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.
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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 »

Hally Jo’s Corner Café (Deep River, CT, U.S.A.)

Recently, my bias toward diners has been coming through a bit too much on this blog–and this article is no exception. I promise a greater variety of restaurants in the future, but for today, get ready to brunch! A few days before New Year’s, I found myself driving midmorning through Deep River, Connecticut. I heard some good things about Hally Jo’s Corner Café. On December 27, I gave it a try.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 »

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 »