KAMPUNGBOYCITYGAL A MALAYSIAN FOOD & TRAVEL BLOG

KL is to welcome a new member to its dining scene with Upper Deck, a chic restaurant and bar in G Tower Hotel that is barely one month old.

Commanding unparalleled views of Kuala Lumpur’s famous skyline, the restaurant emulates the elegance and simplicity one experienced in a dining room with its sleek wooden floor, floor-to-ceiling large windows and simple yet stylish furnishings.

Continue Reading

Insa-dong is the place to shop for Korean traditional goods. The streets are full of Korea’s historical artifacts, and the alleys are filled with Korean restaurants and traditional teahouses, galleries, antique shops, and more. We were brought by the Korean girls to this little traditional bar at Insa-dong for some Dong Dong Ju drinking experiences.

One of the things I love and will miss tremendously about eating in Korea is that the entire table will be completely covered with dishes of food once you sit down.

Three large gourd filled with Dong-dong is served right away. We were required to dip our cups into the communal bowl. Bear in mind that when somebody offers to fill your glass, hold it up with your right hand and place your left hand lightly under it.

Way to go for Dong Dong Ju! The 7% abv Dong Dong Ju has a creamy mouthfeel, a touch of sour taste with little alcohol burn.

Mun Lin, Yi Quen, Su Yen, Han Seum, Shang Hee

Eun Ji, Na Hee, Me, Lee Ping, Hyo Ju

Albeit the abv (alcohol by volume),of a mere 7 %, one can easily get drunk after 10 to 12 shots, just like him! He ended up lying his face down on some bench at the very happening Insa-dong and threw up eventually.

puke

“we don’t know him, seriously!”

tourists who wish to take a picture with drunkard

I guess the next day’s after effects were well worth the memories.

Sorry guys, it is a backdated post from my Korea trip. All the street food, fast food and captivating view from Jeju Island are sitting at my ‘to-post’ files. I’ll post one of the best meals that I’ve had in the city of Seoul – Korean BBQ. I’ve wanted to write about it ever since I got back, but unfortunately it’s not the easiest story to tell because I need to clarify with my Korean friends on all the mumbo jumbo name on Korean delicacies.

Eunji and Rome brought us to Hwaroyeon, a famous Korean BBQ place at Jong-Gak. We were welcome by a minimalist but modern interior. The place has that “village” style feel to it as its interior is mostly reddish brick wall with wooden table and wooden stools for you to sit. The subtle transmissions of light make the place dim but not dreary. This place is packed with happy patrons enjoying that special ambiance and food.

I like this, a mini filtering funnel that drains all the excess oil away. I feel lifted up instantly because it sounds like a healthy meal with lean meats and refillable vegetables.

We spotted grills set with charcoal in the middle around every tables. Traditional side dish such as kimchi, daikon (radish) kimchi and gyeran-chim (steamed egg served in small crock) are usually served in any BBQ joint.

The Daeji Galbi (pork ribs) are marinated in a sauce made from fruit juice, rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. It is succulent in taste, crisply grilled to perfection with slightly charred around the edges. It has a good sweet and salty balance, and it is fun to tug the tender meat off the nub of bone with our chopsticks.

Samgyupsal (pork meat lard) is so sinful with the lards melting off in my mouth. The meat is usually cut in thin slices so that the marinade sauce can penetrate into the meat faster and to the meat will be cooked at a shorter time. This is like another version of our very own bacon, the beautiful layers of fats and meats create altogether a different texture: The bacon fat was crispy while the meat was slightly chewy.

We used lettuce and pickled radish to wrap the meat, which is then dipped in ssamjang (sauce made of fermented bean curd and red pepper paste). Tada! What you have is a bite size sandwich! The multiple sensory pleasures of crisp lettuce juxtaposed with succulent grilled meat are irresistible.

Eunji grilled like a pro, busy accentuating the taste, texture and moisture level of the cubes and cuts while talking to us.

NaengMyeong (chilled buckwheat noodles) is often served followed by a galbi meal. Served in a cold stainess steel bowl, the noodles sit in a tangy iced broth made of chicken stock, and are garnished julienned cucumbers, a slice of a Korean pear, and often a boiled egg. They slosh it full of shaved ice and it is sprinkled with sesame seed, in abundance. Victor Yong loves the noodles dish so much, just like how Na Hee loves it.

Koreans love their soju. Almost every meal is accompanied by Jinro Shoju, a grain spirit produced by Jinro, the world’s largest soju company. It is served in small shot glasses and is so easy to drink and light.

The huge feast ballooned us up like a puffer fish that is puffing too much. Talk about Korean’s hospitality! The service is excellent where waiters carry iron basket of fiery charcoal from table to table and the replace the grilling rack once it is charred.

Hwaroyeon opens at 10 a.m. and closes at 11 p.m. Price of combination menu including wine for two people starts with 25,000 won. To get there, take subway line no.1, get off at Jong-gak station, and go out to way out no.4. Then turn to right, go straight along the side of Boshingak, and find the restaurant on the left. (Information by Park Hyo-In)

See also:

Greetings from Jeju Island
First Taste of Korea
Pancake Loving Nation
48 Hours with Rome’s Family Part 1
48 Hours with Rome’s Family Part 2
Best Korean Restaurant in Seoul

Hup Lim posing with his old school car

Changdeokgung, the Palace of Illustrious Virtue, is best known for its rear garden called Biwon (the Secret Garden). King Taejong, the third ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, built it originally as a secondary palace in 1405. Since the 15th King Gwanghaegun moved the seat of government from Gyeongbokgung (Palace) to Changdeokgung in 1615, kings ruled the country here for about 300 years. Registered on ‘UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List’ in December, 1997, Changdeokgung contains a treasure of invaluable cultural properties from the Joseon Dynasty.

Ajasshi, Rome and Ajuma. Rome’s dad told us that blue tiles were used only for the palace in the older days, which gives an explanation for the blue tiles of the Presidential Residence of Korea (Blue House).

The korean solar clock – Angbuilgu. It means “upward looking kettle that catches the shadow of the sun”. It was first made in 1434.

Behind the palace lies the Huwon garden, exclusively for the royal family. Rome’s dad calls this ‘The Secret Garden”. He kept raving about this place over the dinner. The garden is formed in the shape of the Korean alphabet ‘?’ with a pond in the center. There is a lotus pond, pavilions, and landscaped lawns, different species of trees and flowers. The tour guide told us that there is this cherry tree that is 300 years old.

Group Picture

I rememberd someone told me that being half of a loving couple makes one feels amazing. They must be really blissful to have each other.

A wonderful capture of the glorious chinese maple. Its spring time now, but we feel autumn underneath the tree. The tourguide told us that two years ago there was an incident that this man fell to the lake because he was too captivated by the beauty of these chinese maple trees.

We just have to take a picture of such solemnly beatiful view.

Gosh look at the queue! We had arrived to the Korea President’s favourite lunch place that serves samgyetang. Surprisingly, lead by Rome’s dad, we can just walk in, leaving the queues behind us.

This place serve nothing but samgyetang, they gained local popularity through their special secret recipe for the dish.

The place has a typical village like atmosphere. We are actually dining at a living hall of a traditional korean house in the olden days.

My “LOVED”, the pungent savoury spicy KimChi “again”.

The dish is usually accompanied by a small complementary bottle of ginseng wine. I could not resist tasting the strong ginseng liquor.

Samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup), is basically a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice and boiled with Korean ginseng, red dates, garlic and ginger.

Koreans have an eating habit that we Malaysians could not understand. They take NaengMyeong (iced noodles) during winter and Samgyetang is served in the hottest summer. It is believed that the nutrients of the soup help to replenish our body. Talk about ‘fight fire with fire’ theory.

Coincidently, that day also marks the 57th anniversary of the Korean War that ravaged the nation. So off we go to the War Memorial Hall. There are 40000 names on the monument include the names of war dead and missing soldiers from 16 countries (Americans, British, Australians, New Zealanders, French, Canadians, South Africans, Turkish, Thais, Greeks, Dutch, Columbians, Ethiopians, Filipino, Belgians, and Luxemburgians).

Theres an outdoor exhibition area comprises of numerous military equipment like fighter jets, submarine, helicopter, long ranger bombers, etc.

My favourite picture

Victor is such a great poser. He never take those typical standing pose with a CHEESE smile or PEACE sign. In his latest post, he said something like he hopes that all the Koreans will forgive him for the sins that he committed to their statutes. May god bless you.

Hup Lim posing with his old school car

Changdeokgung, the Palace of Illustrious Virtue, is best known for its rear garden called Biwon (the Secret Garden). King Taejong, the third ruler of the Joseon Dynasty, built it originally as a secondary palace in 1405. Since the 15th King Gwanghaegun moved the seat of government from Gyeongbokgung (Palace) to Changdeokgung in 1615, kings ruled the country here for about 300 years. Registered on ‘UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage List’ in December, 1997, Changdeokgung contains a treasure of invaluable cultural properties from the Joseon Dynasty.

Ajasshi, Rome and Ajuma. Rome’s dad told us that blue tiles were used only for the palace in the older days, which gives an explanation for the blue tiles of the Presidential Residence of Korea (Blue House).

The korean solar clock – Angbuilgu. It means “upward looking kettle that catches the shadow of the sun”. It was first made in 1434.

Behind the palace lies the Huwon garden, exclusively for the royal family. Rome’s dad calls this ‘The Secret Garden”. He kept raving about this place over the dinner. The garden is formed in the shape of the Korean alphabet ‘?’ with a pond in the center. There is a lotus pond, pavilions, and landscaped lawns, different species of trees and flowers. The tour guide told us that there is this cherry tree that is 300 years old.

Group Picture

I rememberd someone told me that being half of a loving couple makes one feels amazing. They must be really blissful to have each other.

A wonderful capture of the glorious chinese maple. Its spring time now, but we feel autumn underneath the tree. The tourguide told us that two years ago there was an incident that this man fell to the lake because he was too captivated by the beauty of these chinese maple trees.

We just have to take a picture of such solemnly beatiful view.

Gosh look at the queue! We had arrived to the Korea President’s favourite lunch place that serves samgyetang. Surprisingly, lead by Rome’s dad, we can just walk in, leaving the queues behind us.

This place serve nothing but samgyetang, they gained local popularity through their special secret recipe for the dish.

The place has a typical village like atmosphere. We are actually dining at a living hall of a traditional korean house in the olden days.

My “LOVED”, the pungent savoury spicy KimChi “again”.

The dish is usually accompanied by a small complementary bottle of ginseng wine. I could not resist tasting the strong ginseng liquor.

Samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup), is basically a whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice and boiled with Korean ginseng, red dates, garlic and ginger.

Koreans have an eating habit that we Malaysians could not understand. They take NaengMyeong (iced noodles) during winter and Samgyetang is served in the hottest summer. It is believed that the nutrients of the soup help to replenish our body. Talk about ‘fight fire with fire’ theory.

Coincidently, that day also marks the 57th anniversary of the Korean War that ravaged the nation. So off we go to the War Memorial Hall. There are 40000 names on the monument include the names of war dead and missing soldiers from 16 countries (Americans, British, Australians, New Zealanders, French, Canadians, South Africans, Turkish, Thais, Greeks, Dutch, Columbians, Ethiopians, Filipino, Belgians, and Luxemburgians).

Theres an outdoor exhibition area comprises of numerous military equipment like fighter jets, submarine, helicopter, long ranger bombers, etc.

My favourite picture

Victor is such a great poser. He never take those typical standing pose with a CHEESE smile or PEACE sign. In his latest post, he said something like he hopes that all the Koreans will forgive him for the sins that he committed to their statutes. May god bless you.

We stumble upon a bindaeduk (Korean Pancake) stall along Jong No Sam Ga (Jong No 3rd Street) which is just stone throw away from our hostel. It is actually green bean pancakes ground up and mixed with bean sprouts and seafood fried in oil.

Communication problem is a big headache here. Sometimes it is hard to get your food if you can’t speak korean. We just point our finger to any of the ‘pancake’ and say ONE.

Pickled cubed radish (kkaktugi) was served once we were seated. Not again? We realized that they serve kimchi with every single meal, let it be barbeque, bindaeduk, noodles or porridge.

Koreans have bindaeduk with these pickled sweet onion. It is crunchy and the taste is less empowering than malaysian onion.

Everyone was taken on the heels of the bindaeduk, it’s a pas de deux in the mouth. Priced at 10,000 won (RM 38), the bindaeduk was laden with prawns, octopus and vegetables.

This particular stall was featured by SBS TV channel before. They must be really well reputable and famous around Jong No area huh?

Every morning we left half our gear in the hostel and set out on the path to town. This is the path that we walk pass everyday. The reflection shows seven of us and Nahee, our korean friend. Stay tune for The Best Korean Restaurant in Seoul titled by Korean Government.