#i had plans for hot pot and korean bbq today

[apatheticintrovert]

It's my birthday and I'm sick 😔🤒😫

[taterztots]

Y’all remember that pic of my agenda I posted a bit ago? Here’s an update.

Wednesday was my daughter’s first-ever school trip. They went to the Please Touch Museum, which is a Children’s Museum that, as the name suggests, encourages kids to touch and play with the exhibits. We’ve been a couple of times both as a family and in other past school trips with my son (their school goes every year), the place is huge and lots of fun, but also tiring. Lol. After the trip, once we got back to school and took a breather, we went to the barbershop because my son had an appointment to get his haircut. Then we got back home, took showers, changed and went to see Frozen II. It was good.

Thursday was Thanksgiving day so, yeah. Running around getting everything and everyone ready, going to my mom’s house to stuff our faces, then going to my husband’s sister’s house to stuff our faces some more. It was way past midnight when we got back home.

Today, Friday, we just kinda chilled for a bit. We all had the itis. But we already had plans so for dinner we went to a Korean hot pot and bbq place. Holy Shih Tzu, we ate so much good food. It’s safe to say those pounds I had lost are now back in my body.

And tomorrow, we will be going to my nephew’s house to meet the newest member of our family. A beautiful baby girl named Aurora that I'm just so excited to spoil the heck out of. And yes that makes me a great aunt now.

I don't know exactly what we’re doing afterward, but I want to start decorating for Christmas so probably that.

Sunday’s are for cleaning in a Hispanic household.

So yea. That’s been my week. Still, haven’t finished that one last prompt (what I'm working with right now it’s sad and I don’t want it to be sad so I’m still fighting it), and also, still trying to polish my Portuguese.

Hopefully, next week will be less chaotic and I can sit down and actually create something I'm happy with.

Isso é tudo, boa noite!

[igrublocal]

3 of the best Korean restaurants for takeout in Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale

Here are 3 of the best Korean restaurants for takeout and delivery in metro Phoenix

Dominic Armato Arizona Republic

Published 11:17 AM EDT Jun 25, 2020

We all have that place, right?

You know the place I’m talking about. The restaurant that doesn’t even need to be named when you make plans. The one that’s there for birthdays, celebrations, welcomes and farewells, feasts with friends the night before family holidays and anytime you’re tired and ragged and in need of good food and good company.

I lost mine when Café Ga Hyang — the underappreciated little west side Korean joint run by a charming culinary odd couple — suddenly disappeared without a trace. A year and a half later, I still miss it desperately.

There’s plenty of loss to go around these days, most of it far more consequential. But consider this a reminder to support the places you’d still like to have around when we emerge from the other side.

These Korean restaurants weren’t my place. But they’re all great, they all offer curbside or delivery and they’re all somebody’s place.

Hodori is an institution — the Valley’s bastion of traditional Korean cuisine dating back to a time before soondubu, gochujang and naengmyeon had worked their way into the Arizona mainstream.

Hodori special soon tofu soup at Hodori.

Dominic Armato/The Republic

Not to overstate our progress. That same Arizona mainstream maintains a blinkered focus on grilled meat to the exclusion of most Korean fare, but here’s a pro tip: Korean stews travel a lot better than Korean barbecue, and stews are Hodori’s specialty. They don’t do curbside, but you can order over the phone for carryout, and they’re also working with most of the delivery services.

Soondubu — tofu soup — is the essential app, its chile heat tailored to your preference, bolstered with options like shrimp, kimchi, spam or mushrooms to round out a hearty bowl. The house special — with beef, prawns, clams and oysters — is a mighty fine intro to the genre, rich and fragrant and bubbling hot.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Hodori’s dogani tang, a milky elixir built on beef knuckles and brisket, a gentle, restorative broth with a hint of allium and ginger. Or, if you’re looking to feed an army, there’s the budae jungol — “Army Stew” — a Korean-American crossover product of the Korean War, stuffed with tofu, rice cakes, hot dogs, ramen noodles and spam.

Of course, not everything at Hodori comes in liquid format. They make a sizzling kimchi jun, a spicy griddled pancake stuffed with fermented cabbage and chunks of pork. Their jap chae bathes translucent noodles in a light sesame sweetness.

And yes, if you want, there’s plenty of grilled meat to go around.

Details: 1116 S. Dobson Road, Mesa. 480-668-7979, hodoriaz.com.

I don’t expect these months have been any easier for Korean restaurants where the focus is soju-infused nightlife. But among our late-night Korean party destinations, Ohya is one of the few that still stands tall if you take away the dine-in experience and focus on the food.

Ohya is up and running on most delivery apps, and though they don’t advertise it as policy, they’re amiable folks who are happy to run out a curbside drop.

Dduk bokk e (rice cakes) at Ohya.

Dominic Armato/The Republic

They feature the sushi, but that’s not why you’re here. You’ll want to focus instead on dishes like the dduk bokk e — chewy tubular rice cakes smothered in a thick chile sauce infused with onions and garlic.

Similarly fiery is their Korean fried chicken, encased in crunchy armor slicked with a gochujang-heavy sauce. And while it isn’t a house specialty like Hodori, Ohya makes a solid soondubu as well.

Grilled meats are also great, but it isn’t all sizzle and fire. One of my favorites at Ohya is the dduk mandoo gook — a thick but delicately seasoned beef broth, stuffed with rice cakes and dumplings and ribbons of swirled egg. A little touch of scallion and a light peppery punch and this is some excellent comfort food.

Details: 4920 W. Thunderbird Road, Glendale. 602-298-0110, goohya.com.

Seoul BBQ & Sushi

If you spy this joint while cruising down I-17, you might mistake it for one of the corporate monstrosities that line the freeway. But its hulking size notwithstanding, Seoul BBQ & Sushi plays like a quality independent when the food’s in front of you.

Whether you get it via delivery or curbside, this is the best restaurant banchan in town since Café Ga Hyang shut down. It’s a plentiful patchwork of pickled and fermented little nibbles, prepared with much more care than most local Korean restaurants muster.

Haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) at Seoul BBQ & Sushi.

Dominic Armato/The Republic

Seoul BBQ’s haemul pajeon is a winner — a thin, eggy seafood and scallion pancake with lacy edges and a zippy soy and vinegar dip — and they sling some formidable Korean fried chicken wings as well.

The soups can get showy. The galbi tang would be a familiar, if above average, helping of vegetable-stuffed beef broth if not for the Flintstones-esque dinosaur rib sticking out of the pot. And this is the only spot in town where I’ve found samgyettang, a milky, ginseng-rich pot of broth that contains a whole Cornish hen.

Seoul BBQ also makes an excellent tangsuyuk, a Korean-Chinese crossover dish that resembles American sweet sour pork. But the weather being what it is, I’m making a beeline for the mul naengmyeon — chewy, fine sweet potato noodles swimming in a pickly-tart, icy-cold beef broth with a little sharp, mustardy sting.

Details: 11025 N. Black Canyon Hwy., Phoenix. 602-441-0900, seoulphx.com.

Tried something delicious lately? Reach the reporter at dominic.armato@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-444-8533. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @skilletdoux, and on Facebook at facebook.com/darmato.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

Published 11:17 AM EDT Jun 25, 2020

[petitesunshinetravel-blog]

Travel in Jeju Island

I always wanted to travel to Jeju Island. I am so glad that AirAsia has launched the new route - direct flight to Jeju from KL.

And yeah, I booked the flight ticket right away after I saw the beautiful advertisement in cinema.

I spent 5D4N in Jeju island. I would say it is perfect place for solo traveling, friends traveling or even family traveling. It is cheap, beautiful places, easy accessible to all places.

For the whole trip, I only spent approximately RM 1,800 for staying in 4 star hotel, drove a brand new KIA K3, eating fresh abalone, korean sashimi (all types of fishes). 

Do you want to know more on where I travel to? what I eat? which hotel I stay and more interesting stuff?

If you want to know more, you may read from here..

5 Days 4 Nights brief Itinerary.

Day 1: Arrived Jeju airport -Jeju Dongmun Market - Seongsan - Seongsan Ilchubong

We rented a KIA K3 from Sixt Rental. They have given me a brand new car which only 3 weeks old. The car comes with GPS. 

As you may know, you couldn’t find the route from Google Map due to their country’s safety issue. So, all you can do is, type the location phone number into the GPS system and you can get to the destination. Yes, it’s phone number, and it is easy. There are some apps you can download as well, but mostly in Korean. What I will advise is, rent a car and drive to anywhere you want. It’s an island like Penang, from East to West , South to North it will takes around 1.5 hours. It is easy to drive around as there’s not much car and the road is very clean and scenery along the road is all like a post card pictures.

When we got the car, the SIXT staff were very friendly and advise us to visit Dongmun Wet Market for lunch.

When we arrived at the wet market, it was around 1.30pm. You may expect to see restaurant there, but the korean people there don’t usually eat in a restaurant for lunch, they eat in wet market and they served “snacks”. What kind of snacks? It is like Malaysia Pasar Malam but its all Korean food. 

We all got attracted by the living creature such as squid, abalone, fishes and etc in the tank. It is like a Hokkaido Japan. It is all seafood! Very fresh and it is very clean, the floor not wet at all :D

We were just walking around, had some black pork bbq, which is super delicious. FYI, they are famous with seafood and black pig. You can find anywhere. And the famous drink Hallabong (Jeju Big Orange).

After lunch, we proceed our 1 hour drive to Seongsan. Check in hotel.

The hotel we stay were just about 10-15 mins walk to the Seongsan Ilchubong and Udo island Jetty. 

There are many seafood restaurant nearby and of course black pork bbq.

We had abalone bbq, abalone porridge, korean squid pancake pair with hallabong rice wine. The meal cost around RM150 for 4 person. I swear this is the best abalone I’ve ever eaten. I am never a fan of abalone because of the price and mainly I don’t like the texture. But this, this is different. It is like eating apple steak (can you imagine the texture of a perfect steak + the freshness of apple?) haha anyway this is how I feel when I had my first bite. It was so good.

After sinful dinner, we drive to Starbucks. You can walk for 5mins but we drove there because it was cold at night. Enjoying hot latte and the weather.

Day 2: Udo Island - Manjanggul Cave 

After breakfast, we drove to Udo Island Jetty, there’s a multi-level car park. You don’t have to take ticket, their system scan your car plate when you enter, pay after you exit.

We took ferry to Udo Island, rent a electronic bicycle cycling around the island. There are many options on the rental, we saw many cute motors but too bad my international license is limit to car only.

Cycling around Udo Island is the best option. Cool breeze, fresh air, beautiful scenery..you can just stop anywhere for photo , food and cafe.

The famous food in Udo Island is the fried rice, we had Peanut ice cream, Peanut Iced Latte and a seafood BBQ lunch. I love the ice cream a lot - The best ice cream flavor I have ever tried.

After Udo Island, we head to Manjanggul Cave. Another UNESCO site.

This place is worth visit. Its a lava flow into the ground become a lava tunnel.

After that we walk around the hotel area saw the beautiful yellow flower.

Then we had our dinner just next door to our hotel, a korean sashimi. There’s no english name and I didn’t manage to take a picture of the restaurant.

Basically is a restaurant who served sashimi and hot pot. It is really delicious and you should try it if you haven’t tried korean sashimi before.

We ordered a 2 pax set, the portion it can served up to 4-6 pax. Let me show you more pictures.

Day 3: Seowgwipo - Cheonjeyeon Waterfall 

After breakfast in Seongsan, we head to Seogwipo City. Along the way you can see many mandarin oranges. We decided to choose 1 of the mandarin oranges plucking from the map. I have never seen a mandarin oranges tree before so I was kind of excited. Along the road you can see many....

Mandarin oranges in Jeju is the best. It is so huge and juicy and sweet. I prefer this than Hallabong. Hallabong is a bit of bitter taste.

We proceed check in Ocean Palace Hotel. This hotel room is big and even have a washing machine inside. It is like a studio apartment and turn into hotel room.

We walked to Seogwipo Market for lunch. Here, you must try the black pork pao. There have 2 flavor, 1 spicy 1 original. Both are very good. It is small and to be a bit expensive but worth trying. There are many juices and black pork bbq in the market.

After that we drive to Cheonjeyeon Waterfall. There are 3 waterfalls there, we took a lot of pictures. We like the first and second waterfall, the third one a bit too far to walk and what we saw were just a small waterfall. A bit disappointed but fun fact, this is the only waterfall that flows into the sea.

While we were on the way to the waterfall, we saw McDonalds. And we decided to try out after the visit of waterfall.

Also, a friend of mine who is korean recommended me to try the Korean Barbecue Burger - Bulgogi Burger. This burger is only available in pork version. I wouldn’t say is the best but it’s quite good. I prefer their shrimp burger more as you can see lots of shrimp in the patty.

We have 4 person here, all ordered a different flavor which couldn’t find in Malaysia. We have little bite of each burger. The beef burger is so good and I think you shouldn’t miss it. It is so big, bigger than BigMac size. 

End of today, we went to 7Eleven which located at Ground floor of the hotel to try out Korean Noodles and plan for the next day journey. 

There are many UNESCO site we wish to cover but we have little time. And it is the last day in Jeju so we figure out why not conquer the highest mountain in S.Korea.

Hence the hiking trip on the last day in Jeju.

Day 4: Hike to the top of Hallasan

We hike up from Seogpanak Trails and down with Gwaneumsa Trail.

A few things you must prepare for this hike. You must have a walking stick. As the lava rock were just too many and it will easily twist your ankle. So safety first.

And bring lots of water, banana and some bibimbap or even bento set. You know travel light is a must. So more bibimbap it is.

This is not an easy trail as it seems like took forever to reach the top and takes unlimited journey to reach to the ground.

I always hike to most of the hills and mountain in Malaysia. And I think this is something different compare to Malaysia’s hike. As a Malaysian, we will normally ask “Have you hike Mt KK before?” My answer is “Not yet”. But my friends are all hike to Mt KK before. They all thought Hallasan is lower, should be easier than Mt KK. And it is not true. Like I said, it is a different experience, it’s not about the height, its about the journey/ the difficulty of the journey to the top and coming down.

A friend of mine got his ankle twisted on the way down, a korean old couple saw that, they were very kind and call the monorail for us. A few of korean help to massage his leg and spray the ice cold water to ease the pain.

As we foreigners didnt know how to call the monorail, and we were glad that the korean couple take initiative to call for help. 

FYI, the monorail is to carry stuff go up and or send down injured people.

Our legs were too sore after the 6 hours hike. We go straight to a the Seogwipo market had the wonderful black pork BBQ dinner. We all walk like a robot.

Day 5: Check out back to Malaysia

In the morning, we help each other get up from the bed as the leg was too sore to get up. Have simple breakfast at their speedmart, return the car and back to airport.

Accommodation:  2 nights at Golden Tulip Hotel, 2 nights at Ocean Palace Hotel

Food: Jeju Dongmun Market, Seogwipo Market, Black Pork, Korea Sashimi, Abalone, Squid , Sashimi, McDonalds