Seoul; Faint of Liver Needn't Apply (Part 3): Fish Market Fantasies

Third and final post on recapping South Korea. This one's a quickie. For my last night the host took me to the famed Noryangjin fish market. This baby is massive. 710,000 sq feet to be exact. Wholesale auctions for restaurants, along with an endless line of hawkers ready to sell you anything from the ocean. After the purchase, bring it upstairs to a restaurant and they'll turn that flounder into a respectable meal. Pass the Soju.

Tunnel on the way to the market...

..youngin' bargaining for an agreeable price..

..oh you better believe we got some head that night..

..I told you..it's ENDLESS. Didn't even attempt to make the full stroll..

..selection of raw fish and oysters. I'm pretty sure we got ripped big time on our purchase and meal. Global Tip: Bring a local or someone who speaks more than 30 words of Korean with you for bartering power. No worries.

[ 회 ] - Hoe. Minutes before a carefree fish flapping around in his tank, now a beautiful, sliced arrangement ready for soy and wasabi. The bones and head of this fish are used in a spicy stew called Maeuntang [매운탕 ].

[ 산낙지 ] - Sannakji. Live octopus seasoned with sesame oil. Make sure to give it a good chew after dipping in Ssamjang. World B. Smush with the narration and impeccable pronunciation.

..this kid had some fight left in 'im.

That's all I got for the stimulating southern peninsula of Korea. I ate some pretty good grub and some really tasty dishes, but I feel like there's clearly so much more I missed out on. This is a case where I have a sense the cuisine of the country is substantially better than what I sampled. Sure you can say that for almost any short trip you take to a new land, but you can smell it in the air here. The food culture of Korea is straight cracking. People love to snack it up, so there's no doubt unbelievable food is on offer - 24 hours a night. Cause you know it don't stop.

Again, much love and thanks to host B. 'smush' Baird for hosting and filling shot glasses whenever needed. Globaly appreciated.

Stay aquatic..

Seoul; Faint of Liver Needn't Apply (Part 2): Put it in a pot and sip it.

Continuing forward with more...South Korean grub.

김치찌개 - [ Kimchi Chigae ]. Pure comfort if you ask me. A spicy lil' number of kimchi and pork in the ubiquitous black pot that 'stay's hot for hours' according to the self-proclaimed 'King of Itaewon'. True, it's always bubbling for a few minutes at your table. This is a nice winter soup to warm the ears and toes, probably wouldn't be as satisfying in 92º Saigon winters but I like what it brings to the table in colder climates.

치킨 - [ Chikin ]. You know every country has it. Korean-style fried chicken is actually getting popular in the States, look out for it. I hear the secret lies in the fry-rest-fry technique. Shh.

보신탕 - [ Bosintang ]. This was a real special bowl. Spicy broth with tender greens and shredded dog meat. It had a questionable aroma to it. Consume with a bare minimum of 5 bottles of Soju to help drown the impending guilt...which none of us remember feeling.

비빔밥 - [ Bibimbop ]. This is as simple as it gets. Bibimbop translates to 'mixed rice' and every Asian country seems to have one of these poor man's plates. Just mixed, shredded veggies [ carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts, cucumber, mushroom etc. ] with an over-easy egg slapped on top. Intermingle ingredients with chopsticks and add however much chili your lower GI tract can handle. The host proclaimed this the epitome of Korea's vast array of 'peasant food', a phrase he reiterated each and every night in between Jaegar bombs. He means that with the utmost respect, b.t.w. Korea was a dirt poor country up until recent years so the citizens learned to use what they had on hand. Somehow those rustic meals that were originally created just to get by always turn out damn delectable. Love that.

순대 - [ Sundae ]. Sort of like boiled sausage. No, actually that's what it was. This variety was stuffed with glutinous rice, wrapped in a pig intestines casing. It's on the street if you need it. Just holla.

감자탕 - [ Gamjatang ]. Another warmer-upper to get you through those nippy winters. Massive pork bones with bits of ridiculously tender meat clinging on for dear life swim around with potatoes and a mix of veggies in this spicy 'peasant' pot of love.

They really make you work for that meat. I was too hungover to put in much effort.

만두 - [ Mandoo ]. When it's late, and the digestive organs howl for a bit of satisfaction, stop by one of the endless street stalls and poke around. Mandoo will be there, patiently waiting for your attention. It's a steamed dumpling if you didn't notice. Give it your love, son.

Full yet? Leave some room for part three...fish market fantasies.

Stay resourceful.

Seoul; Faint of Liver Needn't Apply (Part 1)

Seoul, South Korea. A pistol-whip whirlwind of a metropolis with a pulse like Mick Jagger and a nightlife that'll make Southeast Asia go rosy in the cheeks. Over 10 million Koreans wake up every morning in this economical powerhouse, taking part in a never-ending paper chase with unrelenting gusto. Alas, when the work bell rings at 5, make no mistake- tie's will be loosened and bottles will get emptied. It's a insomniac city of bright lights, foreign smells and hedonistic sensations. The ever-present aroma of sesame oil and chili wafts from 4 a.m. food stalls, enticing the woozy passerby to indulge. One minute you're pounding rice wine with a bubbling bowl of tender dog soup, the next you find yourself in a dusky dance club, wall to wall with night savages looking for a shot of Jaegar chased with trouble. This city does NOT sleep. Neither did I. It goes without saying that 90% of meals were either consumed mid-intoxication or wickedly hung, so apologies in advance on the less than stellar shots. I got the first round, lets commence.

We'll start off with the most famous export outta Korea after Kia™ and Kimchi- gogi gui { 고기구이 } or Korean Style Barbecue:

삼겹살 - [ Samgyeogsal ]. One of the most popular gogi gui choices. Basically uncured bacon cut nice and thick. You char these fatty strips up on a hot plate until your liking, then slice up with scissors and begin the salad stuffing process. Other popular choices of flesh include: 우삼겹 [ Usamgyeop- thinly sliced beef ], and 갈비 [ Galbi - marinated beef or pork short ribs ].

Every self respecting Korean joint will provide handful of small side dishes (Banchan) for patrons to munch on. Kimchi is standard, and for the grilling experience so are garlic slices and ssamjang- a semi-spicy chili and fermented soybean dip that's damn addicting. Just ask Phil.

Choose your banchan then wrap it all up in a lettuce or perilla leaf. Inside: a bit of rice, ssamjang, grilled (or not) kimchi, grilled garlic slices, a bit of green onion or whatever more you please. Dip in more chili sauce then stuff in your hole. Like this-->

Me expertly demonstrating the 'one bite' technique. Host Baird with the nifty camera-work.

Korean's enjoy boozing with meals, so expect 소주 [ Soju ] and beer to be present on the table at all times. Always pour your dining mate's drink, and don't you dare let that glass run empty.

Part 2 one its way, until then..



Stay Tipsy.