Lotteria's Rice Bulgogi Burger!

I don't eat beef burgers, but MC does, and last year, he gave Lotteria's rice bulgogi burger a generous 5/10 rating. I managed to take a bite of the rice "bun," and you know what, it wasn't half bad. I bet this thing would sell pretty well in Hawaii, home of McDonald's Portuguese sausage, eggs, and rice breakfast!



PS. Is it just me or does the burger wrapper seem a little... inappropriately amusing?

Thanksgiving, told in pictures

A month overdue, but better late than never. I present to you - Grace and Cheri's Thanksgiving Dinner 2008! Ranked by biased ono-licious-ness levels. ^^


"It's like I'm in Hawaii" portuguese sausage and cornbread stuffing


Pasta salad with broccoli and egg, local style ;)


"Mmmh can I just drink that straight up?" onion gravy


Easy maple butter glazed carrots


"Skinny" roasted garlic mashed potatoes


Sauteed green beans with garlic


"Next year I promise it will be homemade, but the goppy canned stuff is a tradition" cranberry sauce


"The crust actually came out ok! but it would have been better with ice cream" pumpkin pie


Deep fried turkey. Not really my thing.

Thanksgiving Dinner Part II (aka Christmas Dinner) coming soon!

No birthday soup for me :(

My "officially one year away from hitting a quarter century" birthday passed a few weeks ago, and I totally forgot to make birthday soup (aka 미역국, seaweed soup) this time around. I must be getting old. ㅠㅠ I've been eating 미여국 on my birthday ever since I can remember, and attempting to make it for my mother since middle school. It's quite easy so if you've got a Korean friend, it wouldn't hurt to learn the recipe. ^^



To celebrate, my big sis took me to Flea St. Cafe, a charming little restaurant in Menlo Park known for their "local, seasonal, organic, sustainable and naturally delicious cuisine." Aside from the slightly awkward waiter who kept referring to my sister as "Madam," the food was excellent and the restaurant itself was adorable.


Rehydrated peaches on a bed of butter lettuce, served with fried cheese croûtons.


Pacific coast sole, dungeness crab, smoked salmon roulade with thyme butter sauce, bloomsdale spinach, caramelized red onion, and gingered carrots.


Pasture-raised chicken with parsnip, apple and leek hash, guanicale, rosemary zinfandel beurre blanc, with a poached egg.


Pumpkin bread pudding with vanilla sauce and cranberries


Cinnamon ice cream

Mmh.

Hilton - Palm Court Buffet

Aunty Mina's back in town! We caught up back at the Hilton over the hotel's usual buffet spread, only this time it was at the Palm Court. Hotels with big pretty lobbies and foreign businessmen in suits remind me of home. ^^

Told in photos because a picture is worth a thousand words I'm lazy.



Plate #1


Plate #2


Plate #3


This does not include all of our special comp dishes and drinks. (It pays to know the staff. ^^) I need to go on a diet.

In and around Daehangno: Andy, Kraze Burgers, and POG!

Straight from the Coffee Bean: POG! That's Passion Orange Guava for the non-Hawaii folks, and one of my favorite juice blends. It's not quite Hawaiian Sun, but the $6 version's a refreshing treat if you're willing to shell out the cash.



Anna and I decided to scope out Daehangno (대학로), in an attempt to do a little bit of research on musicals. We walked by the theatre showing Polaroid, and saw a bunch of girls waiting outside with their cameras. I figured they were looking for one of the show's stars, Andy, a singer turned actor who's been enjoying increased popularity due to his part on the well received "reality" program 우리 결혼했어요 (We Got Married).



Well, we had swung by at the right time, and got to see him for a good 3 seconds as he walked out of the theatre and into a darkly tinted black SUV. Truthfully, we were a little disappointed it was a Kia, haha. Perhaps I'll see the show one day; I've got another week or so to buy tickets. But I've also seen ads for Grease, and I would never turn down the chance to see a Korean Danny Zuko!



In our quest for dinner, we ran into one of those cocktail-in-a-plastic-bag stands on the street. I've yet to try one, but I imagine it's one of those things you do once just to say you did it. It doesn't look very appetizing, but where else can you get a $4 cocktail in this city?



We ended up at Kraze Burgers (pronunciation closer to kra-jay than craze). It was my second time there, and I ordered the same thing I had before - the K.O. chicken sandwich. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as good this time around, but I still enjoyed it.



Anna ordered the philly cheesesteak and chili cheese fries, but judging by her "eh" expression, she didn't seem very impressed with it. The "steak" turned into a hunk of meat that resembled a badly thrown together burger, and the chili cheese fries, as you can tell in the picture below, lacked a staple ingredient - cheese.





What I'd do for a Gardenburger these days...

Dark Knight, airport food, and Outback Steakhouse

On my trip to Incheon airport last week, we decided to have our last Korean family dinner with JJ. Despite the fact that it was his last chance for a "real" Korean meal in Korea, he wanted to eat cream spaghetti from the food court. Go figure.



Since we were there, I finally got to eat a salad, though it was covered in honey mustard gunk. Koreans sure like their dressing! But this was nothing compared to my aunt's tuna-corn-cucumber-iceberg salad drenched in green kiwi dressing. She actually uses the entire bottle so it's more like a "salad soup" but I don't have the heart to say anything. Whenever I come over, she tells me with a wide grin, "I'm making the salad that you like!" as if she won the key to my stomach.



Hyun also had spaghetti that night, which meant he was planning on eating again. You see, for a handful of Koreans, if you don't eat rice, you're not really eating a meal, and Hyun is one of those people. We once ordered pizza, and after three slices, he decided to heat up some leftover rice and kimchi jjigae. So it was no surprise that he after we drove back to Seoul, I was treated to dinner #2 at Outback Steakhouse and the Dark Knight. ^^







Well... the overall outcome? The boys said it was surprisingly better than they thought it would be, and gave it the thumbs up! I agree.



On a side note, I feel like I've been getting a bit of crap for the types of movies I've been watching here in Korea. ㅋㅋ I wouldn't under normal circumstances watch these movies in the States (well, Batman's an exception), but in my defense, I don't really have much of a choice when it comes to foreign films in Korea. Quite obviously, most of the time only blockbusters (or blockbuster-ishes) make it through, which tend to lean towards the action/superhero/fantasy genre. Looking at the Megabox website, the only American movies currently showing are the Dark Knight, Nim's Island, The Mummy 3, and Wall E. So cut me some slack! ^^;;

When all you really want is a sandwich

I didn't realize grabbing a sandwich and salad would prove to be such a difficult task in Sinchon.

Don't get me wrong - I love Korean food and grew up in a household where rice was an everyday occurrence. But sometimes, on a hot summer day, all you really want is a fresh sandwich or salad with an icy cold beverage.

All I could think of was poke on wild greens.



...And The Original BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad. I know, I know... CPK? Tsk tsk, Cheri, you can do better than that. It may not be the world's greatest tasting or creative dish, but it's consistent, and I stand by my salad constant. I can already feel the fresh crunch crunch of the jicama as I type...

But since we're fresh out of CPKs north of the Han River (Gangnam's a pretty far ride when you're hot and hungry), and poke is pretty much nonexistent in this country, where do you go when you're in Sinchon and:

• looking for something fresh,
• quick,
• in a sit-down,
  
• well-air conditioned place,
• but don't feel like paying $20+?
  

Well... I'm not really sure. Admittedly, I haven't eaten my fair share of cold sandwiches in Sinchon. So we decided to try the local Paris Croissant (which is technically closer to Edae).

Smoked salmon (6,000 won):



Cranberry chicken salad (6,000 won):



Not bad... the bread was nutty and tasty, but the small portions will leave you hungry! (Think tea time servings.) Maybe we should have gone to Quizno's? ㅠㅠ

Friends, if you have any good sandwich and salad recommendations, please leave a note in the comment section. I'd be much obliged. On another note, I challenge you all, for my own selfish benefit, to find some poke in Seoul! (Because I could really go for some right now. ^^)

You ate WHERE?

I don't normally find myself at casual dining chains very often in the US - well, The Cheesecake Factory and CPK are rare exceptions, and local chains don't count (i.e. I love you, Boloco). However, familiarity often brings comfort, especially when you're thousands of miles away from a decent bowl of garlic smashed potatoes. Sometimes, it's just not a jjiggae type of day, if you know what I mean.

That feeling led me straight into the doors of Hooters. Well, that, and it was strategically located while I was starving and it started to pour (장마 is an entirely different conversation for another time.)



I've visited Hooters on one other occasion (in Honolulu) and I have to say, based on my slightly grayed recollection, although I knew short shorts were part of the deal, the waitresses in Gangnam (강남) might have as well been wearing a one piece swimsuit. As my Korean friend looked about the restaurant, I couldn't help but laugh at his innocent remarks...

"So, is a hooter a type of owl?"

"Then what does hoot mean?"

"I feel burdened."



Right. The food.

Fish and chips! I'm pretty sure this isn't worth a twenty... but it wasn't bad. (This isn't a London pub; what can you expect?) The fish was surprisingly tender, the batter nicely fried and softly salted. I just wish they didn't serve it with curly fries.



Moving on to my next confession...



On a whim, a friend and I decided to check out On the Border in Sinchon (신촌).

While the dinner prices are comparatively ridiculous, a lunch set starts off at just $10, where you can choose a side (salad/rice/soup) and a dish (i.e. enchilada, taco, burrito), as well as add on some other items like a non-alcoholic margarita for a few extra dollars.



It's nothing to write home about, but if you're craving colorful sit down "Mexican," you know where to go!



Hooters: 02-3448-1231~2
http://www.hooterskorea.co.kr/
If you take Exit 2 from Gangnam Station and keep walking straight for a few minutes, it'll be on the right side of the street, on the 2nd floor. There's another location in Apgujeong.

On the Border: 02-324-0682
http://www.ontheborder.co.kr/
Take Exit 3 or 4 at Sinchon Station. From McDonald's, keep walking straight (towards Burger King) until you see a Coffee Bean on your left. The restaurant is on the 2nd floor. There's another location in the COEX Mall.

How to gain 6 lbs in one week - Pt 1/2

As I mentioned in a previous post, MC reported that he gained 6 lbs from his one week trip to Korea. While this may seem a tad extreme to most, with the right how-to guide (provided below), it's not only possible, it's actually quite easy!

1) Take a trip to Sanchon (산촌) in Insadong (인사동) for some wonderful temple-inspired vegetarian eats. Grab a seat on the floor and dig into 20+ fresh and naturally seasoned dishes. The experience alone is worth it - but be sure to bring your appetite.



#2) Stir fry some chicken (닭갈비), then make some bokkum bap (볶음밥) not because you're hungry but just because you can (and everybody else does it). If you have easy access to LA/NY, feel free to skip over the Korean fried chicken - while amazingly delicious in Korea, Kyochon in the US is just as yummy (the power of franchising!) - and opt for some tasty jjim dak (찜닭) or bul dak (불닭). Both pack enough spice to keep you glued to your water bottle (part of the six lbs will undoubtedly be water weight).



#3) Korean BBQ. This place in Apgujeong (압구정) is quite popular, but unfortunately I don't know what it's called (I know, I know, must work on this). Just look for a restaurant with a crowd and waiting list, packed somewhere within the "Rodeo Drive" area, and I'm sure you'll be on your way to some delicious (albeit a bit $$) BBQed beef. ^^;;



#4) Grab some cheap take-out from one of the 24/7 kimbap (김밥) stores with the bright orange signs, and have an indoor picnic!



#5) If you're feeling a bit more fancy, try some "Korean fusion" at Gaon (가온) in Apgujeong (located near all the other ambiance-first eateries around Dosan Park). MC and I personally thought it was over-rated and under-creative, but I'd give it another shot just because I enjoyed the modern, serene atmosphere - very opposite of what you'd normally find in a regular shikdang. Here's an excerpt from the Financial Times' "How to Spend It" (October) -

The Gaon is across the street from Gorilla [in the Kitchen] and serves a great contemporary take on traditional Korean dishes. Opt for a set menu and the kitchen will roll out dish upon dish of the freshest tasting Korean fare: pan-fried pumpkin and acorn jelly; steamed abalone; grilled pork in red pepper paste... And, of course, kimchi - not so much a national dish as a national treasure.

The Gaon may serve kimchi, but the presentation is anything but traditional. The restaurant, with its colourful linear acrylics and tightly stacked paper walls, has been designed by avant-garde architects Super Potato, also responsible for the Park Hyatt opposite the Co-Ex Centre in Gangnam-gu.

#6) For the food-curious at heart, bulgogi sandwiches, bulgogi flavored KFC, rice burgers, and other random finds off the street may be worth indulging in... well, not really, but it's just one of those things you have to experience for yourself to realize, "Eh. I could've lived without it but I guess it was fun."



#7) If you really want "fast food" as in burgers and fries, check out Kraze Burgers. MC placed it at a very respectable No. 2 on his "best casual dining burger joints" list, squeezed between the No. 1 ranked B.Good (Boston) and No. 3 Kua'aina (Hawaii).



#8) If you need a break from jjigaes and rice, why not try a Korean-made pizza? Loaded with all kinds of unimaginable crap, I mean toppings, it's every non-traditionalist's dream (and likely every Italian's nightmare). You might start off with Mr. Pizza (guys, don't be turned off by their "love for women" campaign) - just don't order the "Sweety Pizza" (pictured below) - it's definitely not their shining star. In fact, I think they should just take it off the menu.



#9) MC's a huge fan of omurice, so of course we made a special visit to Omuto Tomato. While not particularly fantabulous in the taste department, there are so many choices on the menu that you'll feel compelled to go back just to try them all! (According to MC.) A cream sauce selection is probably your best bet.



Part 2 coming up!