Restaurant Review!
Chilgapsan l Jonggak l Seoul
This was the first time I actually had some unfamiliar food here in Korea. This hard to find restaurant sports no English I’m afraid, but is readily recognizable by its vine covered frontage. There is an incredibly warm wood feel that many Korean restaurants have but the added touch of tables made from uneven cross cut pieces of wood gave it an old/new feel that was refreshing. In the same regard, the food was also traditional with a slight twist.
To start, our neobiani, a large hamburger patty in a sweet marinade served sizzling on a hotplate, was extraordinary. It wasn’t overly sweet like many other beef dishes here but it had an intense meatiness to it that was perfect for a cold November evening. The accompaniments of spicy green salad kept the dish from becoming overwhelming. Following this was a more traditional Pajeon pancake filled with green onions and squid. Pan-fried and served piping hot, it had just the right balance of greens, seafood and eggy dough. Finally, we had doenjang bibimbap, a red rice dish served on a bed of mountain greens with a soybean curd sauce. The sauce was spicy and the tofu was slightly fermented in a way that gave it a hint of the sharp feta cheese flavor. Fantastic.
In Korea you have to really get use to the fact that you’re going to have to figure out some Korean to get around. Luckily, the staff was really helpful when they saw me fumbling with a phrase book. An adventurous attitude will help you get far here and sometimes, you might even discover a gem like this.
Chilgapsan l Jonggak l Seoul
This was the first time I actually had some unfamiliar food here in Korea. This hard to find restaurant sports no English I’m afraid, but is readily recognizable by its vine covered frontage. There is an incredibly warm wood feel that many Korean restaurants have but the added touch of tables made from uneven cross cut pieces of wood gave it an old/new feel that was refreshing. In the same regard, the food was also traditional with a slight twist.
To start, our neobiani, a large hamburger patty in a sweet marinade served sizzling on a hotplate, was extraordinary. It wasn’t overly sweet like many other beef dishes here but it had an intense meatiness to it that was perfect for a cold November evening. The accompaniments of spicy green salad kept the dish from becoming overwhelming. Following this was a more traditional Pajeon pancake filled with green onions and squid. Pan-fried and served piping hot, it had just the right balance of greens, seafood and eggy dough. Finally, we had doenjang bibimbap, a red rice dish served on a bed of mountain greens with a soybean curd sauce. The sauce was spicy and the tofu was slightly fermented in a way that gave it a hint of the sharp feta cheese flavor. Fantastic.
In Korea you have to really get use to the fact that you’re going to have to figure out some Korean to get around. Luckily, the staff was really helpful when they saw me fumbling with a phrase book. An adventurous attitude will help you get far here and sometimes, you might even discover a gem like this.
2 comments:
Looks like a very very good meal. It pays to be a little adventurist sometimes. Have you felt generally safe travelling around?
For the most part, it is a very safe city. The last couple of days though, as the weather has turned chillier, we've suddenly seen homeless people taking up shelter in tunnels and subways. Its a bit odd because I hadn't seen any all week long and generally, its not a common issue in asia. If you speak english, people will not want to mess with you either as there is a perception that would be too much trouble if you are a foreigner.
Post a Comment