Seoul Eats Korean Pork BBQ, Seoul, South Korea
We were in the Seochosa-dong area when we chanced upon this bbq place that specializes in pork, instead of the usual beef bulgogi. The dining style here is really traditional so you leave your shoes at the door and sit down on really low tables to eat, the way most Koreans do at home. But unlike the Japanese who kneel to eat, Koreans sit down with one leg propped up. It's a tad "chor lor" or unladylike, especially to a Chinese or Japanese woman, but it's really normal to the Koreans. Plus, it's a lot more comfortable than kneeling for a full hour to eat.
I saw the same thing in the shopping malls as well. In most major shopping malls in Seoul, there are designated seating rest areas outside the toilets so people can wait for their friends/families who are still in the toilets. I was waiting for the Fiance outside the toilet when 2 impeccably dressed women sat down beside me. And they promptly proceeded to take off their shoes and prop up their legs to get comfortable and started chatting. I was very amused at such a cultural difference. In Singapore, it's considered really unladylike for a woman to sit that way (I should know, I used to sit like that and my parents were so disgusted with me that they sent me to finishing school to learn "proper manners"), but in Korea, it's the norm!
We got the 2 person portion of the Pork Belly (10,000 Won), which they specialise in, that was accompanied by a fully matured shimeiji mushroom and onions.
Green Chilis and additional Onions are also provided for grilling.
The Fiance's favourite, raw Garlic for grilling as well.
Green leafy veggies are given in abundance to wrap the grilled meats.
The Kimchi, cut into long strips for wrapping the grilled pork belly, made for a nice spicy piquant contrast to the decadent fatty tender pork.
Kimchi as a banchan
Fresh Cabbage Salad, sans dressing, for an extra dose of fibre.
The Beansprout and Spring Onion Salad was tossed in a kimchi-like dressing, sour, spicy and a little sweetish.
The Radish wasn't that great, it was a little too sour and lacking in crunch.
We supplemented the grilled pork with a Beef Soup (6,000 Won), hearty, rich and warmed our insides.
As usual, the beef was sweet instead of savoury. This was sliced very thinly and very tender.
As usual, we couldn't tell the shop name, this is the Shop facade for reference.
Korean Pork BBQ
Seochosa-dong
Gangnam-gu
Seoul
South Korea
Tel: 02 3481 3399
I saw the same thing in the shopping malls as well. In most major shopping malls in Seoul, there are designated seating rest areas outside the toilets so people can wait for their friends/families who are still in the toilets. I was waiting for the Fiance outside the toilet when 2 impeccably dressed women sat down beside me. And they promptly proceeded to take off their shoes and prop up their legs to get comfortable and started chatting. I was very amused at such a cultural difference. In Singapore, it's considered really unladylike for a woman to sit that way (I should know, I used to sit like that and my parents were so disgusted with me that they sent me to finishing school to learn "proper manners"), but in Korea, it's the norm!
We got the 2 person portion of the Pork Belly (10,000 Won), which they specialise in, that was accompanied by a fully matured shimeiji mushroom and onions.
Green Chilis and additional Onions are also provided for grilling.
The Fiance's favourite, raw Garlic for grilling as well.
Green leafy veggies are given in abundance to wrap the grilled meats.
The Kimchi, cut into long strips for wrapping the grilled pork belly, made for a nice spicy piquant contrast to the decadent fatty tender pork.
Kimchi as a banchan
Fresh Cabbage Salad, sans dressing, for an extra dose of fibre.
The Beansprout and Spring Onion Salad was tossed in a kimchi-like dressing, sour, spicy and a little sweetish.
The Radish wasn't that great, it was a little too sour and lacking in crunch.
We supplemented the grilled pork with a Beef Soup (6,000 Won), hearty, rich and warmed our insides.
As usual, the beef was sweet instead of savoury. This was sliced very thinly and very tender.
As usual, we couldn't tell the shop name, this is the Shop facade for reference.
Korean Pork BBQ
Seochosa-dong
Gangnam-gu
Seoul
South Korea
Tel: 02 3481 3399
Comments
You Know Who.
Really? Coz my fiance said that that was exactly how his mom and grandma sat at the dinner table. And I saw it at most restaurants and shopping malls when we were in Seoul.
On a sidenote, r u Korean? Coz u sound like one. :)