variety so you don't always get the same type of bread when you dine there.

Now, to locate the restaurant is really very easy if you take the subway.  It is a simple 1 minute walk from Exit 8, Sinsa Station.  Look out for the directional details at the end of this post.  This is the building and the restaurant occupies 2 storey.

You will be greeted by Song Seong Heon life-size standy, posters and his interview video clips.  He is in fact the owner of this outlet!

The interior decoration is contemporary and cosy.  Each table comes with a bag holder and this is so useful for female diners.



Did you know that some of the scenes from Korean Drama, When A Man Loves, was filmed in this restaurant too?  The drama poster is up there and I was lucky enough to receive a postcard from the staff when I last visited in April =D

Black'Smith Sinsa

서울 강남구 신사동 514-20

Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Sinsa-dong 514-20

Opening Hours: 11am to 10pm (extended to 11pm on Fri, Sat and Sun)

Tel: 02-3444 8211

Website: http://www.blacksmith.co.kr/main.php

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSsinsa?fref=ts

Getting there: Take Subway Line 3 to Sinsa Station and use Exit 8.  At the first junction, turn left and Black'Smith would be just in front of you.



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Related Posts:
- Catching the Autumn Foliage in Korea (Click here)
- EG SIM Card : Collection at Seoul Station (Click here)
- The original Dakgalbi at Chuncheon (Click here)
- Airfare Deals : Singapore to Korea (Click here)
- 10 Tips for Travelling on Jeju Air (Click here)

[Seoul, Korea] Exploring Korean Traditional Markets in Seoul on Subway Line 5

Korea is knowingly a country with deep history and colourful culture.  Every country, especially developed countries are fighting hard to preserve their traditions and roots.  However, at times, traditions have to give to the modern world.  As travellers, how would you claim that you have benefited from your travel if you have not had the chance to appreciate history, culture and tradition?

Modern departmental stores are fancied by many people.  It is convenient, chic, trendy to shop in the air-conditional place.  The truth is traditional markets are an essential part of Korea.  Many locals and even expatriates still visit the traditional markets.  For travellers to truly immerse and appreciate a foreign country's culture, take some time to visit such history too.  Many may have already heard of Namdaemun Market and Dongdaemun Market, let's try exploring 3 other traditional markets - Kwangjang Market, Gongdeok Market and Yeongdeungpo Market. 

Kwangjang Market (광장시장) is said to be the nation's first traditional market, established in 1905.  The 2-storey building is huge and has multiple sections including silk, clothes, beddings, handicrafts, shoes, agricultural, marine, household and of course cooked food.  Impossible it may sound, there are approximately 5,000 shops under the roof of Kwangjang Market.

In this traditional markets that I have visited, almost all would have grocery shops selling traditional sweets and rice cakes.  During autumn season, rice cakes are of abundance and are made using freshly harvested fruits and vegetables.

Never underestimate the food quality at the traditional markets.  The food are fresh, delicious and likely to be cheaper compared to what you would pay for in restaurants at the popular tourist spots in Gangnam, Hongdae or even Myeongdong. 

Two dishes that are highly popular in the Kwangjang market are the bindaetteok (빈대떡), Korean-style pancake made using grounded mung bean, green onions and mung bean sprouts.  There is no meat in the pancake and it was known as the "poor man's pancake" because only the rich can afford to eat meat.  But now, it has become a popular snack in the markets that a few stalls occupy the centre section in the market, taking centre-stage.

(grinding of mung bean)

(Pan-fried bindaetteok)

Another popular snack in the Kwangjang Market is Kimbap (김밥).  These are small rice handrolls filled with carrots and picked daikon radish.  The owner is over 80 years old and isn't shy to admit that her kimbap is most delicious.  In fact, the kimbap were so delicious that it was openly known as mayak kimbap (마약김밥), literally means "drugged kimbap",  It may sound misleading but the kimbap isn't drugged.  It was meant that the kimbap are so delicious that once you tried it, you will crave for more.

(Mayak Kimbap)

Another traditional market, Gongdeok Market (공덕시장) is an unassuming place that is famous for pork trotters and Korean fried snacks.  It is known as the Gongdeok-dong Jeon (means pancake) Alley.  Not being a fan of pork trotters, I had tried the Korean fried snacks, which has a huge variety that it is quite a pain to decide what you should pick.

The fried snacks includes a spread of vegetables and mainly seafood.  The items could be individually priced and it could be by weight.  For this huge serving for 4 persons, plus side dishes, rice and makgeolli, it costs under USD25.  Quite kind to the pocket and it is a great hub for food.



Crossing over now to the other side of the Han River, Yeongdeungpo Central Market is yet another huge market that is situated in the administrative district in Southwest Seoul, where the National Assembly, skyscraper 63 Building and trendy shopping mall Times Square are also located.

The market was established after the postwar period and had been the central place to distribute goods in the district including food, clothings, industrial, live produce etc.  There are 600 over merchants and shops found in the market. 



(wholesaler for cooking oil)

What particularly struck me along the food alley was the number of stalls selling sundae (순대), a dish made by steaming or boiling pigs' or cows' intestines and stuffed into blood sausages together with other ingredients such as cellaphone noodles, barley, rice, kimchi etc.  The sausages are then cooked into soup or deep-fried.

Although the boiling pots of soup looking appetising, eating intestines is not something that I fancy.  Perhaps I may buck up my courage to try if I attempt a few more trips to Korea and learn to appreciate the dish better.  But if any of my adventurous readers are courageous enough to try, do let me know if it tastes good!

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Kwangjang Market (광장시장)

Address: 6-1 Yeju-dong, Jungno-gu, Seoul

Operating Hours: 7am to 10pm (timing may vary from shop to shop)

By subway: 1) Jongno 5-ga Station (Line 1, Exit 8); 2) Euljiro 4-ga Station (Line 2 or 5, exit 4)



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Gongdeok Market (공덕시장)256-10 Gongdeok-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul

By subway: Gongdeok Station, (A'REX, Line 5 or 6, Exit 5)


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Yeongdeungpo Market (영등포시장)
18 Yeongdeungpo 5-ga, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

By Subway, Yeongdeungpo-gu Office Station, (Line 5, exit 3), walk 25 m along the exit direction

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Related Posts
- Airfare Promotions to Seoul/Busan/Jeju (Click Here)
- Korean Food Culture: Korean Fried Chicken (Click Here)
- Gangwon-do: Chuncheon Dakgalbi (BBQ chicken) (Click Here)
- Guesthouse in Jeju: Minjunggak (Click Here)
- Getting to Jeju (Click Here)



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Korean Food Culture : Korean Fried Chicken (KFC)

Many people would associate Korean food culture with the traditionally tasty dishes such as Kimchi, Bulgogi, Sangyetang, Bibimbap etc.  However, a new wave of Korean Food Culture that cannot be ignored is the Korean Fried Chicken, also known as KFC coincidentally!

The Korean Fried Chicken started off as a supper food, yasik, in the 1980s.  For convenience, fried chicken was a popular home/office-delivery dish, just like how the original KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) had traditionally been marketed.  Besides the chicken, the delivery would normally come with softdrinks and packed pickled radish too.

 

Over the years, the style of making fried chicken in Korea had started to change, incorporating very delicious local flavours such as sweet & spicy, sweet & sour or honey tastes.  The popularity of Korean Fried Chicken has grew so much over the years and it is evidenced through the number of fried chicken restaurants across Korea. 

(Note the pickled radish in the background)

The uniqueness in Korean Fried Chicken is also in the chicken parts used, usually mid-wings, drumlets, or small chunks of thigh meat.  It is unlike KFC where drumsticks, breast meat and whole thigh part is used.  Another unique point about the Korean fried chicken is the way that the dish is prepared.  Small pieces of chicken chunks are used.  This makes it easy as a take-out dish, as a street-food or even something to munch while watching sports.  The texture of Korean fried chicken is also different.  The crispiness of the fried chicken is a result of deep-frying the chicken first before they are pan-fried in different sauces.



Fried Chicken is also a common snack dish that goes with beer, especially when Koreans watch sports at the sports bar.  Not pizza and beer or nachos and beer but fried chicken and beer (치맥).  There is no special reasons, it was simply something delicious to eat.  It has now become a part of Korean food culture.

 (Note the container is provided for chicken bones)

In fact, the Korean fried chicken culture, similar to the K-pop culture is penetrating into many countries.  Franchises are making their inroads globally, thanks to this delicious fried chicken dishes.  It's uniqueness has given food lovers an alternative options to the western style KFC, Texas Chicken, Popeyes Chicken etc.

The Korean Fried Chicken presents a greater variety of options eg.  fried, grilled, baked, popcorn chicken, chicken wings, spicy flavour, bulgogi flavour, sweet flavour etc.  It offers a more refreshing taste.

It is said that Korean Fried Chicken is now the No. 6 most popular dish in Korea.  I certainly hope that this delicious dish will become the No. 6 popular dish in the world one day!

 

 

Note: More postings on fried chicken can be found here.



Went gaga over Goguma (고구마) aka Sweet Potato

I am never a fan of food/dishes that is made of sweet potato because they look so uninteresting.  But the variety of sweet potato made into delicious breads, cakes and drinks has changed my preference towards sweet potato (only when I am in Korea).  Look at how enticing the following are:

1) Sweet Potato Cake from Paris Baguette
2) Garlic Sweet Potato Bread from Paris Baguette
3) Sweet Potato Latte
4) Sweet Potato Cream Bread from Paris Baguette
5) Apple and Sweet Potato Bread from Tous Les Jours

Do you wanna try them too?  They are all delicious!

돼지갈비찜 Stewed Pork Ribs with Potato

Anyone has recommendation for Stewed Pork Ribs with Potato in Korea?  I was on a trip in Seoul last year and my tour guide brought us to a restaurant which served this really delicious stew.  However, a check with the restaurant reception - they only cater to tour groups and not for individuals.  What a disappointment =(

If anyone has recommendation, do let me know.  I will check out the restaurant the next time I go to Korea!  꼭잦아하고싶어요!