Breakin' Bread

Since I spent my time describing the Mexican comida in this city, I figured you might want to hear about the other eatable options here. Seoul's culinary options aren't as diverse as most big cities I've been, but there are options if you make an effort.

As far as I know, the place to go for international cuisine is Itaewon. This is an area flooded with foreigners and GIs, but also has a lot of decent options for food and drink. I don't like the crowd that most places attract in this area; however, there is an alley behind the KFC and Hamilton Hotel that has plenty of quality options for casual dining and stiff drinks. I think some call it "international alley." Two of my favorite spots are Bonji and Bricx. Bonji is an excellent spot for tapas --small plates-- and wine. Upstairs, soft pillows and low tables set a great mood for a relaxing evening of lounging on the floor. Most of the food I've had here is very good and reasonably priced.
As any typical night progresses, I follow Bonji with a few cocktails at Bricx. It's a dim-lit basement bar filled with more comfy seats and couches and always has quality, down-tempo beats playing softly in the background. This is quite possibly my favorite bar in Seoul. It's not for everyone, but if you like to sit back with some friends and a cocktail in a mellow environment, it's the place for you. The only drawback is the amount of smoke. This isn't California, and you can smoke in bars.
A recent discovery is Bar Nana. Just around the corner from Bricx and Bonji, it provides yet another relaxed atmosphere with quality djs spinning music from all over the world. I might get a dj job there.
I won't describe all of the international food, but there is a nice Greek, Spanish, French, Indian, Lebanese, Pakistani, and Italian food in or around Itaewon. They aren't the greatest restaurants in the world; they're good enough to curb your cravings though.

One thing this city does have a lot of is Korean food. Go figure. I've become quite fond of some Korean dishes; my favorite might be the Sam-chi-guey (I think that's how it should be spelled). It's a white fished lightly battered and grilled. A small bowl of soup, traditional side dishes, kimchi, and rice usually come as sides, and it costs about five dollars all together. A major bargain. Some other favorites of mine are the jigaes (soups or stews). At a decent tofu house, it will cost you about five or six bucks to get a stew with your choice of tofu, meat, or seafood and a vast array of side dishes. A side of rice is always served with them, and at the nicer places, they come in these cool stone bowls. These are great for a healthy lunch and won't burn a hole in your pocket. That's what I like about a lot of the food here; it isn't too expensive and is usually very healty. Of course, fried chicken is on just about every corner and will keep the love in your handles.

A lot of the restaurants you find here specialize in only one dish. For example, I went to lunch today at a restaurant that only serves a huge bowl of chicken soup cooked in the middle of your table. As far as I could see, it was the only option on the menu. It was a great meal though. The waitress would pour extra broth into the bowl when needed and she even added some noodles towards the end of our meal. Machesoyo! This is quite typical at most restaurants; there is only one option for everyone.

I should mention the kimbap restaurants too. The food is cheap, there are plenty of traditional Korean dishes, and there are plenty of ajummas cooking it for you. I frequented the kimbap places a lot when I first arrived, but have gotten sick of a lot of the food lately. Most dishes seem to have the same ingredients and are almost always cooked with the same red pepper paste. The food is good, but I get sick of it easily.

Korean restaurants don't cater to the picky eaters. Knowing that, some of you may wonder how I survive. My only real limitations are that I don't eat red meat or pork. I will eat almost anything else. Sure, I can't go to most beef or pork restaurants, but I can always find a delicious option somewhere.

So if anyone has any knowledge of good options for dining in Seoul, go ahead and respond to this blog because I'm still discovering this city, and I’m always open to suggestions.