대한민국 - South Korea

Hiya! Le Sister here! 

I know I've promised this post since weeks ago, heehhehe 

Sorry! As always /.\

Anyways! I was in South Korea for about 5 weeks! And it definitely wasn't enough!

Mommy can I just stay there forever? :D

It was dead winter when we were there, during the first few days the temperature was the lowest for that winter. Daydreaming about the next trip and it should probably be fall/spring :D

Anyways. Focus. Food blog. Ok. 

The Traditional Must Eats

What's a trip to South Korea without 비빔밥 Bibimbap? There are different types of ingredients to go in your Bibimbap, you can add in any ingredients actually and it'll still be Bibimbap. The one we had in the picture is 고기비빔밥 Beef Bibimbap. 

We've had ours at MyeongDong Lotte Dept Store, I don't remember it being pricey but look at that heap of meat! We ordered a Large size, and for 2 girls it was definitely enough. 

Fire meat! The direct translation for 불고기 Bulgogi. Hahahah

The best ones that we've had was from Bulgogi Brothers, they do have a branch here at Lotte Shopping Avenue, but please please just avoid the one here and go to the one in Korea. 

They have branches everywhere, and we chose Hongdae area as it's personally one of my favourite spots for everything; to hangout, eat, sing, dance, shop, or simply just to people watch.

Ginseng Chicken Soup, or more commonly known as 삼계탕 Samgyetang; is a summer must eat for Locals. Chicken stuffed with ginseng and glutinous rice, it's a summer dish as the ginseng will help to keep their body temperature lower, thus help us feel cooler during the hot heat.

For the best Samgyetang, do visit Tosokchon! If you plan on visiting during summer, try to visit earlier. We came during lunchtime and the queue was crazy epic, it made us make a u-turn. Even during winter the whole place was bustling with both locals and tourists. It tastes so clean and light, not a single drop of soup was left in the bowl.

순두부찌개 Subdubu Jiggae, one of my all-time favourite Korea dish! Our favourite one is from Dongdaemun, the street right behind the shopping malls. Though this time around we didn't manage to visit, memories of having our dinner there some 2 years ago still lingers.

본가의 우삼겹!! Woosamgyeop from Bornga! Marinated thinly sliced beef, from my favourite restaurant ever in Hongdae, Seoul! Bornga! Don't get me talking about this. I could finish 2 servings of it all on my own! Definitely one of the reasons to visit Seoul! Don't even try to compare to the Bornga here, they're on an entirely different level!

삼겹살 Samgyeopsal! What's Korea without some pork belly and soju! Though we skipped the soju, but out lovely house manager treated us to the famous 팔색 삼겹살 Palsaik Samgyeopsal! Where the pork belly is marintated in 7 different types of seasoning. Definitely a dish to share with some great peeps and chat over some soju!

My new love!! 알밥 Albab at Alchon! Alchon is a chain where they serve really affordable food for students. It's basically kinda like bibimbap, but they use fish roe, crab stick and some meat and greens. When I was obsessed, I had it 4 times in 1 week! It was THAT GOOD! Love the normal Albab and Curry Albab the most, the Jajjang Albab was just okay. Since I've been back, this is one of the dish that I miss the most ㅠㅠ

I think most of you reading this post should be familiar with this one if you've been to Seoul before, for its 명동교자 Myeongdong Gyoza!! Can't believe we didn't have time for this on our first visit, and we actually stayed at Myeongdong then! Such fluffy steamed dumplings and uber soft noodles! If you're a noodle fan like us, you would definitely go crazy! 

When in Busan, eat like the locals. Kinda. Hahahah Busan is known for the seafood as they are by the sea. We were already in Jagalchi Fish Market anyways, so a sashimi seafood is a must! This whole set is actually for 3 person, as it also comes with a pot of soup, but the 2 of us swept it almost clean. And this is coming from me, I don't eat any other sashimi other than salmon. Not sure what it's called in english, but the ones we had, had a crunchy texture to it, which was really interesting.

The Everyday Eats

One of the many fried chickens that we had. This particular one was from Kyochon Chicken.Wa~y better than the ones here, wa~y better. Those were finger licking good and didn't taste greasy at all. Can't remember the other names of the ones we've tried, there are simply too many chicken chains, and Kyochon is definitely one of the better ones!

Drama watcher should be familiar with this one, a 도시락 dosirak. It's basically rice with some tuna, kimchi, egg and seaweed in a thin metal contrainer; and you shake the whole box with all the energy inside of you until everything is mixed together. Rather than taste, it's one of the food that you eat for the experience.

Kimbab and chobab. We had kimbab every other day for breakfast, either from the convenience store or homemade one from this shop at the corner of our street. Though i'd like to say both are equally good, but seriously, who could beat a good ol' fashion homemade kimbab. We also made kimbab at our guesthouse, together with the awesome house manager's adorable 3 kids. Such great memories.

Another one of my favourite breakfast option, bread and drink from the local bakery of convenience store. (You could probably tell that I love the convenience store. I really do visit it almost every day for 5 weeks.) This one in particular is awesome! It's a sandwich, but the bread is made like croissant, with it's many layer and flakiness. Happiness in every bite! And only for ₩2,000, what more could I ask for.

A warm bowl of Udong to beat the chilly winter nights. I'm aware it's not exactly 'korean food', but you can find it easily at every other mom and pop shop. Cheap and filling supper that won't make you feel bloated the next day. Other than Udong and Kimbab, I'd be getting a bowl of Eomuk from the same shop, the portion is so huge and cheap, makes me so happy!

The Street Eats

떡볶이! I guess you guys don't need any further introduction on this one, Ddeokbokki, or rice cake. Fluffy chewy rice cake, with some fish cake coated in red pepper paste. It's almost lunchtime time now in the office and I'm salivating just by looking at them. Oh! You could ask for refills on the broth, which is heavenly with a stick of fish cake during the dead winter.

I don't think there's a specific name for this, but it's grilled ddeok and sausage. Had this on one of my shopping trips in Myeongdong and it's quite filling. Enough to last me 2 hours of non-stop shopping :)

One of the trends when we were there was waffles with cream. What originally attracted us to this cart was the kitchenaid mixer. We did eventually try it after dinner, and they were yummy! They were always surrounded with a crowd every time we passed by.

The New Eats

Modern take on the traditional Ddeokbokki; Carbonara Ddeokbokki! Though both Ddeokbokki and Carbonara are both one of my favourite foods, I'd rather have them separately. Not that it didn't taste good, but I'd like my Ddeokbokki the good old way. 

Ask any of the people I'm close with, they'd tell you that I don't eat any shellfish. At buffets where others would make a beeline to the oyster bar, I would slip away to other stations.

The back story was that a friend and her family was visiting while I was there; and they chose this well-known restaurant in Myeongdong. The whole menu revolves around shellfishes! Being a guest it would be totally rude to sit out of dinner.

Boy am I glad I forced myself to eat! They tasted heavenly! Out of 10 of us, I was one of the last ones to put my chopsticks down. Pretty sure they were just steamed and then drenched with seasoned Gochujang paste, but it was so so addictive! Never have I had so much shellfish in 1 seating.

Not that we were bored with Korean food, but there are many pasta places scattered around Seoul. So if you think you might not enjoy Korean food, fret not, there are many other options as well :)

Grill 5 Taco! JUST LOOK AT THAT CHEESE! Their fries are crazy good! Skip everything and just head in and order some fries!

Aren't they pretty! They tastes as good, or better even, than they look! Which rarely happens here in Jakarta. Even though they were located kinda far from where we were, that didn't stopped us from coming back for more!

One of the cafés along Garosugil, one of my favourite district is Seoul! I'd visit the street every other day, even if it took almost an hour ride, because it never fails to sweep me away. Just the street alone, it's pretty. And it's filled with pretty shops and cafes. Hop in into any random cafe, bring along a book or simply people watch :) 

Another dessert from one of our visits to Garosugil.

You might think it's some fancy smanchy cake shoppe, but it's actually Baskin Robbins! Aren't they adorable! Look at that unicorn! They even had an Olaf cake when The movie 'Frozen' came out.

And their flavours options are crazy, they totes carry 31 flavours, and uniques ones! I'd kill to have a pint of Korea's Baskin Robbins right now. 

The latest spring trend (prepared this post since Springtime in Korea, and now it's already full-on summer. Heheheh) Macaron ice cream! And soft serve ice cream and popcorn ice cream was a hit too! 

Why can't we have such cute trends here too :( 

_______________________________________

I didn't specify much restaurant or locations, but feel free to drop me a comment or email if you want to know more about the foods in Korea, or simply anything about Korea. :) 

I can guarantee you that you'll have a ball of a time when in Seoul! Hope the post comes out right on time for those of you travelling for the Lebaran holidays.

Thank you for reading:):)

[Review] Hide Yamamoto

Hide Yamamoto, a renowned Japanese Chef, has cooked for 3 generations of US president, Reagen, Clinton and Bush. He has finally set sail and opened his sixth restaurant here in Lotte Shopping Avenue, less than a month ago. We were more than excited when we saw his name show up on the screen while browsing through the restaurant index.

The restaurant is divided in sections where patrons can chose where they would like to sit, namely Sushi, Robata, Teppanyaki and a dining area. Where you sit does not limit the food that you are allowed to order, it just gives a different vibe as they have chefs stationed at each section side for the dining area. 

The have 3 lunch set menu which they serve everyday, ranging from 200-350thousand; and a teppan set menu that they serve all day everyday at 300thousand. They also have an extensive a la carte menu for more choices. 

We went for 2 sets of the lunch set menu, where we selected different items for more variety.

 

First Course, salad and sesame paste tofu. Between the 2, we recommend going for the Tofu, the texture is denser than the regular tofu but it has a distinct taste that would make us come back for more.

Second Course, assorted sashimi & roll, and vegetable and tiger prawn tempura. Air flown sashimi from Japan's very own Tsujiki Market, with fresh wasabi; and a plate of good ol' tempura. Though choice, but personally we'd go for the tempura, their dipping sauce is different from the ones we get from anything we've ever had. It's light but still has that kick in it.

Third Course, mini soy based ramen and mini kaisen don. Hands down the kaisen don win this round, however the ramen is not to be missed as well. The ramen broth is made with chicken stock, yet it's milky thick which made us thought it was pork based. The ramen itself is the problem, so a little improvement on the noodle would made it much more delightful.

The perfect dessert to end the meal, raspberry and lemon sorbet.

Overall, we had a good hearty lunch. Though the price might seem a little steep, but given the reputation and quality it was definitely worth every cent. Their service is also one to take note off, which we totally appreciate.There will most definitely be second visit. Do stop by earlier to get the prime middle seat of each station.

Hide Yamamoto

Lotte Shopping Avenue

5th floor - 02

Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav 3-5

South Jakarta

Telephone : (021) 298 89500

Operating Hours :

Monday - Saturday : Lunch 11AM - 3PM // Dinner 6PM - 11PM

Sunday & Public Holiday : Lunch 11Am - 3PM // Dinner 5PM - 10PM 

(Last order is 30minutes before closing time)

[Review] Bulgogi Brothers

Hailing all the way from South Korea, with the help of the 'Korean Wave', Bulgogi Brothers opened it's first branch here in Jakarta at Lotte Shopping Avenue. Visited Bulgogi Brothers quite a while ago, a week after its opening, for some bites to eat before dinner. We've heard nothing but good words on Bulgogi Brothers from Le Cousins E, he recommends everyone whose visiting South Korea to give it a try.

The 반찬 - side dishes.

The corn soup, on the house. The soup came nice and hot, it was sweet, so you'll either love it or hate it. Taste-wise, they reminded us of the corn flavoured Cheetos, minus the saltiness and MSG.

Haemul Gungjung Mandu (M) - 110thousand

Deep fried seafood dumplings, served with a medley of mussels, shrimp and squid tossed in their homemade spicy sauce. The filling consisted of the same ingredients medley, and tasted like siomay, unlike the regular Mandus that is filled with meat. Given the freshness and amount of seafood, it wasn't that expensive.

Bulgogi Brothers Special (400gr) - 275thousand

A combination of Unyang and Gwangyang Bulgogi - Unyang Bulgogi is a royal dish made from minced beef seasoned with Unyang Sauce and hand=pressed into hearts, whereas, Gwangyang Bulgogi is thinly sliced beef seasoned with Gwangyang sauce, served with mushroom, sweet potatoes, leeks and onion.

You could order these two dishes individually, while the Special would save you 35thousand. They both ended up tasting similar, both so so good, soft and tender. But if we were to choose 1 to eat again, we'd go for the Gwangyang Bulgogi.

A complimentary cup of maesil cha (plum tea) to end a hearty 'tea time'.

To end the post, even though we like each dishes individually, we won't be craving for them. We'd probably be back to try their other dishes, as they also serve soups, bibimbap, noodles and every others dishes found in a typical Korean restaurant.

Bulgogi Brothers

Lotte Shopping Avenue

3rd floor, unit C08-C09

Jl. Prof. Dr. Satrio Kav 3-5

South Jakarta

Telephone : (021) 2988 9340

Operating Hours :

Monday - Sunday : 10AM-10PM

[Review] Bibigo

Striving to serve their customers with healthy and fresh Korean food, Bibigo is a Korean restaurant chain that has opened their doors in several countries, including US and UK, and most recently, Indonesia.

Pajeon; Seafood Pancake - 55thousand

It is a Korean style pancake, with leeks, squid and shrimp; and served with citrus soy sauce.This is slightly different than the normal 'pajeon' we've had previously which had a thick coat of eggs and flour; whereas this had an abundant amount of what they state in the menu - leek, squid and shrimp. Although it was slightly oily, we'd still give it a thumbs up.

Hot Stone Galbi - 180thousand

Char-grilled beef short ribs marinated in bibigo barbeque sauce. This is perfection served on a plate! It was perfectly seasoned, soft and tender beef, absolutely no complains about it.

Spicy Beef Soup Bansang - 95thousand

Spicy beef soup boiled with bracken, leek, mushroom and beansprouts, served with rice and banchans. The soup is mild, yet there is that spiciness that kicks at the same time. Normally "Yukgaejang" tends to taste heavy, but this was light and clean. A good switch from our go-to Sundubu (Tofu) Soup, which we've heard raves from our cousins.

Bibigo Ice Flakes - 45thousand

A summer staple in Korea, shaved ice with sweet red bean and ice cream. With this dish, you need to mix all the ingredients together, like what you'd do to Bibimbap. Such simple ingredients but tastes amazing, a good dessert to end the meal.

Bubble Pop - 45thousand

A harmony between tropical fruits such as pineapple, guava and mango. We were expecting something more tropical, but we can't taste any of the tropical fruits as the grenadine syrup was a little too overwhelming.

Overall we had a good meal, they definitely performed what they aim to serve, which is healthy and fresh Korean food. We came out of the restaurant feeling good and all smiles. Though it was on the more expensive side, it was worth every penny paid. We'll definitely be back, so look out for out Take 2 posts. :)

Bibigo

Pacific Place Level 4

Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 52-53

Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD)

Jakarta 12190

Telephone : (021) 5797 3011

Operation Hours:

Monday - Sunday : 10AM -10PM