#soondobu!!!

[nekko-took-egg-photos]

tofu hot pot!!! I got the one with less pepper :( big sad. the egg yolk is beautiful tho.

[thenomadinside]

A Seoul-o Trip to South Korea: Part 1

Places covered in this post: Myeong-dong (명동), Myeondong Kyoja (명동교자), Namdaemun Market (남대문시장), Dongdaemun Design Plaza (동대문디자인플라자 (DDP)), Lotte World (롯데월드)

It’s been 8 years since I’ve last visited Korea, so coming back to the country in a way reminded me of attending a 5-year high school reunion. It felt as if I was back to evaluate and access just much the country has not only changed but also stayed the same. Time really flies!

But wait, let’s first pause and rewind…

The first time I ever set foot in Korea was the summer of 2012 when my sister had just graduated from college and my family was on an Asia tour which consisted of Taiwan, Japan and Korea. The five of us (my mother, father, sister, grandma and I) stayed at a bed and breakfast called “Hongsi Guesthouse.” My sister had stayed here the summer before when she was interning in Korea. This adorable B&B was situated in the Mapo area and was hosted by a high-energy Korean lady who lived there with her two sons named 이강산 and Yun Whan, both of whom were aspiring artists. Everything inside the house felt very cheerful, positive and mundane: from the bed sheets they used all the way down to the interior decoration. The dining room was adorned with letters that were from visiting travelers from around the world and Polaroid photos. I’m sure my family photo is still hanging up there, assuming they still live in the same house.

The common area also had a little DIY station which would be replenished daily with local bread, basic spreads such as peanut butter and jam and a good ol’ carton of concentrated OJ. It was a really simple breakfast but weirdly felt “on brand” with the simplistic and positive vibes of the B&B. Oh, and how could I forget?! They also had an adorable puppy named Bpoom! That trip was so fun and I was left with amazing memories of Korea such as attending a live concert of Idiotape, eating spicy tteokbokki (떡볶이) that literally burned a hole in my mouth, going to a cat cafe near Ewha University, eating Dragon’s beard candy (꿀타래) in Insa-dong and more. Sadly today, they no longer operate as a B&B after closing their doors during the SARS pandemic and never reopened.

We named him Fashionkitty

First meal in Seoul

The 떡볶이 that killed me

Fresh juice vendor

How Koreans line up

Let’s make history

Idiotape concert, let’s goooooooo!

For those interested in watching the vlog I filmed for my Asia tour back in 2012, click the following link: https://vimeo.com/45953033

Fast forward to revisiting Seoul 8 years later…

I came here knowing quite well that this trip would be a totally different experience than my first one, especially coming as a solo traveler. My intent and purpose has changed drastically since the last time I traveled here. Also, as I’m much older this time around, I have a developed a specific way of traveling and know what things I like and don’t like. Following a Taiwan trip for Lunar New Years, I arrived in Seoul and was taken aback on how freezing it was! I’ve always heard about the brutal winters of Seoul but it was honestly a lot colder than I anticipated. I have a friend back in New York who always teases me that I’m always overdressed (as in wearing too much clothes than necessary). Sadly it doesn’t apply here as I had JUST enough clothing and basically piled on all my thicker clothing.

My flight arrived at the Incheon International Airport quite late at around 11pm and took a public charter bus towards the city center. The bus was rather empty with only one passenger besides me and it took approximately around an hour to get to Seoul. The bus dropped me off at the stop right outside of a Hilton hotel, which was a few blocks from my hotel in Myeongdong. After checking into the hotel, I went around my block in search for some quick eats and came across a 24-hour restaurant owned by a grandma where I ordered what I craved the most: soondobu and mandoo and then went back to rest.

Namdaemun Market (남대문시장)

The next day, I woke up early to get a head start to my day. I was only in Seoul for a few days so I didn’t have much time to waste. My first stop was Namdaemun Market (남대문시장) and it was only a 8-minute walk from where I stayed at (which seemed twice as long due to the freezing temperature). When I got there, most of the vendors were still setting up shop but there were a few thrift stores and boutique shops that were ready for browsing. I didn’t spend a whole lot of time here as the first thing on my mind was breakfast.

Delicious Kimchi at Myeongdong Kyoja

For those that don’t know, Myeong-dong (명동) is the shopping mecca for tourists as it has a wide variety of retail stores from Korean cosmetics to luxury fashion shops. It is easily accessible to all public transportation. I would definitely recommend staying at a hotel around here if you plan to spend most of your time in the city center. Some other areas that you could consider staying are Namyeong and Itaewon.

My first mission of the day was to eat breakfast at “Myeongdong Kyoja,” a Michelin-recommended eatery that is known for their noodle soups, kimchi and mandoo. When I arrived, the restaurant was already jam-packed with customers happily slurping on their noodles. I was a bit surprised at the popularity especially in the early morning as to me noodles aren’t the typical breakfast item. I ordered their most popular dish, the kalgaksu, which was delicious but I wasn’t actually a fan of the noodles, as the noodles felt gummy and lacked body to them. The broth, however, was very flavorful and enjoyable – and actually, perfect for a winter day! What I enjoyed the most about the restaurants was actually kimchi, as it had a unique taste to it. The kimchi had been fermented for a longer period of time and had a sort of licorice aftertaste to it that had me coming back for seconds and thirds to further identify the ingredients used and analyze the flavors. According to their website, their kimchi recipe is designed to compliment kalgaksu and mandu, which I definitely thought it did well.

By the time I finished breakfast, it was already 11:30am and Myeong-dong had become much more lively and all of the retail stores had opened. I didn’t plan to visit this area again so I did explore the area some more and looked at some shops including: Ziozia, ALAND flagship store, Mind Bridge

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (동대문디자인플라자 (DDP))

Lotto World & Mall: Seoul 101

“몰라몰라” – Confused taxi driver

I ended up chilling at some cafe around Gangnam and browsing through the underground mall right before my hair appointment. And that was the end of my first day in Korea: it was quite exhausting as I literally went all around Seoul but it was a jam-packed day and that is all I can ask for. Needless to say, I fell asleep in a slump right when I got back to my hotel.

Read the second part of my trip to Seoul here

[ryukatters]

will make any excuse to eat/cook kimchi jiggae/soondobu

[amandacanwrite]

Juniper definitely loves something comforting and hearty. Something like a stew or something with drop dumplings in it. Something she can eat to warm her hands after a day with her hands in cold, damp soil.

Oleander would like something a little exotic. Something heavily spiced and cooked long. He would be happy to prepare it of course and talk extensively with you about the first time he ate it, the circumstances in which he found the restaurant and why he stopped there. The lengths he went through to learn how to make it properly and authentically. Like, I picture him really liking soondobu/soon tofu; a really lovely, unctuous korean soup with a fresh egg cracked into it while it's boiling.

Dante would like a lighter soup. Something mostly broth—something he might sip from a mug while watching the first snowfall outside.

Simple enough to make himself; just put last night’s chicken carcass in a stock pot and set it to simmer all day. He’ll work in his lounge below the apartment all day, thinking periodically to go check it, looking forward to the reward of a well-salted bone broth when he closes his door for the night. It goes so well in his other cooking, as well. And with it being just him, it lasts forever.

I hope this helps and they you (or your loved one) feels better soon and can go home to the comfort of your own bed. Er’s are such uncomfy places to be stuck in

stuck in the ER all night and need a nice distraction. please tell me all your OC's favorite soups 🙏

[nightravenesque]

[milk--lizard]

Made vegan Soondobu Jjigae - Kimchi Tofu Stew ✨

[mxhwi]

why isn't seondobu available in instagram.

[friendlybowlofsoup]

all of this soup talk...... so then what are the ROs favorite soups, soup? ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

Ahh, an Anon after my own heart  (ﾉ´ з `)ノ

--

Qiu likes hot pot because it’s versatile and really easy to set up, and no one (An) can complain about the ingredients. He isn’t a foodie so he usually doesn’t care about what he’s eating, but he does end up stealing all of the taro without realizing it. 

--

An likes stuffed bitter melon soup, which no one else in the shrine can stand. However, because she can’t cook and since Qiu refuses to make it for her, she rarely gets the chance to eat it. Sometimes though, she can be found munching on raw bitter melon, to the horror of everyone else.

--

Min He loves a good miso bowl for breakfast. Its savory and slightly umami undertone is delicious and light enough that she ends up drinking it all day in place of tea. In general, she likes less complex flavors since becoming a goddess has heightened her sense of taste.

--

Kaski likes the sweet tofu dessert you can get at dim sum restaurants, served with extra ginger and syrup. He also likes curries that can be eaten with rice—something hearty and filling with a lot of coconut milk.

--

Xinyi probably likes Chinese porridge best, which has a lot of spices and meats mixed in. He experiments a lot when cooking, so he doesn’t have an outright favorite, but he definitely enjoys anything with a good amount of spices in it.

--

Hiemi is a noodle soup person, especially if it’s savory with a lighter soup base, so maybe something like pho, bun bo hue or traditional udon. She’s a little picky about her noodles though, and she’ll only go to restaurants that she’s familiar with.

--

Go Ro likes soondobu—the spicier, the better. It’s best when it has dumplings and/or seafood in it, with a side of white kimchi and alcohol to wash it all down. He likes the dizzying, breathless pain that comes after eating spicy food, and you can often find him savoring that experience afterwards as he swirls his sake dish.

--

Chun likes stews and curries that are served with rice, because they warm her up. She’s the type to let her rice soak in the soup before eating it all at once like some type of porridge--it’s much more filling that way.

--

Spider isn’t big on soups, but he’s alright with sour ones like tom yum. As a habitual snacker, he eats a lot of sides with it, like papaya salad and roasted nuts, but not with rice, which he finds too heavy.

[erlangshen]

Found a "new" korean restaurant in Lynnwood. It was really good and super popular. Ordered pork belly bossam, jjusami (it's gardvto see but underneath the bean sprout are delicious pork belly, octopus & rice cake) & seafood soondobu #food #foodporn #foodgasm #instafood #koreanfood #lynnwood #takeout #quarantineactivities (at Modoo Korean Restaurant) https://www.instagram.com/p/CXlwsglFgYs/?utm_medium=tumblr

[jorystory]

West Coast Trip 2021 Journal Part 1 - Vancouver

Day 1

We walked around downtown, corner-to-corner, in about 4-5 hours. Prepare for a leg workout and wear good footwear.

Japadog on Robson. I got the “love meat-cheese” dog, hearty late night street foody, but nothing special. They open until 3AM. The store is small, be prepared to line up outside on the street. 7/10. Not worth the visit unless you’re craving something dirty and have stomach space. 

Robson street is a nice bustling street with a lot of stores, worth checking out if on your first visit.

As part of the downtown walk, we passed through English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach and parts of the Sea Wall. It’s a nice walk. Not a lot of shade, bring sunscreen. 

Canada Place is a bit boring, just walking and seeing, but not much to do.

We made it to Gastown for dinner. Gastown is a charming area to walk around with lots of restaurants, but the area smells like pee, you’ll start seeing more homeless people in this area. For dinner, we went to Gringo, located in a sketchy alley. It’s a tiny bar-style joint with Mexican fare. Of the tacos we tried, the brisket was superb. It was super juicy, flavorful, and wrapped with corn-style tortilla. The rest of the tacos were meh, nothing special. I would recommend just getting the brisket ones. We got their lemonade, which was refreshing and a nice sour, not too sugary. Super friendly staff that makes you comfortable. At $3-4 for a taco ($4ish for the brisket), it is definitely worth it, compared to other places. 7.5/10.

We walked back to downtown to meet up with friends and get dessert. We tried the gelato at Bella Gelateria. It was disappointing, too hyped and pricey at around $9 for 2 scoops in a cup. 5/10. Don’t bother. The gelato at Stella Luna in Ottawa is better.

For accommodations, we stayed at Days Inn Wyndham in DT. It’s bait and switch advertising, the room in reality looks nothing like in the pictures online. The price was cheap for downtown though, but the room is tiny with an even tinier bathroom.

Day 2

Morning coffee at 49th Parallel Lucky’s Donut in DT on Thurlow. Lot of room outside to sit with 90 min of morning WIFI. I got my favorite donut, a cruller, which has a really good sweetness and airiness to it. It was also big size-wise. The black Americano I got was also good; not too acidic/bitter. 7.5/10. I would go again if I had time in the morning to chill.

Walked to Chinatown. LOTS of homeless people here and it smells pretty bad. There’s not much to visit here other than the famous garden and New Town Bakery. See it on your first visit, but that’s it.

Japantown, which is next to Chinatown, don’t bother going. There’s nothing to see and even more homeless/crazies/druggie as you get closer to Main and East Hastings.

I tried the Bulgogi Burrito at Tako, near Chinatown. It’s Mexican-Korean fusion. It was on the smaller size for around $12-13 for a burrito, but it was flavorful and had a nice mild heat. It’s no Kogi in LA, but it’s okay. 7/10. Not worth visiting if you’re limited in time and stomach space.

I also tried the tacos at Tacofino, located in the same sketchy alley as Gringo in Gastown. Their tortillas they used for the tacos are paper-like; they don’t use standard corn tortilla. It was overhyped, busy, underwhelming and overpriced at $7 a taco. The fish taco was bland and dry and relies on the sauce to bring out any flavor. The meat of the crispy chicken is good with some mild heat, but it ends there. The taco is also on the drier side. Nothing special, Disappointing. 4/10.

We bused to Wreck Beach, on the far western end, near UBC. It’s a popular destination on sunny days, known for optional clothing. It was cloudy and empty when we went, but was still nice to sit and chill. There’s quite a bit of stairs to go down to the beach; was not expecting that for our tired legs.

Take out dinner at Sal y Limon Mexican. They used corn-style tortilla tacos, had good flavors, but something about all the meats we got were off (lamb > al pastor > pulled pork > chorizo). The churro was good. We also got a carnitas (pulled pork belly) huarache, which was flavorful, but the shell was not very deep fried, with too much sauce soaking it and making it soggy. For authentic Mexican, it was underwhelming. 6.5/10. Not worth your time or stomach space.

The Hive @ Strathcona is a small bouldering gym with a sufficient amount of climbs. The staff were friendly. They have a Friday night cheap night ($18), which was good since their regular admissions are on the pricier side ($25). The grading system wasn’t that intuitive. More importantly, it was super hot/humid with no AC and only a couple of fans running.

Day 3

We went for early morning bakeries at the popular local spot, New Town Bakery in Chinatown, before our day trip out to Squamish. We got: 2x egg tarts, 1x bbq pork, 2x pork steam buns, 1x coconut bun, 1x butter cream cone, 1x curried beef bun, 1x meat spring roll, 1x pineapple-coconut bun. All the items were quality, and exceeded expectations. 10 items among 2 people was a lot of food though. Prices are good, smells like heaven. 9/10  Worth visiting. 

Originally, we wanted to do the Chief hike at Squamish, but as of this year, you need to buy passes, which they were sold out. Instead, we went to Shannon Falls. The main attraction at the lower falls is whatever and mostly packed with families and kids. We found an moderate/hard trail to Shannon Falls Pools that not many people hike and takes you higher and up close to the falls. Dangerous place to slip. There were some rope sections where you have to pull yourself up that were sketchy; definitely not family-friendly. Also, easy to get lost at the beginning if you don’t take the correct fork. Use the Trailforks app to not get lost. Once we were up close to the falls, we were treated to great views and a perfect spot to relax all to ourselves.

A late-afternoon visit to the popular Earnest Ice Cream on Saturday was perfect. No crazy lines like you would see at peak hours and after dinner hours. We tried the Cookies & Cream, London Fog, Whiskey Hazelnut and Milk Chocolate. The first three were highly rated ones on Google, and they were true. I loved the first two the best. The price for double scoops was around $6, but you get a lot. Compared to other places, this was really good value for size and excellent ice cream. 9.5/10. I highly recommend this place and would go again.

For dinner we went to Ajisai Sushi Bar in Kerrisdale. They were only offering takeout during the pandemic and you had to call to order. Expect 2 hours order times during peak dinner times; this place is BUSY, their phones are constantly ringing. We ordered around 5pm and got our food around 7pm. You can see the chefs working non-stop from the store front window. We got the Spicy Roll (Salmon/Tuna/Scallop) combo that includes 24 pieces for around $13. Great price for the quality. We also got the Assorted Sushi combo which includes around 9/10 items, mostly nigiri and some special rolls for around $19. The sushi was QUALITY and FRESH. The salmon and tuna were melt-in-your-mouth quality. For around $40 for 2, this wasn’t too expensive relative to other meals and surprisingly filling. If you love sushi, this is perfect mid-tier sushi (higher than budget sushi places, but lower than expensive top-tier places like Miku/Minami). 9.5/10. Worth visiting and would get again.

To digest, we drove around and ending up relaxing at Burnaby Central Park. Nothing touristy, just a local park in Burnaby to say that we’ve been to Burnaby. At night, we just drove across Lion’s Gate bridge back in DT Van to check out the bridge lights and night views. Driving in busy Saturday-night traffic is tough, you need some confidence, aggressiveness, and focus (there’s a lot of bright lights) especially when you have day-trip fatigue.

Day 4

We tried the red velvet cake and ice americano at Breka Bakery on Denman St in DT Vancouver. The cake was moist, light, airy; and the cream not too sweet, which was perfect. The chocolate pieces in the cake were a nice touch. The ice americano was good, a hint of bitterness, but refreshing. It’s a 24h café with a couple locations. 8/10. Worth visiting.

Today was bike day around Vancouver. This was probably the best way to get around since public transportation is slow (not much better than Ottawa’s), walking is tiring and ride share for 2 isn’t that cheap. Spokes bike rental, $40-50ish for the day, provided solid Trek hybrid bikes, helmet, lock and phone holder. The staff were friendly and helpful. It seems expensive compared to the city Mobi bikes, but its definitely more fun and flexible in my opinion. It will be around the same price as an attraction somewhere (like Capilano bridge), but you get all day fun. Worth.

Riding leisurely around Stanley Park, took about 1-2 hours. Great views. Worth visiting.

We biked to Granville market and walked around lunch time. It’s a cute and charming market. This place is busy, lots of fresh fruits and the local strawberries were perfect, not too sweet and good tartness, but expensive at 2.5lb for $13.

Lee’s donuts - high quality donuts, jelly, chocolate, honey dip, Dutch. Good size. Pretty good compared to what we have in Ottawa. Long lineups. 7.5/10. Worth visiting.

Biked to Kitsilano beach - extremely busy large and bumping beach. Definitely a popular spot in Vancouver. Worth visiting.

Biked to Jericho beach - smaller beach, more old people and families with younger kids. Good for swimming.

Rain or Shine Ice Cream Kitsilano - large portions like Earnest, get the waffle cone (it’s good), malt chocolate honeycomb flavor was A+++, slightly more expensive (~$1) than Earnest (at $7 for a cone) but just as good. Busy, expect long lineups. 10/10. Worth visiting. We came twice ;)

Kook Korean BBQ - We got the Combo A for 2 for around $60-70, lots of side dishes, 4 types of meats, which were marinated well, soondobu soup was spot on, meets expectations. Busy - reservations of 2h wait times. 8/10. Worth visiting if you’re craving Korean BBQ.

Day 5

Walked around Yaletown, pretty bougie, not much to see.

Lunch at Phnom Penh, Viet/Cambodian, popular local place. Must tries: butter beef, beef lok lak, crispy chicken wings, usually lines, around $15-20 per dish. We got the three dishes for 2 people, we were full. 9/10. Worth visiting.

I went to climb again but at the Hive North Shore location, far from downtown (~50 min by multiple buses). The gym is clean, spacious, has AC, a nice store, and high climbing walls (feels pretty sketchy up high, higher than Altitude Kanata’s), so they make you do an orientation and practice falls. I booked for 2pm on a Monday, not much people, which was nice. I prefer this location over the central Vancouver one.

Afternoon snack at La Casa Gelato, they have too many flavors (238 to be exact) in my opinion. It was empty when I went, I tried their popular flavor, the  durian, but I wasn’t a fan, more sugary sweet than anything. I think it’s overrated. And for around $6 for one scoop cup, its not that cheap. Decent size though but not too big. Seems very gimmicky to me. The building exterior is entirely bright pink, good for Instagram I guess. 5/10. Not worth.

We had dinner at Ramen DANBO in Kitsilano (DT location was closed for renos) For around $10-14 for a bowl of noodles only, the tonkotsu broth, which was rich and flavorful. The thin noodles were perfect, two pieces chashu included were meaty/fatty/juice. The Negi-goma broth (sesame oil, specialty-roasted sesame seeds and fresh scallions, tonkotsu) which adds a nice sesame-oil flavor to the broth was excellent as well. I choose standard options for noodle firmness, broth thickness, broth richness (lard), karadare (umami spicy sauce), can get really spicy depending on what you choose. 9/10. Worth.

Day 6

We had an early morning flight to Calgary, so we stopped by Breka Bakery again at 4AM. This time at the more popular location on Bute St. in DT Van. We got croissant sandwiches and loaf cake slices. They weren’t that good, but not surprising since they weren’t fresh at 4 in the morning.

[jdaddyfood]

KIMCHI TOFU SOUP (SOONDUBU)

(serving for 5-6 people) Ingredients: -1 package of thin pork belly -1 zucchini  -1 container of kimchi -2 packages of enoki mushroom -1 bag of round rice cake  -1 package of the soft tofu broth seasoning (has 3 packages of power and 3 oil) -soft tofu OR soondubu round tofu  -sugar -corn starch -water

Directions:  Prep: -wash & cut zucchini into thin half round slices  -wash & cut enoki mushrooms root ends -cut kimchi into even square -cut tofu into rectangles OR if you’re using the soondobu tofu, cut into round    thin slices  -cut pork belly into even rectangles

*best use a big round pot* -pour half pot of water into high heat -add in kimchi and let it simmer in medium-high heat -add pork belly  -add 1 package of power from “soft tofu broth seasoning”  -add 1 or 2 oil from “soft tofu broth seasoning”  -check if you need to add water, if so, add little but of water at a time -2 tablespoons of sugar, mix -add zucchini & enoki mushroom, mix -2 tablespoons of corn starch -add the right amount of rice cake you want to eat into the pot, mix well -add tofu, mix gently, and let it simmer for another 5-10 minutes

[yumyumdragon]

Soondobu, Maangchi-style #quarantinekitchen via Facebook https://ift.tt/2AfDSxx

[davidansagario]

Soondobu Jjigae, perfect sa uwan2. (at Hankki) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5X4QmWgK3-/?igshid=5bv8afzc24be

[nightravenesque]

[xiaome]

Amazing meal at Daore. My favorites were the soondobu and seafood pancake (it really is very good here). Everything else was tasty though. Our group savaged the beef tartare and jap chae too fast for pics. 😂 #yeg #eatingout #koreanfood (at Daore) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxVCW-DAah2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15nh9iars7p25

[richluis]

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#soondobu #steaming #hot #soup #winterlife #wintertime #thankyoujesus #goodfood #video #nofilter #rlmreyes