i ♥ Seoul (#7)

♥ EAT ♥

Much of Korean social life revolves around food and the city is packed with restaurants, so it would take a determined man to starve to death in Seoul. This fate may still befall you if you insist on English menus and meals consisting only of easily identifiable, familiar ingredients, so see South Korea#Eat for a quick Korean menu reader. An alternative is to just point and eat, your hosts generally will accommodate. If you look in the right places, a good meal (lunch or dinner) including side dishes can cost 5,000 won or less (try basements of large department stores). In addition to Korean food, Japanese restaurants in Seoul tend to be excellent, featuring excellent sushi and sashimi. Chinese restaurants exist, but are typically adapted to suit local preferences. There are a few Italian restaurants; these are generally excellent, with chefs trained in Italy, although flavors tend to be more or less Koreanized, with sugar in the garlic bread and meatballs.

Another interesting food trend in Seoul are the bakeries found all over the city. Common big chains.

All-American diner at Itaewon could be a good choice for who tired of Koreanized fusion.

Keep an eye out for restaurants with signs that have either a pig/cow or what looks like a plate of uncooked bacon. These tend to be galbi restaurants, which is the korean barbecue. Fromt hese you can order Samgupsal (pork) or galbi(beef) which is cooked on the table in front of you. A meal and a beer will usually come to about $10

• Le Pied de Cochon (르 코숑), dogok-dong 419 kangnam-gu seoul (meabong station line3 exit4 on the left), ☎ 010-6336-8724. 11am to 1am. A french restaurant specialised in pastas, porc meet and Rosé wine. Come here to try the "Pied" with a glass of wine ! 7000-34000.

Budget

Seoul has plenty of budget places to eat. Everything from convenience store junk food and noodles to street stall food and lots of 24 hour Korean fast food restaurants. The 24-hour restaurants are great because they've usually got a wide variety of foods. Including: mandu, odeng, dokbokki, naengmyeon, udon and ramyeon. Prices do vary from about ₩2000-9000 at these restaurants. The larger department stores in the city have basement food courts that offer excellent food (not recommended if you care about atmosphere).

• Sadongmyenok (사동면옥), Insadong 5-gil (down the alley). Justly famous for its manduguk, a soup of gargantuan homemade dumplings stuffed with meat and veggies and served with side dishes for ₩5000. English menu available.

• Ala-Too Cafe - Near Dongdaemun Stadium, exit 5, are some Russian, Mongolian, and Central Asian restaurants (including the excellent and cheap Ala-Too Cafe, above a bakery). Wander around and discover the area a bit - you'll be rewarded with delicious food and an exotic experience.

Mid-range

• New Delhi Restaurant, Itaewon (Noksapyoung station exit 1, cross overpass, turn right, 2 min up the hill on your left). Run by a Canadian-Indian owner, ₩15000 gets you a a wonderful Indian meal. Try the chicken vindaloo, the garlic nan and the samosas.

• Smokey's, Itaewon (Itaewon Station, exit 2. Go out the exit and walk 50 m. Turn left at the Hard Rock Cafe and walk 50 m. Turn right and walk 10 m), Apgujeong, Gangnam. Featuring a selection of over a dozen authentic American-style hamburgers, freshly made onion rings, and hearty chili-cheese fries, Smokey's is one of the best places to get a taste of home. Burgers range from ₩5900 for the "Classic" up to ₩10000 for the deluxe varieties. Jumbo patties are available for an additional ₩3000. Burgers can be ordered with fries, coleslaw, and a drink for an additional ₩3500.

• Le Pied de Cochon (르 코숑), Meabong(Meabong 매봉 station line 3 exit 4, cross overpass, turn left). Try here some french food, our specialities are pastas, porc meat, and Rosé wine. Come here and try the "Pied" with a glass of wine in a french ambiance. Pastas are around ₩7000 and set menus can run over ₩30000. phone : 02-577-8503

• Pattaya, Itaewon (Itaewon Station, exit 1. Walk 50 m. Turn right at the KFC and walk to the end of the alley. Turn left and walk 70 m past the 3 Alley Pub) Pattaya is, unsurprisingly, a Thai restaurant, and perhaps the best in Seoul. With a menu featuring nearly 100 different items, you're bound to find your favorite dishes and make some new ones, too. Stir-fried rice and noodle dishes cost ₩13000-18000, while curry pots and stews can run over ₩30000.

• Jeonju Jungang Hoegwan (전주 중앙 회관), Myeong-dong (Myeong-dong Station, exit 5) This Korean restaurant specializes in the Jeonju variety of bibimbap, which features different ingredients and spices than other bibimbap dishes. Delicious and healthy, a meal will set you back ₩8000-12000. Phone: 02) 776-3400 Hours: Daily 8:30AM-10:30PM.

• Everest, Dongdaemun (Dongdaemun Station, exit 3. Walk straight for 100 m. Turn left at the pharmacy and walk 50 m). Nepali restaurant featuring dozens of delectable dishes ranging from mutton curry to butter naan. Meals generally cost ₩8000-15000 per person. Bollywood music videos are free.

• Zelen, Itaewon (turn right at the KFC at the Hamilton Hotel. Follow the small alley until the end and turn left. Again walk to the end and take the stairs heading up). Fantastic Bulgarian restaurant featuring lots of stuffed everything - from tomatoes to mushrooms, peppers and chicken breasts. A typical meal will run ₩15000-20000. Well worth it as it is very unique to the dining landscape in Seoul.

Splurge

• Hanwoori (한우리), Nonhyeondong (south of Apgujung). An upper-end Korean restaurant that specializes in the Korean version of Shabu-shabu, which is a boiling pot to which you throw in vegetables and very thin slices of meat. Their menu is extensive and while their atmosphere may not be cutting-edge, it is classy and clean.

• Once in a Blue Moon. Great food and atmosphere are a plenty at this snappy restaurant/jazz bar. Well worth the money for a nice night out. Live jazz music every night.

• J Pub Ryu. Amazing food and drinks, specializing in sake. The atmosphere is lively with the occasional celebrity sighting. A definite hot spot any night of the week with an innovative menu of Japanese fusion.

• Pizza Hill An excellent pizzeria close to the Walker Hill hotel in Gwangjin-gu. As it's name implies, the restaurant has a lovely view of Seoul on top of a hill and prices higher than the hill it sits on. However, the pizza is well worth the price. Worth a visit if you hit it big at the nearby casino.