Hiking at Mt. Cheonggye (청계산)

Easy hiking near Seoul  (Cheonggyesan/청계산) 

After a rather embarrassing mishap of missing our bus for a hiking weekend, I found myself stranded outside Jamsil Sports Complex Station with a bag full of packed lunch & snacks (and an extremely disappointed looking boyfriend). So sitting outside the station at 7:36 AM on a Saturday morning, I knew I had to think of a quick alternative before it began to bring down our “FUN WEEKEND” mood.

Despite there being many many options for a hike around Seoul, we had already done the ‘famous ones’ or the ones that warranted a full day of rigorous hiking (and PACKED LUNCHES).  Thankfully after looking at Naver Maps for nearby hikes + blogs for trails, I found a nice alternative nearby Gwacheon (below Yangjae/Gangnam)

Mt. Cheonggye’s peak called Maebong (매봉) and it is a relatively moderate and short hike to the top. There’s couple of different routes you can take to get to the peak – and they have you getting off at different stations, but we took the most straightforward option of taking the 신분당선 (Shinbundang) line after changing from Gangnam Station to 청계산입구 (Cheonggyesan). This starts you from 원터골 입구and takes around 1hour 20 min to the top (total of 3,000m) 

When you exit the station, it’s only a 5 min walk (just follow the trail of Korean hikers) until you reach the entrance, where you can spot a big map showing all the possible routes.  Although there are little mini-maps throughout the hike, it’s really useful if you have stop to take a photo and just have a reference of where you’d like to go/follow!

We started from the 원터골 입구 (Wontagol Entrance) and made our way up to the peak . The day was painfully hot so despite the hike not being that rigorous we found the first part of the hike a little tough to bear. Despite that being said, this hike doesn’t have any sudden inclines or declines so it was relatively easy to pace ourselves up to the top.

 We made it to the top in 1-2 hours with mini breaks in between and grabbed lunch near the top in the shades. Cheonggyesan actually had a lot of little side areas with enough shades and space for a cozy lunch, which was a great change from other popular mountains.  They even sold ice-cold makgeolli on the top but tragically  neither of us had any cash and had to resort to watching other hikers gulping down it down with the biggest smiles on their faces.  The view from the peak is spectacular as you can really see the whole of Seoul as well as the surrounding 경기도. 

Posing at the Top of the Mountain! :D 

There’s a lot more options available for the descent – you can either choose to go down via Jindale Ridge and arrive at the same spot – or take a  slight detour and finish up in Chonggyegol Entrance, or do what we did and take a really long detour (for another 2-3 hours) going pass Oknyeobong (375m) down near 양재 station (Yangjae).

  

We somehow finished up near by what looked like an industrial site – so next time maybe we’ll take the more scenic *but shorter* route down the Jindale ridge instead!! 

Moroccan Night at Sinbad's Kitchen

Sinbad’s Kitchen

서울특별시 용산구 이태원동 127-12 해경빌딩 3층
(서울특별시 용산구 이태원로 18)
127-12 Itaewon 1(il)-dong02-792-0069, Website

Naver Maps

I’ve been dreaming of visiting Morocco ever since my first time I saw Casablanca.  The country, overflowing with exotic spices and silks, was the perfect destination for food and culture.  After my long awaited visit Marrakesh this spring fell apart, I was terribly excited to try Sinbad’s Kitchen after it was suggested by a friend for great Ethiopian or Moroccan cuisine.

Sinbad’s Kitchen is located right outside the Exit 3 of Itaewon station (actually on the crossing on top of Taco Bell). It’s crazy to think I must’ve walked past this place thousands of times without ever realizing that there was such a place above me!

When we went, the place was half-filled with a good mixt of people. There was a big Arabic group that was trying out the buffet  (45,000KRW) but we decided to try our luck with the a la carte menu instead! The buffet did look really good with wide ranges of meat & curry options and everyone seems really happy (and eager) to keep on going back for endless seconds/thirds.  There’s also a separate shisha / hookah section and during our dinner there were several guests who came just for shisha without eating. I’ll definitely be coming back to check it out myself as well!

Overall, the food was really impressive and actually well portioned for the price! The meat, in particular the lamb, was beautifully cooked with no off-putting smells or taste. The curry was also perfectly flavoured and was complimented nicely with the fluffed bread we ordered!

I really don’t have anything to complain about this meal – and I’ll definitely be recommending it to anyone who wants to try Moroccan Cuisine or simply to enjoy a nice alternative to your traditional Indian curries and dishes!

Apparently the place is one of the few restaurants that serve Ethiopian food! I’ll be definitely coming back to try it out and check it off our never-ending list of world cuisines and dishes to try!

Golden Lentil Soup (Service :D)

Lavash/Turkish Bread (5,000won) 

Tabouleh  (8,000won)

Special Sinbad's Curry (17,000won)

Lamb Tajine (21,000 won) 

Finding Bánh mì at Lie Lie Lie

Lie Lie Lie (라이 라이 라이)

서울시 마포구 연남동 227-5

(Google Maps//Naver Maps)

Open from 12PM – 9PM (closed on Mondays)

Despite Bánh mì being well-known and relatively easy to make, it had surprisingly not surfaced in Seoul’s restaurant scene until recently. Bánh mì, also known as the Vietnamese Sandwich, is sandwich that usually comes in a form of simple French baguette with cold cut meat, pate, fresh vegetables (carrots/lettuce/cucumber) and (usually) a huge serving of cilantro/coriander.

That’s why when I heard about LieLieLie opening up across from my favourite coffee shop in 연남동 (Yeonnamdong) that rumour had sold reasonably authentic/cheap (you can’t REALLY compare it the prices/taste back in Vietnam) Bánh mì, I happily dragged a friend all the way up from Incheon for lunch.

The tiny restaurant somehow has that lazy & summery feel of Vietnam with its red peeling walls, basic plastic plates/utensils, piles of baguette on the sides and make-shift tables and boxes everywhere.  I really did feel as if I’m in Vietnam or at least on a holiday leisurely sitting down on the floor eating these amazing sandwiches.

The restaurant serves 4 different types of Bánh mì for 5,550 KRW (+500 for Chicken liver pate).  The 4 options include Cold Cut, Spicy Pork, Vegetarian and Grilled Chicken.  They also sell Chang beer for 4,500 if you want to really go for the whole package

 We chose to share Spicy Pork and Cold Cut sandwiches and they both were fantastic.  The spicy pork is actually quite spicy and has a finishing kick that builds (full of chili sauce) so if you’re not too good with spicy food stay away. We got ours loaded with coriander, but the server was attentive enough to ask whether we wanted them in or not (I heard many Koreans can’t stand the stuff).

I really regretted not opting to add in the chicken liver pate and nearly contemplated sharing another sandwich as the portions are really not that big. I can easily see an adult male (or anyone who’s more than hungry) eating two!  I mean the prices allow for you to easily justify eating more than one.

Despite the temptation, we opted out to take a long walk into Hongdae and find ourselves an afternoon dessert, which actually turned into a beer at Magpie. Either way, I will definitely return to this little joint either to take a cheap vacation to Vietnam or simply to enjoy a good light lunch/dinner without breaking the wallet! 

 It should be noted that the restaurant is right across Coffee Libre, which is my favourite coffe shop in Korea that makes the best latte.  Also it is right across 동진시장 (dongjin market), which is a mini-flea market that opens every Saturday! That's what my friend and I did and we definitely left the place with a huge smile :)

Lazy Sunday Austrian Lunch at Heuriger

Heuriger (호어리거)

서울특별시 종로구 사직로10길 7

7 Sajik-ro 10-gil

Jongno-gu, Seoul

South Korea

Naver Maps // Google Maps

Lunch Set (15,000won)

Main dishes from 20~ 

I can’t quite put into words how dignified (and silly for feeling so damn dignified) I felt when I told Lee about how we “actually need” to check out Heuriger for a review (AND that we’ll get compensated!).  I mean it’s not quite at the level of getting paid to eat (a girl can dream), but still it was definitely a glorifying moment worth gloating over.

Reaffirming his belief that I’m indeed an alcoholic, I explained to him on our way to the restaurant what Heuriger is. It actually refers to an Austrian wine tavern, where you can sample the most recently harvested wine with few simple options for food. I was lucky enough to have visited one during my last visit to Vienna. Despite most of my memories being either “lost” or faded after the shocking amount of wine I managed to squeeze into my body, I still distinctly remember the  friendly and easy-going charm of the tavern that warmed my (already tinted) cheeks.

That’s why as I approached Heuriger, I was surprised to see a familiar looking hanok (Korean traditional house).  But stepping into the hanok, we were left even more perplexed and utterly lost for words in a mini-courtyard covered in grape-vines.  Heuriger, definitely has one of the oddest mix of atmosphere for sure.  We sat down whilst German yodels were being played in the back-ground once in a while accompanied by the sound of mosquitoes being fried in the electric catcher. Oh and then there was a random print of Audrey Hepburn as well.

What a strange place! 

May Lunch Menu Set - which apparently is the same for June 

The lunch-set at Heuriger is a bargain at 15,000 won for a 2-course meal of appetizer and main (with salad) followed by either espresso or a vienna coffee.  The lunch menu changes slightly each month but they still serve normal dishes/mains from the menu as well.  They also seem to have a proper wine-list, and we should’ve totally examined it before blindly following the waitress’s suggestion of the house white. It’s not that we’re bunch of wine-snobs, but I’m pretty sure serving white-wine with ice (which in this heat is basically water) is not the norm… Anyhow I guess it is still a valuable (yet unnecessary) lesson learnt.  We decided to go for Rindgulach mit Nudeln and  Schweinsbraten mit Servittenknodel, or more commonly known as Beef Goulash with Noodles and Roast Pork Neck with bread buddings. 

The appetizer was Mussels with Bread (Cozze de Mare mit Brot). It was a refreshing and light start with the fresh mussels and shrimps going really well with the simple dressing. Despite the strong start, the bread-basket and the green salad was a disappointment. I had really hoped for a hearty rich German bread and a proper (no lettuce) salad, so we were thoroughly disappointed when we were served toasted white bread with lettuce salad in yogurt dressing instead. At least it paired particularly well with our watery wine.

I should've never listened... Wine with Ice in this heat = wine-flavoured water!

Our rather disappointing non-artisan white bread...

After being a little disappointed, I was more than find the two main-dishes to meet our expectations. The goulash was particularly good as the rich and deep tomato flavours really complimented the soft beef chunks. The pork was also cooked perfectly but we found the sauce that it was served with a little bland. I found both dishes a little cold but was thoroughly satisfied with both of my meals.  It was Lee’s first time trying Austrian cuisine, and I think he enjoyed his dishes as well! Funnily enough, our (secretly) favourite part of the main dishes were these amazing homemade spicy pickles that were served on the side. The lunch-portions (may be due to the price) are also not that substantial unlike the country’s reputation for large hearty meals.  This actually worked out alright because we still had enough space for a dessert after our mains.

Schweinsbraten mit Servittenknodel

Rindgulach mit Nudeln

Considering more of a research for a pancake challenge than an indulgence, we ordered the Austrian King Panckae (Kaiserchmarnn Klein) for 7,000 won. Kaiserchmarnn is an Austrian torn pancakes with Raisins covered with powdered sugar and it was definitely our favourite dish of the day. We ate it with so much enthusiasm and endless compliments over the fluffiness, the raisins, the perfectly balanced sweetness. WE are definitely going to make this as part of our challenge!  Later on I found out on the internet that the raisins are often soaked in rum (no wonder why we loved it so much)!

Austrian Pancakes! 

Overall, I definitely enjoyed our lunch at Heuriger! I think it more than delivers its value for the price, but I do want to try out the main-dishes and some of their wines next time during dinner. Oh but no matter when you visit, you really really do have to try their dessert.

 (Here you can see the full menu) 

And to finish it off, here's a photo of us looking rather pleased with our first Austrian lunch together - I mean look at Lee's smirk  :)

Buckwheat Noodles & Strolling around Samcheong-dong (by main palace)

메밀꽃필무렵

02 - 734 - 0367

서울특별시 종로구 통의동 7-23 

7-23 Tongui-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul

(Naver Maps/Google Maps)

Pancakes - 7,000 WON
Buckwheat Noodles (Hot / Cold) - 7,000 WON

Although not as beloved as its other 'gluten-free' alternatives, Koreans have been quietly eating buckwheat noodles for centuries.  Often known as 'soba-noodles', it began its Korean history in the 16th - 17th century (Japanese have eaten it in their soba form much earlier).

As buckwheat grows easier than rice/wheat in cold and dry weathers, it was often eaten in times of famine or droughts. The seed of the buckwheat flower is then crushed to produce buckwheat flour.  Usually as it breaks off easily when heated, it is usually mixed in with flour when made into its noodle form.  It’s actually highly nutritious and has 12-14% more protein than other grains!  Also it has high lysine and rutin content, which is said to prevent aneurism from strokes and blood vessel damage.

Apart from the health benefits, I love it because it packs a lot more flavour and texture than normal noodles. ALSO it’s calorific content is 1/3 of normal wheat flours – which means more guilt-free eating ;)

Anyhow, there’s couple of places scattered around Seoul that’s famous for their buckwheat foods in various forms.  Some of my favourite include Buckwheat pancakes, Soba (Hot/Cold), Kalguksoo (칼국수 -  more brothy version),  naengmyeon and even in chicken stews and such.

The one I went to is right next to the main palace (kyeongbokgung). Easiest way to get there is to get out of exit 4 of gyeongbokgung station turn around and then turn left at the road until you see the restaurant!

The place translates to “Around when the buckwheat flower blooms” or 메밀꽃 필 무렵.

It’s a tiny place with probably less than 30 seating and each time I went there seems to be a queue, so if you go during the lunch time then expect a little queue.  Also they sell out around 4-5PM and close shop when all the home-made noodles for the day are gone- so make sure you show up on time!

Waiting patiently for our lunch :)

The menu is straight forward and limited as shown above my friend and his goofy grin.

We opted out to share a buckwheat pancake (메밀전) and bibim-myeon(메밀비빔면), which is the soupless and slightly spicy! I’ve tried all the menu, and I highly recommend sharing the pancake and choosing between the 메밀칼국수 (with warm soup) or 메밀비빔면 depending on your preference or the weather!

The pancakes are much chewier and crisper than traditional flour-based ones (and a bitch to cook/flip).  The best way to eat it in my opinion is dipped in the slightly sour soy-sauce and topped with the pickled onions!

The noodles were also cooked to perfection. Buckwheat noodles can easily loose its texture if overcooked – but out of the 4/5 times I’ve been here, they’ve always been spot on with getting the noodles out at the right time.

I admit, it’s not a complex dish containing multitude of flavours but there’s something about the right balance of texture and simple flavours that keep me coming back for more each time.

I’ll make a fan out of you, I know it!

Plus once you’ve finished eating – you can take a lovely walk around the Samcheong-dong area right opposite the palace and continue to fill up the ‘saved’ calories! AT least that’s how I justified my afternoon snacking.

Top 3 Kimchisoup in Seoul: 굴다리식당

굴다리식당

Kimchi always reminds me of my mother

Living in Amsterdam before the influx of exchange students and toursits, my mom and I made Kimchi from scratch with chilli peppers sent by my Grandma and chinese cabbage we sourced from a korean farmer in Germany.

Squatting on the kitchen floor making Kimchi from scratch was one of the strongest and most proudest link I carried throughout my childhood away from Korea.


I've eaten countless kimchi soups and kimchi (as side-dishes) around Seoul, but they never quite had the home-cooked taste that I craved. It was most of the times overly spicy or sometimes even sweet but always screaming with strong bold flavours that are not natural to home made kimchi.

That's why my friend, overhearing my numerous complaints on the matter, suggested I check out the 3 restaurants that were apparently thought of to be Seoul's 3 top restaurants for Kimchi Soup.

굴다리식당 was first on the list being closest to home.
It's located close to exit 8 on Gongduk line (Naver Map, Google Map), and has 2 locations fairly close to each other. The restaurant is a little tricky to find as it doesn't show the name of the restaurant but rather a big sign that says 김치찌개 (kimchi soup).

The menu is also straight foward with limited choices.
Most people usually go for the Kimchi Soup (7,000won) or the Spicy Stir-fried Pork/ 제육볶음 (10,000KRW). The portions are not too big but usually people fill themselves up with rice that goes perfectly with the soup and the spicy sauce.

I think whether you like the soup from this restaurant or not really depends on what Kimchi means to you. It's unlike the other kimchisoups in that it doesn't really have that crazy spiciness or that overwhelming instant flavour. Some might say it's a little bit bland, but to me at least it has that perfect blend of pork broth and properly aged kimchi. It reminds me of the huge pot of soups my mom used to make whenever our kimchi got too fermented. My brother and I always wanted her to add more pork as we loved to, with her admonishment, fish them out of the bowl.

It's a place for all to visit if you want to taste what Kimchi-soup is all about. It's a unpretentious dish made by mothers and grandmothers with overfermented sour kimchi that should never be wasted.

Authentic (and asian-ghetto) Chicken Stew (닭도리탕/Dak Doritang) in the back alleyways of Seoul

계림닭도리탕 - Gaerim Chicken Stew

 

서울특별시 종로구 종로3가 167 (돈화문로4길 39)

167 Jongno 3(sam)-ga, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea

google map// naver map

+82 2 2263 6658

Open MON- SAT from 11:30 ~ 22:00  (Closed on Sunday)

Chicken Stew (닭도리탕): 19,000 WON (+2,000 for noodles/ramen/rice etc.)

Drinks: Beer, Soju etc. (~3,000 WON)

Is it weird that I actively search out restaurants that have been around for longer than my parent’s lifespan never mind mine? I understand that age doesn’t always correlate to quality, but there’s something about a restaurant that’s been around for 50 plus years and stood the testament of time that promises a good meal. Especially if it’s a nitty-gritty blue-collar restaurant tucked away in the alleys of Jong-ro.

It’s been a while since I blogged, and I think this one is a good one to re-immerse myself in documenting the travels through the hidden dark alleys of Seoul spooking all those that I’ve invited to partake in this mini adventure!

The restaurant I’m writing about has been around for more than 50 years and the authenticity of the food and the history proves that it’s not some ‘number’ made up for advertisement purposes (as well as the décor and the aged patrons downing soju like it’s sprite).

The place is a little tricky to find – the easiest way is to walk out of exit 12 of Jonro-3ga (종로3가) walk straight until you see am opening along the main road to the right in between buildings (see the map below for reference!) Sneak inside the alleyway and you’ll soon find a long narrow alley parallel to the main road. Continue walking past dodgy businesses and restaurants and you’ll soon come across a bustling restaurant with a sign!

 

Although many of you think Koreans are all about the endless numbers of banchan (side-dishes), this place only gives you two – raddish kimchi (깍두기) and beansprouts. The menu doesn’t really give you any choices either. There’s couple of lunch options but at night there’s only one thing on the menu, the eponymous 닭도리탕 (Dak Doritang) for 19,000 WON. The portion should be enough for 2-3 people, as you can add 사리 (sari) in forms of either fried rice (w/ the sauce) or addition of hand-noodles. Just a little bit of history to note, 닭도리탕 is actually Japanese/Korean stemming from the word Toriniku (chicken meat). As such nowadays people tend to call it 닭볶음탕 rather than the former name. 

The place gets filled up crazy fast after 7PM and queues begin to form (even on weekdays) so make sure you come between 6-7PM if you want to be seated straight away. 

After being seated and ordering the only thing on the menu, soon the ladies bring out a beaten pot filled with horrifying (or awe-inspring) amount of garlic in a red sea of chicken, potato and rice cakes. We did worry a little when we first went that it’ll be numbingly spicy and overwhelming but surprisingly it’s hardly spicy and the garlic flavour is well balanced by the stew! It’s really odd actually knowing how much garlic went in!

After waiting for a while – you’re ready to dig in! Actually the rice-cakes (떡) received the most compliment! Unlike the generic store-bought ones you get everywhere, it had a really chewy and soft texture. Also the stew has quite a lot of chicken. Also the CHICKEN is so MOIST and TENDER! It’s often I find the chicken in seoul to be way to dry and tough… but the chicken they use here is a perfect combination of lean meat and fat that you end up sucking all the meat off each bone…

The building spiciness usually calls for soju and beer – and although I am a bonafide ‘wine-whale’, there’s something about spicy Korean food that matches beautifully with soju and cold beer. Maybe it’s the old man inside me that craves these releases of spicy no-bullshit 아저씨 food w/ soju… Personally I blame my dad for  raising his daughter to be his drinking buddy.

Anyways – this is my favourite find recently! And despite the copious bottles of soju/beer all of us were really refereshed the next day. I think the supposed super ‘health benefits’ of garlic must’ve helped….

So for those of you daring enough to venture into the back alleys of Seoul –this is definitely the place for you!

And on that note this is the end of my entry! I’m not sure who read these anymore.. but I think I’m on a roll with going to these grungy/off-the-beaten-path Korean restaurants.. if you have any recommendations or would like suggestions just let me know… (or if you also like hunting down sketchy but ridiculously yummy korean food- let’s go together cause sometimes venturing out into dark alleys alone can be a lil scary at night)