Food trucks, like the ones found in US cities, will become legal in Korea as early as May. As part of sweeping de-regulations intended to help create jobs, the Park Geun-Hye administration will soon allow commercial trucks to be converted into moving restaurants (with wild menus). As long as food safety and cleanliness are maintained, this is a huge win for the citizens of Seoul and other big cities.
참치 야채 죽 chamchi yachae juk – tuna vegetable porridge
Good food that’s easy on the stomach. I always ask for a little extra seaweed.
잡탕볶음밥 – japtang-bokkeum-bap Stir-fried seafood medley
잡탕볶음밥 means ‘medley’ or ‘mishmash’ of things.
A new trendy meal in Seoul is called 부대볶음. It’s basically 부대찌개, army soup, but without the soup. Bean sprouts line the bottom of the pan and only a little bit of broth is used. The broth is cooked until absorbed by the vegetables, making it a mostly soup-less meal.
부대 comes from the English word ‘army’ and 볶음 means ‘fried’ or ‘pan broiled.’
Restaurant Name: 민속콩탕 minsok-kong-tang. 민속 means ‘folk’ and 콩탕 means ‘soybean soup’. It’s a small quaint soybean restaurant located in Yongin City, Geihung district, about an hour south of Seoul. The Korean Folk Village (민속촌 minsok-chon) is located directly opposite of the shop.
We ordered the 30,000Won 3-person set. It included a larger selection of food and side dishes including chestnut pancakes, soybean porridge, stinky tofu soup. Definitely recommended if you’re out to see the Folk Village.
메밀묵 memil-muk -buckwheat jelly (jelly pic on left)
도토리묵 dotori-muk -acorn jelly (jelly pic on right)
감자떡 gamja-tteok -potato mixed with rice cake (white, bottom left)
콩탕 kongtang -soybean soup (right side, immediately below)
A breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet at 홍익 돈까스 (Hong-ik Don-kkaseu) in Yongin city, Gyeonggi Province. Includes rice and udon noodles cooked in olive oil sauce. 8,900Won. Hong-ik is a chain restaurant with many locations in Gyeonggi and a branch in Seoul’s Dongdaemun neighborhood.
The pork cutlets are handmade and the deep fry oil is changed twice a day. Get there early as there’s usually a line during lunch and dinner hours.
