If you’re getting sick of Monster Pizza and have a party of two or more, I highly recommend trying Charlies Pizza near Hapjeong Station (합정역) exit 3! While still a newcomer in town, it’s become one of my favorites in the Hongdae area. They’re not mass produced and offer quite a different experience from the “club pizzas”! Being a pizza lover (who isn’t?), I am excited to share this place with all of you! Continue reading “Pizza in Hongdae: Charlie’s (찰리스)”
Category: restaurant review
Bakeries in Seoul: Scoff
Went to British-themed bakery “Scoff” after a calorie-burning cycling trip. I was really hyped-up to try brownies for the first time in forever! I had come across them during my first trip to Buamdong (부암동), which is a quaint, little district north of the Blue House (청와대). It was quite crowded, which added to my excitement. With so many western treats on display, hopes were high for this place! Continue reading “Bakeries in Seoul: Scoff”
Burger Restaurants in Hongdae: 별버거
Had to get off from my rather long blogging hiatus to share this wonderful homemade burger restaurant located near the trending Sangsu (상수) area near Hongdae. While checking out the neighborhood, I was drawn by the tempting photos and decided to give it a shot in the morning. Boy am I glad I did. To be frank, I haven’t had a burger in my 2 years here that can hold its own against the best I’ve had in America. With western food becoming increasingly popular, I was baffled as to why. This place finally showed me a light in a dark world of overly dry burgers. Continue reading “Burger Restaurants in Hongdae: 별버거”
Ramen Restaurants in Hongdae: 멘야산다이메 (Menya Sandaime)
Decided to eat some highly rated ramen from Menya Sandaime on a ridiculously stormy day. Despite being an udon/soba guy myself, I’d never pass on a steamy hot bowl of goodness that is ramen. I was pretty excited to give it a shot given all the rave reviews and get rid of the gloomy mood typically associated with storms. I visited the Hongdae location, but they have locations in Itaewon, Jongro and Gangnam as well. Will this ramen live up to the hype? Continue reading “Ramen Restaurants in Hongdae: 멘야산다이메 (Menya Sandaime)”
Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken Restaurants in Sinchon: 장군닭갈비 (Janggoon Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken)
I’m usually not a fan of 닭갈비(spicy stir-fry chicken) because it’s usually too dry and greasy, but I decided to disregard my biases and give this place a shot. Luckily, it turned out to be a choice I didn’t regret! For the uninitiated, 닭갈비 is a bit more on the spicy side, so if you’re looking for a little bit of heat in your chicken, this is your place! Less tolerant folk should probably steer clear. Continue reading “Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken Restaurants in Sinchon: 장군닭갈비 (Janggoon Spicy Stir-Fry Chicken)”
Chicken Restaurants in Hongdae: 치킨앤 카레군(Chicken and Curry Goon)
Would always pass by this unassuming chicken joint and assumed it was just like all the other fried chicken shops. Granted, Korean fried chicken is amazing, but I’m not the type to eat it on a daily basis. It’s also very hard to find a chicken that clearly outshines the rest because the industry here is so well developed, so I wasn’t going to risk clogging my arteries for just any fried chicken.
Despite all this, my friend and I were in desperate need for a little snack before dinner, so we ended up giving this place a try. Little could have prepared me for how perfect their chicken and french fries would turn out to be. Continue reading “Chicken Restaurants in Hongdae: 치킨앤 카레군(Chicken and Curry Goon)”
Italian Restaurants in Hongdae: 키친’s 별 (Kitchen’s Star)
Kitchen’s star is an independent Italian restaurant in the Sinchon(신촌) neighborhood. After a pleasant Lunar New Year break, I decided to treat myself to Italian with a friend. Lured by the 10,000 won steak, we figured this place was worth a shot. With steak being more of a delicacy in these parts, I was really looking forward to it. Continue reading “Italian Restaurants in Hongdae: 키친’s 별 (Kitchen’s Star)”
Japanese Ramen Restaurants in Seoul: 가도야 (Kadoya)
Saw this tiny Japanese ramen shop along one of the main roads of Hongdae. Since it was one of the only restaurants that wasn’t a Korean BBQ joint open at 1am, my buddy and I decided to give it a shot. It was pretty satisfying, but had its own unique quirks that could be a deal breaker for some. I was just happy to find something that wasn’t going to clog my poor arteries that late at night. Continue reading “Japanese Ramen Restaurants in Seoul: 가도야 (Kadoya)”
Seoul Cheap Eats: 마루가메 제면 (Marukame Japanese Udon)
Marukame Udon has been my go-to Japanese noodle house for quite a while now. I’ve been going to 3 of their chains across Seoul and have been more than satisfied with all of them (less so the Hongdae location). They make all their noodles from scratch, giving them a distinct chewiness, while still being extremely affordable. They appear to be quite an international chain with even a store in Hawaii!
If you’ve read my blog for a while now, you’ll probably know that I’m quite passionate about Japanese noodles. While the anchovy-based Korean udon broth is all fine and dandy, I’m more accustomed to the katsuo-based Japanese broth. To me, it’s much bolder and cleaner (read as “not fishy”) tasting and also compliments the noodles much better. Places I’ve tried have been more or less satisfactory, but with Marukame I finally found what I’ve been looking for.
Continue reading “Seoul Cheap Eats: 마루가메 제면 (Marukame Japanese Udon)”
Restaurants in Seoul: 옹다래찜닭 (Ongdarae Braised Chicken)
One of my favorite Korean meals is a sweet soy sauce braised chicken dish called Jjimdak. Jjimdak is perfect for those not keen on Korea’s ubiquitous spicy food, but still want to have a delicious Korean meal. The minimum order is quite large, so it’s best to eat with at least one friend. I was pretty excited when my friend treated me to a nice braised chicken(Jjimdak) dinner at Ongdare, as it looked like a good chain capable of serving it. Continue reading “Restaurants in Seoul: 옹다래찜닭 (Ongdarae Braised Chicken)”
Finding the Seoul 