Life for vegetarians in South Korea can sometimes be challenging. While there are some traditional vegetarian options available, such as Buddhist temple cuisine, most South Korean entrees involve meat. Even seemingly vegetarian dishes, such as kimchi jiggae (김치찌개) or kimchi stew uses meat in the broth. For months a vegetarian classmate of mine urged me to go to Plant, a vegan bakery and restaurant, in Itaewon. On September 16, I went there with her and a few friends.Read More »
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 »
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awkward or incorrect interpretations of U.S. culture, including Muhammad Ali boxing with Neil Armstrong and the use of outdated slang.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 »
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 »
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 »
Many cities in Korea have popular streets with food themes. In Uijoingbu, there is a street with buddaejiggae restaurants, Suwon has a chicken street, and Sokcho has a fried seafood street, to name a few examples. A short walk from Gwangju Metropolitan City’s* Songjeong Station is the tteokgalbi street. On July 1, I went to Songjeong Tteokgalbi First Store with my significant other.Read More »
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 »
Yeouido might be known for having the (formerly) tallest building in Korea, the National Legislature, and cherry blossoms, but not for the outstanding food. However, legislators and businesspeople have to eat too. On June 25, some friends and I found our way over to the surprisingly satisfying OK Burger in Yeouido.Read More »
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. Sadly, The Whistle Stop Café and Windsor 75 Diner both have closed down. Giovanni’s is so horrendously bad that it barely deserves a mention. I revisited The Tavern in Windsor, CT with an old high school friend on December 30.Read More »
Korean pizza is a hotly debated topic amongst Western expats living in South Korea. Korean pizza usually is sprinkled with all sorts of toppings, from bulgogi beef, sweet potato paste, French fries, shrimp, to, most controversially, kernels of corn. I hail from Connecticut, home of the United States’ top ranked pizza, but I have a soft side for Korean pizza. When a friend from New York City was in town, I made sure that she tried some Korean pizza. On June 19, we tried The Pizza Boyz in Hapjung.
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맛집 메이니어 - Masjib Mania 