Korean culture is a lot of things. It’s history, religion, language, customs and traditions, and art and literature. As time goes by, it’s been catching the interest of the world mainly because of K-pop and K-drama. With the help of social media, its popularity advanced quickly. One of the things that people across the world are slowly accepting is Korean food. While things like kimchi, Korean Fried Chicken, and bulgogi are great, what’s inside Korea is nothing like you imagined!
Last November 2022, I got to fly back home to the motherland. For sure, going to my favorite places is my top priority. Here I’ll be recommending different places that offer different foods to give you an idea of what Korea has to offer!
Manseon Hof
- 19 Eulji-ro 13-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Near Euljiro-3ga station
Manseon Hof is literally the first place I went to the moment I landed in Korea. It has 7-10 of the same joints spread across three streets in Euljiro. Just right behind all the tall buildings, this alley is the place that everyone across all walks of life goes to! The street food culture or “pocha” is literal in this one because people literally eat in small chairs and wobbly tables on the street. But with all the buzzing, noise, and munchies that surround me, it’s when I feel the Korean community and culture the most.
This is also a place that you must go to when you wanna try Korean classic street foods. They serve KFC, tteokbokki, dumplings, and my favorite—spicy sea snail and dried hwangtae with gochujang and mayo. All these are perfect for the mood you are in. Regardless, if you just want to have a meal, gather with friends for snacks, or visit as a tourist this is a great place to be in!! Their food options are also perfect with beer or soju, and frankly, eating here won’t be complete without getting a bottle or two in!
Woo Lae Oak
- 62-29 Changgyeonggung-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Near Euljiro 4-ga station
Woo Lae Oak is said to be one of the institutions in Seoul. It is a family-owned restaurant that has been standing since 1946. Last 2020, they received their Michelin Bib Gourmand for good quality and good value cooking so I know I had to try it out! Lots of people line up for this every day. I even had to wait for a good hour just to get seated!
While they serve classic Korean BBQ and other dishes on their menu, one of the most sought-after things to eat here is the Pyeong Yang Naengmyeon Noodles. It is buckwheat noodles that come with either cold broth, hot broth, or spicy sauce. I got the cold broth that’s made with clear beef soup. It was topped with thin sliced of beef, white kimchi, and Korean pear.
I was so excited to eat this because I’d never had North Korean noodles before. At first look, you’d think that it looks the same as regular Naengmyeon, however, it actually tastes quite different. It’s quite bland, but you can taste the beef and a bit of sourness from the kimchi brine. It was interesting! It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but I like it and I think it’s worth visiting!
Buchon Yukhoe
- 200-12 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- Inside GwangJang Market
Buchon Yukhoe is another local place in Korea that is located inside the famous Gwangjang Market. While the market offers a wide variety of street foods and Korean souvenirs to shop for, this is the one I go to always!!! Since 1965, they have been serving all things beef—raw marinated beef, raw beef bibimbap, short rib soup, and beef innards.
While you can be skeptical about it being raw, their assurance is that the beef is delivered fresh every morning and they follow government protocols for its safe consumption. Because of this, they were able to garner Michelin Bib Gourmand for good quality and good value cooking!
In this joint, I got the classic Yukhoe Tang Tang. “Yukhoe” stands for raw beef, “Tang Tang” stands for the sound that’s produced when you chop up live octopus. The beef is marinated in salt, pepper, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. This then is garnished with Korean pear, micro greens, and egg yolk. To eat, you mix it all up, dip it in sesame oil and red pepper sauce, and have kimchi or nori as a side dish. To finish off, you drink it with somaek!
When I was here, it again sunk in that I’m finally back in Korea. Dishes like this, seasoned the way it is, is just hard to come by in the US. This is definitely a yeobosayo, and when you’re here, you have to try it out!
Have you been to Korea? What are the places you think are must eat there?
Leave a Reply