March | 2014 | A Fat Girl's Food Guide to Eating in Korea

31
Mar
2014

Buccella Sandwich

categories: Restaurant Reviews

Yesterday was a glorious sunny day and we paid a visit to Sinsa to have a gander at The Great British Festival that was happening. After a stroll, a coffee and a spot of shopping we fancied a bit of lunch and stopped at this place. A sandwich and a table in the sun was far too much for Fat Girl to resist.

After having a look at what everyone else was eating I knew I wouldn’t be able to resist one of their lovely looking sandwiches. They also had a number of salads for the carb conscious. The Fat Boyfriend opted for the Tender beef (9,800). Pan seared beef marinated in a special steak sauce with mozzarella. This was a really nice steak sandwich. The beef was very tender and not at all chewy like you find in far too many steak sandwiches. The sauce on the beef was also really tasty. The bread they used was fantastic, I’m not 100% sure but I believe they make it in house as they have various bread items for sale. The sandwich also came with a small side salad. A pretty damn good lunch for under 10,000.

I was torn between the Grilled Chicken and the Vegetarian. In the end I opted for the Grilled Chicken (9,300) as I was won over by the chicken marinated in olive oil and rosemary. The bread was once again fantastic, the salad fresh and just the right amount of dressing. However the sandwich just lacked in flavour. I was suffering from a cold so my taste buds were not at their finest, but even so, it just needed something to kick it up a little. Perhaps a bit more seasoning or a more flavourful dressing or sauce. Ratio wise it was great, so perhaps next time I will try the Chicken Taco Sandwich or Vegetarian.

Although it’s not the best sandwich I’ve ever had, it’s still a very cute spot to grab a fresh and tasty lunch and I would definitely come again. It’s no Deli Heinzburg which is just up the street but it’s also much cheaper and had outdoor seating if the Deli queues are too long.

Buccella is located at Sinsa-dong 534-22. To get there take a train to Sinsa station (line 3). Come out of exit 8 and walk straight until you get to Tous Le Jours and make a left. Keep walking straight along that road. It is tucked away on one of the little side alleys on the left about halfway down Garosugil.

28
Mar
2014

Coffee Expo

categories: Shopping

If there’s anything that gets my morning started right, it’s a nice cup of coffee. Without coffee in my body I really fail to function well. Coffee is such a personal choice, but for me it has to be an ice vanilla latte. If I’m counting calories I’ll go with a hot americano, and if I’m not a mocha frappuccino with whipped cream and a shot of Kahlua!

Now Seoul has no shortage of coffee shops unless you happen to work in Sangil-dong like I do and there are none, literally none! Okay there is a Paris Baguette but they don’t make an ice vanilla latte and their ice latte is tiny, so tiny it’s about two sips worth. On a Friday I’m a venti girl! And by the time I add my own vanilla syrup at work it never dissolves properly. I have serious coffee problems at work. So much so I’m considering bring my espresso machine from home and buying a mini fridge to keep milk in. That or I may invest in a bottle of Dutch coffee. I really love that stuff.

Anyway, enough of my problems and on to the Coffee Expo! It’s not just for coffee shops or business owners, it’s for the coffee loving public like yourself. Tonnes of stalls selling all things coffee related. See what’s new, buy some hand roasted beans, a coffee machine, some flavoured syrup, a cool mug, the list is endless. You will also get to see all the professionals at work and see some amazing pictures in foam. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love those?

For those not on a liquid diet there is also food!!! Gelato, cakes, macaroons, tea and more…

The Coffee Expo will be held at COEX from April 10th-13th. Coffee, cakes, foam pictures, what more could you want? Tickets can be bought on the door for 10,000 won. Or you can get a 30% discount by picking up a coupon from High Street Market or The Seoul Global center.

26
Mar
2014

On the Border – Part Dos

categories: Restaurant Reviews

I have to admit that despite being a food blogger I am a creature of habit and enjoy returning to my old favourite haunts. I especially love to swing by these places if they serve lovely big cocktails that I enjoy, like mojitos!!!

I was invited to try the Live Guacamole (19,000) as part of my exciting career as a food journalist for 10 Magazine. Free guacamole, I hear you cry, Fat Girl you are living the dream! I sure am and it’s a dream filled with avocados.

Live Guacamole is a dish that is served, unsurprisingly “live”. One of the lovely waiters or waitresses will come over to your table with their batch of ingredients and make the guacamole in front of you. Quite a novel idea, I do enjoy a bit of theatre with my dinner. They also do a Live Queso too.

The guacamole is fresh, and it’s definitely a fine selling point. Personally I would have liked it with a bit more seasoning or kick, but a few drops of hot sauce later and it was pretty much perfect.

Whilst I was there I figured it would be churlish not to try a few other items. We ordered up the Chicken Empanadas (13,500). I am a huge fan of the empanada ever since my jaunt around South America a few years ago. In fact I practically lived off them for three months so like to consider myself a bit of an expert. The filling was more of a Tex-Mex fusion than a tradition one, but they were in no way less delicious. Cheesy with a slight spice. The skin was crispy and especially delicious. But lets face it, anything deep-fried tastes great.

I also had a hankering for fajitas. It’s a dish we often have at home but rarely have out. I was having trouble deciding upon which meat to have, so went for the Ultimate Fajita (33,500). Served 0n a sizzling fajita grill is none other than shrimp, chicken, steak, onions and peppers! They also give you tortillas, refried beans, rice, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream.Iit’s actually very good value and really tasty. This is a dish to share.

As you can see we devoured the lot, and a good time was had by all.

On the Border is located at 737-37, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon station (Line6) and come out of exit 2. Keep walking straight, for about 200 meters, until you reach the Hannam building. On the Border is on the 2nd floor. You can call them on 02-792-0682 or checkout their website for more details.

24
Mar
2014

Mandarin & Pecan Salad

categories: Recipes, Vegan / Veggie Friendly

Since it’s Monday and the sun is shining it only felt right that I should kick off the week with a salad recipe. Eating healthy can be somewhat challenging for most of us when it’s just so easy to go and grab take away food for work lunches and dinners. A trip to the supermarket requires thought and planning, not a lot mind you so don’t let it put you off. Stock up for the week and even make your salads in advance on Sunday or Monday night. As long as they are in airtight containers and you hold off on the dressing they will stay stay fresh.

Being a seasoned salad eater myself, I’m always on the look out to make our salads that little bit nicer and include a few more ingredients we usually don’t eat. When I was first preparing this one in the morning The Fat Boyfriend seemed unsure, but I later received a text message telling me that the salad was amazing. So the pecan and mandarin salad is now a firm favorite. I made this one here with chicken, but I think it would be even better with some halloumi, feta, or goats cheese if you happen to have some. Just be sure to include plenty of pecans, I had forgotten how tasty they are. It’s easy to get a big bag on i-Herb.

Ingredients

1 chicken breast

A handful of mixed lettuce leaves

A handful of spinach

A small wedge of red cabbage

1/2 a cucumber

1 red pepper

1/2 an avocado

2 mandarins

5 strawberries

12 pecans

5 green onions

Directions

1. If using a raw chicken breast, wrap in foil with a couple of pieces of garlic, and sprinkle on your favorite seasoning and cook in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for about 30 minutes. Allow to cool then thinly slice.

2. Wash your lettuce and spinach leaves and leave to dry.

3. Finely slice the red pepper and the red cabbage. Then chop the cucumber and avocado. Slice the strawberries and mandarin and set aside.

4. When all ingredients are prepared toss together and top with finely slices spring onions. Drizzle with the dressing of your choice and rock your salad world!

21
Mar
2014

Growing Herbs

categories: Shopping, Uncategorized, Vegan / Veggie Friendly

Hurray! It’s March, Spring is finally in the air, and the weather is starting to get warm. I’m even off to my first BBQ tomorrow! I’ve really taken spring cleaning to heart this year and reorganized all the junk that seems to clutter my house. I’ve even done a bit of decorating and turned our guest room into a walk in closet, fulfilling my life long dream of owning a walk in closet.

Now the house has been tackled it’s time to do the “garden” and start planting seeds, to grow some fabulous herbs that make all those summer meals so tasty. Herbs are so easy to grow, you only need a minimum outdoor space which gets some sun, or even a sunny window sill if you are lucky enough to live in an apartment with a much coveted window. I’ve even grown them out on a sunny indoor balcony before. Anyone can do it, just look at the tiny space I have to work with!

Buying herbs can be expensive, difficult, and tiresome, unless you live in a neighborhood like mine which has a herb plant store or a giant supermarket which stays well stocked. But even if you can buy fresh herbs to use in a recipe, you will probably end up using them once and then letting the rest shrivel up and die in the fridge. Well, no more!

Buying your kit is as easy as a trip to Daiso. Daiso have really upped their game these past few years and there really isn’t that much you can no longer find. They have all your favourites like Rosemary, Basil, Mint, Tarragon, Thyme, etc. As well as various fruits and vegetables.

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I planted several basil plants as I really go through it in the summer and like to have a healthy supply. As well as tarragon, mint, rosemary, spinach, arugula, and some coriander seeds I had left from last year. Obviously some things grow better than others but I’m excited about my harvest this year. Last year I had fresh herbs all summer so this year I’m taking it up a notch and doing some lettuce, green onions, celery, and tomatoes. I really want to make a homegrown salad. I’m even trying to replant a celery stalk!

I’m also considering growing potatoes and ginger too. And instead of buying more new pots I’m up-cycling some of our many water bottles.

If you don’t have a green enough thumb to start some seeds from scratch then pay a visit to the Yangjae Flower market which is located at Yangjae-dong 232, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Seoul. They have a huge selection of starter plants and it’s the biggest in Seoul. If you can’t find it there it probably doesn’t exist.

So below is my little herb garden, I’ll be sure to keep you updated with it’s progress. so get planting everyone, Summer will soon be here!

19
Mar
2014

Shakshuka

categories: Recipes

Oh my god, this dish is so insanely good I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. And until a week or two ago I had never even heard of it! I was having a little browse on Pinterest when I first came across this tasty delight. I read a few recipes, and knew that I must have a go myself. The results were delicious and it’s now making its way on to our regular list. I even had The Fat Boyfriend whip us up a batch of his lovely bread to go with it.

Ingredients

5 eggs

1 tin of tomatoes

200g cherry tomatoes

2 red peppers

1 onion

3 cloves of garlic

200g chorizo (optional)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

Olive Oil for frying

Cilantro leaves to top

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic, then fry in olive oil for a few minutes until translucent. While the onions are frying chop the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the peppers into small pieces then add to the pan and fry for a few more minutes.

2. Slice the chorizo and put it in the pan with the tomatoes and peppers.

3. After the cherry tomatoes have started to break down, add the tinned tomatoes, cumin, and paprika. Simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. You should have a rich and tasty tomato sauce. If the sauce hasn’t come together cook for another 10 minutes.

4. Using the back of a spoon make a well in the sauce and gently break an egg into it. Repeat with the remaining four eggs.

5. You may fit more or less eggs in your pan depending on its size. The eggs will take at least 10 minutes to poach. But if you have a lid they will cook much quicker and more evenly (as I discovered on my second time making it.) Do not overcook the eggs, you want the yolks to be nice and runny. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with delicious bread.

17
Mar
2014

Cheung Kee

categories: Restaurant Reviews

Cheung Kee is a restaurant that The Fat Boyfriend and myself had been longing to try for quite sometime. But whenever we were in Itaewon we just weren’t in the mood for noodles. However the time finally came to try it out. Now I’m only mad that I didn’t go sooner.

As we walked in we saw the chefs were making noodles themselves at one of the tables, which I always consider to be a good sign. The hand made noodles are cooked in various different ways and can come in a soup broth or fried. We decided to go for variety and have a few different ones. They also have wontons!

I ordered the Wonton and Pork Dumplings with noodles in Soup (9,500). When it first arrived the broth smelt a bit fishy, but when I ate it, it didn’t taste that way at all. The noodles were really great and had a very authentic taste. The wontons and dumplings were plentiful. They were nice and very Chinese in their taste, but for me no dumpling will ever live up to a Shanghai soup dumpling! The wontons and soup here are very close to what you would get from a restaurant at home. It was good to have it again.

My friend Alex ordered the Braised Beef with noodles in Soup (9,500). The broth in the beef soup was divine. So flavourful with plenty of chunks of the tender braised beef. I really enjoyed this one and I would probably order it again over mine, but I would have had some dumplings in it too.

The Fat boyfriend went for the Pork with hot & sweet sauce, dumplings with noodles (9,500). I especially enjoyed these noodles as they were fried. I am always torn between the soup and the fried noodles. So I think it’s always best to have both. If pushed I would say these were my favourite. The sauce was delicious, as were the noodles and strips of porks. the dumplings were the same as the ones I had.

We also couldn’t resist the fried wontons (5,500). Crispy pieces of fried goodness. The shrimps inside were small and could have held a little bit more filling. But the skins were perfectly crisp. I would certainly still order them again.

Cheung Kee is located at 128-4 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul to get there take a train to Itaewon station(line 6) and come out of exit 4. Turn back on yourself and take a right around the corner. Cheung Kee is just on your right underneath Gekko’s Terrace. You can call them on 02-322-3913 for more information.

15
Mar
2014

Richard Copycat – All American Diner

categories: Restaurant Reviews

Where to begin on this dining experience. Hmm I guess lets start with the name. Is Richard Copycats not the stupidest name ever!!! What are you copying Richard??? All American Diner was just fine, really summed up you and what you do.

As some of you may be aware RCC’s has recently moved. Instead of being by Mcdonald’s it’s moved premises to the other end of of Itaewon. The new premises are a former night club. They clearly like the vibe and have decided to keep the decor. When I first arrived I thought it was quite cool. Who doesn’t like white leather sofas and faux palm trees?

However as we waited for our menus we started to look around a bit and found that all the glass was smeared and dirty and various fixtures had broken, come apart or been set on fire. Yes there was evidence, no I didn’t take a picture a la Trip Advisor. Maybe when this was a night club the dark cover of night hid these things well, but it’s daytime, you’re serving brunch and the tables are in need of a good clean. Perhaps Richard should invest in some Windex and ask his waitress to stop playing Candy Crush, and clean the tables. As you can see from the photo the place was empty so I’m sure she had ample time.

On to the food. We perused the menu filled to the brim with all American classics. We placed our food orders and tried to order a Bloody Mary, but our waitress told us they don’t serve alcohol until 6! WTF! It’s brunch, we are in a nightclub sitting on white leather sofas, listening to hiphop blaring out the stereo and you want me to do this sober, really? I was very upset, you know Fat Girl likes a cocktail with breakfast, especially when she is hungover. If it was a diner like space I could live without the Bloody Mary but it’s a club, and they could seriously cash in on the day drinking crowd, as it’s a huge, light space which would be ideal for drinking on a summer’s day. Also drunk people would care less about the smudged glass.

On to the food. My dining companion (Mat from food blog Restaurants of Korea) ordered a strawberry smoothie when informed there was to be no booze. He didn’t like it and thought it was very artificial, personally I enjoyed it though. But it’s more of a milkshake than a smoothie. I just had a coke, 4,000 but its refillable.

I ordered the Bacon Cheddar Burger (15,800), nothing off the breakfast menu was jumping out at me, so I figured you can’t go wrong with a cheeseburger. A couple of years ago it was also often featured in the Top 5 burgers lists so I wanted to give it a try for that reason alone. Presented nicely enough and a toasted bun I ate, I chewed, I swallowed. It was fine, but really nothing special. Kind of like a frozen one you would buy at home. At best a 6/10. The fries were again fine but just the frozen ones from Costco. I don’t think it justified its 16,000 price tag. I can get a real gourmet burger from Left coast, Burger B , or Brooklyn Burger for less than that, and all 3 restaurants have a hell of a lot more ambiance.

My dining companion went for the Farmers Breakfast (14,100). Gravy and biscuits, bacon, sausages, scrambled egg, and country fried potatoes. This one again was fine, the potatoes were good and so were the herby sausages. The eggs needed more seasoning and neither of us enjoyed the biscuits. They just tasted like margarine, but so do the ones at KFC so maybe I have unrealistic expectations of what biscuits should taste like. The gravy wasn’t like anything I had tried before. If you are more familiar with american style gravy it could be a little bit more up your alley.

All in all I didn’t leave Richard Copycats with the same enthusiasm that I came in with. Although on using the 50% discount coupon that’s available until March 31st I only paid 10,000 for my dinner, which is about what it was worth. Had it cost the 20,000 it was supposed to I would have been pissed off. The food is over priced for what is, just mediocre diner food. Maybe if you are craving that kind of taste of home then you will be happy but I just felt let down. Years ago when they opened and dining choices were limited this was probably a great place, but Itaewon has boomed since then and we have restaurants galore and your 20,000 can buy you a damn good breakfast. With the mixed messages of the alcohol free club like atmosphere I can’t see too many customers queueing up for this place. Though if you are set to have a taste of home, go before March 31st while it’s still half price and just show this picture.

Richard Copycats is located at 736-9 Hanam-dong, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon Station (line 6). Walk straight out of exit 3 and keep going straight. Cross the street and keep on going. Richard copycats is just past Rocky Mountain Tavern on the 3rd floor. You can call them on 02-790-0411 or checkout their website for more details.

14
Mar
2014

Merguez Sausages with Couscous

categories: Recipes

If you are sick of eating the same old foods for dinner, then you really need to order some of these fabulous Moroccan merguez sausages from France Gourmet. I wanted to treat them special, and find a dish that lived up to their taste. Just thinking about them now is making my mouth water. It’s hard to describe their taste, I guess they are a kind of spicy sausage. But not spicy in a hot way, spicy in an amazing flavourful way. So much taste and flavour I could burst. I’ve never had a sausage like it. These caramelised onions and peppers were the perfect accompaniment along with couscous. You could also add a drizzle of tzatziki if you have the ingredients to hand.

Ingredients

500g of Merguez sausages

1 large onion

2 red peppers

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce

1 cup of couscous

1 cup of hot water

3 tablespoons of raisins

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan to medium and add just a drop of oil, you don’t need much as the sausages have plenty of fat in them. Fry on each side for about 5 – 10 minutes until browned and cooked through. While the sausages are cooking, slice the onion, aubergines, and peppers. When the sausages are done, remove them from the pan but leave the fat.

2. Add your peppers, aubergines, and onions to the pan and cook for 10 -15 minutes until they have softened and started to caramelize. Then add the brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for a further 2 minutes.

3. While your veg is softening, prepare your couscous by putting it in a bowl with the raisins then pouring over one cup of hot water. Your cup can be any size just use equal measurements of couscous and hot water. Then cover with a plate and leave for five minutes. When it’s done, use a fork to make the couscous fluffy. Serve with your sausages and caramelized vegetables. Voilà an easy and tasty dinner which doesn’t require an oven.

12
Mar
2014

Greek on the Grill

categories: Restaurant Reviews

I spotted this little place a few weeks ago when walking around Itaewon, I made a note of it and vowed to give it a try next time I wasn’t so full. Then a few days ago we passed it again and I figured it was about time. I love kebabs and love grilled food so I figured there really wasn’t anything not to like. They are very similar to kebabs except the meat is cooked on skewers and not sliced from a giant piece like the Turkish ones. They are also wrapped in thick pita breads rather than the thinner tortilla breads the kebab shops have.

I ordered the chicken souvlaki pita (5,000). Chunks of char-grilled chicken, fresh salad and topped with a tzatziki sauce. All wrapped up in a chewy pita bread it was rather good indeed.

And of course The fat boyfriend wanted to try the lamb souvlaki pita (5,500). He really does love his lamb!

As well as the souvlaki pitas, they have just plain meat on a stick and a few different Greek salads. There is room for seating or you can get it to go. A cool little place to grab food on the go and a nice change from kebabs and sandwiches.

Greek on the Grill is located at 64-67 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon Station, come out exit 4 and walk straight until you get to Dillinger’s. Take the stairs down to the left of Dillinger’s and then turn right and it’s on your left after about 50 metres. You can call them 02-797-7043 for more details.

March 2014 archive