The Ultimate Seoul Travel Guide for Food Lovers
 

Who says Korean dishes are all the same? For those who didn’t pay attention – Korean cuisine has a nice and exciting diversity, and it’s constantly evolving and creating trends from traditional Kimchi, Tteokbokki 떡볶이 (spicy rice cakes), and Bibimbap 비빔밥 – no, the country offers much more than that. So I explored different alleys and districts, a.k.a. – ‘dong’s, (‘neighborhood’ in Korea representing a sub-municipal level administrative unit), and you might be pleasantly surprised by the yummylicious experience! Check out: https://knycxjourneying.com/2016/06/...licious-seoul/

I have also put the subway station number with each title so you know where to look for it. (just in case the spiderweb-like Seoul subway is too complicated to navigate :P)

Itaewon doesn’t look like Korea at all. Many foreigners stay here and it felt as if I was in L.A. or Sydney. Itaewon is also an area for a fun night out: lots of bars, clubs, discos, salons, and jjimjilbang (Korea traditional bathhouse)… Itaewon could be so crowded all night long on the weekends that traffic could be still busy 4 am in the morning. Itaewon, however, looks quite different in the day. There are many restaurants serving international dishes including cuisine from India, Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Mexico.
Gogigui 고기 그리 - If you would like to try Korean BBQ you could come here for one of the best restaurants in Seoul :)
Hyehwa is an area close to Dongdaemun, which is commonly known as Daehangno. Since Seoul National University Yongon campus is nearby, the area has an exciting shopping scene and dining alleys, and vibrant nightlife.
Dak Galbi 막 갈비 or spicy stir-fried chicken, is a popular Korean dish made by stir-frying marinated diced chicken (on a sizzling hot pan at the table) in a gochujang-based sauce with sweet potatoes, cabbage, perilla leaves, scallions, tteok, and other ingredients. To me, it tastes the BEST with cheese and never, never, skip the cheese. It is also a habit for Koreans to add rice to the pot after the chicken is finished. Where to eat in Hyehwa.
Seashell hot pot in Nonhyeon and get a taste of local seafood dish!
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Chimaek 치맥, Chi-Mc! Not everyone knows Chi-Mc, or “Chimaek” – a.k.a. fried chicken and beer is a popular South Korea supper snack until the hit TV show ‘My Love from the Star’ slayed millions of super fans in entire East Asia a couple of years ago. As a result, the demand for chicken shops up-surged tremendously across the country.
Patbingsu 팥빙수​​​​​​​ What is patbingsu? In Korean, “Bingsu” means shaved ice, and “Pat” means red bean. The word, literally, is “red bean shaved ice”. While shaved ice isn’t new to food lovers, South Korea’s shaved ice has its own unique taste and style.
A traditional patbingsu consists of fine and soft shredded ice with red bean paste (pat) and condensed milk; Today, the dessert is served with various exciting toppings that include seasonal fruits, azuki beans, tteok, yogurt, matcha sauce, sometimes with a scoop of ice cream! Having a bowl of patbingsu is a popular culture among locals and it is spreading to the rest of Asia. There are many patbingsu shops in Seoul, especially Dongdaemun, Insa-dong, Myeong-dong, and Itaewon.
Juk 죽 Insa-dong is definitely the neighborhood for tourists looking for a souvenir. The entire street is filled with traditional Korean gifts from handicrafts, tea leaves, handkerchiefs, books, accessories… to designer products. It’s almost impossible to not find something nice for a friend or a loved one at home. In the quest of a perfect souvenir(s), I found Insa-dong has also quite a few nice restaurants with Korean-style tea and juk (porridge).
Ganjang Gejang 게장 Close to the Bukchon Hanok Village (or the North Village, a Korean traditional village), Anguk-dong is a relatively quiet neighborhood without tall buildings, but carefully preserved traditional houses, and mindfully decorated shops and cafes. Walking uphill visitors could enjoy a nice view of the city’s skyline, and find home-stays in traditional Korean houses. Places in Sinsa-dong’s Ganjang Gejang Alley.
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The crab is simply amazing! Tomalley (crab fat) and roe are commonly nicknamed a ‘rice thief’ as it arouses one’s appetite and one would consume a bowl of rice with the crab without noticing.


Jokbal 족발 Jokbal is a Korean dish of pig’s trotters cooked with soy sauce and spices. (Super yummy) It is usually braised in a combination of soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and rice wine. I love anything wrapped in lettuce and the trotters taste even better wrapping with miso sauce. It is kind of a “celebration” food for a group of people to enjoy (while drinking).
I was brought to two different places for Jokbal and they are both great. One is in Yangjae, and the local friend told me the Young Dong Jokbal is actually famous to the locals.
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Gogigui 고기구이 Gogigui (literally, the ‘roasting meat’) is grilling a table of marinated beef, pork, chicken, or other meats over charcoal (or nowadays, gas). There are many places doing that and it depends on your style: whether doing it freely with a big pile of meat at a very low price, or grilling meat in a perfectly clean environment with class and style.

Not sure who says Korean dishes are all the same, but this list looks great. Sundubu is another favorite of mine, because it's healthy and you get the experience of watching the egg cook.