Ethnic Food Exploration (Part 2)

This week I continued my exploration of the many foreign foods that Seoul has to offer the students who may need a break from barbeque, rice, and kimchi. Though Korean cuisine offers a wide array of options and flavours, there is definitely room in the daily diet for some variation! Searching for diverse food options is an excellent way to explore the city as it may take you to areas you would not visit otherwise, or it may lead you to more thoroughly explore some of your favorite regions of the city.

1. 1Q84 Churros in Gangnam (강남)

Seoul is a hotbed of café culture with many places to stop for coffee and the desserts that accompanies it. That being said, I feel that Korea has a very distinct style of preparing desserts that may vary from what you are used to. There are not many domestic options for desserts which motivated me to seek out sweets from other ethnic backgrounds. Those of you who are avid fans of all things sweet and sugar filled most likely have dessert desires that may be hard to fulfill while in Seoul. That was definitely the case in my search for churros, a Spanish dessert popular in many places around the world. Though there is a surprising number of locations offering this deep fried treat, including a chain called Street Churros, 1Q84 definitely stands far above the rest in terms of authenticity and quality. Available in a multitude of flavours and accompanied by ice cream, churros from 1Q84 in Gangnam are the best choice to get your churros fix.

2. Boksunggak in Sinchon (신촌 보성각)

Like many countries where ethnic food is available, Korea tends to put a locale spin on cuisines from around the world. This is definitely the case for the many places that offer Chinese food. Though there are options for authentic dim sum and other Chinese foods, personally I greatly enjoy the Korean take on many Chinese dishes. Of the few places I had the opportunity to sample during my exploration, Boksunggak topped the list. Offering a wide array of dishes and an huge number of noodle dishes, this restaurant is a great place to stop if you happen to be in Sinchon and is even worth a trip if you’re in the mood! Be sure to take your friends along as the dishes are meant to be shared.

3. Thejap in Wangsimni (왕십리)

Having travelled to japan earlier this semester, I have become an avid lover of ramen. Though you may see ramen offered in many Korean restaurants in Seoul, there is definitely a clear and dramatic difference between Korean and Japanese ramen. One of the best qualities of this restaurant is that it is nice and close to home (at least for those of you living in and around campus)! Just steps away from exit 6 (walk left) of Wangsimni station (왕십리역), the ramen available here is as close to authentic Japanese ramen as I have been able to find in my search through Seoul.