Liv’s Oyster Bar (Old Saybrook, Connecticut, U.S.A.)

It is hard to believe that, until today, I have not covered any seafood on Masjib Mania. Yes, I know that I reviewed the white clam pizza from Pepe’s in New Haven, but I was really referring to dedicated seafood restaurants. Living on the Connecticut shoreline means that there are more restaurants serving fresh seafood than I can even keep straight. To celebrate my parents’ anniversary, we visited Liv’s Oyster Bar in Old Saybrook on September 7.Read More »

Bar Bouchée (Madison, CT, U.S.A.)

While French restaurants have a certain allure in popular culture, there aren’t actually that many of them in the United States. You can certainly find them, but given all of the praise that French cuisine receives, it has not achieved the ubiquity of Italian or Chinese cuisine. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had French food! On May 17, I went with my parents and my significant other to Bar Bouchée in Madison, Connecticut.Read More »

Bowl’d BBQ (Alameda County, California, U.S.A.)

Being back in the United States, I’ve begun to miss Korean food more than one might expect. And while I love going to Korean restaurants in the US, a number of these spots, when compared to restaurants in Korea, hold reputations for being expensive and not serving large-enough portions. But when a friend told me that he would be interested in Korean cuisine, I was more than happy to try out Bowl’d BBQ in Alameda County, California.Read More »

Gusto Taco, Sangsu-dong

Gusto Taco is not a new restaurant, nor is it one without a plethora of other reviews. In fact, it has been so successful that it has expanded from its original location near Sangsu Staton (상수역) to a Hongdae (홍대) location and a branch in the U.S. Yongsan army base. I made the decision to cover this restaurant for one reason: Gusto Taco is one of my favorite restaurants in Seoul. On February 27, I returned with a friend for dinner.Read More »

Madison Cheese Shop and Café (Madison, CT, U.S.A.)

Living in South Korea, I was treated to some of the best food in the world and I felt incredibly lucky to be able to experience such a diversity of high quality cooking. There’s one major exception to this: cheese. While you can go to Korea to find any number of dishes or ingredients, cheese is still an expensive import item. You’ll either find yourself emptying your wallet or having to suffer with bland cheese. Being in the United States again, I knew I had to satisfy my craving for cheese. On March 30, I visited Madison Cheese with a friend.
Read More »

El Pino323, Itaewon

I love Mexican food. Whether it’s authentic, Tex-Mex, or some other type of fusion, I cannot get enough. When a friend from the U.S. with Mexican roots told me about an authentic Mexican restaurant in Seoul, I was understandably intrigued. While Korea has some good Mexican-style food, it generally strays pretty far from traditional Mexican cuisine. On January 14, we checked out El Pino323.Read More »

The Library, Jangchung-dong

Hotel restaurants can be easy to miss. If you’re staying in the hotel, you can easily overlook them in lieu of other local establishments. If you’re not staying in a hotel, you might not even know about them. Hotel restaurants are frequently pricy as well. On March 7, I decided to have brunch at The Library, a restaurant in Hotel Shilla, one of the most famous hotels in Korea.Read More »

Rosehill Grill, Gangnam

Every once in a while, eating at fancy restaurants can be an expensive way to enjoy a special time. While I have enjoyed reviewing restaurants in Korea, I noticed my writing was lacking in two categories: traditional Korean food and upscale establishments. In one fell swoop, I decided to rectify the situation by going to Rosehill Grill. On March 9, I went there and enjoyed a delicious lunch.Read More »

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 »