I had never even heard the name OKitchen mentioned until I went to the medicinal competition in Sancheong. The chefs representing the restaurant won one of the top prizes. After that I noticed that everyone was talking about it and telling me how great the food was, so I thought it was about time I tried it. After a little research online, I found that it was fine dining. Little did I know that I had walked past the restaurant dozens of time. We had even looked at the menu before, thought it looked good, but not ventured inside. It just goes to show that appearances can by deceptive and you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The little wooden plank clad restaurant looks more like a ski chalet in the mountains than a fine dining establishment. But once inside, the restaurant is warm, cosy, and perfect for a nice intimate dinner.

Soon after sitting we were brought  the bread basket. Four different varieties, focaccia, butter scone bread, a black sesame crisp and a walnut bread. The bread came with oil and vinegar and was refilled once we finished it. The walnut could have done with a little more salt but all in all it was a nice selection.

Niall ordered the tasting plate, which consisted of six different courses for 80,000. I’ll run through that and then discuss the a la carte dishes I ordered. The first  dish of the tasting platter was the seafood plate. A large variety of fish and seafood were on the dish, far too many to recount. A nice start to the meal if you like raw fish. I sadly did not so couldn’t comment but Niall enjoyed it and felt it was nicely balanced and the accompaniments worked well.

Next up was the polenta cake with mushrooms and a poached fertile egg. I was looking forward to my taste of this one, eggs and mushrooms are always a winning combination for me. The egg looked as though it was sous-vide rather than poached, which was not to my preference as the egg white is not as solid as if it had been poached. The egg yolk was lovely and runny though.

The starters kept on coming and next was a roasted fig with gorgonzola and poached pear. Not usually a gorgonzola fan, the cheese complimented the fig well. It was small though and quickly devoured.

Next came the pasta course. The pasta of the day was spaghetti with mackerel. The mackerel was not too strong in flavour and I was actually able to eat a little of this one. 

After the pasta course was the main of  han-woo steak. This steak was half the size of the regular option but after all those courses it would have been far too much. He ordered his steak blue which I thought was a little rare for the cut of the meat, but he enjoyed it all the same. It came with little pearls of mustard seeds, greens and roasted potatoes.

Finally on to the dessert course of warm chocolate cake with espresso ice-cream. The cake was warm with a little sauce still melting in the middle. The ice-cream was nice and creamy and the raspberry jus smeared on the plate nice and tart. A lovely nice dessert and the perfect end to the meal. Thankfully it was small or we might not have finished it!

Rather than the tasting menu I went a la carte and had the potato gnocchi with pumpkin sauce and truffle oil (23,000) This was as yummy as it sounds. The gnocchi was soft and lightly fried so the edge was crisp. The pumpkin sauce was sweet and complimentary and the delicious smell of truffles wafted through the dish.  Topped with grated parmesan and mushrooms, I will be coming back for this dish again.

On to my main of Australian lamb done two ways (45,000). Composed of a rack of lamb, perfectly cooked to medium rare.  The pan seared edge tasted of lemon and herbs and was extremely good. The second piece was slow cooked in delicious gravy like sauce, the waitress didn’t explain this dish at all but I would guess it was shoulder, served on a bed of mashed something. I have no idea what it was could have been celeriac, cauliflour, or polenta. I just don’t know. It was tasty though. The slow cooked lamb was divine it was so soft and tender it just fell apart in my mouth and melted into my tongue. It’s hard to beat a nice rack but this did it in spades. Possibly the best lamb I’ve ever eaten in Korea. I’ll be coming back for this one, too. I couldn’t be happier about my choice of dishes.

The only part about the dining experience that I think needs improving is the service. We waited longer than we should have to be given menus, and every time a dish was brought over they just left without explaining the dish. When prompted they were able to explain but it is my personal belief that during a fine dining experience it is paramount that servers explain the elements that compose the meal. The menu gives very little detail other than the two or three main ingredients. The chefs go to a lot of trouble to put together each plate and for the customer not to know what’s on seems a little redundant. The owner was kind and warm but I think he could do with training his waitresses a little better. I was also a little miffed to see no cocktails on the menu, but those who enjoy wine and beer will be happy enough.

Over all we had a great meal for a reasonable price at Okitchen and I will definitely be returning. The service could be improved but it wouldn’t stop me from visiting again or recommending it as a good place for a special dinner. I would recommend that at least one person in your party get the tasting plate if you like to try a little of everything. But also try a few other dishes on the menu too.

Okitchen is located at Itaewon-dong 168-14, Yongsan-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Itaewon station and come out exit 1. Walk straight for maybe 100m and you should see Okitchen in one of the little alleyways. If you get as far as ABC mart you’ve gone too far. You can call them on 02-797-6420 or check out their facebook page.

Bonny’s

First stop was Bonny’s Pizzeria and self service bar. Here we tried the kimchi cult pizza. I have always given this one a miss in the past ,as I am not really a fan of kimchi. However I thought it would be churlish not to try it and it was actually quite tasty. I much prefer kimchi when it is hot, rather than cold, throw in some cheese and a pizza dough and it’s actually pretty damn manageable. Our drinks special here was the Russian beer, an awesome accompaniment to kimchi  Not bad at all.

Indigos

Or second stop of the day was Indigo’s. Here we got to try my absolute favourite sandwich, the basil pesto chicken. It was totally amazing and as yummy as always. Glad a few others got to try it too. We also tried the tomato soup. A lovely homemade one, which would just be ideal on a cold night.

Phillies

If we were to eat anything here, it has to be the Philly cheese steak. Although more bulgogi than steak ,it was still rather tasty. We also tried the vegetable platter with ranch dip that went down a storm. Even with the hard to please Jonah and Katy. Who said kids don’t like vegetables?

Ditori

Last stop on this week’s tour was Ditori. Here we tried Korean potato pancakes. They were wonderfully tasty, and  it was great for me to try something new. We also indulged in their fabulous makgeolli range. Co-leader Joyce recommended the champagne makgeoli, which really does have a resemblance to champagne. Locally made it’s for those that like the finer things in life but cant afford them. We also tried the black bean makgeolli too, which again I was surprised I liked too, the perfect end to the tour.

The Itaewon foodie crawls are a weekly event hosted by Chip’s Maps with a little help from yours truly. If you are interested in attending one of the future foodie crawls, please check out the facebook page for more details and information on how to sign up. Hope to see you at the next one!

A lovely day off last week afforded me to do some of my favourite things, shopping, eating, and drinking in the sun. Whilst indulging in some shopping in Sinsa, we got rather peckish. We spotted this cute little restaurant which looked ideal for a leisurely lunch.

The menu is Italian, consisting of salads, pastas, pizzas, risotto’s and several main dishes. The decor is cute and chic. With the doors opening right out on the street, a conservatory and a small patio outside it’s the perfect lunch spot for a sunny afternoon. There are also several imported bottled beers on the menu, but at 10,000 a pop it’s not the place to get drunk. They did have a pitcher of sangria which I would have liked to have tried, if my financial situation had been better.

After a browse of the menu, we decided upon a Ceasar salad (16,000), as a nod to healthy living. Although there was lettuce, parmesan shavings and chicken, they were missing a few of the key ingredients. There were no croutons or bacon. However, that didn’t really bother me so much, but if you were hankering after a traditional Ceasar salad you might be disappointed. The chicken was warm and marinated well and full of flavour. I did enjoy this salad but it was a little small for two to share.

Since we had been so healthy by ordering a salad, I thought we deserved a treat. So we got a pizza as a reward. They have quite the variety but we settled upon the margarita (15,000). The base was thin and crispy, just the way I like it. It had lots of cheese and pieces of fresh tomato. It certainly hit the spot. I only wish there had been more fresh basil and a little less olive oil on top.

Overall I think its a great spot for lunch if you are in the area. I wouldn’t travel miles to come, but the food is good and a reasonable price given the area. Sognare is located at 546-8, Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 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 until you reach the Diesel store, Sognare is opposite on the right. You can call them on 02-514-3398 for more information.

For Valentine’s this year I decided to let my lovely boyfriend surprise me by choosing where we would be eating. He opted for the brand spanking new 37 Bar & Grill at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido. They had a special set menu for Valentine’s Day which was priced at 160,000 pp for 6 courses. As a Valentines special they had a His and Hers menu. The main ingredients were the same but each dish was served with different accompaniments.  A rather cute concept, I thought. They had wine pairings with each course that you could order for a set fee. However you know by now I’m a cocktail girl and ordered a few of those instead. Priced between 20,000-30,000 you will need to take your gold card to get drunk.

We arrived at the 37th floor location and were shown to our beautiful window table with a panoramic view of night-time Seoul. We were presented with our His and Hers menus and a complimentary glass of champagne. I was a little concerned that there were three fish dishes on the menu when I don’t actually like fish. I was mildly amused that my boyfriend had picked this menu when he knows I hate fish. However I decided to write it off as comedy tale like the time he bought me the same necklace he had given me the year before.

First up was the amuse bouche – a potato puree with mushroom caviar. Served in an adorable mason jar this was too cute for words. We were also served our bread. Sadly no flavours but a choice of hard of soft roll, I of course chose both.

On to the first course the one I was dreading the most. Yellowtail Kingfish. Niall’s was served with truffle Yuzu, salmon pearls, and coriander essence. Mine was served with the more modest lime, mango and oscietra caviar.  I did have a little try, and to be fair, it was ok. It’s just the texture that was rather strange. Niall ate both portions and found them both succulent and tasty. If pushed he preferred his own.

Next was the lobster. Luckily I do love lobster. Mine came with horseradish, casereccia and champagne nage. Niall’s with truffle, macaroni, and curry veloute. I tried both but preferred Niall’s so made him swap. The lobster was really good. It was a nice sized piece and full of flavour.

The third course was Halibut. My halibut was served with a brioche crust, ricotta gnocchi, and peas. Niall’s was served with a rocket crust, cauliflower puree, and dolce forte sauce.  I was not looking forward to this one but I sometimes can manage to eat a bit of white fish, usually if it is smothered in batter. However I polished off my plate with gusto. The brioche crust was divine. I am so glad that I have finally trained myself into liking white fish.

The last savoury course was the steak and this was the one I was most looking forward too. Niall’s was served with fois gras, wild mushrooms, and devil sauce. Mine came with asparagus, onion duxelles, and truffle jus. The steak was wonderful, perfectly cooked, and beautifully rare. This was possibly my favourite course. You just can’t beat a good steak. Although the lobster came pretty close.

The pre-dessert of sparkling strawberry espuma was nice and tingly and a good palette cleanser.

On to the dessert… Hazelnut chocolate fondant with vanilla ice-cream, passion fruit, and marshmallow. The pudding was rich, and full of chocolate sauce just the way I like it. However I didn’t think the overall taste was  amazing. Maybe it had to do with the chocolate they had used. But I have had much better versions of this elsewhere.

They ended the meal with a pistachio macaroon and tea or coffee. We were also presented with a red rose and a box of macaroons to take away. A nice touch which made the evening feel even more special.

Overall the ambiance of the restaurant was wonderful and it was the perfect spot for a Valentines Day meal. Yes the meal was on the expensive side but for a special occasion I think it was worth it. Compared to other restaurants of this calibre I have been to elsewhere in the world, the food lacked a little in the taste department. Everything was good but not amazing, no dish warranted an Mmm out of me and I think for the price you are paying it should. However the presentation and service was exemplary. The waiter explained each dish in perfect English, as you would expect.  The view is also spectacular so make sure you get a window seat.

The Conrad hotel is located at 23-1 Yeouido-dong Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, 150-945, South Korea. It is located just next to the IFC Mall. To get there take a train to Yeouido station (Line 5 & 9) Come out of exit 3 and walk straight. Take your first right then walk straight until you reach the IFC Mall, you can’t miss it. Directions to the hotel are posted inside. You can call them on 02-6137-7000 or email them at Conrad_Seoul@conradhotels.com for more information or to make reservations.

Another day, another gastro-pub. Just around the corner from my job is the aptly named  Gastro Pub. We spotted it quite a while ago now but didn’t really think it would be up to much, so we never investigated further. However last night we were released from work rather early. There was time before the bus came so we thought we would take a look at the menu. The place was so much bigger than I had expected and not what I had imagined at all. We’re hardly in a desolate wasteland of restaurants but I certainly wasn’t expecting anything like this.

A big industrial warehouse type space. This restaurant is very deceiving from the outside. A huge long bar greets you as you enter then a large sized restaurant is beyond, with a large terrace at the back which would be perfect for some summertime drinking. An open spaced kitchen fills one long wall. I’ve always admired these, as I like to see what I’m getting. This gastro-pub has more New York feel than English Style homeliness of Reilly’s, but is cool and sleek none the less.

A gastro-pub inspired menu awaits, printed on newspaper style menus that seem to be all the rage these days. A mix of salads, pastas, burgers and grilled meats. They also have various imported beers and a large variety of bottles.Sadly no cocktails were on the menu, but they did have a nice variety of soft drinks and smoothies. Next time I’ll be sure to bring along my trusty hip flask and make some myself. They had a taster of beers. You could choose 5 out 7. This worked really well for us, my boyfriend got to have his real beer and I got my ladies lager. It was only 14,000 for 5 but we went during happy hour and got an extra 20% off which we thought was very reasonable.

On to the food. We chose the fish and chips. I was still in the middle of taking a few pictures when this rocked up at lightning speed. There were 3 pieces on the plate and a mountain of shoe string fries (they were so thin, I probably could have tied my shoes with them). The fish was coated in a light and crispy batter. Coming from the land of fish and chips I like mine nice and thick. I’m not a huge fan of fish so for me the batter is the star attraction. However the fish here was good. The winner on this plate was the home-made tartare sauce, sharp and tasty, I could have eaten twice as much.

I was keen to try the prime burger. I am a burger girl through and through and would probably choose this for my last meal on earth. This one looked pretty damn good when it rocked up, slathered with cheese and caramelized onions but sadly didn’t make me go “Mmm” when I bit into it. It was fine and I certainly could have eaten another one but it didn’t really live up to its 20,000 won price tag. I would rather pay the extra 5,000 and get the burger at Reilly’s, or go to Burger B and eat 2! Another point to mention is that this burger was very rare, the blood was actually seeping out on to  the plate. Personally I like my meat still mooing but I know for a lot of people this can pose a problem, especially since the waiter didn’t ask us how we would like it cooked. The burger too came with a mountain of fries. I loved these chips but after a while I still couldn’t see the mountain going down. They gave a choice while ordering of salad or fries but I think a little of both would have been preferable.

The majority of these dishes available are around the 15,000 – 20,000 mark but they also have a 1kg steak available for 150,000 or a 750g rack of lamb for a mere 120,000.  The people at the next table had the steak and I have to say it was pretty large but I don’t know if I would pay that much for a steak and have to share it. I think this restaurant is more of a Korean style with the larger dishes that are good for sharing. They also had a few desserts on the menu but I couldn’t partake as I had eaten too many chips!

Gastro Pub is located at 810-2 Bangbae-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul. To get there take a train to Naebang station(line number 7) and come out exit 7. Walk straight until you pass the BMW dealership and make a right. Directly in front of you should be Gastro Pub. The nearest bus stop is 22-222. You can call them on 02-537-17222. Or check out their website.

I had been a fan of Between for quite some time now. When anyone asked me for a nice restaurant to go to, for something special I always said Between. I’m not sure whether it’s the elegant decor, the lovely food or the extensive cocktail list. Either way Between was one of my favourite restaurants in Seoul and I was really looking forward to reviewing it.

I have decided to make this review a two parter as I went for Brunch last Saturday and for dinner last Thursday (I told you it’s my favourite).

Last Saturday, in the mood for something a bit more upmarket, I ventured to Between with my best gal pal for a lovely lunch and some champagne cocktails. Their brunch menu has a good amount of lunch and breakfast items ranging from Eggs Benedict, omelets,  pancakes, salads, sandwiches, and pastas. There is certainly something there for everyone.

I ordered the omelet with sun-dried tomatoes, potatoes, and grilled vegetables (14,000). The omelet was not quite what I was expecting presentation wise, it was served like a slice a of beautiful savoury cake, with all of the flavourings inside rather than on the side. It was served with a nice side salad. Although more like a tortilla than an omelet, it was very tasty and the perfect amount for a brunch prior to an afternoon of day drinking. Carbs put me off my drinking game, so this was perfect for me.

I also ordered a Bloody Mary. As you have probably heard countless times before from me, brunch is not complete without a Bloody Mary. However at 15,000 this one was rather steep.  Although it was beautifully presented and was certainly fine, it lacked the amazing flavour I would expect it to have for that price. I can make a better one at home than this one.

I was getting rather stuck into the cocktails, a Kir Royal and a berry mojito swiftly followed. But sadly for my bank balance the cocktails at Between have really been pushed up in price. They used to all be about 10,000, or 12,000 for the special ones. Now they are all at least 14,000, ranging to 17,500, which can hit you hard when you drink as many as I do.

My dining companion opted for Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon for his lunch (17,000). Two poached eggs on chorizo mashed potato cakes, served with a side salad and hollandaise sauce. Although it was good, he said the hollandaise was just too buttery. It seems to be impossible to find a tangy hollandaise in Seoul. His egg white was also a little under done, a real faux pas in my brunching book but he was fine with it (I would have sent them back). However he was pleased that they were on top of the potato rather than bread, as he currently has a “wheat intolerance” (last month it was dairy).

We went for the dinner on a Thursday night and everything started off well. We had made a reservation as it was a special occasion and were rewarded with a free cookie for our trouble. We made our choices on the menu and waited for our food to arrive.

First up was the complimentary bread basket. It had a variety of different breads, although no-one told us what they were. They were nice enough, I do enjoy free bread.

We had decided to share a pasta dish as our starter, Fusilli Al Ragu Di Agnello 21,000. A fusilli pasta with lamb ragout, scented with orange and coriander. There were several I wanted to try but we decided upon the lamb ragu . It looked great as it arrived. I was eager to try it but the lamb seemed to be lacking in flavour  I could only taste the merest hint of orange and coriander and a slight flavour from the lamb. I felt I could have made a better dish than this at home, using the lamb mince I have in my freezer. We were slightly disappointed but still looked forward to the main course ahead. The portion was also rather on the small side, fine for us as a starter to share but it’s a main dish and for 21,000 I would expect more.

No sooner was our empty plate taken away, our main dishes had arrived. We had both put our used cutlery in the empty dish but they fished it back out and gave it to us for our main dish. Niall’s was quite dirty so I really think they should have changed it. Not a huge deal, but a noticeable mistake none the less. Especially in a place that is presenting itself as fine dining.

I had ordered the Il Maiale 32,000. Slow cooked pork belly and back rib with polenta, ginger confiture and red wine sauce.  It looked spectacular on the plate however the taste failed to match the appearance.  I cut into the large piece of pork with some difficulty. A well cooked piece of belly pork should slice like butter, especially through the fat at least. I was also greeted with several bones at the bottom of the meat, which I would personally expect to have been removed. The belly pork was okay and did have some flavour but it wasn’t anything to write home about. It was just lacking . I ate belly pork for a Thanksgiving dinner and it blew this stuff out of the water even though it was just a piece of frozen meat cooked by a friend. I soldiered on and the ribs were fine. The polenta was as bland as could be, absolutely no taste whatsoever, the red cabbage too. The red wine jus was a small drizzle on the plate and I had to ask for more to disguise the tasteless accompaniments. I really wanted to send this dish back to the kitchen and ask for something else but wasn’t sure if tasteless would qualify as a good enough reason. I had really been looking forward to this dinner and I just felt let down.

Niall ordered the Agnello 41,000. A slow cooked lamb shoulder chop served with feta cheese, anchovy butter and mint sauce 41,000. He fared better than I did. He had what I thought was a generous helping of lamb chops and his potato accompaniment had more flavour than my polenta. However it did not match the steak and lamb we had enjoyed at Between 9 months ago.

Overall I left Between feeling disappointed.  We had had some amazing food there in the past and they clearly can’t seem to replicate the quality any longer. The flair of design in the food is still there but the taste has gone. It’s all style and no substance. The prices have gone up whilst the quality has gone down. Maybe it was a bad day or too many changes in the kitchen but I would urge Between to get back to their former glory. I would still probably go to Between again for drinks or lunch as it is a nice spot. But it will no longer be my go to restaurant for special occasions. There are too many restaurants in this city to pay 128,000 for dinner and feel let down.

Between is located in Itaewon at 124-7 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-200 . Take a train to Itaewon Station (Line 6) and come out of exit 2 and walk straight  away from the Hamilton Hotel for about 150 meters its just on your left. If you would like to make a reservation you can call them on 02-795-6164 or visit their webpage for more details.  

Last week we visited Berlin for Matt’s birthday. We were desperate for a boozy lunch and settled upon Berlin as the location. We managed to snag a great table by the open windows. Sitting on the top of the hill in the glorious sun, I felt like the queen of Itaewon. Sadly the view is not so spectacular but it’s still a nice spot all the same.

The menu is a mix of Thai and Italian with a good variety of pastas, noodles, salads, meat dishes and various appetizers. We visited on a Wednesday but on weekends they have a special brunch menu serving sandwiches and more traditional brunch fare. They also have a rather extensive cocktail list. Including the mango mint martini and a cucumber mojito, both of which I recommend. They also serve Hendricks gin which is the only gin worth drinking according to my good friend and professional lush Matt.

The birthday boy ordered the Italian platter priced at 26,000. It consisted of a capressa salad, stuffed tortellini and pesto chicken. You could certainly share this between two of you but you might want an extra side or two if you are very hungry. I could easily devour this myself. I love a capressa salad and this one looked great with real mozzarella and a delicious balsamic dressing. The sauce for the ravioli was also divine. I didn’t try the chicken but my companions said it was great. They devoured this whole plate in minutes and there was nothing left. I usually take that to be a good sign.

One of my dining companions ordered the rigatoni with avocado in cream sauce and chicken 14,000. He was gracious enough to let me try it and I was very happy he did. The pasta was cooked perfectly. I know it’s not particularly hard to cook pasta, but in a restaurant situation there always room for error if you’re focusing on other tasks. However this was just right, al dente. The cream sauce was tasty and the chicken a nice addition. I would probably order this on my next visit.

I ordered the Sirloin and avocado salad, 14,000. I was really looking forward to it, and I was very impressed with how it was presented when it arrived. However the taste didn’t quite match up the look. The salad leaves were over dressed and rather oily, and that is not usually a huge problem for me. The steak was cooked wonderfully, still a little rare in the middle but sadly it was tasteless. It lacked any flavor and needed to be seasoned or seared with something to give it a bit of oomph. The dish was ok but nothing special and I don’t think I would order it again. On a positive note I did enjoy the potato wedges.

Niall ordered the grilled salmon 18,000. Which he enjoyed immensely. If they did a chicken version of this I would be very keen to try it.  He said that the salmon was perfectly cooked and just fell apart in your mouth. It was topped with grilled cheese and served on a bed of potatoes and pak choi. The sauce was lovely and creamy. It was a great balance to the flavor of the salmon.

Our last choice was the cheese platter, 20,000. However we were a little bit disappointed that they weren’t more generous with the cheese. Although there were five types –  smoked, brie, emmental and two soft cheeses. The soft cheeses were basically just flavored cheese triangles. Not really acceptable in Europe but possibly ok for Korea. The plate came with a generous serving of crackers and olives marinated in rosemary oil, which sadly were far too salty to eat.

Overall we were all happy with our meal and vowed to return, although that could have been the gin talking. It has a great ambience and would be good spot for date. Although I think next time I will stick to the  Italian options and order more drinks.

Berlin is located just below Buddha’s Belly on the hill at the end of Itaewon overlooking the gate at 457-1 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea 140-858. From Noksapyeong Station (line 6): Go out exit 1. Cross the overpass bridge. Go right. Follow the curve around and Berlin is the first business on the right. From Itaewon Station (line 6): Go out exit 1. Walk straight about 5 minutes. Go up the alley across the street from McDonald’s (look for the yellow Money Exchange sign). Follow the curve around and Berlin is on the left. You can call them on 02-749-0903. Or check out their Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Berlin-Cafe-Lounge/53432217650.

For those not in Korea, bulgogi is thinly sliced pieces of beef. fried with onions, pieces of carrot and mushrooms in a sweet gravy like sauce. Koreans serve it with rice, which is a very enjoyable way to eat it. However it got me thinking about what other dishes we could use bulgogi for. Beef in general is quite expensive here in Korea and lots of people shy away from buying it, especially if they are living by themselves. The great thing about bulgogi though is all the big store like homeplus sell it by weight, so you can easily get a small potion just for yourself. We bought a huge pack at Costco 2kg for 22,000. So I decided to make a trio of western delights using the bulgogi as my base.

If none of these babies tantalize your taste buds you could also use it to make Spaghetti Bolognese, fajitas/burritos, stew, chili, hotpot, pies,burgers, empanadas, stir fries or nachos supreme.

Steak Sandwich

Ingredients 

250g of bulgogi per sandwich

1 Panini, baguette or sub roll (you can always use two slices of bread in a pinch)

75g of grated cheese (whatever you have is fine, or use Philadelphia for a philly steak sandwich)

Lettuce, tomato, onions etc (optional)

Directions

Cook the bulgogi in a frying pan, no need to add any oil as there is already fat in the meat. Meanwhile toast your roll or bread in the oven for a minute or two. Sprinkle on the grated cheese and pop it back into the oven until the cheese has melted. If you are using Philadelphia then you can omit this step just spread on a thick layer on to your roll or sandwich. Load the bulgogi into roll and top with salad if using.

Bulgogi Noodle salad

Ingredients

500g of bulgogi

250g of Vietnamese rice noodle (you can use any kind of noodles for this though)

1/2 cucumber thinly slices

1 red pepper thinly slices

150g of cooked endamame beans (found at my local veggie mart)

5 spring onions

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame seed oil.

1 tablespoon of sesame seeds

Directions

Cook you bulgogi in a frying pan without oil. When the meat is completely cooked through leave to cool a little. Meanwhile boil your rice noodles for 5 minutes or until they are done. Drain the noodles until dry then mix in with the bulgogi meat while it is warm but not hot. The noodles will absorb all of those flavorsome juices. Leave to oneside until it has gone cold. Meanwhile slice your vegetables. You can use anything you like really, I just used what I had in the fridge. When the noodle bulgogi mixture has cooled. Mix with the sliced vegetables, throw on the endamame beans and add the soy sauce, sweet chili sauce and sesame oil and mix well. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds and spring onions. Voilà a quick and easy noodle salad.

Stroganoff

Ingredients

500g of Bulgogi

1 onion

2-3 cloves of garlic

200g of mushrooms

1 tablespoon of paprika

1 tablespoon of mixed herbs

4 tablespoons of sour cream

1 glass of white wine

300g of flat pasta  or noodles (I used fettuccini)

A glug of olive oil

A knob of butter

Directions

Fry the garlic and onions in the oil for a few minutes until they have softened. Add the mushrooms and the butter then fry until the mushrooms have cooked. When they are done transfer them to a bowl. Fry the bulgogi in the frying pan. When it has started to color add the paprika and continue cooking until the meat is done. Add the onion and mushrooms back into the pan along with the wine. Cook for 5 minutes or until the wine has cooked out. Add the sour cream and mixed herbs, then  stir in to make the sauce. When the mixture is ready serve with the pasta. Voilà a delicious bulgogi stroganoff. .

Yes I know I’m supposed to be on a diet but I have been watching the Olympics, which has made me come over all patriotic and crave all things british. I spent a summer working in a pasty shop in Cornwall, so I like to consider myself quite the connoisseur. I love a nice bit of pastry but rarely make my own, so my boyfriend was delighted when he came home to find these in the oven.  Traditionally the filling of pasties is uncooked, but I prefer to cook mine as they don’t take long to cook in my toaster oven and  no one wants to eat raw potato!

Ingredients 

Pastry

330g of plain flour (I used the one for dumplings and noodles)

160g of butter

2 teaspoon on salt

2 eggs

Filling

150g of chopped steak

1/2 a carrot

1 potato

1/2 an onion

1 – 2 cloves of garlic

250ml beef stock

1 teaspoon of mixed herbs

A pinch of coarse ground pepper

Directions

Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil for a few minutes until softened, then add the steak and fry until its been browned on all sides.  Add your potato and carrot to the pan (these should be chopped into 5mm cubes or smaller). Fry this mix for a minute or so then add the stock and stir until it is bubbling. Then turn down the heat and cook for 20-30 minutes until all the stock has been absorbed. Set to the side and allow it to cool whilst you make the pastry.

Put the flour and salt into a bowl then rub in the butter. Butter is pricey here in Korea so you could use margarine instead but the flavor will not be as good. When the butter is rubbed in and the  mixture resembles bread crumbs you can mix in the beaten egg. Form your mixture back into one big ball of pastry, cover in cling film and leave in the fridge for 30 minutes.  Take a rest and watch an episode of your favorite show.

When the pastry has been chilled you can start to roll it out on a floured surface. Roll it out so it’s about 1/4 of an inch thick. It’s up to you how big you want to make your pasties. Personally I like them smaller rather than bigger. I made 7 with this amount of pastry.  You can use any round implement you have to cut the circles, I used a bowl which has a diameter of about 13cm. Spoon in your filling (I used about 2 teaspoons for each one), then fold the pastry over and crimp the edges. Traditional Cornish pasties have the lovely twisted edge with 20 crimps but I was too eager to eat them and didn’t want to faff around with doing that. I just did a thumb print the whole way around. Brush them with an egg wash and bake them in a preheated oven for about 10-20 minutes at 200C or until the pastry is cooked and golden brown. Oven times can vary so just use your own judgement, my toaster oven seems to  cook things far faster than my oven back home. You can eat them hot or cold although personally I think you can’t beat a warm one.

Last night I dined at the Aloha Table and it was a very enjoyable evening. They have a beautiful terrace here for you to enjoy but sadly we could not get a table as they were all reserved. We ate inside, which was still very nice and had the weather not been so beautiful it would have been the ideal place. We came early (at around 5pm) so they clearly are not aware of  how to turn tables, when we left 2 hours later there were still several tables unoccupied which we could have used.

There are plenty of choices on the menu at Aloha Table, some of them Hawaiian others not much (spaghetti bolognese???) There are lots of salads, burgers , meats and fish to choose from but we decided to go for the set BBQ menu priced at 19,800 per person. For this you get a platter of barbecue meats, a variety of side dishes, unlimited french fries and edamame beans plus a Hawaiian shaved ice to finish it off. If this couldn’t get any better you can add an unlimited beer 5,000 or wine 7,000 for 90 minutes.

The sides came first, small buffalo chicken wings in a yummy BBQ sauce, macaroni salad, tofu and nacho chips with sour cream. The sides were fine but nothing to write home about. Next up were the bottomless french fries and edamame beans and boy were they good. For 5 people we must have got through about 12 portions of chips at least, I think I manages about 5, they were so good. Chips are one my favorite foods, so the fact that it was all can you eat pretty much made my day. I also love edamame beans and this is the only restaurant in Korea I’ve seen them in. I’m sure plenty of Japanese places must have them, but bottomless? perhaps not. I wish they sold them in supermarkets here, they are one of my favorite snacks, if anyone knows where to find them let me know!

On to the main course. We were served up a sizzling feast of barbecue meats. Rib-eye steak, garlic soy chicken and spicy ribs. The steak was thick and juicy and the chicken was covered in this glorious thick BBQ sauce, which was amazing if you dipped the french fries into it. I thought the ribs were good although they could have been improved by being doused in the sauce (I’m a big fan of sauce). One of my dining companions didn’t really enjoy the rosemary on the ribs but overall the barbecue fare went down very well indeed, the pans were left bare at the end. Accompanying the meat was corn on the cob and a vegetable kebab which is a nice treat  for anyone not wanting to dine solely on meat and french fries.

Last up was the Hawaiian shaved ice, to be honest it looked better than it tasted. It was reminiscent of Mr Frosty the toy we all had when we were kids. It was just ice covered with flavored syrups, but it was cool and refreshing and I think after all that food we couldn’t have manged anything too heavy anyway. They have plenty of other more substantial desserts on the menu if rainbow ice isn’t your thing.

Overall our group left happy and well fed, the goal of any meal out. Everyone enjoyed it, (even the former vegetarian) and vowed to return again. It’s a great place to go for a big group meal if you get the set deal as it eliminates all the problems that can arise from group dining, ie when the check comes. It’s located in Hongdae so you can head straight out after to party the night away.

Aloha table is located in Hongdae at 364-14, Seogyo-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. If you walk along the main road at the bottom of the park away from the university towards Club FF and the like, it’s on a side street on the right hand side just a little further up from Burger B. If you’re hoping to enjoy the summer nights on the terrace then a reservation is recommended. Call them on 02-324-7718 or check out their website  (Korean) http://www.alohatable.co.kr/waikiki/