One of the nicer, ambient, bulgogi restaurants in Seoul without spending a whole lot of money.
Corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Carmelized lotus root + squash salad
Sweet potato porridge. (delicious!)
Chicken salad.
The main course: 불고기 + 잡채
냉면 (Cold noodle)
불고기 브라더스
서울시 강남구 역삼동 832-5 디오슈페리음 2층
Tel: (02) 2051-6911~3
Grilled shellfish: oysters, abalone, clams, shrimp, anything else your heart desires…
Most of the shellfish is topped with some cheese and sauce to make it extra tasty! Yum!
갯벌의 진주
서울시 강남구 논현동 163-5
Tel: (02) 544-8892
Menya Sandaime is by far the best Japanese ramen I’ve tried in Seoul. The portions are pretty filling and the broth is full of flavor—not just salt and MSG. The restaurant itself is small but has always been able to accommodate us without a wait. Located in one of the back alleys of my neighborhood really makes me glad that I live where I do. :)
Kuro Ramen (thicker and spicier broth)
Tsukemen (Separated noodles and broth)
menya sandaime
서울시 강남구 논현동 184-17
Tel: (02) 546-4129
So, I have this thing for sandwiches… where I just LOVE them! And what better place to get an authentic Italian sub than at a deli? Delis in socal? Yup, like straight up market style with food on the shelves, check out stands, and cramped isles all around with a deli taking up half the market. Yeah, that’s what I’m looking for… Bay Cities.
“The Godmother”
Bay Cities Deli
1517 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 395-8279
My food partner-in-crime (in Seoul) suggested this place to me. Boy, does she know what foods make me swoon! Although all the dishes we tried were great, my favorite by far was the Blueberry Ricotta Pancake (pictured below). I’m very picky when it comes to pancakes and I almost never order them in restaurants but these are just the right amount of sweet and fluffy. (nom!)
Blueberry Ricotta Pancake (1/2 order)
Braised Pork and Poached Eggs with Chorizo Potatoes
Fried Egg Sandwich with Chorizo Potatoes
B.L.D.
7050 Beverly Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-9744
One of my favorite pubs in Los Angeles because of exhibit A and the great selection of beers. I can probably enjoy it for hours it is wasn’t for that fact that it’s always so packed. Either way, the “Office Burger” is quite amazing in itself and it pairs well with sweet potato fries and a tall pint of whatever beer your heart desires. I personally love the stouts!
The “Office Burger” (Dry aged beef on a French bun with caramelized onions, applewood bacon compote, gruyere, maytag blue cheese and arugula)
Father’s Office
1018 Montana Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 736-2224
Living in Garden Grove, I grew with a lot of Vietnamese friends. I was always taught that the phở broth was made from oxtail but I just recently realized that that wasn’t true at all. Most phở restaurants don’t use oxtail at all… probably just a bunch of “star anise” (in Jimmy Chu’s accent) to cover up the taste. Anyway, my friend brought me to this one-of-a-kind phở restaurant in Westminster. Surprising because this city is lined with phở restaurants. But this one actually serves oxtail phở! A-mazing!
Soda sữa hột gà, also known as “Birds Nest Drink” (egg yolk, condensed milk, and club soda)
Top: Oxtail broth with phở noodles
Bottom: Oxtail meat sitting in its fat juices (yum!)
Phở Lú
10141 Westminster Ave
Garden Grove, CA 92843
(714) 539-7979
This is one of those places where no matter how big the space is, it’s always filled with tons of people at all times of the day. Yup, its that’s good! One side is a dedicated bakery with rows of pastries, cakes, and all sorts of savory and sweet goods. The other is the cafe where you can order sandwiches of all varieties. The menu is only one page (1 sided) but it’s deceiving in a sense that it doesn’t include any of the baked goods. That’s where you get into some serious trouble… Everyone always over orders. Again, it’s one of those places where you just gotta keep coming back for more.
Left to right: Cheese roll TM-cheese filled pastry, Dulce de leche kiss, and Chicken empanada
Ropa Vieja Sandwich (Traditional Cuban style shredded beef, bell peppers, onions, and tomato sauce on Cuban bread) with Mariquitas (Plantain chips)
(multiple locations available)
Porto’s Bakery
3614 W Magnolia Blvd
Burbank, CA 91504
(818) 846-9100
At the basement floor of a very busy subway station, in the heart of Tokyo, lies this amazing little restaurant. It’s quiet with only limited seating and we just barely got the last two seats at the bar… with an open kitchen. I watch intently as they prepare each bento with precise detail and care. It takes them a bit of time to prepare each person’s meal but I was so mesmerized by their delicate preparation methods and artistic placement of each food item that I didn’t mind the wait at all.
Cold Udon… yet tastes nothing like hot udon. The noodles are much thinner and are paired with a savory sauce. I actually prefer it this way. And most importantly, you taste the fresh ingredients in every part of the meal. Definitely a satisfying and healthy dinner!
Directions:
Tokyo Exit station on the Yaesu side. Go towards Kurobei Yokocho (restaurant area in B1).
年中無休
〒100-0005 東京都千代田区丸の内1-9-1
東京駅名店街地下1F黒塀横丁内
(03) 3216-1103
Gindaco! A franchise that’s all over Japan… selling delicious, freshly cooked takoyaki (little octopus pieces rolled in batter). Yummy takoyaki + convenience = Gindaco. Get some.
