More food. Really??! After so many posts over the last few months, I’m not done yet. Yep, you’re gonna get fat with me haha. But I promise this is the last one on food, till my next trip at least. I actually saved the best for last though. Some of these are actually my top picks that did not fit into any of the other food lists I came up with, but they are just soooo incredibly GOOD.
1. Alchon
Rave reviews led me to this place and I FELL IN LOVE. My only regret was that I only had it once during this trip. Definitely heading back for more on my next trip to Seoul. Oh gosh, that Albap (mixed rice with fish roe) with shredded mozzarella and garlic sauce (4,800 KRW) was THE BOMB. It was so good, it nearly brought tears to my eyes. Haha, I kid. But it was really unimaginably, and indescribably good. You have to try it to know it. It’s the most addictive thing ever. And I don’t usually eat much rice but I devoured the entire bowl.
Address: 56-57 Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Nearest Metro station: Ewha Station (exit 3)
Open 9am-9pm
2. Gosame
This was a rather hole-in-the-wall place recommended by a friend that was rather off-the-beaten-path, but it was definitely a worthy try! We were urged to try the Grilled Mackerel (7,500 KRW), and though we aren’t really fans of fish with bones (lazy us), we gave it a shot and had no regrets! The way the fish is grilled gives it a lovely smokey flavour and crisp skin, while its freshness is retained and shines though in the juiciness of the flesh. Paired with a bubbling bowl of hot Soft Tofu Stew (5,000 KRW), it was perfect to counter the cold temperatures in Seoul.
Address: 53-8 Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu
Nearest Metro station: Sinchon Station (exit 2)
Open 11am-10pm
3. Myth Jokbal
All diet plans come to a standstill when I go on holiday. I honestly couldn’t imagine how Sam and I would be able to finish an entire pig’s trotter between the two of us and I was all prepared to leave a third of the dish behind. Surprise, surprise! We managed to finish the entire thing. Or maybe it was just me…Sam said he was full halfway through. Oops. Being a lover of garlic, I opted for the Real Garlic Jokbal (33,000 KRW for 2-3pax). The massive trotter came with a mountain of garlic on top. And I was just really astonished at how much meat there was! I usually feel that pig’s trotters are just bone and cartilage and fat, with not much meat, but there was a surprising amount of rather lean meat in this jokbal! It was stewed till a wonderfully tender texture, and when paired with the garlic, was simply amazing. There was also a huge plate of fresh salad on the side and hot soup to wash everything down. I didn’t feel like I had indigestion at all after the meal, which I was really pleased to note! Though it was a huge portion, and it was pig’s trotters, it somehow didn’t feel as sinful as I’d imagined it to be. Can’t wait to go back already!!
Address: 123-1, Eoulmadang-ro, Mapo-gu
Nearest Metro station: Hongik University Station
4. 9 levels seafood
Attention all seafood lovers! This is the kind of place for you. Dishing up the freshest catch in a steaming tower, we jostled elbow-to-elbow, slurping up the delicious umami juices from the variety of seafood in front of us. There is a minimum requirement of the number of levels you should order, depending on the number of diners at your table. For 5 pax, we had to order 8 levels, which was 75,000 KRW. There is also a premium version, which I think comes with prawns, which is more expensive. Ours was good enough though. We were filled with mussels, clams, scallop, fish, crab legs and all sorts of other delights! The best part? All the juices from steaming the seafood flow down into a bubbling broth which you can slurp down at the end, and simply revel in the sweetness of the fresh seafood.
5. SkyFarm
A hidden find that most tourists wouldn’t venture to, and kudos to Sam for discovering this place! :)) perhaps it’s also because this place serves western food that there isn’t much reason for tourists to visit, but if you’re looking for a romantic spot with a great dinner view of Seoul’s skyline from the 50th floor, this is definitely a place to consider! A beautiful nature-filled spot in an urban setting – you can probably tell just from its name. The food is pretty good, though slightly pricier (upwards of 20,000 KRW) than typical Korean food options you’ll find. It’s worth it though (: And I’ll highly recommend this place! Do note that they don’t take reservations on weekends, so it’ll be good to head there early because it is pretty popular!
Address: 28-1 Yeoeuido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu
Nearest MTR: Yeouido (exit 2)
myloves(: 