Foodle

Hansung Kalguksu - Seoul (Korea)
@bartlebying

@hansung.kal is a special place. This is indeed the best word I found to describe it, special.

This family-run restaurant precisely prepares home-style Korean food with outstanding ingredients.

Did I order too much food? Probably. But every bite I took made me feel like I was missing out on each single dish that I was not able to try.

Aside from a nice banchan set, my meal started with Suyuk, a local braised beef brisket. Needless to say, it was extremely tender and succulent. It also paired really well with their homemade leek kimchi.

Halfway through my small serving of Suyuk, a fresh plate of assorted Jeon (Korean pancakes) arrived. It consisted of a mix of pan-fried oysters, shrimps, codfish and zucchini, all coated in a light batter and cooked until golden and fluffy, without overcooking any of the ingredients - all of which impressively kept their ideal textures.

As if that was not enough, I then tackled a Nakji-bokkeum, a spicy stir-fried octopus dish with a variety of vegetables. For me, it was definitely the winner of the day, which is not a small feat considering how highly I considered both prior dishes. I also ordered the optional dry kalguksu noodles that made it even more special. It had a spicy flavor (not too fiery for my palate) that was balanced by sweetness and complemented by smoky notes and a very nice combination of textures, especially from the tiny local octopus. Definitely one of my favorite foods in Korea.

My 45 minute walk back to the hotel was a happy coincidence that helped on
a much needed digestion process. During that time span, I could probably count more smiles than steps.

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Tosokchon Samgyetang - Seoul (Korea)

Urban legend says that Samgyetang has healing powers. And although I was not feeling sick, I was definitely eager to try a bowl of this nourishing soup.

Oddly, this steaming hot dish is traditionally eaten by locals in the hot summer days as a way to “fight the heat”. Not that it matters in terms of flavor, and I would definitely wish for those silky and herbal sips anytime of the year.

@tosokchon is a famous destination among tourists for Samgyetang. I was a little hesitant to try it out at first, but it was a pleasant surprise and it is definitely not a trap. The restaurant is located in a beautiful hanok, which added positive points to my overall experience. As did arriving early to beat the crowds.

Besides the powerful combination of chicken and ginseng, the Samgyetang also had a variety of other ingredients, including dates, garlic, pumpkin seeds and a warming glutinous rice stuffed inside the whole chicken.

The broth was comforting and mild in flavor, with the ginseng flavor not overpowering it all. The chicken was falling-of-the-bone tender, and I eventually dipped it in salt for an added touch.

Overall, it was a very nice breakfast on the very first morning of my trip. I can also attest that my immune system held its ground during my long vacation following that meal. While this will never be confirmed, I will give Samgyetang the benefit of the doubt and assume it was due to its magical properties.

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Ujeong - Seoul (Korea)

Out of all my meals in Soul, this is probably the one that I think the most about.

Maybe it was because of the infinite amount of Soju and Makgeolli that was poured on my cup. Maybe it was the great company of strangers who became friends in the span of days. Or maybe due to the absurdly high level of food that we were served. But one thing is for sure, what took place at Ujeong was nothing short of a banquet.

Giving credit where it is due, this is a place that I probably have never heard about if it weren’t for @kimanica. Thank you, Anica, for yet another spot on recommendation.

Now, onto the food. We had an absolute feast at Ujeong, leveraging the fact that we had a big group of eaters to order as many different plates as we could. As a result, I was able to try a wide range of typical dishes that were still pending on my list up to that meal.

Their signature bulgogi, marinated upon order and made with Hanwoo beef, was an absolute banger. It was also not as thin as in most places, which gave it a very nice texture.

If I had only eaten the bulgogi and left, I would already have left completely happy. But we obviously didn’t stop here. Buckle up, because the list goes on.

The yukhoe bibimbap was delicious. There was also a type of brisket salad, which I missed the name of, that was acidic and addictive.

Another hit was the Yukjeon, a beef pancake, served beneath a spring onion salad with gojuchang, vinegar and sesame oil that balanced out the dish by cutting the fatiness from the beef.

As in most Korean meals, we also had to have soup. This time, we had four different ones, with three of them being: Gomtang (beef soup), Yukgaejang (a spicy beef soup) and Naengmyeo, a very traditional dish of buckwheat noodles served cold that I was looking forward to trying.

The final soup however deserves at least a paragraph of its own. The Gopchang-jeongol, or beef intestine soup, was clean and very satisfying. As a final bang, its leftovers were then mixed with rice, seaweed and other condiments to become an ultimate plate of fried rice. Afterall, everything in Korea ends in carbs.

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Local kuruma ebi are the centerpiece of the meal here. In my experience most often kurumaebi come from the eastern coastline of Kyushu, and this is definitely the first I've ever had any from Aichi. They were huge and exceptionally tender.
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The shrimp are first plunged into boiling water for a few seconds, and half are served immediately as sushi, barely cooked, like shabu-shabu. The remaining shrimp then steam over the same pot for several minutes and are again made into sushi. Finally, the shrimp heads are grilled and served as a snack. Pictures of the finished product are in the next post. Less

The tsumami at Nishikawa almost match the number of sushi served. They range from more typical washoku items (chawanmushi with goji berries, shirumiso with sansai)...to this. In name, it's shiro-amadai tempura with a smear of whipped uni and powdered nori. The coating is super light and magical - rice flour? It feels like something out of modernist cooking, so light that you get one crunch and then it instantly melts and you taste the fish. This was great. Less

Torigai from Aichi. Torigai in Japan is always a revelation for me, since the ones that are exported internationally are par cooked and have completely different texture and flavor. In the spring, there are several famous regions for torigai, most notable probably being the super large specimens that come from the coastal part of Kyoto prefecture. Like oysters, torigai can be buttery or salty, but my favorite versions have a refreshing crunch and bright, almost vegetal flavor. To my memory, this one is the best I've ever had. Less

I always make it a point to visit Wild Yeast whenever I’m in Hangzhou. Helming this restaurant is Lin Zihan, the young, earnest chef making waves with his reinterpretation of Taizhou cuisine.

I’ve seen Chef Lin grow from strength to strength the past two years; treading his own path, honing his distinct skills. While not yet perfect, I see huge potential in him; in his hands I think we’ll see very exciting developments in Taizhou cuisine in the near future.

And so, a well-deserved Michelin star for two years running … Congrats to Wild Yeast!
#hangzhou #michelin #michelinstarchef #michelin1star #michelinstarrestaurant #chef #chefsofinstagram #eat #restaurant #food #foodporn #foodgasm #foodlover #foodie #foodpic #foodpics #foodstagram Less

“It’s late afternoon at @patinaosaka when I step past the entrance’s striated stone wall—a subtle nod to the layers of earth and history beneath us—and pause before an enormous flower vase. This eye-catching centerpiece, I learn, was crafted from a salvaged ship motor part recovered from Japan’s northern coast. I head up to the 20th floor, where the elevator opens directly onto the Sonata Bar & Lounge. Warm earth tones, amber lights, and copper accents—echoing the patina-coated roof of Osaka Castle—set a welcoming mood. Rather than a traditional reception desk, check-in happens here. Later, I return to Sonata as twilight bathes the city and sink into a custom-made leather chair, nursing a sunset cocktail—a riff on the martini spiked with mirin, the sweet cousin of Japan’s national tipple. In the adjacent vinyl listening room, a 1,500-pound wall composed of vintage Japanese speakers creates an unexpected backdrop.”

My latest on @cntraveler, a First In review of the brand new Patina hotel, overlooking Osaka Castle.

Link in bio and:
https://www.cntraveler.com/hotels/osaka/patina-osaka Less

High in the Himalayas, two brothers from a Chaozhou tea family set out to make world-class wine in one of the most remote corners of China. Working with villagers in the Himalayan plateau they spent years mapping valleys, studying terroir, and building something quietly extraordinary.

The result is Dan Sheng Di —layered, luminous wines that are still in just a handful of markets, and already stirring cult buzz.

This spring, they made their Japan debut at @sushimtokyo in Tokyo, where owner-sommelier @yoshinobu.kimura.54 created a beautiful pairing dinner to mark the occasion. Less