A Break in Lotteria

I needed a break from eating traditional Korean cuisine after a couple of days in South Korea. I headed to Lotteria in Myeongdong.

Lotteria is a fast food chain serving burgers, fries, and fried chicken. Exactly what I needed!!!

Fries

Not the best fries I've had but I didn't care.  

BBQ & Spicy Sauce

Fried Wings

The chicken had very crispy skin and was also juicy inside. The BBQ and spicy dips made it a winner.

Bulgogi Burger

Very sweet and lacked flavor. Should have ordered the popular shrimp burger.

Of course, Lotteria will not compare to the more popular chains but it's worth a visit for those who want to experience American fast food with a Korean twist. 

Lotteria has multiple branches in South Korea. For more information, click here. 

Kimchi for Dummies

In-between shopping, eating, and sightseeing in South Korea, my friends and I dropped by the Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center to get a feel of popular Korean traditions.

We kicked it off by having our photos taken wearing hanbok, Korea's traditional dress.

Costume Options

We then dabbled in arts and crafts, making a hand mirror with a Chinese character design. I didn't get the connection! 

The highlight of this excursion though was when we moved locations and learned how to make kimchi.

Our Friendly Instructor

It wasn't too hard because the two most important ingredients, cabbage and chili paste, were prepared ahead of time.

All we had to do was mix cut spring onions, radish, and white onions with chili paste.

Lay the cabbage down and cover back side of leaf with chili mixture 

Until the entire cabbage is covered.

Next is to pack the kimchi tightly in a large container. Leave it for two days at room temperature to enable fermentation. 

And voila! We had something to bring back home to our families in Manila. 

For more information on Seoul Global Culture and Tourism Center, pls. click here.

Details on Kimchi Academy House can be found here.

Bulgogi at a Good Restaurant

After meandering in Insadong (tourist trap alert!!!), we got hungry and ended up here:

We figured that we cannot go wrong eating at a Good Restaurant.

Shoes Need to be Removed

Another factor why we settled for this restaurant is because we wanted to have an authentic bulgogi experience.

The restaurant did live up to its name: Our meal was far from earth-shattering but overall it was GOOD.

The Tiny Restaurant Wonder

Allow me to introduce a restaurant wonder...

Consider it the 8th wonder of the world because after eating all these:

Banchan

Japanese Roll

Dumplings

Noodle with Fish Cakes

Beef Stew Soup

Vegetable Bibimbap

our bill only amounted to 15,000won or 570php!!!

The food was authentic aside from being dirt cheap. Easily the tastiest, most affordable meal I've had in my life.

Wish I could point everyone to the right direction but I have no clue how we got there. All I remember is that it's near Changdeokgung Palace and we passed by this street:

HAPPY HUNTING!

Street Food Korean Style

Since we were watching Nanta, we no longer had time for proper dinner during our first night in Korea. I didn't mind because I was eager to try Korean street food.

The Nanta Theater is located in Myeongdong where a lot of food carts set up shop at night. Scouting the busy streets of Myeongdong, I realized that when it comes to street fare, Koreans are not wanting in options.

I had a sensory overload looking at all the food choices making me wish to try almost everything in sight! I tried my best to do exactly that in our five days in Korea. 

Sausages

I thought it would have a unique taste but it's just like any other hotdog one can find in any street corner around the world.

Hotteok or Filled Korean Pancake

There was a long line in one of the stalls so I got curious.  Hotteok is made from fried dough filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Oily and sweet which I loved!!! 

Odeng or Fish Cake

A healthy street food option which is perfect during a cold winter night. Drink the lightly sweetened broth to warm the body. 

Dakkocchi or Chicken Barbeque Skewers

Chicken was tender with a sweet and spicy glaze. Wished the meat could have been warmer though.

Peanuts

No salt no flavor. Pass!

Squid Flakes

It was oily but it was also very crispy. So fresh making it too easy for me to finish the bag. 

Meat Bun

Very similar to what we have in the Chinese delis in Manila. Chewy crust and flavorful meat.

French Fry Wrapped Hotdog

I was sure that I would love this but it was already cold when I had a bite. Make sure to buy a stick fresh from the frying pan.

Was I able to try all that I wanted to try? Not exactly, but I think I was able to cover some of the most popular Korean street food items so I left Korea satisfied.

Nanta in Myeongdong

Back in the city from the Paju Premium Outlets, we were scheduled to watch Nanta in Myeongdong.

Nanta is the longest running show in Korean history and tells the story of three cooks attempting to finish preparation for a wedding banquet.

Nanta is mostly non-verbal with the cast using acrobatics, magic tricks, comedy, pantomime, and audience participation to entertain the crowd.

Taking live pictures was prohibited but I was able to sneak in a few shots: 

I have to admit that I fell asleep during Nanta, but to be fair, I was running on just a couple hours sleep that night. I would not discourage anyone from watching Nanta because it's truly a unique Korean experience.

Tickets for Nanta start at  40,000krw or 1,500php. For more information, click here.