Monday, May 30, 2016

Yummy Steak in Seoul

It's throwback time once again reminiscing my favorite steak house in Seoul. There are a lot of Steak restaurants in Seoul and they taste just like the same. And I don't know why this one is my favorite?! maybe the ambiance or maybe the different varieties of American and Italian dishes available.

The Beastro is located in the very heart of Seoul in Hongdae. It's actually very near Hongdae University. You can google or search their page in Facebook ( and you'll get hungry). I went there with my former colleagues at work. We were actually celebrating Christmas maybe :) I don't remember because I think It was 2 years ago...I heard you can have your favorite cocktails and wine there...Anyway, I have here some pictures taken during our dinner and I hope I still remember the menu...get hungry!

Potato rolls and garlic jam before the meal :)

For starters, we had Salmon Rilletes made with poached salmon,
house cured smoke salmon, lemon curd, preserved lemon and olives.

One of my favorite. Fried Brie in orange tomato jam.
An entire brie wheel is filled with a homemade orange jam, coated in corn meal, then deep fried! 


24 Hour Hanger Steak with beef fat roasted potatoes, radishes, garlic scapes, and onion mustard gravy

I still have a hangover on this steak!

the gang :)



The Beastro facebook page (for Koerans, they have Naver) :
https://web.facebook.com/TheBeastroSeoul


Sunday, December 21, 2014

No Stress at "No Stress Kitchen"

My friend, Apple aka Pia :) took me to this place for our late lunch in Hongdae called, "No Stress Kitchen" ...well, we were not stressed at all, but I had "stress eating"!

Located in the district of Hongdae between Hongik University Station and Hapjeong Station in Seoul, this Italian inspired restaurant is very popular among students and also for young adult like us. Good thing we had a late lunch because I heard at night especially on weekends, they are fully booked. (even on winter) So curious why, but the food says it all :) super loved their menu. Maybe you have to order the family menu/ or set, for sharing, so you can have steak, veggies and pasta, except the Lasagna - which is one of the purpose of our visit. (the craving never ends!)

I think one of the popular dish is the gorgonzola pizza or the pumpkin flavored pizza...and they have all other kinds of pizza as well. Koreans love recreating beans, pumpkins into any kind of delectable dish as long as it's do-able :)

If you are in Seoul, you can google (map) their address:  404-8 Seogyo-dong (43 Dongmak-ro 9-gil), Seoul

photo credits to Apple..thanks for the filters hehe!



The homey ambiance inside the restaurant

We ordered set meal + Lasagna

superb salad

Medium rare Steak with flavored side veggies

seafood cream pasta

free panna cotta desserts!

burp! ^_^

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Company Workshop & Christmas Party at Taekwondowon

Taekwondowon
Muju, South Korea

Last year we didn't have a get-together like this one. But I guess the event was worth it, despite the cold and snowy weather. Taekwondowon is one of the worlds' finest and popular taekwondo headquarters. (I mean, one of the biggest) The place wherein education, training and research into Taekwondo to create and diffuse its culture and values with state of the art facilities like the Arena, Museum, Theater and Hotel. Our two day activity stretched with planning, christmas party, taekwondo workshop and exploring the their facilities. The fun filled experience ended with the showing of Taekwondo exhibition in their theater, which was incredibly exhilarating.  I took some videos you can check out below...

If you want to know more about the place and how you can get there, you can visit their website: www.tkdwon.kr/eng/

The T1 Arena



The balcony in our hotel


대한 제강 Workshop & Christmas Party








Monday, September 22, 2014

One Fine Day at Everland

Samsung Everland
September 20, 2014

Though this trip was planned during our long holiday in Chuseok, my friend Leck and I finally pulled it through last weekend.

Going there is not that difficult but maybe it was just 'one fine day' because we were able to escape the huge crowd of 'major' holidays in Korea. If you will go there in time for long weekends, chances are you're gonna suffer long lines for the bus and of course those killer rides in Everland.

There's actually several ways to go there. You can go there by train but the travel time is longer than taking a bus. It would save you an hour maybe. The easiest way from Seoul going to Everland is to take the bus from Gangnam Station, take the exit 3 then walk straight through around 300 meters. There's a bus stop there, and you should be getting on red bus no. 5002. From there it will take you all the way to Everland. But that's not it, you will actually get off by the terminal then there's a shuttle bus going to Carribean Bay (man-made beach) and Everland.So there, you can buy your tickets. We actually bought the ticket at Cosmojin Office near City Hall to get a discount for foreign residents.  Or you can visit the site for more info:  http://www.cosmojin.com/eng/main.asp

My friend and I are actually not interested with rides, so I cannot feature those rides (you just might check out the link.

Courses and Amenities featured on their website for more info:
http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/everland_guide/coureses/Recommended_courses.html

This month's theme (Sept-Nov) is Halloween








Friday, July 25, 2014

My Korean Food Hub

I realize, I have over a hundred of pictures taken, of some of the food which are absolutely gastronomic and totally a top notch on my cravings! Since last year, I have sorted out this pictures from all kinds of authentic Korean Barbecues, to Steaks, Sea foods, soups, coffee, sweet treats and even street foods!

Most of the foods that you will see here are treats from work, because truly, some of them are expensive. Anyway, when in Seoul, never miss out to try their one of a kind cuisines.

Mokega-seyo! (Let's Eat!)


Korean Barbecues

Koreans love to grill any food: meat, sea foods or veggies. My first grilled experience was duck in Busan, (Not in Seoul, but there's a lot anywhere in Korea) Then the original one, Pork, Beef and Chicken. Pork is "samgyeupsal", Beef is "K/Galbi" and Chicken is "Dakgalbi". The most expensive ones are beef, well no need to explain why :)

This is Duck. I remember the restaurant is in Namison on our way to Nami Island. It's really good with "samjang"!


This is one of my favorite! "Dakgalbi" Chicken Barbecue :)
Dakgalbi restaurants are everywhere in Seoul

The grilled duck in Busan


The famous "Samgyeupsal", or Pork Barbecue
You can almost find samgyeupsal restaurants in every corner of Seoul

Grilled Beef is expensive than Pork :) but this one is the best, we had this at Gangwhon Province.

This bacon sliced pork is another version of their "samgyeupsal" and they are easy to cook :)

This is not barbecue, it's called "Jokbal". Jokbal is a steamed pig feet with semi sweet taste.
It's like our version of Patatim, but patatim is more saucy and sweeter than Jokbal

Kimchi/ Korean Soup

During my first year here in Seoul, I hated kimchi so much. Maybe I was getting fed up of it (lol!) because it is always served in every restaurants here. Some houses and establishments here smells kimchi already. When they started serving me kimchi soup, I wanted to curse them (joke)! But months have passed, I fell in love with Kimchi Jigue. This is a kimchi soup with meat and it almost tasted like "pork sinigang" or maybe I just missed sinigang! The only difference is -- they are too hot and spicy! At first I wasn't used to it... but I don't know why I easily adopted to the level of their hot spices. Maybe because the consistency of the spices doesn't stay longer in my tongue, unlike 'sili labuyo"... There are many kinds of "jigue" here. And the one I love most is their "bude jigue" a combination of noodles, in kimchi soup with sausages, ham and tofu!

My all-time favorite during lunchtime especially on winter, Bude Jigue!



This is one the Korean's comfort food- "Kimchi Jigue"

Korean Shabu shabu  (this one is beef version, they also have in seafood).
I remember this was during my birthday last year. This kind of food here is expensive though.

This is like our version of Aroz Caldo. In Korea, it's called "Samgyetang" or ginseng chiken soup. It's a very
popular dish but come summer, the whole nation will eat this on "Bok days". Bok days are the three hottest
days of the year according to Lunar calendar. Summer is the season right before the autumn harvest when people work the hardest. It is believed in the old Korean history, farmers being exposed to the scorching heat while working the fields left many dehydrated and fatigued, so on Bok days people would take a break, feast on foods to replenish their strength and stamina and frolic in cool streams and rivers.


Noodles & Pokumbap (Kimchi Fried Rice)

Noodles are traditional food of Asians. Here in Seoul, they have so many different kind of twists in making a noodle, one of a kind cuisine. An example is the "jajameun" , a noodle with a sauce made of bean paste with sea foods, pork or chicken.

This one is called, "Jimdak", chicken in rice noodles

This is a Cold Noodle with Vegetables. Koreans love eating cold noodles after drinking soju or mekju.
They also called this Hangover Noodles:)

Cheese Ramen


Korean fried rice with Cheese,  next picture is my sister enjoying the mozzarella cheese!



Sea Foods

Koreans naturally love eating seafoods. They also have their version of "Sinigang na Isda" with vegetables. They also love oysters but, that I can't enjoy because of my allergies :( Seafoods here are also quite expensive.

My favorite Sashimi at Namdaemun, a treat from my former Team mates



Oysters at Pier17 in Gangnam

Sea shells found in the river, they are truly delicious!
In Namdaemun market there are lot of seafood restaurants which are cheaper and
it's concept are more of like our own version of "Dampa".

Steaks and Burgers

They also love western foods, of course at times they are also like us, craving for an alternative, but not my boss. Outback, Bennigans and Ashleys are some of the restos that I tried. There's a lot of Steak house in Hongdae and maybe one of these days I might give a try.
The best Steak at Bennigans

Somewhere in Itaewon, they have the best tower burger!

The Chili Fries are the best at Seoul Tower!



Bennigans has chili wings too!

One of my hubby's favorite at Bennigans...their freshly baked buns.

Ribs! Just can't get enough of it at Bennigans.

 Coffee and Sweets 

Korea is home to a lot of coffee shops. Most of them are so unique and highly conceptualized to suit the relaxing ambiance for a coffee drinker. And I have a lot, yet to discover...There's a lot in Hongdae but I haven't gone inside yet, maybe before the year ends because 2 months later, fall and winter will be coming. This are some just of my few discoveries near my place here in central Seoul.

Café T at Insadong, they have a very artistic presentation  of their coffee.



His and Hers (Green tea Latte and Café Mocha) at T Café.

Heavenly coffee treat at "Jesus Coffee" near Sookmyung University Station
Sweet treat from Mango Six


Coffee Prince at Hongdae

Coffee Prince has the best cheesecake!  (their coffee and cakes are expensive) 

Moist and very Red Velvet Cupcakes, only at Cafe 81/2 in Hongdae!




Banana Split Waffle at Bins Beans Cafe
Oh-My-Baby Mini Cheesecake is something I always look forward to at Paris Croissant! So yummy!

NY Cronut is sinfully sweet at Lotte Supermarket
Red Velvet & Tiramisu at Hummingbird Bella in Hongdae


Street Foodie

Uniquely delectable Korean Street foods are almost everywhere in the streets of Seoul. One of the famous are those similar with Chinese Kikiam or Fish Cakes with hotdogs and "topokki".  I also like "sundae" that is made of pig's blood with noodles wrapped in pig's intestine, interesting right? But what makes them really delicious is their sweet and spicy pepper sauce.

Assorted Korean Dimsum :)


A variation of crab meat, topokki, and sausage. This is so yummy with mustard and ketsup.




Drinks

Koreans' traditional alcohol drink is Soju. They also have another version of soju made of rice, or the Korean rice wine. I'm not a fan of soju but whenever they offer me one, I have to mix it with mekju (beer) or Cola. Below are some of the cocktails I enjoyed here, so far.

Soju is better when mixed with Mekju (beer) but it's double the consequence you have to pay! :)) 

Samsachun white wine is better than Soju. 

Cocktails we tried at Pier 17 in Gangnam. I want to drink this again!
 Cheers!

I hope I didn't made you feel hungry...this blog is not yet over, I still have many more days to taste and discover more foods here! :)) until then.