Dining Snippets in Korea: Myeongdong Street Food x Chuncheon Dak Galbi x Myeongdong Kyoja
MYEONGDONG STREET FOOD
I’m not fond of crowds and crazy shoppers; so Myeongdong’s beauty shopping mecca doesn’t really spell paradise for me. It's way too busy and crazy and flashy for someone with zero interest in Korean beauty products. The only thing that draws me back would be its hardworking purveyors who spend their nights feeding hungry bellies with their droolworthy fare, no matter the weather (in the week that we were there, we experienced a mix of sunny, windy, rainy, and hail weather)!
ROAST LOBSTER WITH CHEESE (KRW15,000)
It’s important to note that Myeongdong’s street food are darn expensive. It’s something that definitely won’t fall under the cheap eats category as you’ll usually be able to afford a hearty full meal in a sit-down restaurant for the price of just one or two of these street food finds.
There will never be a shortage of options in Myeongdong Night Market. The tricky part to ponder about is which booths to buy from, given that you usually have to allot for queuing time and work with a limited budget and stomach. The Roast Lobster with Cheese, for example, is an insanely indulgent treat, which serves grilled juicy lobster topped with a fluffy melted cheese blanket. It’s delicious, but it definitely won’t fill you up; and easily eats up your budget. Was it worth it? Yes, definitely but I'd definitely think twice before getting a second one. I'd rather use the money to try out a handful of other eats from its cheaper neighboring stalls.
CHEESE BUTTER BAKED SCALLOPS
Baked seafood served with hot gooey melted cheese seems to be a popular trend (given that we arrived at the tail-end of its winter season), as kiosks of Cheese Butter Baked Scallops also drew in their own lines. The scallops were humongous; but tended to be overcooked.
SHRIMP KING’S GRILLED SHRIMP (KRW 6000)
The Shrimp King’s Grilled Shrimp may be an uninspired choice compared to its flashier and more unique neighbors; but its perfectly cooked juicy shrimps were simply too good to say no to. The sweetness guarantees the freshness of the shrimps and makes them perfectly delicious to eat on their own. They do give you a variety of sauces and dips to play around with though!
Myeongdong Night Market
Date of Visit: March 25, 2019 with Lily Chua, Jem Chua, Beth Chua, Susan Tan and Tiffany Tan
CHUNCHEON DAKGALBI
A trip to Nami Island is time-consuming; but two things make the trip worth it: the natural beauty of the island which never gets old and a taste of its dak galbi. In my first visit to Nami Island, my friends and I just entered one of the many Dak Galbi restaurants scattered in the island; and it was easily the best meal I had in that trip.
SPICY ORIGINAL DAKGALBI (KRW 12000)
During this second visit, my family joined a group tour for our Nami Island visit; and our tour guide actually recommended to us to check out Chuncheon Dakgalbi. It was packed with tourists so it was obviously a ‘friendly’ partner of tour guides, but there were no regrets from my end since each spoonful of their Dak Galbi proved to be a heavenly balance of salty, sweet, and spice.
A casserole will usually contain raw chicken, cabbage, kimchi, tteokbokki, and gochujang; that would be tossed together until you end up in a fiery red masterpiece. Each chicken piece boasts of a wonderfully charred flavor; while the tteokbokki was unbelievably tender. Its banchan is served via self-service buffet style; so it’s best for you to load these up on your table while the chicken is being prepared.
FRIED RICE (KRW 3000)
The Fried Rice is the recommended pair for the Dak Galbi. The rice grains can barely be seen from its thick seaweed topping; and we’re not complaining. The rice itself will be tossed in in the cooking casserole after the Dak Galbi is prepared to give the grains some welcome heat and added flavor from the juices of the Dak Galbi. Again, it easily became one of the best things I've eaten during this trip.
Chuncheon Dak Galbi
118-9 Daljeon-ri, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
Date of Visit: March 29, 2019 with Lily Chua and Jem Chua
MYEONGDONG KYOJA
One of the must-try-at-all-costs restaurants on my list was Myeongdong Kyoja, a Michelin-awarded restaurant known for its dumplings and noodles so I was pretty much squealing in delight when we finally got seated to our table. Like Hawker Chan and Tim Ho Wan, Myeongdong Kyoja’s popularity is owed to its affordability; so expect the rush of diners to trickle in until after its official closing time. The restaurant was accommodating enough to allow the latecomers to take out their orders instead.
CHOPPED NOODLES (KRW 9000) and DUMPLINGS (KRW 10000)
Serving sizes were on the bigger side; so my mom and I decided to split an order each of their Chopped Noodles and Dumplings. Its Dumplings were made of juicy minced pork and leeks laced with sesame oil which were packed in delicate translucent wrappers. Unfortunately, there was nothing spectacular about them. The dumplings elevate in flavor once dipped in their chili-soy sauce; but I’m honestly happier and more satisfied with the Mandu we get from local Korean food purveyors like Kaya. The Chopped Noodles came with a hearty chicken broth which was perfect to eat in Seoul's chilly weather; but again, it falls flat in terms of character. It was a hearty meal; but I expected more from a Michelin-starred restaurant. Service wasn’t the best and the friendliest either.
Myeongdong Kyoja
29 Myeongdong 10-gil, Myeongdong 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Date of Visit: March 29, 2019 with Lily Chua
