Hosuabi Dongkase

I noticed that i didn't share yet my most often visited restaurant. I will correct that mistake now.

Dongkase or better 돈까스 is the korea version of a cutlet or schnitzel. It came to korea by way of japan where it was called donkatsu. In korea there are two different 돈까스 styles: the korean and japanese style. Korean style is more like a schnitzel. Very flat hammered breaded cutlet with special 돈까스 sauce slightly similar to ketchup or worcestershire sauce. They are cheap and if you are hungry they help you to avoid starvation. but thats basically it.
The japanese style 돈까스 are thicker, have a fluffier crust and, if well made, are fantastic. It is difficult to say wether japanese donkatsu in japan or japanese style 돈까스 in korea a better, but among all 돈까스 restaurants in korea as well as japan Hosuabi, near SNU, is the best.

Here you see a meal for 4500 won. one delicious cutlet, appropriately spiced in fluffy-crunchy crust, one bowl of miso, shredded cabbage with a remoulade like salad sauce. The small drop next to the brown sauce on the right side is wasabi which is mixed into the sauce. The sauce itself is quite special, reminds a bit of ketchup mixed with worcestershire sauce and a slight fruit taste.

Hosuabi is a chain restaurant but unfortunately the quality varies between different places. Interestingly you also can eat vietnamese noodles there. or try a set menu with 돈까스 and vietnamese noodles for 6000 won.

Hosuabi can be found in Nokdu / Goshishon, 10 min from the SNU front gate. See here.

p.s. i said that Hosuabi is the best, this is largely true but a very close competition is a 'chicken katsu bern' in a small restaurant near the front gate of kyoto university.
p.p.s at hosuabi you can get free salad refill.

The Kitchen

When looking for italian food on the gwanak campus one has two choices: the fancy and expensive restaurant oposit the 501 building, or the much more resonable priced 'The Kitchen' behind the sports field.

They serve sanwhiches (far too small), burgers (definetly too small), pizza (also too small), pasta (a bit small) and risoto (guess what: not to small ^^).

While all things are pretty good, most dishes are just too small. To walk away from the kitchen well fed, as a man one would have to order around 3 sandwhiches or 2 burger minimum. However if one is on a diet or genereally likes smaller servings i would recomend the burger. Nothing fancy here but pretty decent meat.

The pasta is pretty good but nothing special, they offer the common fare of cream sauce, seafood and tomato sauces. Where the kitchen excells are the risotto. They are creamy, with some bite to the rice grains, well spiced and the servings are very fair. For less than 6000 won they are a good meal. Especially i would like to recomend the tomato / spinach / bacon risotto.

As far as i know the kitchen opens only for meal times, so no food before 11.30 am. The interior is nice but its often a bit crowded and noisy. But still until now the best risotto i had in seoul.

p.s. you also can find the location here

Dabuji Budaejigae

Budaejigae is a left over of the korean war. When faced with either starvation or the need to incorporate food donated by the UN / Gi's into something eatable, supposedly people in busan came up with this interesting dish. Basically its everything thrown in a pan and cooked until a smooth taste develops. Common ingredients are sausage slices, ham (or rather spam), potatoes, beans, bean paste, instant noodles and green onions. Served its normally with rice.

When looking for budaejigae you most likely come across a noolbudaejigae restaurant. They are your standard fare. Acceptable priced with ok taste and you find them virtually everywhere.

However they are nothing special. Neither outstanding tasty nor very cheap.
So from that buildup you must already guess that this post is about a better restaurant. This one:

With 5000 won per person free rice and refill as well as free potato croquettes, again with free refill, this restaurant is significantly cheaper than noolbudaejigae. Oh and one ramyon is 500 won. That aside it also tastes better and has friendlier staff and atmosphere. In other words: definitely worth visiting.

p.s. i updated this post, it now includes the location of this budaejigae restaurant

Food On Air

My wife left me... to go to beijing for 3 days for an internship. Luckily she came back ^^ and even better is that when she came back i could pick her up at the Incheon airport and had a bit time to eat diner there. Of course i was most happy to see my wife again but the food was nearly as good.

In the basement of the airport are a few restaurants, some better some worse. Around the elevators / escalators are a few restaurants called Food On Air. They are separated into Studio 1, Studio 2 and Snacks (at least if i'm not mistaken). The one which offers Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Italian food is the one you absolutely have to try ( i think its Studio 1).

I went there only twice but until now i had there the best thai food i ever tried in korea and the pizza is also at least under the best 3. In other words its just awesome. I can absolutely recommend the Pizza Margeritha and the Cashew stir fried chicken. The pizza has a medium thin crust a bit Napoli style, plenty of fresh tasting tomato sauce as well fresh and juicy mozzarella. The size is apropiate for one person. The stir fried chicken is very tender, with a lot mixed vegetables, cashews and just the right sauce: not to plain, to greasy, to spicy...  just right. It is served with rice and (the only strange thing so far) something they claim is naan.

Now there is certainly no shortage of good restaurants in seoul but to find one offering authentic italian and thai food is definitely rare. and now comes the kicker: it's actually affordable!!!  A Pizza Margherita for 10.000 won or a stir fired chicken for 11.500 won plus tax. If you look around in seoul the price is even still fair if you consider the subway fare to and from Incheon ^^ however spending 3 hours in the subway might be not the best idea for a date.

in other words, if you ever happen to be at Incheon airport and have some time, do yourself a favor and try Food On Air

Stir fried chicken with cashew nuts. A real treat, fair priced and large enough serving. 

 

Edit: Apparently Food On Air closes early.... We learned that yesterday the hard way: with an empty stomach. At 9.30pm they were already closed, with no opening times announced. Generally the food situation at Incheon Airport after 9pm seems to be less then great. Whats basically left is fast-food.