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I was recently interviewed by Muriel Amable, writer for Singapore's Food and Travel Magazinefor their April 2013 issue. They picked my brain on my favorite eats in Seoul for their readers...these places bring back such sweet memories, and I cannot wait to visit real soon!
It's an honor to be featured! Thanks Muriel~
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Photo credits:
Photos of Sarah: Christine Han Photography
Jungdeunjip photos: Thomas Walsh
I’ve been in New York for close to 3 months now. I can’t love the food enough, and the hustle & bustle really puts you in your place. How can you not love this city? However, as much as I’m an urban girl and love to be out and about…the times that I thoroughly enjoy the most is when I get a moment to breathe. You’ll hear many New Yorkers say they like to leave the city for a quick weekend trip, just to get away from the madness. It didn’t occur to me that I desired to partake in this as well. Something that most people may not know about me is that my ultimate dream is to have a small farm of my own. A girl from Chicago, who loved living in Seoul, love city lights, and now a member of the daily grind in New York is still planning on making this dream happen. So when I stepped foot into Blue Hill, I instantly felt a connection. Almost like I was home. I seriously didn’t want to leave.
Words are limitless to describe my recent experience at Blue Hill at Stone Barns. A few of my co-workers introduced me to this place on our drive back to the city, after some long meetings in Connecticut late January.
If you’re fortunate to take a break and leave town, even if it’s for a one-day trip, it’s so well worth it if you want to get recharged. It definitely doesn’t take long for me to be ‘whole’ again. I just need to squeeze in a little ‘Sarah time’ here and there and I’m in a happy place:)
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Fresh picked baby carrots from the garden
I guess I can't stop talking about this farm-to-table spot a little ways from Seoul. Bean Table. It's time for a revisit. Need to keep sharing the love...
I had an opportunity to stage for Bean Table my last month in Korea before taking off to the states. Good friend and chef Wonil Lee welcomed me as part of his staff, after some serious convincing. Let's just say, this restaurant is on the top of my list for folks visiting Seoul!
The real deal...
*Authentic Korean flavors + modern presentation.
*Non-GMO soybeans (for those who care about this like me).
*Homemade tofu made with natural sea salt coagulants (this part could get pretty technical if you break it down).
*Fresh and organic produce.
*No MSG or preservatives.
I had a real difficult time finding Korean restaurants in Korea that didn't use preservatives. Dining at Bean Table to me is like eating in my moms kitchen-you can feel and taste the love with each dish. Every bite is well balanced, and the variations of the banchan (side dishes) are seriously endless...
Before you even start reading this, your curiosity may have peaked just at the title of the post. So what's this 'dirty dirty' about Linus Kim? Well, the story starts from Alabama where he grew up in the 70's-80's. This guy probably loves barbeque more than anyone I know. We've been friends since 1997. Ok, that sounds so ancient. I've seen Linus through thick and thin, we drove each other crazy over the years, but maintained our strong friendship. I think it was our jjimjilbang moments that saved our friendship as it was the 'neutral zone', where we would pig out on Korean snacks and watch Korean dramas. A man of many talents, but one thing that stands out with the most gusto: his skills and knowledge about pork. He really does have a refined palate that you can't even be sneaky when you cook, because he'll call you out on all your secrets! haha.
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So here's another cafe to put on your list if you're in Seoul. Coffee+flowers+desserts+brunch+Linus' southern smoked bbq pork!!!
The first Bloom & Goûté was off of the main Garosugil street for years-this is their new location which is one street over that recently opened this summer, still in Sinsa-dong. For those familiar with Garosugil/Sinsa-dong area, you will notice that there have been some major changes in the last few years. Quite different from when I lived there a few years ago. The local, artsy, boutique cafes are slowly disappearing, and the big brother is taking over the whole block! Ugh. However, the previous owners will not put their guard down...instead they seem to relocate their business near there for their loyal customers. Bloom & Goûté is just one of those cafes. Similar to their first location, they have a flower shop inside the cafe, as well as a good selection of desserts and coffee. I actually prefer their new location, as the interior is done well, and there is a huge improvement on their savory menu. Their savory menu only provides brunch, but the best part about it is that their croque monsieur & the eggs benedict has my good friend Linus' smoked pork! Ok, I checked this cafe out for this very reason. Never would have come up with southern style (Alabama that is) smoked pork with melted gruyere & parmesan cheese in a sandwich! You may have heard of Linus' famous smoked bbq in Seoul, doing pop-up's and catering events...I will be doing a follow up post about his goods.
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I would love to re-introduce Sue Park as our featured guest blogger for our 3rd ghetto gourmet-
“Tail-End-of-Summer Foods: Barbecue and Beyond”. One of my closest friends, we both love to get our hands dirty in the kitchen, and fill our stomachs with all the good eats Seoul has to offer!
Sue has a daily show on TBS EFM (101.3) here in Seoul (which you must check out!), loves to pick our brains for what we like to eat, because she will try to figure out a way to cook for you! Sue continuously shares her positive energy wherever she goes!
For me, there is nothing more pleasurable and satisfying than being surrounded by good friends, drinking wine and sharing a truly delicious meal. The simple act of gathering at a table and partaking in a communal meal has the power of binding people together like no other. And, you can learn so much about a person simply by observing their habits at the dinner table as well as how they move and work in the kitchen.
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Potato pancakes
So those who know me in Seoul, or have dropped a visit to check what consists of my food empire, may know all my most beloved, most cherished, and most favored. I spoil these places, and I spoil my friends by introducing them to these spots, hahaha. Favorites=the places that are part of my weekly repertoire, and really, there are just a select few. Aahhhh...the newest addition to my savory list: Damotori makgeolli bar in Haebangchon.
Recently discovered a few months ago through a fellow chef friend, and let's just say...it took some time to share this spot with my readers. Yes, although I love sharing the latest and greatest finds...sometimes, just sometimes, you just have to hold back a little...know what I mean?
When friends mention Damotori, I simply cannot resist the temptation...first stop or the last stop during an evening out with friends, or whatever the case may be, it's on my weekly bucket list!
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Bistro Seoul exhibits Korea's traditional cuisine with modern inspiration. Located in Samseong-dong, at the Oakwood center next to Coex, Bistro Seoul is a great place to dine for those who are just tuning into learning what Korean cuisine is about! The most fresh and local ingredients are utilized in their culinary creations, and their take on Korean cuisine is promising.
Recently, I had the opportunity to co-produce a short vignette featuring Bistro Seoul for LI T.V. with Dubu Digital Productions. Hyun Choi, the R&D director of Sun At Foods, and who spearheaded Bistro Seoul, explained that their concept is to amalgamate Korean classic cuisine with modern techniques to compose something exceptional.
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Korean style ribs. Need I say more??? 걸구네 왕 곱창 (Guhl goo nae wang gob chang) in Itaewon. I mentioned this spot a while back in another post, but I realized this place deserves an entry of it's own! I have had samgyupsal (pork belly) one too many times in Seoul, but this place will just blow you away...and the Korean style ribs with their special sauce is monumental. I'm still trying to figure out the chemistry behind the masterpiece!
This place was discovered by my former co-workers, who were so kind enough to take me here, hahahaha. Thus, the love affair began...
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The 2nd annual bacon cook-off taken place just last weekend in Los Angeles, was hosted by Eric Kim in his beautiful home in Silver Lake. Good friend Linus was one of the judges, and I helped him make 'Candied, brandied apple & bacon ice cream, topped with bacon brittle.' Sounds crazy? Well, it was actually pretty crazy to make...but on a serious note, the combination was like no other!
Linus wasn't able to have his ice cream enter the competition since he was a judge. However, the guests were thoroughly impressed with his off the wall creation! There were close to 37 entries, all ranging from bacon beignets, bacon jam with dandelion, to bacon bloody mary's! The winner: Bacon Jam with Dandelion greens. This was a crowd favorite, and the originality was dominant.
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tina and i getting excited to eat our 'midnight' snack at superdog-in apkujong
For my readers out there, you may have noticed that I have so many 'favorite' spots around Seoul...but I wanted to blog about a few spots that are truly dear to me, and love taking my close friends to! I was tempted 'not' to blog about this for a while...but oh what the heck! Sharing is caring :) This is to my fans out there...perhaps I'll bump into you at these spots one day!
open kitchen at barlin german restaurant
the best late nite eats in itaewon!!!
