SomiSomi is a Korean-American desert chain with 30 locations in the U.S. Founded in LA in 2016, the Korea chain specializes in a version of Japanese tayaki (fish-shaped deserts) that’s stuffed with soft serve ice cream and covered with a choice of toppings. Called bungeo‑ppang (붕어빵) in Korea, SomiSomi’s version is known as “ah‑boong” (아붕), a take on the dessert.
Serving salads, poke bowls, wraps, hot bowls, sandwiches, and soup, Salady is a Seoul chain with 6 locations. We visited the Seoul Gangnam location.
Tucked along the peaceful Yangjae Stream in Dogok-dong (도곡), you’ll find a charming lineup of cafés, bakeries, and restaurants perfect for a relaxing stroll or a quiet bite. One standout is Sim Jae (心斋), a specialty dessert café known for its creative fusion-style cakes sold by the slice. While this location focuses on cakes, Sim Jae’s other branches also serve up tarts, bagels, brownies, and a variety of other handcrafted treats—each one as thoughtfully made as its serene name suggests.
유자쌍화 (Yuja Ssanghwa) is a Korean herbal tea that blends yuja (yuzu citrus) with ssanghwa, a traditional tonic made from multiple medicinal herbs.
The drink is known for its immune-boosting, energizing, and warming properties—excellent for fatigue or on cold days. 쌍화 provides a gentler long-term energy boost, a bit different than a caffeinated energy drink.
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Spicy stir-fried chicken rice bowl (닭갈비 덮밥). A comforting meal during the current heavy rain. Boneless skinless chicken thigh marinated in a gochujang-type sauce (Korean red chili paste) with garlic, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and sometimes ginger.
According to an article in the Korea Herald today, “buffet chains are making a comeback as dining costs continue to rise in Korea.” The articles continues with interviews of several people describes waiting in long lines to get into buffets.
As COVID nearly ended the rein of buffet restaurants, Koreans are now returning to find value and endless choices at them. The “price gap between single-dish meals and buffet admission has narrowed significantly compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Here’s an earlier post we did about a buffet restaurant in Seoul. And a more recent post on the topic.
Looking for related vocabulary to help you learn Korean? Heres our post on the expression, my mouth is bored (I’m hungry). And our post on eating too much.
One of our favorites dishes. Raw beef mixed with various sprouts (micro greens) and rice. Rice is served in a separate bowl and is poured into the main bowl and mixed with sesame oil and gochujang paste. Bibim means to mix.
Bibimbap is alternately served with minced beef or bulgogi beef.
육회 비빔밥 – (yukhoe bibimbap) raw beef mixed with vegetables and rice
공기밥 – (gongi-bap) single serving bowl of cooked rice
Here’s a few related posts: here, here, and here.