Seoul food: Nonstop grinds in Korea
Seoul is massive, population 11 million, fastest broadband speeds in the world, highest per capita energy consumption in Asia. In other words, ultra-developed. Going to take me a bit to get my bearings.
My first taxi ride helped (I think). I left the Hawaiian Air peeps and guests at the luxurious Seoul Plaza Hotel the first night, rolled my luggage into the (have I mentioned?) sub-freezing cold and hailed a taxi to my hotel. Long story short, after being deposited at a completely different hotel, finding another taxi and losing sensation in my toes, I found my real hotel.
So? Day 1 begins at Korea House, where I’m reuniting with everyone for lunch. Little nervous catching my third taxi. It heads straight to the mistake hotel, turns the corner, and there’s Korea House! I almost feel like I know a little bit of Seoul.
Here’s the beginning of my Korean food adventure. Lunch is courtesy of Hawaiian Airlines and includes CEO Mark Dunkerley, other execs and VIP guests. Plus me and fellow bloggers Burt Lum and Nonstop’s own Ryan Ozawa, who host Bytemarks Cafe on Hawaii Public Radio.
It’s totally traditional and elegant, the best Korean meal I’ve ever had. At least 11 courses (I lost count), including four soups, all light and delicate without ever repeating the same flavor profile, not at all heavy on the shoyu and sesame oil. Highlights:
Korea House
Korea House is famous, not only for its food but also as a cultural center. The Hawaiian Air group came early for a cultural tour and Korean mask-making session. Normally I’m not good at appreciating meals at tourist-oriented places like this, but I wanted to try traditional imperial food and get a baseline of the flavors of real Korean food in Korea.
Did I mention my absolute brilliance in choosing my hotel, the Ibis Myeong-dong? It happens to be in the heart of one of the best shopping and eating districts in Seoul (as if I knew that), literally NEXT DOOR TO THE HOTEL.
Which I found out when we met up with Aaron and Annie Namba of Bigger Bird Creations, web developers of some of the sites I work on and Hawaii locals who are spending a year in Seoul. They steered us right back to Myeong-dong, and if Seoul by itself is sensory overload, Myeong-dong kills with crowds, neon and glitter canyons rising four, six, eight storeys high, hawkers and pulsing music, and stall after stall of incredible street eats.
Street grinds Korea
Smack in the heart of Seoul, Myeong-dong comes alive at night, regardless of the cold. Block after block looks like this, with crowds growing as the night goes on.
And the street food? It comes at you stall after stall, nonstop, block after block, until it’s all dizzying. I did my best. I did my best.
Bennies of traveling with techies: Ryan Ozawa’s Macbook Air-edited first look at Seoul.
More bennies of traveling with techies: Burt Lum’s iPhone-edited video of Myeong-dong’s street stalls.
Disclaimer: Air transportation provided by Hawaiian Airlines.
Read the complete Seoul food series:
OMG — going to Seoul!
Hello Seoul!
Seoul food: Nonstop grinds in Korea
Seoul-ful Saturday
Basement food mania: Sunday in Seoul
Top picks: 72 hours in Seoul
