Ojang-dong Hamheung Naengmyeon - Best in Seoul!

오장동흥남집  (Ojang-dong, HeungnamJib) 

90-10 Ojang-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea +82 2-2267-9500

In my office, you must be well prepared to talk about good Naengmyeon in Seoul. Maybe because it's filled with older generation ahjussi and our proximity to 2 of the reputed 5 best ones in Seoul. Everyone has their favourite that is always better than others (and if you don't agree - you're just too young to taste properly).

There are actually different types Naengmyeon (냉면) usually differentiated by the regions they come from. The more well known ones are 평양냉면 (Pyeongyang Naengmyeon) and 함흥냉면 (Hamheung Naengmyeon). 평양냉면 has more subtle (some may even argue bland – but that’s blasphemous) broth, where as 함흥냉면 (originated from 함흥 province up in N.Korea) is known for its tougher and thinner noodles.

As it is with lots of famous Korean food, there’s a small area in Seoul called 오장동 (near Dongdaemun) where the 3 most famous 함흥냉면 restaurants are located. Now, I am not qualified in both age and knowledge to rank the three, but my favourite (following the advice of my grandpa) is definitely 오장동 함흥집 (which is the FIRST among the 3 to be established!)  

오장동 함흥집 has been operating for over 62 years since the first owner brought the recipe with her when she came down from North Korea! It’s usually super busy during lunch and dinner so it’s best to go either a little earlier!

The menu is rather straight forward with 5 types of Naengmyeon being offered (Sashimi, Beef, Mixed, Warm Soup, Mul Naengmyeon) at 9,000 KRW (you can also order more noodles too). You’d be quite silly to other anything but the house special which is회냉면 (sashimi) which comes with Sole Sashimi.

You also get served with warm broth to drink from a cup! It’s really rich and rather salty but goes perfectly with the slightly spicy naengmyeon. The noodles are also much tougher than your usual ones as it is made from sweet potato instead of potato starch.

I can’t quite describe what the sauce tastes of but it is just a perfect blend of garlic, fish-sauce, chili and sugar that it really just hits the spot! You should mix in 겨자 (korean mustard sauce), vinegar, sesame oil and sugar adjusted to your preference.

If you’ve been in Korea and have only tried the typical 물냉면 from the franchises – you should make your way to try the 회냉면 here. It’s definitely a taste you’ll remember and crave as time goes on!

Pancake Challenge #5) Kaiserchmarrn (Austrian Shredded Pancakes)

Pancake loved by Austrian Royalty! 

After trying our very first (intentionally and not because of cooking mishap) shredded pancakes at Heuriger, we were waiting for the perfect day to replicate the fluffy pancakes heavily dusted with powdered sugar!

Kaiserschmarrn (according to Wikipedia) found its name from the Austrian emperor (Kaiser) Franz Joseph I of Austria, who was apparently a big fan of the pancake.  If I was slightly younger (and a little bit more silly & naïve) I would’ve definitely followed in his steps and aspire to have a pancake named after myself).

After looking at several recipes (and balking at number of eggs – really 5?!?!), we silently agreed to moderate the recipe to yield one massive shredded pancakes to be eaten together with the big platter of fruits my talented bf assembled

Compared to other pancakes, it is a lot more eggy in both texture and flavour but not so in an overpowering way to overthrow the goodness of a pancake.  Next time instead of 3 eggs, I think I’ll scale it down to 2 egg and add a little bit of milk and baking powder to compensate!

It definitely felt amazing to be able to shred (almost) perfectly pancakes to shreds with a spatula! It’s like modern art inspired pancake!

Most importantly, I’ll definitely stock up on rum beforehand so we can pre-soak the raisins before adding them to the pancakes. I’m actually not too sure if this is the “Austrian” tradition but whoever thought of it is definitely a genius!

Kaiserschmarrn  

adopted from LynzzPaige’s Kaiserschmarrn (Allrecipes.com)

 Recipe yields one big pan (enough for 1-2 persons)

• 2 – 3 eggs (2 large eggs / 3 small eggs)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 2 – 3 tbsp of sugar
• 1/8 tsp of salt
• 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour (can be easily substituted to all-purpose)
• 1/4 cup of raisins (if you can  pre-soak them in rum/cognac before adding for the extra kick!)
• 1 tbsp of butter or 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
• Topping: Powdered Sugar/ Coconut Flakes / Honey / Syrup / Fresh Fruits!

1. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract
2. Sift flour into the bowl and mix until there are no lumps (alternatively use a hand held blender to fasten the process)
3. Stir in half of the raisins
4. Heat the frying pan in medium heat and add the butter or oil
5. Pour the batter in and spread it evenly around the pan
6. Sprinkle the rest of the raisins on top
7. Cook until the batter begins to set (4– 5 min) and then flip!
8. Cook for additional 1 -2 min on the other side
9. If you have somehow managed to flip the pancake without it breaking, then take a spatula and begin to shred the pancake into bite size bits!
10. Transfer the shredded pancakes onto a plate and garnish with powdered sugar and fruits/chocolate etc. of your choice! 

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!! 

Pancake Challenge #4) South African Pannekoek

After the disastrous Msemmen incident, when I effectively boiled the poor yeast to its death, I was glad to have gotten such a simple recipe for a pancake. I’m not quite sure what the difference is between the South African Pannekoek.  I mean except for one such as Msemmen – all the ‘traditional pancakes’ do have a common base that usually consists of slightly varying base (egg/flour/milk and sometimes water/butter).

Anyhow, keeping true to the spirit of the challenge, I found one or two ‘South African’ Pannekoek recipes on the internet (here and here).  Both of the recipe was extremely simple (and surprisingly lacked butter/oil) and instead had a spread made up of lemon, cinnamon, butter and sugar to flavour the simple pancake!

I followed the challenge, and mixed the two a little and served them with sliced bananas! Despite the simplicity of the recipe, the cinnamon spread is extremely addictive and delectable and paired perfectly with the slightly savory pancake. Nothing was too overwhelming or buttery but instead a light, si

mple breakfast that leaves you with a delightful afterwtase of cinnamon!

I’ll definitely be making this one again, especially when I’m pressed for time or lacking energy, and top it with frozen bananas or coconut flakes!

South African Pannekoek

(Makles 7 -8 large pancakes, the recipe said 4 servings… but with two boys I barely had enough for myself!)

For the pancake:

1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour

1 cup of milk

1 cup of water

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 teaspoon of baking powder  

For the Cinnamon Spread:

2 tablespoon of butter (easier if softened)

4 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 table spoon of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon of lemon

1. In a large bowl mix all the ingredients for the pancake until there are no lumps and leave it stand whilst you prepare the cinnamon spread
2. Blend the ingredients for the cinnamon spread until it is well mixed and have it ready next to the plates
3. Heat a non-stick pan in medium-high heat and glaze with either butter or vegetable oil
4. Scoop around 1/4 cup of batter onto the pan and swirl it around to cover the bottom of the pan completely
5. As it is a thin pancake, it’ll be ready to flip in around 1-2 minute (you’ll be able to see as the batter stops being runny on the top)
6. Flip and heat until golden (if the first side is slightly less brown- feel free to flip back and cook a little more)
7. Place the pancake on the plate and spread a thin layer (or thick) of the cinnamon spread letting the butter melt on top
8. Begin to stack the pancakes remembering to layer each time with the amazing cinnamon spread (or you can also roll the pancakes)
9. Top if you’d like with sliced bananas, coconut flakes, seeds & nuts or if you’re feeling really indulgent a big scoop of ice-cream.

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 :)

Pancake Challenge #3) Canada Day Red Velvet Pancake

 

Although many (like me) around the world are oblivious of the day, Canadians around the world celebrate Canada Day on July 1^st in celebration of the enactment of Constitution Act of 1867 (thank you Wikipedia). Apparently in Canada, the day is filled with fireworks, festivals and abundant red & white clothing, in Korea the day seems to be sadly over-shadowed by the upcoming July 4^th Celebration.

 

To cheer on my devious Canadian boyfriend, bravely breaking his school’s rule for formal attire and sporting a bright red Canadian T-shirt (I HAVE ONE TOO), I decided to skip my usual morning workout all together and instead spend all morning carefully crafting a red-velvet pancake in the shape of the Canadian Flag.

The original pancake recipe from Food & Wine was originally for Valentine’s Day, but with a maple-leaf cookie cutter, it can easily be adjusted to become the best CANADA DAY celebration brunch. The pancake also had an over-indulgent frosting recipe, but with zero-workout & lack of a sweet-tooth we decided to keep it simple with vanilla powdered sugar & black-berry jam. I followed the recipe pretty closely except for few alteration (one being swapping out dark for cognac)

I never seem to have buttermilk in the fridge, so I substituted it with a  quick milk + white-vinegar, which always works like a charm.

Anyways, without further due, I proudly present our CANADA DAY RED VELVET PANCAKE!  :D

CANADA DAY RED VELVET PANCAKE

(for 3 to 4 servings)

Buttermilk Substitute (yields 1 1/2 cup)

1 1/2 cup of Milk (Skim worked as well!)

1 1/2 tbsp of White Vinegar (works much easier than lemon juice)

Pancake

·         1 cup of all-purpose flour  +  1/2 cup of whole-wheat flour  (or you can just have all-purpose flour)

·         1/2 cup of brown sugar

·         1/2 tsp of baking soda

·         2 tsp of baking powder

·         1/2 teaspoon of salt

·         1 medium egg

·         1 1/2 cup of buttermilk

·         2 tsp of Cognac

·         1 tsp of Vanilla Extract 

·         2 tbsp of melted butter * (easiest trick – scoop two tbsp. into a measuring cup and place in a small saucepan & pour boiling water into the saucepan and close the lid for few minutes)

·         2 tsp of red food colouring

Optional toppings include : chocolate sprinkles/shavings, vanilla powdered sugar, black-berry jam,  fresh berries and as it is Canada day – healthy(?) does of Maple syrup.

Instructions:

1. Buttermilk: Mix the Milk and the Vinegar gently and leave in room-temperature for 10 minutes while you get everything ready to make your pancakes! 
2. Melted Butter: place butter into a small measuring cup and place it in a small sauce-pan. Boil water and pour a little into the pot and close the lid
3. In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour/ sugar/ salt/ baking powder/ baking soda)  and mix well.
4. In a smaller bowl whisk the egg with melted butter first, then work in the buttermilk and the vanilla
5. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until no lumps can be seen 
6. Gently mix in the food coloring and the Cognac and let the batter sit for 5 – 10 minutes
7.  If using the cookie-cutter like us, butter the sides of the cutter and place it on the pan
8. Warm two pans over medium heat, and melt 1 tsp of butter inside the cutter (or one if you’re pro at flipping pancakes)
9. Gently pour the pancake mixture into the mold and spread it so that it fills the cutter up completely.
10. Fry for 1 1/2 minutes until bubbles begin to form on the top of the batter.
11. The easiest and safest way to flip these pancake is to place the other heated pan over and just flip the pancake over to the other pan (I know it’s time-consuming – which is why we only had one in the shape of maple leaf :p )
12. Heat again for 1 – 2 minutes and then transfer the pancake onto the plate
13. Lift the frame gently and garnish with topping of your choice :)

Despite it looking amazing - making maple leaf shaped pancakes is really time-consuming. So we made one worthy of instagram/facebook and maple traditional round pancakes to be greedily enjoyed between the two of us :)

And come on who doesn't like a little bit of silly celebration from time to time.