Posts
12 years ago
19 January 2009
15 January 2009
More Food
Fatman Seoul has a great guide to street eats in Korea that I'd recommend checking out.
The Fishbread is fairly good, bit too sweet for me. Haven't seen any of the savory kinds for sale in Incheon.
Haven't tried the filefish yet. Going to have to give it a try.
The squid strips are pretty good.
Haven't tried the chicken feet either, never see it for sale when I'm hungry and in the mood to try something new.
Ddeokpokki is good stuff but I'm not a fan of sundae, something about the texture really bothers me and the taste is nothing special.
Gotta agree with him about the gukmul, that stuff warms you right up.
Some things he didn't mention were the various forms of hotdog. Had a great one the other day that was wrapped in bacon, had a terrible one the other day that was dipped in sugar. I ordered a battered hotdog from a stand and he asked me if I wanted what I thought was salt on it. I said yes and he dredged it through a big pan of 'salt,' this thing was covered. Took a bite and I was shocked to find out that it was sugar. If you haven't tried a battered hotdog with catsup, mustard, and suger then count yourself lucky.
More info on bosintang here (including a recipe if you want to try it at home).
The Fishbread is fairly good, bit too sweet for me. Haven't seen any of the savory kinds for sale in Incheon.
Haven't tried the filefish yet. Going to have to give it a try.
The squid strips are pretty good.
Haven't tried the chicken feet either, never see it for sale when I'm hungry and in the mood to try something new.
Ddeokpokki is good stuff but I'm not a fan of sundae, something about the texture really bothers me and the taste is nothing special.
Gotta agree with him about the gukmul, that stuff warms you right up.
Some things he didn't mention were the various forms of hotdog. Had a great one the other day that was wrapped in bacon, had a terrible one the other day that was dipped in sugar. I ordered a battered hotdog from a stand and he asked me if I wanted what I thought was salt on it. I said yes and he dredged it through a big pan of 'salt,' this thing was covered. Took a bite and I was shocked to find out that it was sugar. If you haven't tried a battered hotdog with catsup, mustard, and suger then count yourself lucky.
More info on bosintang here (including a recipe if you want to try it at home).
14 January 2009
Bosintang
As the cafeteria is closed for the winter holiday and I still have to show up to work, I've been eating out a lot for the past couple of weeks. My meals have ranged from Ramyeon, to Jumakbap (Rice Ball).
Today I was in the mood for soup so I stopped in the first restaurant that had pictures of soup in the window.
The soup was a spicy soup filled with onions and a mystery meat that still had the skin attached to it. The meat was very tender and fatty with the same texture of very tender beef. The taste is hard to describe but it was quite good, a bit gamy but good.
I finished my meal and asked the lady what I'd just eaten, she informed me that it was called Bosintang and asked me if I had enjoyed it. I assured her that I did and returned to school.
On the short walk to school, I began wondering to myself why Bosintang sounded so familiar so I cornered the first two students I saw and asked them what it was.
For those that haven't guessed, Bosintang is dog meat soup. I had planned on trying dog meat while I was in Korea but I wanted to know what it was I was eating before hand so I could pay more attention to the flavors, as it is I payed more attention to the program on the television that showed how to make Kimchi.
I knew that there was at least one dog meat restaurant near my school, now I've found another.
Today I was in the mood for soup so I stopped in the first restaurant that had pictures of soup in the window.
The soup was a spicy soup filled with onions and a mystery meat that still had the skin attached to it. The meat was very tender and fatty with the same texture of very tender beef. The taste is hard to describe but it was quite good, a bit gamy but good.
I finished my meal and asked the lady what I'd just eaten, she informed me that it was called Bosintang and asked me if I had enjoyed it. I assured her that I did and returned to school.
On the short walk to school, I began wondering to myself why Bosintang sounded so familiar so I cornered the first two students I saw and asked them what it was.
For those that haven't guessed, Bosintang is dog meat soup. I had planned on trying dog meat while I was in Korea but I wanted to know what it was I was eating before hand so I could pay more attention to the flavors, as it is I payed more attention to the program on the television that showed how to make Kimchi.
I knew that there was at least one dog meat restaurant near my school, now I've found another.
13 January 2009
Seodaemun Prison
Seodaemun Prison was used by the Japanese to hold Korean resistance fighters until the Japanese lost control of Korea. After Korea became independent it was used by the Korean government for several years.
An old man approached me at this part of the museum and (I'm fairly sure) he explained (in very broken English) that it wasn't just the Japanese who used the prison and that the prison was used by the government to house and 'interrogate' left wing activists after the war.
This tunnel was used to remove the corpses of people who had been executed. It sits right behind the execution building.
To get there: Take line three (Orange) to Dongnimmun station (exit 5) it's right there. Admission is 1,500 won for adults. Closed Mondays and holidays.
Picture of the main gate
And another from a different angle
Here's the other side
Picture of the rock outcropping that faces the prison from the prison grounds
The Administration Building
Many of the exhibits were housed in this building, below is an example.
There were several wax figures torturing other wax figures, compete with sound effects
An old man approached me at this part of the museum and (I'm fairly sure) he explained (in very broken English) that it wasn't just the Japanese who used the prison and that the prison was used by the government to house and 'interrogate' left wing activists after the war.
Mystery Object
My guess is that it was a laundry or cooking pot. There was an explanation in the plaque but it was in Korean and I don't understand Korean well enough to have any clue what it said.
Corpse Removal Tunnel
This tunnel was used to remove the corpses of people who had been executed. It sits right behind the execution building.
Women's Prison
The cells are sunk below the level of the ground, they built the above building over the remains of the old building.
Closer Look at The Above
Some Building
Took The Picture From Prison Grounds
Some Building
Took The Picture From Prison Grounds
The 'Don't Get Your Bag' caught in the door graphic
The women's version
To get there: Take line three (Orange) to Dongnimmun station (exit 5) it's right there. Admission is 1,500 won for adults. Closed Mondays and holidays.
10 January 2009
Ice Bar Sub-Zero
Went to the Ice Bar Sub-Zero in Seoul last Friday.
Ice Sculpture
Cover is 15,000 won and it includes gloves, a drink, and a coat cape type thing. I'd say that it was worth going once but I really can't see making it a regular spot. For one, the place is dead. For another, the prices are much higher then any other establishment in Korea.
Pic of the bartender making our drinks
The whole attraction to this place is that it's a giant walk in freezer with a bar made out of ice.
Another pic of the bar
This gives you an idea of what the place looks like
Ice Sculpture
Cover is 15,000 won and it includes gloves, a drink, and a coat cape type thing. I'd say that it was worth going once but I really can't see making it a regular spot. For one, the place is dead. For another, the prices are much higher then any other establishment in Korea.
Tool Chest
This has nothing to do with Korea or the Ice Bar but it's a cool toolchest.
08 January 2009
Bog bilberry Liquor
Forgot to leave my review.
I didn't notice any subtle tastes when I drank this and the best thing that can be said is that it's not bad (definitely not good) but drinkable.
I didn't notice any subtle tastes when I drank this and the best thing that can be said is that it's not bad (definitely not good) but drinkable.
School
It's winter vacation and I'm stuck in school, so are the students.
It is officially winter vacation and despite that they still have mandatory extra classes that the students have to attend. I don't have to teach any of these classes but I'm still expected to show up. This has given me a lot of free time and so I've been taking the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and I've seen and tasted a couple of interesting things.
Yesterday, I saw a truck back up to what I'm fairly sure is a restaurant. This truck had metal boxes in the back of it and after a short amount of time, the driver opened one of these boxes up and pulled out a live dog which was then led into the restaurant. Guess I know what they serve there.
Today I got lunch at a small restaurant (not the dog place) and as I ate my meal, I saw a lot of my students come up and order what appeared to be corndogs from a large open window that covered the front of the shop. After finishing my meal, I ordered one of the 'corndogs' to eat on my walk back to school. The guy selected one of the larger ones he'd cooked and asked if I wanted him to put on what I assumed was salt, I agreed and he handed me my snack. All I have to say about the meal is that sugar and mustard do not go together, I still have the aftertaste in my mouth and it's vile.
It is officially winter vacation and despite that they still have mandatory extra classes that the students have to attend. I don't have to teach any of these classes but I'm still expected to show up. This has given me a lot of free time and so I've been taking the opportunity to walk around the neighborhood and I've seen and tasted a couple of interesting things.
Yesterday, I saw a truck back up to what I'm fairly sure is a restaurant. This truck had metal boxes in the back of it and after a short amount of time, the driver opened one of these boxes up and pulled out a live dog which was then led into the restaurant. Guess I know what they serve there.
Today I got lunch at a small restaurant (not the dog place) and as I ate my meal, I saw a lot of my students come up and order what appeared to be corndogs from a large open window that covered the front of the shop. After finishing my meal, I ordered one of the 'corndogs' to eat on my walk back to school. The guy selected one of the larger ones he'd cooked and asked if I wanted him to put on what I assumed was salt, I agreed and he handed me my snack. All I have to say about the meal is that sugar and mustard do not go together, I still have the aftertaste in my mouth and it's vile.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
