Just BLT, Haebangchon

I love a good sandwich. Whenever I have a full day ahead of me, packing a sandwich is my surefire way to ensure a solid lunch. After I first moved to Korea, I was a little sad to find out that sandwiches, while certainly available, are notably less popular than in the United States. However, after a boom in popularity surrounding Subway restaurants, I’ve seen more buzz around sandwich shops in Seoul. On January 13, I checked out Just BLT with some friends.Read More »

Dom’s Broad Street Eatery (Windsor, CT, U.S.A.)

In the past, I’ve written about the restaurant options in Windsor, Connecticut:

When I was in high school, there were four restaurants within walking distance: The Whistle Stop Café, Windsor 75 Diner, Giovanni’s Restaurant, and Union Street Tavern.

However, I was wrong: there were five. I forgot to mention Dom’s Broad Street Eatery, a local brunch restaurant. I decided to rectify this by visiting on December 29.Read More »

Pizzaworks (Old Saybrook, CT, U.S.A.)

Many children all around the world find trains to be interesting without parallel. When I was younger, I was far from an exception. Something about the size, power, and efficiency of trains always fascinated me. As a result, the train-themed restaurant Pizzaworks in Old Saybrook was always a favorite stop for me as a child. I returned on December 28 to see how it was doing.Read More »

American Factory, Dangsan

In an episode of The Simpsons, the family travels to Tokyo and, to intellectual Lisa’s disgust, the family opts to eat at Americatown, a U.S-themed restaurant. The restaurant featured awkward or incorrect interpretations of U.S. culture, including Muhammad Ali boxing with Neil Armstrong and the use of outdated slang. While this parody might be a bit much, I am deeply fascinated by the representations of the United States in South Korea. How do people outside of the United States perceive U.S. culture and customs? On August 20, I visited American Factory, a restaurant in central Dangsan-dong to answer this question.Read More »

Roaster K, Pohang

On the southeast shore of South Korea lies Pohang, a small port city and summertime destination. It is home to chaebol conglomerate POSCO, or as it was formerly known, Pohang Iron and Steel Company. The popular Yeongildae Beach (영일대해수욕장) is a busy spot for visiting families to soak in the sun. Along this beach are many bars, seafood restaurants, hotels, and Roaster K, a bakery and café. I stopped in on August 13 for a bite to eat.Read More »

Robocook, Daejeon

Daejeon is not a terribly large city, but it is still home to over 1.5 million people. While I had never been there before July, I found it to be a cute city with the amenities of Seoul, but without the massive crowds. While Daejeon is not home to many unique cuisines, I wanted to go to a restaurant not available to me in Seoul. On July 30 I joined my significant other and a friend in Daejeon to Robocook’s Dunsan branch for brunch.Read More »

Alforno (Old Saybrook, CT, U.S.A.)

As I have written about before, Connecticut has the best pizza in the United States. New Haven style pizza is loved by locals and tourists alike for its brick oven, thin crust, oblong-shaped, slightly-charred style. While Pepe’s Pizza in New Haven is usually the top ranked, there is another place I prefer: Alforno Ristorante in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. On December 30, I visited with my mother and my father.Read More »

The Social Bar + Kitchen (New London, CT, U.S.A.)

Many towns in Connecticut are transforming. When manufacturing jobs left the state, local economies were hurt badly. The recession in 2008 made things worse. However, as towns recover, many are making worthwhile improvements. I lived in New London, Connecticut from 2011 through 2015, and the transformation was incredible. Where a seedy sex shop* once stood, The Social Bar + Kitchen now stands. On December 29, I tried it for myself.Read More »