Checking out BAU HOUSE: a Korean dog café!

Posted on August 15, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Today I went with a friend to a dog café!

These kinds of pet cafés are pretty popular in Korea. The concept is pretty simple: enjoy a cup of coffee while playing with the resident dogs, or bring your own!

I went with my friend Erin, who’d found the place (located in Hongdae) online. It’s called “BAU HOUSE” – a clever play on words from Bauhaus.

I’d read online that the coffee would be pretty expensive, as it essentially acts as your admission fee. One Americano will set you back around $6, but the fun atmosphere is worth it!

The main area of Bau House

The dogs would even walk up on the railing!

Just chillin’!

Two dogs came to vissit after they saw Erin with snacks!

Erin doing “shake a paw!!” with the big dog

Me feeding some of the dogs!

This dog came up to Erin wanting to play fetch!

The resident dogs at Bau House

This dog was a bit strange

…Or maybe he was just too tired!

Loved this little furball!

Erin and I loved this dog – he (or she) looked so regal! He was sitting on that stool so still, calm and composed for at least 20 or 30 minutes ^^

The little guy again!

He was sniffing my camera ^^

A cozy spot under the cash register!

One of the other customers’ dogs; looks like this little guy had enough fun for today!

Loved this dog!

The private area/front end of Bau House

Looking into Bau House

Info:

Hours: 1:30pm – 11:00pm weekdays; 12:30pm – 11:00pm weekends.
Address (English): 394-44 Seogyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul. (Je-il Building, rear entrance, 1st floor)
Address (Korean): 서울특별시 마포구 서교동 394-44 제일빌딩 후면 1층
Phone: 02-334-5152
Location: Hapjeong Station (Line 2): It’s in the black shiny building between Exit 3 and 4. Can’t miss it!

Vietnamese Food at Little Saigon, Gangnam

Posted on August 14, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

For tonight’s dinner, I was feeling hungry a bit early and decided to stop by “Little Saigon”.

Little Saigon is a Vietnamese restaurant located about five minutes from Sinnonhyeon Station or 5-10 minutes from Gangnam Station, right behind Kyobo Tower.

Each time I’ve walk past it on my way home during dinner time, it’s been packed with people. I thought I’d pop in and see if it was alright. Decent Vietnamese food is pretty hard to come by in Korea, as most of the time it’s been too watered down (pho) or is just generally quite bland.

Little Saigon was pretty decent though!

Sweet chili sauce, sliced radish and peanut sauce

The salad rolls/goi con

I had intended to just order one piece of salad rolls (2,000w / $2.00), but the waiter brought out the platter, which was four pieces. It was probably my fault because of the language barrier, but I asked the waiter anyways when he set it down. He apologized and said you could only order one piece at lunch time, but went and changed the bill anyways (and didn’t take the extra salad rolls back! Really nice).

Stirfried noods with little pieces of samgyeopsal (Korean-style pork belly)

The noodles I ordered were awesome. They came with stir-fried veggies and bean sprouts, plus juicy morsels of samgyeopsal, Korean-style pork belly (like really thick bacon). The plate was probably big enough to feed two people.

I tried so hard to get a decent photo of the noodles with my chopsticks! It’s hard to hold them in one and and use the camera (sans-viewfinder) though T^T

(See caption above!)
This is one of the pieces of samgyeopsal, which were done really well.

You have no idea how hard I tried (and how idiotic I looked) to finally get a semi-decent photo of one of the goi con pieces.

The restaurant interior

Outside Little Saigon

Overall, a delicious experience!

Directions:

Gangnam Station (Line 2, Exit 9): Walk straight down the clubbing/bar street for about 5-10 minutes until you see the big Paris Baguette Café. Hang a left, and Little Saigon will be on your left on the ground floor.
Sinnonhyeon Station (Line 9, Exit 6): Walk down Gangnam U-Street (Gangnamdaero) until you see Paris Baguette Café on your right. Turn right, walk straight for about two minutes, and Little Saigon will be dead ahead.

Café Oui in Garosugil (카페 위 가로수길)

Posted on August 13, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Today I visited possibly my new favourite café in Seoul!

Café Oui is located just off the main street Seoul’s glam Garosugil neighbourhood, accesible via Sinsa Station (Line 3, Exit 8).

Garosugil is a haven for fashionistas, photographers, and style-seekers. But, with trendy atmospheres come “trendy prices”, as I discovered upon getting the menu at Café Oui!

Main dishes

Desserts and other stuff

Drinks

Yep, that’s $7.50 (7,500w) for an iced americano! You pay for the atmosphere though, which I must say was well worth it.

Cocktails and wine

I decided to order the top-selling “white choco mocha cupcake”. At $6, yes, it was just a tad pricey!

I should’ve taken a photo of inside the cupcake though – it had a really dense fudgey filling that went well with the subtly-flavoured mocha buttercream frosting.

…Brace yourselves! Lots of cupcake photos coming up!

…And I think you got the picture! 🙂

Now, for some photos of the café’s interior:

One of the upstairs rooms

My table in the centre (the curtained-off booth in the back-right corner was really cute!)

The main upstairs room

Vintage map of Paris – I like!

Animal characters on the staircase

Table with all the baked goods (pie, “smile bread”, etc)

A little blurry – cabinet next to the kitchen

Staircase leading upstairs

Cooler with more baked goods in it

“Animal heads” on the wall

Downstairs area

I love the shabby-chic, French-countryside, Indie-ish sort of vibe they went with.

It has everything I would love to have in a house: high ceilings, hardwood floors, bright spaces, and a wonderfully girly and cute kitchen (one world: lace doilies!).

Giraffe and garden in the front

Garden cafe

Café Oui’s hours

Café Oui from the front

Overall, a cute place to go for coffee with the girls, or perhaps on a date! Also a nice place to do homework, though perhaps not on a regular basis (I can’t believe I paid $7.50 for an Americano… $7.50 for an Americano…). Anyways, I’d definitely recommend it for all of your girly café needs in Seoul!

Directions:

Take Line #3 to Sinsa Station. Take exit 8, and follow the directions to Garosugil (walk straight for about 5-10 minutes, and turn left onto the street that says “Garosugil”).

Once you’re on Garosugil, keep walking on the left side until you see Beans Bins Café. Turn left. Walk straight one block, then turn right at the mini intersection. Keep walking straight until you see the 7-11, then turn left. Café Oui will be on your right.

Exploring Ansan’s Asia Village + Lunch at Samarkand Uzbek Kafé

Posted on August 13, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

After hearing countless people recommend grabbing some affordable and authentic Asian fare in Asan city’s international area, I decided it was time to make the 1.5 hour trip south of Seoul to check out what the buzz was about.

While Seoul’s Itaewon area usually gets all the attention for offering the best foreign food, the truth is that it is largely dominated by Western immigrants, with cuisine to match (American, French, Canadian, South African, Italian, etc).

Despite the fact that a few non-Western restaurants can indeed be found in Itaewon, many expats seem to agree that the most authentic and budget-friendly Asian foods lie in Ansan, a city a short commute south of Seoul.

Ansan doesn’t exactly have a pristine reputation among Koreans, due to the higher crime rates attributed to migrant Asian workers there (“Ansan – Ghetto or Mulitcultural Enclave?”). However, I must say that I didn’t feel unsafe at all walking around the international Wongok-dong neighbourhood. In fact, I found that the people were more friendly than in Seoul!

Here’s what I did this afternoon:

Thai restaurant to the left of the main street entrance

Looking eastward from the front street

Vietnamese restaurant outside the Asian village

Vietnamese dishes

A sign pointing to the main street of the Asian vilalge

Indonesian food

One of the first buildings you see upon entering Ansan

After walking down the main drag for a couple blocks, I hit this centrally-located park. It was pretty much empty, and (at least in my opinion) ugly. I boosted the colour and contrast in these photos; in reality, the park looks like a grim Soviet-era artefact. Maybe if they got rid of the concrete and added grass instead…

A park in the centre of Ansan’s Asia Vilalge

A monument in the Asian village park

“Eid Mubarak” message from Woori Bank nearby the park

The global monument in the park

“Thank you” messages in various languages on the steps of the monument

A faded mural of famous Asian icons in the park

The names of the Asian figures

The park facing southward

A sign in the park

A map of Ansan’s Asian village in the park

Lovely!

No peeing in the park!

Another restaurant

The main drag of Asia town

Dog meat (the sign was covering up the meat in the display case)

A street filled with Chinese restaurants

Artwork outside an administrative building

A message from your local government!

Himalayan restaurant

Real estate agency for migrant workers

After strolling around a bit, I finally happened on Samarkand Kafé, a Uzbek restaurant that had received good reviews online. I awkwardly walked in, not sure whether or not I should do the usual head-nod/bow and “annyeonghasseyo!” (“hello!”) that Korean etiquette requires, since the server was (obviously) from Uzbekistan.

Various dishes on offering…

I decided to order one “samsa” (spiced meat and rice-filled pastry) as a starter, based on the couple reviews I read online. Good. freaking. choice.

After another awkward fumbling around with words and culture (the server thought I was Uzbek and spoke to me in the corresponding language), I was brought a steaming warm pastry…

A samsa (3,000w / $3.00)

The samsa was made out of flaky pastry, and filled with meat, spices and rice

It was absolutely delicious, though definitely more of a wintery comfort food than something to eat on a hot, humid day! I didn’t care though; it was so good.

“Plov” – lamb meat, served on top of sliced carrots and a rice pilaf (7,000w / $7.00)

For my main, I ordered the also highly-recommended “plov”: tender lamb meat, served with carrots and a rice pilaf. The portion was huge!

I’d read online that Uzbek cuisine is pretty oily, and heavy on the meat and starch. This is true. Again, I’d suggest this type of food for a more wintry day. But yes, again, it was so good that I ate my fill of it!

SO delicious!

Give me mooooore

So much meat! The plov was very heavy and filling. A bargain for $7.

The outdoor seating section of Samarkland

Samarkland from the outside

After stuffing myself at Samarkand, I made my way back to the station, content that I’d tried something new today.

A Chinese-inspired model outside a cellphone shop

Heading south down the main drag back to Ansan Sation

Staring northward from Ansan Station, towards Ansan’s Asian village

Ansan Station

To get to Ansan Station, take Line #4 Oido-bound and get off at Ansan Station. Leave through Exit 1, and walk straight across the road, using the underpasses. From there, you’ll hit the entrance to Wonggok-dong (ie: Ansan Asia town).

From there, you’ll find lots of different Southeast Asian and Chinese restaurants.

To get to Samarkand Uzbek Kafé, walk two blocks north of the entrance along the main street. Turn left, and Samarkand will be on your left.

The Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian and Chinese restaurants are too many to count.

However, I’ve read all over the web that the best Indian food in Korea is served at Ansan’s Kantipur restaurant. I considered visiting, but decided to go for Uzbek food (because come on, when’s the next time I’m going to get to eat that??). If you’re interested in dining at Kantipur, check out “The Moose” blog for a review and photos.

Otherwise, I’d recommend just walking around Ansan and seeing what tricks your fancy! The choices are endless.

A Stroll through Samcheong-dong (삼청동)

Posted on August 13, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Yesterday, I decided to head north of the river and explore Seoul’s Samcheong-dong (삼청동) neighbourhood.

Located just north of Anguk Station and the traditional area of Insadong, Samcheong-dong boasts a number of artsy cafés, boutiques, and restaurants.

Despite the sweltering heat and humidity, I decided to head out for a quick jaunt – and by “quick jaunt”, I mean that I walked across the city from Gwangjang Market! It was worth it though, since it was the first time Seoul’s been sunny for a while, in this summer that many are dubbing “the longest monsoon season ever”.

Anyways, here are some photos I snapped up during my stroll:

(PS: check out my review of Café W.E., a fantastic Korean-Western fusion dessert café located in Samcheong-dong)

Walking past Deoksugung Palace (덕수궁) on my way from Gwangjang Market

A bicycle outside a cafe

Wall painting near the southern entrance to Samcheong-dong

Typical Samcheong-dong café fare: ice cream waffles and other sweet treats!

Graffitied doors on a traditional Korean house (hanok) restaurant

Cute clothes

Jewelry on sale

The tree-lined street of Samcheong-dong

Jewelry boutique having a sale

Bus #11, which takes you to downtown Seoul, Gyeonbokgung Palace, Seoul Station, and Namdaemun Market.

Interesting sculpture near the entrance to Samcheong-dong

Random storefront

Animal knick-knacks

Art gallery

Funky Starbucks-inspired set – they were cheap! Too bad the gallery was closed.

At the gallery

Alleyway in Samcheong-dong

Art on an alley wall

Stairs leading to a restaurant

French restaurant

Giant ring outside of a shop

Locals browsing in a boutique

Cute clothes

“Vintage” clothes

Incredibly over-priced “vintage” shop

Hello Kitty Café

Chocolate shop

Clothes for display outside

A little shrine to the Virgin Mary outside?

Cute buidling

Designer space

Retro Pie shop

Café W.E. – Korean and Western fusion, featuring things like sweet red bean fondue and hotteok pancakes!

Artsy storefront

Samcheong-dong is located downtown, right next to Seoul’s famous Gyeongbokgong Palace.

Most stores open around 10:30am-11:00am and close around 7:00pm-10:00pm.

Directions:

• Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 1) – 10 minutes on foot
• Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3, Exit 5) – 20 minutes on foot

Map of Samcheong-dong (Photo: Visit Korea)

Korean Fusion Dessert at Café W.E. (West ‘n East)

Posted on August 12, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

As part of my “be a tourist in your own town” week today, I decided to visited Seoul’s artsy Samcheong-dong (삼청동) area, which is accesible from Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 1).

I’d briefly visited it before last fall, but I didn’t really take any photos. So I thought I’d come back today, and do the “thing” to do in Samcheong-dong, which is browse boutiques and check out a dessert café.

Now, I’d been watching Arirang TV special that featured a new Korean-Western fusion dessert café. What caught my eye were these delicious-looking hotteok/pancake things, and the sweet red bean fondue (served with sweet, chewy rice cakes, tteok, for dipping).

–> “Hotteok – 호떡” (pronounced “hoh duck”), is a popular Korean street food, served mainly in the winter. It’s almost like a fried-pancake dumpling, made of a thin batter, and filled with sugar and powdered nuts that turn to a syrup when fried.

I looked it up online and found its name: W.E. (West ‘n East). This is supposed to acknowledge the two influences (Western and Eastern) in its cooking.

I had no intentions of going there today, but as I was wandering around the back streets of Samcheong-dong, I found it by accident. And, since I was already hungry, it seemed like a sign!

Oh, and if the Arirang video wasn’t enough, you can check out this SBS one featuring a cute Korean guy (skip to 1:14 for the review):

The service was fantastic. Upon opening the menu, I noticed that they’d just made a new fusion item: MAKKGEOLLICINNO (makgeolli + frappuccino). I was ecstatic! It even came with a warning that one glass could make you drunk (sold!).

–> For those who don’t know, makgeolli is a traditional Korean rice wine, with a milky body and sweet taste.

Since I consider myself a bit of a makgeolli connoisseur, I felt I had to order it. I knew I would soon regret the decision, since my tolerance for lactose is slowly dwindling, but I felt hey – it’s my last week in Korea!

Makgeollicinno!

It was so worth it – and since I was warned upon ordering that the famous hotteok-pancakes would take about 20 minutes to prepare, it was nice to have something to snack on while waiting.

But DAMN – this thing is strong! I understand why they had the warning label ^_^ It’s also quite large. I think two people could probably share one, since it’s very heavy like a milkshake. I think I understood it as being a makgeolli + cappuccino but it was definitely closer to a Starbucks frappuccino.

Shortly after, the hotteok-pancakes arrived!

The hotteok/pancakes

Spectacular presentation

See how thick the hotteok are??

Need I say more?

These were divine! Definitely something for two people to share, though, since the hotteok are so thick and are STUFFED. The filling is made up of sugar, nuts and berries, an untraditional hotteok ingredient for sure.

I’m a sucker for any kind of dessert that mixes warmth with cold, so to have this warm hotteok served with ice cream was just perfection. The two create an irresistible contrast, especially if you take a bit of the peanut powder and caramel with the ice cream, and top it with the warm berry compote before eating it with a piece of hotteok. I should’ve taken a photo of that.

Looks like a warzone!

So delicious

Sadly, this was a classic case of “my eyes were bigger than my stomach”, so I felt very bad to have to waste so much.

I felt like Buddha walking out though – calm, content, and with a fat belly!

Interior in the front

Hallway leading to the back

The kitchen and front end

Tables in the front

Banner outside the restaurant

W.e.: “West and East”

Restaurant exterior

Café W.E. also has locations in Hongdae and Sinsa-dong.

To get to the one in Samcheong-dong, follow the map on Café W.E.’s website here.

Their menu is also online here.

Hours: 11:00am to 11:00pm from Monday to Friday; 12:00pm to 10:00pm on Sundays
Subway: Anguk Station (Line 3, Exit 1)
Address (Korean): 서울 종로구 팔판동 43-2 [더블유이]
Address (English): W, 43-2, Palpan-dong, Jongro-gu, Seoul
Phone: +82-2-739-0919
Facebook: facebook.com/WestnEast
Twitter: @WestnEast
Website: www.westneast.co.kr

Seoul’s Gwangjang Market (광장시장)

Posted on August 12, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Today I decided to take a trip to Korea’s first market: Gwangjang Shijang (Gwangjang Market – 광장시장).

The fact that I consider myself an avid shop-a-holic, plus having lived here for a year means that I was long overdue for a visit to this downtown Seoul staple.

While markets like Dongdaemun and Namdaemun seem to get a lot of attention, Gwangjang appears to go quietly unnoticed. Many friends of mine had never even heard of it, despite having lived here for quite some time.

Gwangjang’s main draws are its fabrics and textiles (many of which are supplied wholesale to other more well-known markets, in addition to being used to make Gwangjang’s famous hanboks) and its street food.

At one of the smaller entrances to the market

A hanbok store’s front display

Fabrics for sale

Walking through the market

Gift sets made from rice cakes and other snacks

The top eats at Gwangjang Market are bindatteok (빈대떡) – fried mung bean pancakes, and bibimbap (비빔밥) – mixed veggies served on top of rice with spicy chili paste.

Bibimbap is one of Korea’s signature dishes, and a favourite among international visitors. However, it’s not commonly seen as a street food, mainly because of the large space needed for its assembly.

Bindatteok is a heavy, oily dish, served best with makgeolli (막걸리) – Korean traditional rice wine. It’s also best eaten on cold, rainy days. It’s comfort food, for sure!

However, today was one of the most hot and humid days of the year, so I didn’t order any bindatteok. I wasn’t feeling hungry enough for bibimbap either, so I just looked ^_^

A woman selling mung bean pancake (bindatteok – 빈대떡)

People eating at the different vendors

Women selling pumpkin and sweet red bean porridge from giant cauldron-looking things

More hanboks

A man eating mixed veggies on rice (bibimbap – 비빔밥)

The various ingredients for bibimbap (비빔밥) are laid out. I got the impression that you get to pick and choose.

Tteok, tteok; I love tteok!

More gift sets – the octopus one caught my eye!

A woman making spicy fermented cabbage (kimchi – 김치),

More women selling bindatteok (mung bean pancake).

A woman selling various cosmetics and household products

Well, I won’t lie – Gwangjang Market didn’t really blow me away. I think if I’d tried the bindatteok or bibimbap I would’ve “gotten more” out of the experience. Otherwise, it just seemed like your typical Korean market.

I’d stay it’s still worth a visit, though!

Info:

Hours: 7:00am to 10:00pm, although some vendors may open or close later/earlier.
Subway: Jongno 5(o)-ga (Line 1, Exit 8) or Euljiro 4(sa)-ga (Lines 2 and 5, Exit 4)
Website: http://www.kwangjangmarket.co.kr/ (Korean only)

A map of Seoul’s Jongno and Dongdaemun areas – Gwangjang Market is in the top-left corner (Photo: Visit Seoul)

Lazy Sunday at the Hyundai Department Store’s Skygarden

Posted on August 11, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

As my time in Seoul is slowly coming to a close, I’ve been making a bucketlist of activities to do before leaving. Now that I’ve been here for a year, it’s almost like doing the whole “tourist in your own town” thing – and what better of a place to be a tourist than Seoul?

With a raging hangover as part of my last Saturday night in Seoul the night prior, I decided to buck up, get on the bus and go to the Hyundai Department Store in Apgujeong. I’d heard that on the rooftop they have a grass lawn and café, and I wanted to check that out.

So, with a pounding headache and a purse packed with the essentials (camera, laptop, cellphone), I went to take the bus from Sinnonhyeon to Apgujeong.

Hyundai Department Store from outside

After a short 20-minute bus ride, I’d arrived in Apgujeong. While my plan was to go directly to Hyundai Department Store, something else caught my eye. The building right next door said “Gangnam Tourist Information Center Grand Opening” on the front. I didn’t even know that there was a tourist info center in Gangnam, so I decided to make a quick detour and look inside.

The Gangnam Tourist Center; newly-opened on June 26th, 2013

I knew that the 2013 Seoul Summer Sale was currently underway, so I went inside to ask for a coupon book. The girl at the front desk gave me one, plus a free cosmetic sampler and face mask from Etude House (a popular Korean cosmetic chain store). Then she handed me a free bottle of banana milk, which tasted like heaven on such a hot and humid day.

I decided to take a little browse around. It looks like the main purpose of this tourist info branch is to promote medical tourism. Makes sense, since there are so many high quality clinics around Gangnam, largely popular with Asian tourists from China, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Since it was a Sunday afternoon, the medical consultants and interpreters who would normally be manning these booths were away. Not a huge deterrent to me, since my budget for the week doesn’t exactly include plastic surgery!

Also, there’s a KEB currency exchange booth located next to the in-house Tom ‘n’ Tom’s café.

I decided to look around a bit more…

The medical tourism consultation zone

More info on medical tourism in Gangnam

Computers for visitor use, free of charge

Café and seating for visitors

Brochures on Gangnam attractions, and an ad for Hyundai Department Store’s “100-Day Time Letter Service”

Map of Gangnam and its various districts

My swag: coupon book for the 2013 Seoul Summer Sale, a copy of SEOUL Magazine with Mimsie Ladner of Seoul Searching blog on the cover, free cosmetics, and a free banana milk

I realized after I came home though, that there’s a second floor in the center! The main focus there is “hallyu” (the Korean Wave). You can buy K-drama sets, K-pop CDs, get your makeup done, and buy souvenirs.

Here’s a map for both floors:

Gangnam Tourist Information Center – 1F (Photo: Visit Seoul)

Gangnam Tourist Information Center – 2F (Photo: Visit Seoul)

After I’d had enough time looking around at the tourist info center, I made my way next door:

Entrance to Hyundai Department Store

The flagship Hyundai Department Store is directly connected to Apgujeong Station (Line 3). The first floor houses the store’s cosmetic booths. The food court is located on B1. My plan was to grab a snack and head up to the fifth floor Skygarden Café.

Tiffany & Co inside the Hyundai Department Store

Various international and Korean-brand cosmetics on the first floor

Take the escalators down to B1, where you’ll find the food court

Department store shopping is a popular activity in Korea. Every store has its own food floor, which I’ve noticed is essentially divided up into three sections: the “market” area, made up of different stalls selling fresh food and drinks; the food court, made up of a variety of restaurants (sushi, Japanese curry, noodle soup, Western, etc) where customers order and pay at a centralized cashier booth, then sit down and wait for their number to be called; and the grocery store.

Admittedly, I’ve always been a bit scared of intimidated of ordering up there (yet I will get on a motorcycle sans-helmet with a stranger in a developing country, eat live squid, or fly across the world to live with a family I’ve never met before – yep, weird logic!). So, I just stuck to the food court.

I must say BEWARE: if you are indecisive like me, choosing something from the food court will not be a quick task! From French blueberry cheesecake, to Chinese fried prawns, to traditional Korean snacks, there is truly something for everyone here.

Candied apples at the food court

One of the bakery stalls – the crêpe cake looked pretty good!

Gourmet Korean rice cakes – much more colourful and detailed than average ones!

A more “traditional” stall – they sell different varieties of kimchi, and are a little more loud/agressive in their sales techniques ^^

Gift packs for any occasion. I like the meat one!

Another traditional stall – these guys were selling one of my favourite Korean foods, sweet, chewy rice cakes (tteok).

Making the rice cakes

The sit-down/restaurant area of the food court

More gourmet rice cakes (tteok), with prices to match! This box was about $40, whereas at an average store, they’d probably be about $15-$20

More gourmet rice cakes (tteok). I like the rose one!

Women browsing the international and domestic cheeses section

French cheese!

Gourmet chocolates

Gourmet cooking vinegars

Kitchenwares for sale on the same floor as the food court. To the left are traditional Korean serving bowls. Quite smart, actually – the metal keeps cold food cold, and hot food hot.

Finally, I made a decision: I wanted something sweet, refreshing and preferably a bit cool. Gelato seemed like a good fit, so I chose the mint flavour and made my way up to the fifth floor.

I didn’t take any photos, but the fifth floor actually houses a number of sit-down style restaurants indoors. I thought the Skygarden was the only place on that floor, and was a bit surprised to see otherwise when I got there. It took a while to find too, since the place is set up like a maze and there wasn’t a huge sign saying “SKYGARDEN THIS WAY”.

I found it, though!

Pure bliss! If only it hadn’t been so humid and hot.

I chose a table and went to go buy a coffee from the café. At 4,000w ($4) for an ice coffee, it wasn’t exactly cheap. Although these are Gangnam prices, I suppose.

My mint gelato – so nice!

My little gelato cone

I’m not really sure what these tree things were supposed to be!

Tree decorations

The garden seemed to be really popular with families. Parks, or just general community green spaces are very hard to come by in Seoul. This place is a bit of a hidden oasis.

Art on one of the walls

Lots of chairs to hang out in

My little work station

Father and son kicking a soccer ball

The Skygarden at the Apgujeong Hyundai Department Store is definitely worth a quick visit.

Here are the details:

Directions: Apgujeong station, line #3 (orange line), exit 6. Hyundai Department Store is directly connected to the station. Skygarden is on the 5th floor; food court is in B1.
Hours: 10:30am to 8:00pm; closed one Monday a month (chosen randomly)
Website: http://www.ehyundai.com/newPortal/eng/dp_main_01.jsp?swfseq=0

Map to Hyundai Department Store (Photo: Vist Korea)

Map of Apgujeong area – Hyundai Department store is at the top left (Photo: Vist Korea)

Urban Nature: Relaxing by Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Stream

Posted on July 26, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Yesterday I had some time to kill between attending a press conference for JFNK and meeting my friend for dinner.

Since the press conference (which was raising awareness about underground religion in North Korea) was held at the Korea Press Center, right in downtown Seoul, it was easy to wander around pass the time.

I decided to head down to the popular Cheonggyecheon (청계천) stream, which is 8km long. Running through the heart of Seoul, Cheonggyecheon is a great spot to sit, relax, read, take photos or enjoy a cold ice cream (which is what I did ^_^).

Most of all, it’s a great place for people-watching. You can see locals, tourists, couples, families, and the elderly all enjoying this urban oasis.

iPhonetography!

Walking near Jonggak Station

Business towers

Cheonggyecheon during 1910-1945 (photo: Seoul Metropolitan History Committee)

As you can see from the photo above, Cheonggyecheon wasn’t always a nice place. In the first half of the 20th century, it was actually a slum. Then, as Seoul began to develop, it was paved over to make room for a new highway.

In 2003, the Mayor of Seoul Lee Myung-Bak (who would go onto become the President of Korea) proposed an expensive beautification plan for Cheonggyecheon. Even today, those who visit Seoul often note that there is a lack of parks and green space – perhaps the price paid by rapid modernization. Lee’s $900 million development project was met with a lot of controversy when it was first proposed.

However, it’s since become a favourite among Seoulites both young and old.

It’s also representative of Seoul’s rapid development. When I was here in 2011, there were no plants along the river. Now, of course, that’s not the case.

That’s possibly my favourite thing about living in Korea – everything is changing (and has changed) so fast.

Cheonggyecheon stream

Staring down Cheonggyecheon stream near the KTO HQ

After wandering a bit more, I accidentally found myself in front of the Korea Tourism Organization building:

The KTO headquarters

Emotional times… I leave for Bali in less than 12 hours, and after that, only two more weeks left in Korea. Where did one year go?

Review: Bonny’s Pizza in Haebongchon

Posted on July 26, 2013 by KDtoKimchi (Gabrielle)

Last night, I had the pleasure of going out with a friend of mine to Bonny’s Pub in Haebongchon.

We chose Bonny’s because a mutual friend of ours had won a voucher for a free pizza + two beers at a charity event I helped organize back in May. Bonny’s was kind enough to donate a voucher for the raffle, but sadly, my friend couldn’t use it before she left the country.

So, she left it in the kind hands of your’s truly and our mutual friend Wang Min (whom we’d met at a Makgeolli Mamas and Papas meet-up).

Seeing as my days in this country are numbered, Wang Min and I decided to head into the hip/up-and-coming Haebongchon neighbourhood for some free pizza and beer.

Outside Bonny’s

The interior of the pub

Bonny’s is a self-serve beer pub/sports bar. Two large TV screens show “football” (what we North Americans call “soccer”) while several booths, barstool tables and chairs line the inside.

Since the place is so small, you just go up to the til to order and pay on the spot. Your server will bring you your food and draft beer, otherwise, you’re free to help yourself to the bottles in the fridges (paying first, of course!).

Wang Min and I decided to keep it classic, and ordered Bonny’s pepperoni pizza with thick crust. Bonny’s does have the option of ordering thin curst pizzas, but I’d read on some food blogs that thick was the way to go – a true “American-style” pizza.

Regular pepperoni with thick crust – 12,000w

Needless to say, it was delicious. It had a nice thick, greasy crust that reminded me of Pizza Hut-style pizza from back home. And yes, we finished the whole thing! But not without washing it down with a couple free draft beers that came with the voucher.

Bonny’s has Max beer on tap for 2,500w/glass, which is not bad at all. Wang Min treated me to a Tsingtao, which tasted deliciously refreshing on that hot summer night.

I read that Bonny’s two popular pizzas are the Beast and the Kimchi Cult…

“The Beast” – beef pizza (Photo: Bonny’s Pub, facebook)

“Kimchi Cult” home-made, organic kimchi with bacon, onion & cheese (photo: Bonny’s Pub, facebook)

I am a bit skeptical about the notion of putting kimchi on pizza… Though based on the photo Bonny’s has on their facebook page, it looks like a fairly doable concept. If I was here longer, I’d definitely give it a try.

Lots of international beers to choose from (Photo: Bonny's Pub, facebook

Over 70 brands of international beers to choose from (Photo: Bonny’s Pub, facebook)

Pizza Menu (Photo: MissLeeDa - Naver Blog)

Pizza Menu (Photo: MissLyda – Naver Blog)

If you’re looking for a thick, greasy and cheesy American-style pizza, then Bonny’s is your place.

One thing I wish I would’ve known a few months ago: Bonny’s does 4,000w unlimited Americanos on Sundays (they call it their “Hangover Special”). Pair that with a greasy 3,000w slice of pizza, and you’re good to go. Or, if you’re like some friends of mine who swear by beer as the best hangover cure, you can’t beat a 640mL bottle of Tsingtao for 5,000w.

Pizzas range in price from 8,000w (small) to 18,000w (large), with prices fluctuating depending on the toppings.

The open-air atmosphere was cool, but on such a hot and humid night, some AC would’ve felt even better!

A Korean blogger noted that there is NO hangeul menu, and that one can only order in English ^_^ Too bad for the non-English speaking Korean pizza-lovers out there, although I’m sure they’d get by okay just by pointing and grunting at the pictures (hey, that’s what I do here!).

Overall, Bonny’s seems like a pretty popular neighbourhood place. I approve.

Info:

Hours: 2:00pm to late (Monday to Friday) and 11:30am to late (Saturday, Sunday)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BonnysPub

Website: none

Phone: +82-2-792-0303

Directions: Noksapyeong Station, exit 2. Walk straight up the hill, passing the kimchi pots on your left. Keep walking for about five minutes, and Bonny’s will be on your left, right after Phillie’s Pub and across the street from Indigo. If you see the Pinoy Mart on your right, you’ve gone too far.

From KD to Kimchi

A Canadian student's adventures in the Land of the Morning Calm

Checking out BAU HOUSE: a Korean dog café!

Vietnamese Food at Little Saigon, Gangnam

Café Oui in Garosugil (카페 위 가로수길)

Exploring Ansan’s Asia Village + Lunch at Samarkand Uzbek Kafé

A Stroll through Samcheong-dong (삼청동)

Korean Fusion Dessert at Café W.E. (West ‘n East)

Seoul’s Gwangjang Market (광장시장)

Lazy Sunday at the Hyundai Department Store’s Skygarden

Urban Nature: Relaxing by Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon Stream

Review: Bonny’s Pizza in Haebongchon