by Michael Jones On Sunday, I hiked Inwangsan for the first time, a beautiful mountain near Gyeongbokgung with fantastic views of Seoul. After reaching the peak, I was craving some food so we went to a small Korean restaurant on the way back to the station. The restaurant was a tiny mom and pop place sandwiched in a small alleyway. Like all good restaurants, I could smell the food before I saw the place. The smell of pork, duck, and stew filled the street outside. As I craned my neck to get a good look at the menu, a woman spoke out in perfect English and asked if we wanted to sit down. We said yes; it was an easy choice. The menu was small. This is the kind of place where they focus on the tried and the true. The owner spent 15 years living in Melbourne, Australia and her mother was busy cooking in the kitchen. In the back of the restaurant a small television was playing a Korean drama. The lunch options were: kimchi jjigae, doenjjang jjigae, jeyuk bokkeum, and ddukbaegi, usually a soup made with beef, but here they use duck. We decided to get one serving of jeyuk bokkeum and one serving of ddukbaegi. Jeyuk bokeum is basically thinly sliced pork cooked in a spicy sauce and mixed with onions; it is served on a hot plate. The ddukbaegi was filled to the brim with succulent duck meat and a large serving of green vegetables. The broth was a dark gray color and the soup came with a few toppings: salt, pepper, and diced green peppers. The woman told me that the soup takes 12 hours to prepare and after trying it, I don’t doubt it. The soup was incredibly rich and the broth took on the flavors from the roasted duck fat, the salt, and the pepper. It was delicious. The pork was also outstanding. The spice was perfect and not overpowering or tear-inducing. In short, it was actually enjoyable. The old lady in the kitchen watched us with a smile. She was happy watching us enjoy her food. She was clearly proud of her cooking. Her daughter told us that she has been making these dishes since she was a child. No matter where you are in the world, it is always great finding people that are passionate about the food they make and the culture in which it comes from. Korean food is incredible and Korean people are very passionate about the food they eat, and make. Whether you live in Korea, or you are on vacation, I encourage you to visit the less famous neighborhoods and eat at an authentic Korean restaurant. If you find yourself near Gyeongbokgung and you want to try a place off the beaten path, I strongly recommend trying 오리야 전야. The two dishes we bought were only 8,000 won each and the side dishes were delicious too. Embrace the authentic places and happy hunting.
DIRECTIONS Go to Dongnimmun Station and take exit 2 Walk about 15 yards and turn left down the alley In about a minute the restaurant will be on your right ENJOY
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by Michael Jones I think pizza is the ultimate food. I might be a bit biased, but most people would probably agree with me. I love all the styles: New York, Neapolitan, Chicago, etc. When it comes to pizza, what I care most about are the quality of the ingredients and the passion of the people making the pizza. Having spent my childhood in New York, I was raised on great pizza. I grew up eating delicious pizzas covered in fresh sauce, shredded buffalo mozzarella, and perfectly cooked dough. So when I moved to Seoul last year, the first restaurant I wanted to find was a great pizza place. Fortunately, I found a great place in the Express Bus Terminal called the Slice House. I love the pizza there, so when I found out that the owner was opening another shop near Gyeongbokgung, called Paulie’s Brick Oven Pizzeria, I was excited to try it. I went on the night of their grand opening and I was not disappointed. I went with one of my best friends and my girlfriend. The first thing we ordered was a large cheese pizza, which is 17 inches. We also ordered some beer and I was pleasantly surprised by the options. They have a great selection of craft brews. I went with the Chocolate Hazelnut Porter by Heretic brewing and it was outstanding. My girlfriend got a Weihenstephaner and my friend got a beer by Smuttynose brewery. The drinks were great. One beverage on the drink menu excited me even more than the beer, root beer on tap! I’m a root beer fanatic and since moving to Seoul I’ve only found Dad’s Root Beer and that was only at one restaurant. Unfortunately, they didn’t have it on opening night, but it should be there next month. It’s being shipped from the United States, so the delay is understandable. But enough with the drinks, let’s talk pizza. The pizza was fantastic, just as I expected. The cheese was slightly burnt in places, I could really taste the sauce, and the crust was the perfect balance between hard and soft. Needless to say, we devoured the pizza. So what would any sensible pizza lover do in this situation? We ordered a second pizza. This time we ordered a small, which is 13 inches, godfather pizza. This pizza was covered in meat and a spicy pizza sauce. I usually tend to be a purist when it comes to pizza and stick with minimal toppings, but I’m glad I didn’t. The godfather might be the best pizza I’ve had since moving to Seoul. What really made the pizza, however, was the house-made ranch that they recommended to dip it in. As I said earlier, I’m a minimalist when it comes to my pizza, so I was doubtful about how it would taste, but it was phenomenal. The combination of mozzarella, spicy sauce, the fat from the meat, and fresh ranch dressing was like a punch to the taste buds. It’s been a long time since I’ve been that blown away by a slice of pizza. I could go on and on about how good the pizza is, but you should try it for yourself. I really admire the passion the owner has for the pizza making craft and this passion shines through in the taste of the pizza. If you love pizza, Paulie's Pizzeria deserves a visit.
DIRECTIONS Go to Gwanghwamun Station - Line 5 (purple) Take exit 3 and make a u-turn Immediately turn right at the next road and walk straight Walk until you see the Korean archaeological site Then the building will be on your right Walk through the doors and go to the second floor Enjoy the pizza |
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