I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we are not as adventurous with food as I wish we could be. Since we are usually out exploring with our five children – and since they are pretty normal kids who like familiar foods – we don’t always have the opportunity to try new or weird things. That being said, we have taken the opportunity to try interesting things when we have the chance, which is what inspired this blog post.
And so, without further ado, here are 5 foods that we love in South Korea (and 5 foods we don’t care for)!
5 foods that we love in South Korea
1) Fried Chicken
Ya’ll. Korea knows how to fry chicken. Fried chicken became popular in Korea during the Korean War, when American soldiers introduced it. But then they just took the idea of fried chicken, ran with it, and made it about ten times better. I LOVE fried chicken anyway, but Korean fried chicken is so good I am lost for words (which is extremely abnormal for me).
2) Hotteok
There is really nothing better on a cold winter day than a fresh, hot Hotteok. These “Korean pancakes” are made from a sticky dough, filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a variety of nuts and seeds, and fried to perfection in oil. Words really cannot describe just how absolutely delicious these treats are. I’m actually looking forward to winter again just so I can pick up the best ones from the Hotteok lady at our local market!
3) Gogigul (Korean BBQ)
If you’ve ever met anyone who has spent any time in South Korea, you’ve likely heard them talk about Korean BBQ. But honestly, the first time we had Korean BBQ… it was fine. Just fine. But we gave it multiple chances and a variety of restaurants and now we have our favorites. And I tell you what, when you find a GOOD Korean BBQ place, you won’t believe your taste buds.
For my friends who haven’t experienced Korean BBQ, it is just that: an experience. Typically you order the meat you want and you cook it yourself in the middle of the table. And what’s more, they bring out a whole variety of different side dishes – from lettuce and rice, to tons of different kinds of kimchi… there’s really something for everyone to love at a good Korean BBQ.
4) Bingsu
Bingsu is this incredible shave ice dessert complete with ice cream, sweetened condensed milk, and fresh fruit on top. I first had this treat while out with a bunch of ladies from church and I’ve craved it ever since. My personal favorite: Bingsu with fresh strawberries on top.
5) Bindae-tteok
Three words: mung bean pancake. I know. It doesn’t exactly sound appetizing. And anytime I hear any reference to mung beans, all I can think of is The Office episode where Creed says that they “smell like death.” Even so, when I first heard of Bindae-tteok on “Somebody Feed Phil,” I knew it was something that I needed to try. Soaked mung beans mixed with veggies and sometimes meat and then fried in hot oil? C’mon. It’s absolutely delicious and a must if you’re ever at Gwangjang Market in Seoul as they are FAMOUS for their Bindae-tteok (and for good reason).
Honorable mentions:
Ramyeon – think Ramen Korean style. There’s a long and complicated history about the difference between Ramen and Ramyeon, but they are MORE OR LESS the same thing. Still, Korea took the Japanese idea of Ramen and made it – in my humble opinion – better. Sure, we use the same “instant noodles” that classic Top Ramen uses. But the seasonings and dried vegetables that you add in are so much more than the stuff we grew up with. Our favorite way to enjoy Ramyeon: Put cooked spicy beef bulgogi in a bowl. Add a runny-yolk fried egg on top. Add spinach leaves. Spoon cooked Ramyeon noodles on top. Sprinkle generously with shredded cheddar cheese. Ladle Ramyeon broth on top. Enjoy! (Special thanks to our friend Missy for teaching us how to make this cheap, easy, and DELICIOUS meal.)
DdalGi SaTang or “Strawberry Hard Candy” – strawberries on a stick, coated in hardened sugar? Yes pleeeeease!
Hot Dogs – and no, we aren’t talking about the pork and chicken franks we all grew up on. This is another great example of how Korea took something and made it so much better. It’s a hot dog, wrapped in basically a savory donut, rolled in white sugar (yes, you read that right), and topped with ketchup. It sounds bizarre and it is absolutely delcious.
Deep Fried Octopus Tentacles – the award for the strangest food that I’ve tried and liked goes to deep fried octopus tentacles. After tasting grilled tentacles months back, I swore I was done with octopus for good. That is, until my friends convinced me to try deep fried tentacles and they were pretty out-of-this-world delicious. I guess that just goes to show that just about anything is edible when you deep fry it.
Bunggeoppang – these fish-shaped pastries are filled with sweetened red-bean paste and they are… interesting. I think my only real beef with anything filled with red-bean paste is that I almost always think the paste is chocolate… only to feel very betrayed to learn that it’s not. But when I eat Bunggeoppang expecting it to be filled with red beans, then it’s not half bad.
Dalgona Candy – made famous thanks to “Squid Games,” Dalgona candy will break your teeth if you’re not careful. But it’s also insanely delicious, so maybe it’s worth the risk. This hardened sugar tastes just like roasted marshmallows, and comes in all kinds of fun shapes and designs.
5 foods that we don’t care for in South Korea
1) Grilled Octopus
On the list of foods that I will never try again in my entire life is grilled octopus tentacles. I first spotted these at a fall festival that was being held in our city. There were vendors lining the street and it was a great opportunity to try out some new and weird foods. Well, I took one bite of the octopus tentacle, chewed it for a bit, and then spit it out. I won’t sit and yuck on someone else’s yum (because obviously some people like it or they wouldn’t sell it, right?), but we’ll just say that it wasn’t for me.
2) Deep Fat Fried Silkworms
I know earlier I said that just about anything is edible if it’s deep fried. Well this is one dish that proves that not EVERYTHING is good just because it’s fried. Deep fat fried silkworms falls into the category of foods that I will never try again and that you could not pay me enough to try it again. I can still taste it if I think too long about it. It’s worth pointing out that I later learned that people generally eat this delicacy with a side of beer or soju – so I guess being a little tipsy helps with the fact that you’re literally eating a giant pill bug.
3) Kimbap
I’ll probably lose some friends over this one, but I honestly do not like kimbap. Very similar to sushi, kimbap tastes strongly of seaweed and smells like it too. And seaweed is among foods that I really WANT to like, but I just don’t. Still, I give kimbap a try every now and again, just to see if my palette has become more refined. So far, it hasn’t, but there’s still time.
4) Odeng (fish cakes)
The first and only time I ever tried odeng was at our local farmer’s market. We were waiting in line for Hotteok and one of the ajummas just handed me this swirly-looking thing on a stick. She smiled and nodded and told me to try it. I did, only to have my tastebuds overwhelmed by the fishiest flavor I’ve ever experienced. Still, I thanked her for the snack and pretended to enjoy it when I really didn’t. If you love things that taste fishy, you’d love odeng. But unfortunately for me, this falls into the category of things that I won’t try again.
5) Ttaek-bokki
Ttaek-bokki is a rice noodle of sorts. It looks like a mozzarella cheese stick and is served in a variety of ways. Sometimes it’s served on a stick with mini hotdogs. Other times it’s served in a soup with odeng, ramyeon, rice, and seaweed. We first had ttaek-bokki when we were in Seoul. And, while I wouldn’t say that I absolutely hate ttaek-bokki (I would try it again), it makes the list of foods that I don’t particularly care for.
Tell me – have you had any of these foods? What foods would have made your list?
’til next time…
Ash
