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Posts from the ‘Food’ Category

Apr 25

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What I Ate In…Singapore

This post isn’t going to be quite as long as thought it would’ve been. When I planned a trip to Singapore I imagined 2 days of pure gluttony, moving from hawker center to restaurant to hawker center in search of the city’s best eats. What transpired was quite different. With even the thought of food making me queasy, I was running away from hawker stands and restaurants. It wasn’t all a loss though, I did still manage to get a couple good meals in and experience some true Singaporean hawker center culture.

1. Flavored xiao long bao at Paradise Dynasty

When I read Edna’s post about Paradise Dynasty a month before I left on my trip, I immediately knew I would be making a stop there. Xiao long bao are a bit of an obsession of mine. I love the soft, thin skin of the dumpling and the way the thick, slightly sweet broth spills out when poked gently. There’s something a bit magical about soup dumplings. All this means I had to try the flavored ones.

The flavored xiao long bao at Paradise Dynasty come in 8 flavors: original, ginseng, foie gras, black truffle, cheese, crab roe, garlic, and Szechaun. They are meant to be eaten in that order, with the stronger flavors at the end.

With the colorful dumplings staring up at me from the steaming basket, I couldn’t wait to take my first bite. The original xiao long bao were delicious, just as good as any I’ve had from the infamous Din Tai Fun, and I was eager to try the creative flavors.

My favorites were the flavors on the least strong end of the spectrum: ginseng, foie gras, and cheese. I felt that these still allowed the traditional flavor of xiao long bao to shine, but added a little something different. The others were a little too strong for my liking. At one point I felt like I was eating a mouthful of strong mushrooms instead of a dumpling.

Overall, the flavored xiao long bao at Paradise Dynasty were a fun spin on a Chinese dim sum classic. I would definitely return to Paradise Dynasty, the rest of the menu looked fantastic. And the air conditioning was welcome.

2. Wanton Mee at Lavender St. Hawker Center

Much to my luck, there was a very great hawker center located very near to my hostel. Hawker centers are an important part of food culture in Singapore. Originally started as a way to bring low cost food to many people, these centers are now home to some of the best food in the country.

If you’re wary of street food, don’t be of hawker centers in Singapore. These complexes are clean and well managed, owned and operated by one of three government entities. At most hawker centers you order your food from a stall, and it is delivered to your table. After sitting down, another person will take your drink order. It’s extremely simple and a good meal will be well under S$10.

After a long day of sightseeing I made my way to Lavender Street Hawker Center and pulled a classic Singaporean move. I was unsure of what to eat, so I made my way to the stall with the longest line. Here I found wonton mee, or dumpling noodles. Thin, yellow noodles were served with a slightly spicy sauce and topped with char siew, or barbecued pork and dumplings. I slurped mine down quickly at a table with other satisfied patrons.

Unfortunately my list of what I ate in Singapore ends at 2. I did eat a couple of other meals. Mostly Nutella on tost and an overpriced chicken breast and potato salad in Clarke Quay, but these two really stand out. I count on being back in Singapore and eating non-stop sometime in the future!

 

Apr 16

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History Through Food: An Eating Tour of Manila’s Chinatown

When Old Manila Walks tour leader Ivan said that the day’s tour would be a history lesson through food, I knew I was in the right place. I’m a bit of a history nerd (it’s what I have my useless BA in) and I obviously love to eat.  We met Ivan in the lobby of Binondo Church with empty stomachs and an open mind.

Entrance to Manila's Chinatown

Binondo is a majority Chinese area in Manila, and is considered to be the world’s oldest Chinatown. 5% of Manila’s population is Chinese, called ‘Chinoy’, and their cuisine plays a major part in the way the people of the city eat.

From Binondo Church we walked to New Po Heng Lumpia House, a small restaurant located in the back courtyard of a old building. Seated on plastic chairs, Ivan told the group about one of the most famous Chinese foods in Manila, lumpia, or spring rolls. At New Po Heng we would try the most classic type: freshly rolled.

The lumpia were much larger than I expected, almost resembling a small, Chinese burrito and filled with 90% vegetables. Ivan gave us instructions on how to ready them for eating: a dab of hot sauce, a glob of a sweeter sauce, and a dusting of peanuts. The combination of sweet, hot, and the crunch of the fresh vegetables was fantastic and I had to keep reminding myself that there were still 3 more hours of eating left.

Lumpia in Binondo

After lumpia, we made our way to Dong Bei Dumpling House. Although the majority of Chinese immigrants in Manila came from the southern Chinese province of Fujian, the dumplings of Dong Bei are northern Chinese cuisine.

Everything at Dong Bei is homemade and we were able to watch the employees roll out the wrappers and fill them before they were sent to the back to be boiled.

First, we tried jiao tse, a dumpling that looks similar to a potsticker. The jiao tse had three different types of fillings which gave them a slightly different appearance. The dumplings filled with chives were a vibrant green, those filled with celery and cabbage looked much more pale, and the ones with shrimp inside were slightly orange. Next up, we tried a Chinese stuffed pancake, similar to something I’d made in Taiwan, which is almost like a dumpling that is pressed flat.

Dipped in a sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and chili oil, the dumplings were delicious and fresh.

Though we were starting to feel ever more full, we continued on for merienda. A holdover from the Spanish colonial times, merienda is a snack between lunch and dinner. Being Chinatown, our first merienda treat was siu bao. Siu bao is a Chinese hot bun that is filled with pork and seven spices and then steamed. The taste was slightly sweet, different from other pork buns I’ve had.

Finally, it was time for the main course, lunch, at a second floor restaurant called Cafe Mezzanine. We were served salted rice, a type of white rice cooked with soy sauce, peanuts, and chives, and fish ball soup and instructed to dip the rice into the soup broths to wet it slightly. Luckily, the portions were small as I was positively stuffed at this point.

That being said, there was still one more stop. Dessert. Ivan brought us to a small shop selling hopia, a pastry traditionally filled with bean paste. At the mention of bean paste I was hesitant. I’d choked down enough red bean filled desserts in Korea to know I was not a fan, but when I was handed a newer version of hopia, filled with a sweet pastry cream, I was impressed. Though, with only enough room in my stomach for a tiny piece.

With that the tour was over and it was time to roll my over-indulged self through the sweltering streets of Manila, back to air conditioned sanctuary that was my hostel to recover.

The morning spent exploring Manila’s frenetic Chinatown with Old Manila Walks was an entertaining and educational one.

And one that kept me full for hours.

What dish from Manila’s Chinatown sounds the best to you?

Note: My tour was in no way sponsored, nor was I asked to write a review.

Mar 25

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What I Ate In…The Philippines

This is a new series that will focus on my favorite dishes in a certain city or country that I visited. 

The Philippines was an exciting destination for me partially because I was unfamiliar with much of their cuisine. I was looking forward to being able to discover some new dishes. Philippine food, I learned, has a lot of influence from other cuisines, especially from the Spanish who ruled the country for several hundred years. Being a chain of islands it was not a surprise to find a lot of seafood on menus, and Filipinos love them some pork.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much time to chow down as I would’ve liked. Toward the end of my stay I got a wicked stomach virus during which even the mention of the word ‘food’ had me gagging. Despite that I was able to find some delicious treats during my two weeks in Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Manila.

1. Sinigang 

Sinigang is a Filippino soup that is most well known for its sour tamarind flavor. This was a new dish for me and I was instantly hooked. Filled with bits of pork (a fish variety is also popular), eggplant, okra, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and other delicious vegetables the soup’s distinctive flavor was powerful, yet smooth. I had this in Puerto Princesa, but it’s popular and can be found on pretty much any menu in the Philippines.

2. Sweet and sour lapu-lapu (grouper)

I had a lot of really great, fresh seafood in the Philippines and this lapu-lapu, the Filippino grouper, in Puerto Princesa stood out. At the restaurant you can pick out the seafood you want and choose how it is cooked. We got this lapu-lapu deep fried and smothered with a thick sweet and sour sauce. Not the healthiest choice, but a delicious one nonetheless.

3. Pizza at Altrove 

This isn’t Filippino food, but it was so good that it deserves a mention here. Located on the main street in El Nido, the pizza here was some of the best I’ve had outside of Italy. Seriously. The southern Italian style pies are cooked in a brick oven and have the perfect cheese to sauce ratio and a selection of delicious toppings. We tried the margherita and Mediterranean and both were superb. The prices here are a little steep for the Philippines but worth every peso.

4. Garlic and butter prawns

Almost every afternoon that we were in Puerto Princesa Tara and I saw a family walk up and down the main street with a bucket of fresh prawns. They stopped at each restaurant selling their fresh catch. Obviously, this meant I needed to indulge often and indulge I did. The best rendition by far was in Puerto Princesa smothered in garlic and butter.

5. Lechon 

Lechon is the national dish of the Philippines, present at every large celebration in the country. A holdover from Spanish colonial times, lechon is a suckling pig roasted over a spit. Also known as, pure ecstasy in food form. Unfortunately, by the time we got a chance to try it I was already feeling a bit sick and we had to resort to eating lechon at the Mall of Asia food court in Manila. It was delicious (how could a plate of sucking pig not be?) but it wasn’t the crispy skin deliciousness I’d been waiting for.

What looks the best to you? What is your favorite Filippino food?

Feb 25

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Delicious Delivery Options in Korea

Being an expat can have its downsides. You miss your family and friends. You miss watching live sporting events. You miss food. You miss beer. You miss convenience.

Luckily, there are a few enterprising people here in Korea who have started businesses to help us longing expats by bringing what we miss straight to our mailboxes. Unfortunately, while they still can’t ship you your mom when your sick or a six pack of Bell’s Two Hearted Ale (a girl can dream), they have devised a way to conveniently sell us expats the food we crave from home.

Gringos Burritos

Mike and Mark are the masterminds behind the delivery burrito company Gringos. After a disappointing night out at a Mexican restaurant in Itaewon (I think all expats in Korea can tell a similar story), these two expats from Canada and the US (Los Angeles), respectively, decided to do something in order to introduce the real taste of Mexico to the Korean peninsula. Gringos was born.

Mike and Mark decided on a delivery service for two reasons, opening a restaurant can be quite costly and delivery would allow them to reach more customers. The majority of the ingredients for the Gringos menu come from the local market, with a few harder to get items coming from Costco. Mike and Mark both work full time as English teachers and spend their free time working to make Gringos a success, putting in time after work on the weekdays and spending 12-14 hours a day assembling the burritos on the weekends.

Gringos currently offers five different burritos and three side items. I tried the carne asada, chicken, tofu, and bacon breakfast burritos. While they aren’t Chipotle, for frozen Mexican delivered to my door in Korea, it did the trick. My favorites were the carne asada and bacon breakfast burritos. I also tried the salsa and refried bean side dishes. While I wasn’t a huge fan of the refried beans, the salsa was the best I’ve had in Korea and reminded me of my favorite local brand back in the United States.

The prices are reasonable at 5,500 won per burrito (except for the carne asada which is 7,000 won) and each order is shipped frozen at the beginning of the week in a styrofoam container. There is a minimum of six items per order.

For more information or to place an order visit their website. 

Alien’s Day Out

Mipa Lee, a vegan who has been living in Korea since 2006, started her blog Alien’s Day Out to chronicle what it is like to be vegan in a country known for its grilled meat. When she realized that it was hard to find animal free baked goods here, Mipa began experimenting with the recipes of some of her favorite treats that she had missed since going vegan. After getting a lot of good feedback from family, friends, and customers at local events, she started the Alien’s Day Out online bake shop in order to share her love of compassionate eating.

I first ordered from Alien’s Day Out my first fall in Korea. I’m not vegan (or vegetarian) but I was craving pumpkin baked goods something fierce and was introduced to Alien’s Day Out by my coworkers. My pumpkin chocolate chip bread satisfied my autumn baked good needs and I was hooked.

In addition to bread, Mipa sells muffins, cookies, and takes custom orders for cakes and cupcakes, which are beautiful. Most recently I ordered chai muffins, banana nut bread, and an order of the “surprise me” cookies. The chai muffins were the perfect breakfast, filling with just enough spice and the banana bread was the best banana bread I’ve ever had. It was sweet and incredibly moist. My favorite of the package, though, was my order of surprise cookies. The “surprise me” cookies gets you one order of an off the menu item. I received some tea cookies that were amazing. Like, beyond amazing.

If you’ve never had vegan treats and are scared they won’t taste good, don’t be. If you’re ordering from Mipa you’ll have no idea these are animal product free!

For more information or to place an order visit her website. You can also purchase Alien’s Day Out baked goods at High Street Market and Botton Cafe in Itaewon.

Hummus in Korea

Katie and Jared are the expat couple behind this relatively new hummus delivery business. The engaged American and Kiwi duo started making hummus for dinner parties and camping trips with their friends in Korea. The hummus was a hit and they decided to turn their hobby into a business. Hummus in Korea started off as a smaller operation, with orders being delivered by hand in the Bundang area only. After pressure from some friends in Seoul and Chuncheun, though, Jared and Katie decided to start delivering around the country.

Katie and Jared use their free time during the week to prep the hummus, which is frozen before it is shipped. They explained that hummus lasts only 7 days in the fridge but can last up to 4 months in the freezer. Shipping takes 2 days, which would cut down drastically on the time the customer would have the enjoy the product.

Hummus in Korea currently offers 4 flavor of hummus: Jalapeno Heaven, Roasted Red Pepper, Crazy for Garlic, and Spicy Sensation and prices range from 5,500 won to 6,500 won for a 250 gram container. I tried the Jalapeno Heaven and Crazy for Garlic flavors. The texture was a bit different than what I normally expect from hummus (Katie and Jared explain that this is due to the freezing), but the flavors were phenomenal. The jalapeno was my favorite- just enough spice to keep it interesting, but not so much that it overpowered the other flavors.

Katie and Jared have said that they want to keep Hummus in Korea a somewhat small operation, but as long as people want to buy it, they will be there to sell it!

For more information or to place an order visit their website.

What delivery option sounds the best to you?

Feb 20

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Street Eats: Night Markets in Taiwan

I love food.

I love street food.

I love cheap food.

Thus, it should be no surprise that the many night markets of Taiwan were my favorite part of the country.

Night markets started in the large cities of Taiwan, usually near temples, as a place to gather with neighbors, eat, and buy things such as handicrafts and traditional Chinese medicines. Today, night markets serve a similar purpose. Vendors line the street selling their xiaochi, or small eats, and knockoff purses from carts or small storefronts while what seems like people from every cross section of life in Taipei- senior citizens, families with small children, groups of teenagers and young adults- mill about. Most dishes run from about $1-$3 US, usually at the lower end of the spectrum, which means you can have a whole meal for well under $10 US.

I visited five night markets in Taiwan, four in Taipei and one in Kaohsiung, and sampled a variety of cheap, street eats.

1. Ningxia Night Market

Ningxia Night Market Taipei

Ningxia Night Market, a smaller, traditional market in an older part of Taipei, was the first night market I visited in Taiwan. On my first night in the country I met up with one of my friends from Seoul, Marty, and his Taiwanese friend, Barry for a tour around this food only night market and an introduction to Taiwanese cuisine. Our first stop was at one of the small restaurants behind the street carts for oyster omelettes and liver soup, two of the must try dishes at Ningxia.

An oyster omelette at Ningxia Night Market in Taipei

The oyster omelettes were a delicious combination of eggs, starch, and small oysters, fried, and topped with a chili sauce. And the liver soup? Well, it was large pieces of liver in broth and between this dish and others I tried in Taiwan, I discovered I actually like liver. A lot.

Liver soup at Ningxia Night Market in Taipei

Next up we sampled what is probably Taiwan’s most infamous dish- stinky tofu. Stinky tofu has been fermented and the smell is, well, stinky. Not only does it have the aroma of dirty gym shoes combined with body odor, but the smell travels far and lingers for a long time. Surprisingly, you get used to it pretty quickly. And when the tofu is fried and smothered in spicy sauce in cabbage it actually tastes pretty good!

Stinky tofu at a night market in Taiwan

Stinky tofu in Taiwan

The last thing we tried at Ningxia Night Market was a savory rice pudding made from rice paste, mushrooms, and pork. It is steamed until it is the consistency of a rice cake and topped with a gravy like sauce. It was good, but the chewy texture of rice cakes isn’t really my thing.

Savory rice pudding at a night market in Taiwan

How to get there: Take the Tamsui (Red) Line to Zhongshan Station. Go out Exit 2 and walk for 5-10 minutes.

2. Huaxi Street Night Market

snake alley night market taipei

After a few drinks, Marty, Barry, and I ventured on over to Huaxi Street Night Market, better known as Snake Alley. This market sells a lot of the common night market eats but is most famous for the wide variety of more interesting delicacies available, including snake.

snake alley taipei

We had come here for one reason: snake shots.

We ordered a set that included three shots- one each of snake blood, snake bile, and snake venom- and a bowl of snake soup. Not entirely confident about what we were getting ourselves into, we decided to each choose one and take only that. I won a game of rock, scissor, paper and chose the snake venom shot. It was the smallest and, unlike the blood shot, did not contain a strange capsule floating on top.

Snake shots in Taipei

The shot tasted mostly like Chinese whisky and I washed it down with a slurp of the cinnamon flavored soup.

We decided to follow this up with a taste of zhuxie gao, coagulated pig’s blood. On a stick! The blood is combined with rice cake, steamed, and then rolled in peanut powder. Again, the taste was fine but the texture of rice cake is too chewy for me.

Blood rice cake at a night market in Taiwan

How to get there: Take the blue line to Longshan Temple Station. Walk to the temple and turn left. When you reach Guangzhou Night Market turn right and you will see Huaxi Street.

3. Raohe Street Night Market

Raohe Street Night Market in Taipei

Raohe Street Night Market is one of the most famous in Taipei and was conveniently located near the hostel I stayed at after my return to the city. I checked out this market along with two girls I met at my hostel after a long day of sightseeing. Before I even passed through the entrance I saw a stand that caught my eye, a stand selling baked potatoes smothered in fake, orange cheese. If I have one weakness in life it is creamy, neon nacho cheese.

Baked potato at a night market in Taipei

After that I decided to try something sweet and completely new- fried milk. The vendor took what looked like gelatinous ball of sweet milk custard and dropped it into hot oil. The golden brown balls popped when bit into, releasing a creamy, sweet custard. I’m not a sweet tooth and this was one of my favorites.

Fried milk in Taiwan

I can never pass up a good dumpling when I saw a stand selling large dumplings filled with glass noodles and green onion I was first in line. I slathered on a good amount of hot sauce and devoured it while walking to find my next snack.

The last dish I tried at Raohe Street Night Market was actually not Taiwanese or Chinese, but Japanese. Okonomiyaki was one of my favorite dishes in Tokyo and the cart selling these Japanese pancakes had a long line with cooks who made cooking a show.

Okonomiyaki at a night market in Taipei

How to get there: Take a train (not the MRT) to Songshan Station and follow signs to the temple.

4. Liuhe Night Market

Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung Taiwan

Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung is one of the oldest night markets in the entire country. Being as Kaohsiung is a city on the ocean, this night market is particularly famous for its seafood offerings.

The most famous thing, by far, to try at this night market is the papaya milk. Sweet and creamy, this drink is a great treat on a hot night and is famous with celebrities and politicians from all around Asia. The line might be a little long, but it is definitely worth it. I wanted to go back to get a second but was embarrassed of being judged.

Papaya milk stand in Kaohsiung

Papaya milk in Kaohsiung

I was ready for some food and wanted to try something from the sea. The grilled shrimp looked appetizing but there were no tables available and I’m not great at shelling shrimp one handed while balancing a purse and camera in the other. Then I saw a cart selling cheese covered scallops and I was sold.

Seafood at Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung

I wandered around a little more but ended back at a dumpling stand near the entrance for a tray of xiao long bao, my beloved soup dumplings. The woman who owned the stand was very sweet and a woman at the next table who spoke perfect English was very interested in my travels. It was a nice end to my solo trip to the night market in Kaohsiung.

Xiaolongbao at Liuhe Night Market in Kaohsiung

How to get there: Take either MRT line to Formose Boulevard Station. Go out exit 11 and the night market will be immediately on your left.

 

5. Shenkeng Old Street

shenkeng old street

Not really a stereotypical night market, I still think Shenkeng Old Street deserves a mention here. James and Yina, who I met in Maokong earlier that day, took me to this city in the New Taipei that is famous for its production of stinky tofu. The old street was beautiful with its brick buildings and red Chinese lanterns. We stopped by a cart near the entrance to get our taste of the famous Shenkeng stinky tofu. Covered in a spicy sauce and topped with different types of fermented cabbage (almost like a Chinese kimchi) and lightly pickled cucumbers, this version was even more delicious than the type I’d tried in Taipei. I do believe I’m a stinky tofu convert!

Stinky tofu in Shenkeng New Taipei

Besides my new favorite food, this street is filled with shops selling other goodies like rice cakes and traditional candies and snacks.

How to get there: Take a Taipiei Bus on the Pingxi Line to Yongding Elementary School.

The night markets in Taiwan provided a great way to sample new food and experience Taiwanese life.

What food looks the best to you? What looks the worst?

Jan 21

4 Comments

Celebrating Winter in Louisville With Hillbilly Tea

Though I ate very well the entire time I was in Louisville, there was one meal that stood out far and above the rest. This meal was the winter tea dinner at Louisville’s hippest tea cafe- Hillbilly Tea.

I’ve had Hillbilly Tea on my to-eat list for a while. Their farm to table Appalachian inspired menu always had me drooling in front of my laptop and their creative tea blends had me looking at my cup of $3-for-500-bags green tea with disdain. I knew that this year, during this visit, I was putting Hillbilly Tea in the number one spot on my list of places I had to eat. A few weeks before making my way back to the States I was torturing myself by browsing their menu online when I saw something about a winter tea dinner. This five course meal with tea pairings would preview their new winter menu. I immediately clicked over to my e-mail for reservations.

A few weeks later, appropriately scheduled on the night of the winter solstice, my family and I headed over to Hillbilly Tea’s rustic location in downtown Louisville. The dinner was a small, intimate affair with less than ten tables of appreciative foodies. Held upstairs, the dimly lit room, complete with the largest Christmas tree you’ve ever seen, was warm and cozy. An atmosphere to perfectly complement the theme of the dinner.

After a brief introduction to the meal and the restaurant, the first course was served. A teacup of braised pork with cream of wheat and cottage cheese dumplings in a tea broth was set in front of each diner. While the pork and dumplings were both seemingly perfect, the highlight of this course for me was the broth. Smoky, thick, and cloudy, it reminded me of my favorite ramen in Tokyo. While I could’ve happily drank the broth and had my thirst quenched, there was a special drink that accompanied this course- a boiler maker (a beer and a shot of whisky) done tea style. A small glass of Upland Brewery’s Bad Elmer’s Porter sat beside a shot glass of twig hooch, a homemade tea whisky, on a small slice of tree.

A blurry photo of some damn good braised pork.

The boiler maker. Bonus points for presentation.

The second course began with what could possibly be the best nonalcoholic drink I’ve ever tasted. When I read the menu and saw a “Christmas tea soda” listed, I almost immediately wrote it off as something I wouldn’t like. But the combination of frankincense, myrrh, and spices was liquid perfection. It wasn’t too sweet. There wasn’t too much carbonation. It was Christmas in a mason jar.

The food that followed was just as tasty. In another tea cup was a stew made from pork and beans. Beans are in my list of the top 5 things I miss about food while living in Korea, and this creamy, smoky stew was a pretty awesome reintroduction to legumes after a year away.

It was at this point that I became so heavily invested in eating and enjoying that I stopped writing detailed notes. A celery salad followed, and as someone who could leave salads and never look back, my plate was cleared. Take that for what you will.

The salad in question.

My sister and I enjoying our meal.

The main course consisted of a braised lamb shank over succotash and charred broccoli. I love lamb, but in my opinion, if it’s not cooked right it can quickly go from great to funky. This lamb, though, fell off the bone with the tiniest flick of the fork and was far from funky tasting.

The final course was a chocolate mousse with forest berries and tea cookie crumbles. The accompanying tea blend, called Horny Goat, had a minty taste that was great for cutting down some of the sweetness of the mousse.

As the meal was over I found myself in my food happy place. I had high expectations for Hillbilly Tea. And those expectations were met and more. It was a meal that left no room for complaints. Delicious, well executed comfort food, a relaxed atmosphere, and some fantastic company. Though the last part was not supplied by Hillbilly Tea.

2/3 of the great company.

And for all my friends in Asia, Hillbilly Tea is opening a location in Shanghai. Yes, China. I know I’ll be adding it to my itinerary!

Visitor Information: Hillbilly Tea is located on 120 South 1st Street in Louisville. They are closed on Monday. For more information visit their website.

Note: I was not paid or asked the write this review. I just really loved this meal, the concept, and the restaurant this much that I felt the need to write 800 words about how fabulous it was. Also, I saw something about a Valentine’s Tea Dinner on their website so if you’re in the Louisville area (or feel like traveling for some awesome food) you could possible attend a dinner as wonderful as this one. Seriously. Go.

What dish sounds the best to you? 

Nov 28

3 Comments

A Korean Cooking Class at the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine

I love food, but I hate to cook. This hasn’t always been true, as I used to love cooking, but my teeny-tiny Korean kitchen and inability to make anything with the ingredients readily available in this country have turned that hobby into a dreaded task. But as my time in Korea has started to grow smaller, I’ve become more and more interested in learning how to cook some of my Korean favorites.

I first took a Korean cooking class my first month in the country, back when the only Korean food I’d really eaten was my hagwon’s absolutely disgusting lunch boxes. While I enjoyed the class, I didn’t get much out of it because I was still discovering my preferences inside Korean cuisine. Since I’ve become familiar with the food, I’ve been wanting to find another Korean cooking class.

With Kasey, a food lover and excellent cook, in town I knew it was the perfect time to sign up for a Korean cooking class at the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine. She could learn more about an important part of Korean culture, and I could further develop my appreciation for it.

The Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine offers Korean cooking classes in English every second, third, and fourth Saturday of the month. The menu changes every week, and there is even the option to take a nine week course with certificate.

Beautiful view from the Institute of Korean Royal Cuisine.

The course starts at 10 am, with an hour long demonstration of the dishes being prepared that class. Kasey and I unfortunately missed this part of the class, and rolled in at about 10:40 reeking of liquor after oversleeping, making a necessary trip to the convenience store, almost puking on the subway, and getting lost in a taxi. The night before had gone a little (lot) later than I’d originally planned, and we were now paying for it by having to walk into a full classroom 40 minutes late and scramble to find a seat. We were those students.

The institute’s location is absolutely beautiful, in a converted hanok, and the classroom is modern, bright, and large. After the demonstration finished, we split into groups of four and began cooking. Each person in the group was responsible for a dish, which immediately made me nervous. Someone who wasn’t Kasey or myself would have to eat this in an hour.

I was in charge of the dubu jorim, or soy sauce braised tofu. I plopped a big block of homemade tofu onto the cutting board and picked up a rather large knife. Lacking electrolytes and with the hangover induced shakes, I tentatively placed the knife on top of the block, ready to slice.

“I usually hold the knife a little closer, with my index finger like this.”

Doug, the translator and one of the assistants, came up behind me and demonstrated the correct way to hold the knife. The other assistants were flitting around the workspace, helping students as they needed it. Kasey was preparing her gamja sogogi jorim (braised potatoes and beef) solo, and the other two members of our group had the kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) and dalkyalchim (egg souffle) under control by themselves.

The kimchi jjigae bubbling away.

Kasey’s fantastic gamja sogogi jorim.

The gorgeous egg souffle.

Doug stuck to my side the entire morning. I wasn’t sure whether to be happy to have the help, or insulted that I looked like I needed it. Either way, it was nice to be in a cooking class with such individualized help.

My buddy Doug and I. Photo courtesy of Kasey.

The finished tofu that everyone was worried about. Looks pretty damn good to me.

After about an hour of cooking and plating, we sat down to enjoy the meal we had just prepared. All of the food was delicious, even my tofu that Doug had been so worried about, and it was interesting chatting with the diverse group of students enrolled in the class. Once we’d finished eating, we cleaned up and headed home- full, satisfied  and in need of a good, long nap.

Kasey and I with our finished dishes. Focus on the food and not our appearance.

Post class lunch

Visitor Information: For more information, visit the website or call 02-3673-1122-3. One class costs 40,000 won (around US$40) and includes all supplies, ingredients, instruction, and recipes.  The nine week course is 320,000 won.

Do you enjoy taking cooking classes when you travel? Where was the best class you’ve ever taken?

Oct 17

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Cheap and Delicious Eats in Tokyo

Food is an integral part of my travels with meals and and must try dishes planned out months and ahead. I was slightly nervous I’d have a hard time in Tokyo restaurants alone, a problem in some Korean restaurants, and miss out on eating some of the best food Japan has to offer. I was also worried that eating out in Tokyo would be a budget breaker. I imagined myself spending 5 days in front of convenience store counters pulling noodles out of Styrofoam instant noodle bowls while feeling depressed.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. In fact, the biggest problem I had was that I didn’t have enough time to try everything I wanted. With counter seating and a variety of options in all price ranges, Tokyo is a solo diners dream. What were my five favorite Tokyo dishes?

1. Ramen

For the majority of my life, ramen meant noodles cooked in three minutes with a politically incorrect named flavor packet. The ramen in Japan bears almost no resemblance to that. Far exceeding any attempts at ramen I’ve had at Japanese restaurants in other countries, this was my favorite Japanese dish. So much so, that this was the only food I repeated during my stay.

I ate at Kyusyu Jangara, conveniently located in Harajuku. Though they have an English menu, this place is far from a tourist trap with lines out the door during the lunch rush. First, you order and pay at the cash register near the front. I chose the most popular ramen, the #1, during my first visit which cost 1,000 yen. After paying you head to the counter, grab a stool, give the cooks the chip you were given when you paid, and a few minutes later a steaming hot bowl of near culinary perfection is placed in front of you.

The #1 is known for its variety of toppings. Resting on top of a a bed of thin noodles were mushrooms, sliced pork, sweet braised pork belly, and a hard boiled egg. The cloudy, brown broth was perfectly salty and I couldn’t hold back a few loud slurps. On my second visit I tried the garlic version of the #1 (1,100 yen). Very similar toppings wise, this rendition included a lot of minced garlic in the broth. For a garlic lover like myself, it was perfect.

To get here take the JR Yamanote Line to Harajuku Station, exit out of the Omotesando exit (South) and cross the overpass, or from Meiji-Jingumae Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda or Fukutoshin Lines, take exit 3 and it is on your left on the second floor. 

2. Japanese curry

Japanese curry bears no resemblance at all to the curries of Thailand and India that I was more familiar with before moving to Asia. Curry was introduced to Japan by the British in the early twentieth century. It is thick and usually dark brown in color, often served over rice and with a side of breaded pork cutlet. Though it might not look great on a plate, curry rice is warm and hearty, packing a lot of flavor and some heat.

On my first night in Tokyo the last remains of a typhoon blew through the city. When the winds started to threaten my umbrella, I decided to stick close to my hostel for dinner. Luckily there was a branch of the popular curry restaurant chain, CoCo Ichibanya, nearby.

At Coco Ichibanya you can customize your curry order. Customers can choose the type of curry (beef or pork), the amount of rice, spiciness of the curry and add on anything from garlic bits to hand breaded chicken cutlet. I went with the familiar pork curry, a medium spice level, and a pork cutlet. The satisfying meal only set me back 750 yen.

There are CoCo Ichi locations across the country (and also in China, South Korea, and the US).

3. Sushi

Sushi was my first foreign food obsession and there was no way I was visiting Japan without eating any. While prime cuts of tuna were out of my budget, I could still enjoy a little bit of conveyor belt sushi fun. Though sometimes seen in a negative light, recently people in Japan have started to realize that conveyor belt sushi doesn’t necessarily mean low quality.

With this type of dining you can carefully control how much you spend. Each plate color or design correlates to specific price. For example, anything on a yellow plate might cost 200 yen. As the sushi goes around, you pick what you want to eat, and at the end the waitress counts your plate to determine your final bill. A variety of fish and rolls come around and the chefs will usually take requests. This is fun time to be daring and choose fish you might’ve never tried before!

Sushi isn’t hard to find in Tokyo. I ate on the 8th floor at the Yodobashi Camera Store in Akihabara, accessed by the JR Yamanote, Chuo-Sobu, and Keihin-Tohoku Lines or the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. 

4. Oyakodon

After a particularly long day trip out of Tokyo, I was extremely tired and decided to grab dinner at a donburi, Japanese rice bowl, place outside the train station when I returned to the city. Oyakodon, literally meaning “parent and child rice bowl”, is playful name based on the fact that both chicken and eggs are used to make this dish. These two ingrideints, along with green onions and a sauce made from dashi and soy sauce, are laid over a bed of rice. This simple dish was not only tasty and filling, but also inexpensive, costing only 500 yen.

You can find oyakodon at many Japanese “fast food” restaurants (like I did), but the most famous place for it in Tokyo is at Tamahide, located about a one minute walk from Ningyocho Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line and the Toei Asakusa Line.

5. Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake that originated in Osaka, but is popular throughout Japan. Usually you cook the pancake yourself at a hot grill in the center of the table, but at the restaurant I tried it at, Nanbantei in Shimo-Kitazawa, the server will do all the work for you. Perfect for an okonomiyaki newbie like myself.

Okonomiyaki can have a variety of fillings, and I ordered mine with everything, which included bits of squid, meat, and vegetables. First, the batter, made mostly of flour, water, and grated cabbage, is poured onto the hot griddle, or teppan. An egg is then added, followed by more batter and fillings, and then finally it is made into kind of a pocket. A weight is pressed on top of it and the okonomiyaki is left to cook until golden brown. Finally, it is topped with Japanese mayonnaise,  black paper, and aonori, or seaweed flakes, and then cut into pieces to be served. .

The food itself was fairly cheap, around 900 yen, but I couldn’t resist a couple of draft beers at this small, hip, student filled joint, which drove up the bill slightly.

To get there take the Odakyu or Keio Inokashira Lines to Shimo-Kitazawa Station. Take the south exit and turn left at Softbank. The second floor restaurant is on the next corner on your left.

What dish looks the best to you? What are your favorite Japanese foods?

Sep 24

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The Secrets of Linus Bama Style BBQ

I’m always on the lookout for things to do in Seoul that are different, especially if they are related to food in any way possible, so when Chincha?! listed a pop up barbecue in their weekly events post I immediately penciled it in for the weekend. I had attended one of Seoul’s first pop up restaurants back in April, and was excited to once again have the opportunity to sample some tasty culinary creations in a fun environment.

After eating at Linu’ Bama Style BBQ pop up event at Ways of Seeing in Itaewon and being blown away, I reached out to Linus in hopes of discovering more about what makes barbecue Bama style and what drove him to bring this style of cooking all the way to Korea.

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Sep 19

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Namdaemun Market’s Kalguksu Alley

I’m not a huge fan of markets. I feel like a bad traveler even admitting this, but my dislike of these chaotic, crowded places was one of the biggest reasons it took me so long to visit the Kalguksu Alley at Seoul’s historic Namdaemun Market. But, if there’s one thing that would make me overcome my fear of screaming ajummas (older Korean women known for their fighting spirit and animal print clothing) and pushy patrons, it would be food. Particularly kalguksu, the knife cut noodles I’ve raved about before, and consider to be one of my favorite Korean foods.

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