In February we went on a trip to Korea. One of the things my husband and I were most excited about was the food. While the food did not disappoint, it surprised me. A lot of food that is savory in western countries is sweet there. I was also surprised by how food was often served, almost every meal came with lots of different sauces and usually multiple types of kimchi. Below are some of my favorite restaurants we ate it…I kept this list to ones that are on Google Maps. From personal experience, some of the best restaurants I’ve ate at in other countries are the ones not on Yelp or Google Maps so I highly encourage trying a place you can’t find online but the ones below are still phenomenal.
This is in a traditional Hanok home that has been converted into a tea house. Most building in Seoul have been built within the last 50 years, and most Hanok homes were previously destroyed, so it is a bit of a novelty to see one and have tea in it. The atmosphere of this place was so peaceful. We sat in a room that had beautiful courtyards on both sides of it. Like most Hanok homes, the floors were heated which made sitting on the floor so cozy. You do have to remove your shoes here. We each tried different teas and all of them wee great along with the best desserts we had on the trip.
Fried chicken in Korea is super popular and a must-try. BHC is a chain but it is loved by locals. There are many throughout Seoul and the rest of the world but I linked the one we went to. Amongst a group of 4 we split the classic fried chicken and the Matcho-King chicken and it was plenty…if you had to choose just one then I’d go with the Matcho-King chicken.
There is some discrepancy on the name online, according to the Michelin Guide it is Goobuk Mandu but according to Google it is Gubok Mandu. It is the same restaurant though. This is a small restaurant that exclusively serves Chinese style dumplings and ziao long bao. These are by far the best dumplings I’ve ever had. The menu is limited, I believe there were only 4 main items on the menu. As a group of 4 we ordered one of each and shared. Each one was incredible but the kimchi dumplings were my favorite. I think this was my favorite meal in Korea.
Lotte Hotel Peninsula Lounge and Bar Must be Strawberry
Strawberries are a big deal in Korea from December through April. You can find strawberry flavored desserts everywhere in Korea that time of year. We wanted to do something special so we booked the Must be Strawberry: Sweet Dreams! event. The best way I can describe this is like a Korean version of afternoon tea and everything is Strawberry flavored. The desserts were great but towards the end I started feeling a little sick from all the sweets. The atmosphere was unmatched though. Even if you are not in Seoul at the right time of year to experience this, I highly recommend stopping into this bar for a cocktail. The bar is inside but has full glass walls with views of a garden and waterfall. It’s worth noting the tray shown above serves two people and it comes with a complimentary non-alcoholic strawberry drink of your choice. You can also order champagne with it.
Korea is known for great street food and Gwangjang Market is the place to go. This market has all the typical street food and a lively and fun atmosphere. We had so much fun wandering and eating our way through the alleys. We got Korean fried chicken, Korean style pancakes, a cinnamon coated bread sticks, octopus, and tteokbokki. The octopus was on top of my list solely because of the novelty of it. The nerves in the tentacles are still active so it’s a bit of a fight to eat it. The octopus itself doesn’t really have much flavor but it’s served with this delicious salty sesame sauce.
Jericha Good 