Month: August 2019

Mistakes to avoid if you plan to eat at Noryangjin fish market

Noryangjin fish market (or Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market) in Seoul recently seems to have been put on the map by foodies youtubers like Mark Wiens and Luke Martin. I decided to test it. This review is illustrative of the situation in July 2019.

The visit

Getting to Noryangjin may seem super easy as there is a metro station with the same name. WRONG! Yes, you have to get to Noryangjin station, then you might be tempted to cross the rail tracks using the pedestrian overpass pictured above. That does not work anymore.

As the pictures above show, if you take the overpass, you will end on the rooftop of the old market building where at the time of posting some vendors are still barricaded. Avoid this way for your own safety (the main problem is the trash everywhere).

Rather, go to street level and follow the track until you will encounter an underpass (above the entrance from the market) with signage indicating the market.

The first floor and part of the second floor are of course packed with vendors.

Octopus, crabs, lobsters, prawns, you name it… are on display.

Sashimi is available everywhere. I am just not sure about the freshness of the pre-assembled set of sashimi. I went during a weekday and there was really little business going on with retail buyers like me.

Eventually I bought a couple of inexpensive items from a vendor to test the restaurant system. One was the sea pineapple pictured above. Then I added some wild prawns.

Then the vendor matched me with her preferred restaurant (on the second floor). The restaurants will clean and cook the fish for you and will provide you with a comfortable environment for your feast.

They like to display messages signed by happy customers.

My prawns were quickly grilled and were very good.

The sea pineapple had a weird flavor. I left it.

I shall also mention that on the second floor there were a couple of full-fledged restaurants, but they did not seem to be particularly interesting.

The check

I spent 14,000 WON for the seafood and 13,000 WON for the cooking (see check above): around 22 USD. The cooking fee did not seem right. I have the impression they overcharged me and I have the following advice for you:

  1. Take pictures of what you wish to eat.
  2. Go to a restaurant or two to get a quotation for the cooking service before buying anything.
  3. Buy what you need and go to your selected restaurant.

If I go back, I would definitely avoid the restaurants indicated by the seafood vendor. It is clear that there is collusion and part of what you pay to the restaurant goes back to the vendors’ pocket as a commission.

Where in Seoul:
674 Nodeul-ro, Noryangjin-dong, Dongjak-gu.

A BBQ in Seoul where locals are happy to queue

While in Seoul in July 2019, I found myself at walking distance from a BBQ that was particularly highly rated on Google (not that it is a guarantee, but it made me curious). If you are looking for BBQs in Seoul, also check out this other review about two famous chains.

The place is called Yukjeon Sikdang n. 1 (신설동 육전식당) and on the menu they explain the meaning of the name:

I dined in the original location in 16 Nangye-ro 30-gil, but they also have two additional locations within a close distance:

The visit

I went on a weekday at around 6pm and the place was already packed with several customers waiting for their turn on the street or upstairs in a waiting room. I got a ticket from the cashier.

They would call numbers on a speaker in Korean that could be heard in the waiting room. But when the customer was a foreigner they made the effort to use English. I waited one hour for my spot. That is a record for me. I have no idea if the other locations are less busy, for sure the waiting will be shorter after 8pm. I really went during peak time.

Finally I was accommodated in one of the tables.

As usual, side dishes and condiments arrived pretty quickly.

I had an issue ordering because there was a peculiar rule: whatever you order first, you need to order two portions. That really did not work for me since I was alone and I wanted to try at least two types of meat. I insisted for an exception playing the clueless tourist card and they gave me a pass.

My first order was a 150 grams of pork neck called Hang-jung-sal. This was not the regular neck meat (Mok-sal) but a part from the front of the neck. On the menu it was described as “a thousand layers of meat and fat”. It was a very tender and tasty piece of pork meat. The meat was cooked by a staff member and eventually cut in pieces with a pair of scissors. The restaurant apparently is famous for these neck cuts.

But the piece of resistance of the meal was 200 grams of Korean sirloin. I do not know the grade, but it was tender and juicy as some of the best local beef I had in Seoul. They only had this cut on the menu (that overall has four types of meat, this and three pork cuts).

Also of note, I was given a piece of Myeongi-namool that is usually translated into English as ramp. It was just the leaves, that were thin and marinated. I was recommended to roll it around the meat and it indeed gave it a boost.

At the end I had fried rice that was cooked on the grill in front of me mixed with vegetables and spicy sauce. It was also sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It was a nice way to cap the meal and feel completely satisfied. According to house rules, it can only be ordered at the end of the meal after consuming some meat.

The check

Final check was 64,000 WON (53 USD). The big ticket item was the sirloin (42,000 WON for 200 grams), while the pork was 18,000 WON. The fried rice was a mere 4,000 WON.

While I would not repeat the experience of waiting for an hour, this was a solid BBQ experience in Seoul and has my recommendation.

Where in Seoul:
Name in Korean: 신설동 육전식당.
16 Nangye-ro 30-gil, Yongsin-dong, Dongdaemun-gu
Nearest metro station: Sinseol-dong (exit 10).

A great chocolate cafe in Hongdae: 17℃

In Seoul there is no shortage of cafes for dessert fanatics. 17℃ stands out as it is a real chocolaterie specializing in chocolate treats. 17℃ apparently is the perfect temperature to store and serve chocolate bonbons.

The visit

From Hongik University metro station, it was a pleasant 5-10 minute walk along Hongdae main road.

On a sunny weekend afternoon, the place was packed, but I got on of the last remaining tables inside.

I had a cup of their soft serve ice cream. As good as it gets.

I also had their seasonal drink: a cold brew with dark chocolate, Kyoto Uji matcha, and ice cream. This was the drink that convinced me that green tea and chocolate go well together.

They also sell chocolate products.

The check

The check was 12,500 Won (10.30 USD), with the drink accountimg for 8,500 Won.

Highly recommended for chocolate lovers.

Where in Seoul:
38, Donggyo-ro 29-gil, Mapo-gu.
In Korean: 서울특별시 마포구 동교로 29길 38.
Website: https://17dossi.modoo.at/ (Korean only).

French fine dining in Seoul at TocToc

TocToc is a Michelin-starred restaurant in Seoul also included in the list of the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants. This is my experience in July 2019, during the week of their grand opening in a new location in Gangnam.

The meaning of the name is explained on their website: “‘Toc Toc’ is a French expression of ‘knock knock’; demonstrating chef’s determination to open up your taste through fine cuisine”.

The visit

They took my booking by email after a bit of back and forth, but at the end they also asked me to pay a deposit of 50,000 Won with an online system. I hate when restaurants do that, but I obliged. It was not explained to me, but the deposit was to be returned and not deducted from the check.

I went for dinner on a Saturday night. The dining room is very elegant. Everything was brand new. When I arrived I discovered that they had made some changes to the set menu that I had seen on their website (now it is up to date), but fine. I went for their dinner course menu.

The amuse bouche was a slice of cooked ham with a stick of grissini. That’s Italian in my books. But fine.

The welcome dish consisted of three snacks: watermelon, seabass (fermented and deep fried), beef tartare with house sauce.

Then the bread was served with some fanfare. It turns out that TocToc’s executive chef and owner also started a bakery called Sikbugwan and that’s where the bread came from. Time for a cross-promotion. But the bread was very good and best eaten while warm.

The raw dish was brown croacker sashimi with ginger dressing. I am all for sashimi, but the dressing flavor was a bit overwhelming. Something funny happened here. Since the waiter was a bit chatty, I randomly mentioned that I like to eat sashimi with chopsticks. I did not phrase it as a request or a complaint, but the guy did not like my remark and put me to my place saying “We are in French restaurant in Seoul“. You cannot argue with that. Chopsticks or not, it was a forgettable dish.

In addition to the course menu, I ordered a beef tartare with crispy lotus flowers that was excellent. They did not messed up adding too many ingredients and let the beef speak for itself.

The warm dish was a piece of abalone on mash and eggplant.

Exceptionally, because it was their opening week in the new location, they grated some French truffle from Avignone on the abalone. Truffle or not, the abalone was tender and very good.

For main I could choose between lamb, fish, or Hanu beef. It was a simple choice, I went for the local beef – striploin – that did not disappoint. Korea has some incredible beef.

More truffle on the pasta, some pappardelle with pecorino cheese. It was good, but it was a minuscule portion.

Finally I was served the seasonal dessert (a sorbet on a mango puree).

And it was nice that a cup of tea was also included.

The check

The course menu was 110,000 Won that became 120,000 because I opted for the truffle pasta that commanded 10,000 Won extra (the only pasta with no surcharge was kelp pasta… not the most attractive; they also had lobster pasta for a 15,000 won surcharge). The tartare was excellent but also not cheap at 37,000 Won. So, all in all, I spent 157,000 won (or 130 USD).

The overall experience left me unsatisfied. It was not a disappointment because overall the course menu was good, but I was expecting something more. The chef mostly played safe with traditional French high cuisine classics and some Italian dishes. I wish he had brought more of his Seoul’s upbringings into the menu.

Where in Seoul:
3F 41 Hakdong-ro 97-gil, Gangnam-gu.
In Korean: 서울특별시 강남구 학동로97길 41 3층.
Website: www.restauranttoctoc.com.

Staying up late at Ninethirty by Awfully Chocolate

I am writing this post mostly because I wrote a review of Awfully Chocolate in Mainland China. While in Singapore I had a chance to go with friends to Ninethirty, the flagship restaurant operated by Awfully Chocolate in its home country.

The visit

It was past 10pm on a Saturday and the restaurant was packed. Contrary to classic Awfully Chocolate locations, Ninethirty is a full-fledged restaurant and on Saturdays is open till 1am. There was a very nice young vibe.

Personally I stocked up on Awfully Chocolate milk that is not available in China. It is just chocolate milk, but it has the right density and I enjoyed it.

Somebody in the party had the original all chocolate cake.

The check

The chocolate milk was 8 SGD a pop.

Ninethirty is definetely a good venue where to have a post-dinner dessert with friends.

Where in Singapore:
31 East Coast Road.
Website: www.ac9thirty.com (with link to menu and reservation system).

Feasting at Eminent Frog in Singapore

I was lucky enough to get an invitation to join a dinner at a popular Singapore restaurant called Eminent Frog Seafood and Porridge (in their Geylang Lor 19 location). This eatery got a Bib Gourmand distinction in the 2018 Singapore Michelin Guide in the category street food.

The visit

On a Saturday night the place was packed, but our host had a reservation (smart guy).

The piece of resistance of the dinner was the frog porridge, a very popular Singaporean traditional dish. The frog and the porridge came in two different pots. You can order the frog legs cooked in different sauces (such as Gong Bao, Chinese Essence, Chinese Herb Soup, Garlic & White Pepper and Special Home-made Chilli). I believe ours went in Gong Bao sauce, that is a starchy soy and peanut sauce.

Here’s the frog meat and the porridge in my personal bowl.

The menu was very extensive, not just frogs. We had their fried chicken that was excellent.

We also had their fried squid.

And some greens.

A friend brought a popular Singaporean brand of crisps as a snack.

Attention: the restaurant is not licensed to sell alcohol, so no beer or wine, not even if you bring your own.

The check

I do not have a check for this one has the dinner was generously offered by our Singaporean host. I would call it a mid-range restaurant, it is not street food level, but prices are affordable.

It was a very nice dinner with friends with the opportunity to taste a quintessential Singaporean dish in an authentic environment.

Where in Singapore:
323 Geylang Road (Lor 19).

The Fat Boy’s Burger in Singapore

One day walking on the streets of Singapore, during my July 2019 trip, I noticed this sign:

It attracted my attention and later I came back for a meal. It was the Orchard Road location of Fat Boy’s Burgers, a homegrown Singaporean burger chain. Established in 2009 by two brothers, now it has multiple venues in Singapore and branches in Beijing, Kuala Lumpur, and Phom Penh.

The visit

It was a Sunday evening and the location was packed but they were able to squeeze me in one of the last seat available.

I had their YOLO (you only live once I suppose) Burger. It was a massive burger with a beef patty (but I was also offered the choice of lamb or pork patty). On top there was a fried egg, fried spam, fried onion strings, Mozzarella Cheese Sticks with Smoked Chipotle on a sesame seed bun. The most striking feature was certainly the deep fried mozzarella, very cheesy inside.

They have an extensive menu of burgers and you can also make your own burgers (they calculate that over 4400 combinations are possible).

The check

Only the burger cost 21.75 SGD (15.72 USD): one the pricey side, but in line with gourmet burgers in Shanghai or Hong Kong nowadays. This was one of the most expensive burgers, a classic cheeseburger was around 10 USD. Overall recommended.

Where in Singapore:
38 Orchard Rd.
For other locations and menu see their website.

Modern Singaporean dishes at the Quarters

Looking for Mod-Sin eateries I stumbled on the name of the Quarters. The eatery is headed by Chef Chung Deming that among other things put his name on a durian creme brulee called Duriancanboleh. It seemed interesting enough.

The visit

I went for lunch on a Saturday. I even booked through their website. The restaurant is located on the ground floor of a shopping arcade called Icon Village. It is a simple venue, but it has style.

I had their signature mocktail called Quarterade with mint, lemon, and dill. Shaken (not stirred). It was quite refreshing.

My main was their satay burger. It had a chunk of spiced chicken inside two rice patties. The patties were a bit too soggy for my taste, otherwise good. It came with a salad peanut sauce.

Not completely satisfied by the burger, I ordered their Fwah! It was an interpretation of the Kaya toast with foie gras and scrambled eggs. And it was very good.

The check

The two dishes and a drink came at 44.75 SGD (service charge and VAT were added to the menu prices). That’s 32.50 USD. It was on the expensive side value-wise.

I really appreciated the creativity of the dishes. Maybe my choice for the burger was not the best. I saw some tasty burgers being prepared, like a Lemak Curry burger and one with salted eggs and chicken. And they also have some interesting lunch bowls. For a better idea about the place I would need another visit.

Where in Singapore:
Icon Village, 16 Enggor Street Shop #01-09 
Website (for menu and reservations): www.thequarters.sg.

PS: in the same arcade there was a Bagel shop that seemed to be very popular with people queuing happily. They specialize in bagel sandwiches.

Italian artisan gelato in Singapore: Alfero

When I learnt that in Singapore there was an Italian ice cream maker, I knew I had to check it out (I already have reviews about Italian gelato in Saigon, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Guangzhou)

The visit

Unfortunately at the time of my visit Alfero only operated a shop in a residential area off-the-beaten-path. Took me a while to get there and find the place in the courtyard of a residential complex.

Just across the gelato shop there was an Italian restaurant. I bet they were related.

I just ordered a scoop made from a flavor called “Bacio” (“kiss”). Bacio is an an Italian chocolate cookie with the same name (it is famous because it comes with a slip of paper with cheesy quotations about love and life). I must say that I was not particularly impressed, the flavor of the original cookie was hardly there. But this was just one scoop on a random day, so my comment is not necessarily representative of the whole offering.

The brownies also looked very good.

The check

One scoop was 5 SGD (3.60 USD).

I wound not recommend to make the journey just for the ice cream. But if you happen to be around in the area, check it out.

Where in Singapore:
81 Macpherson Ln, Shop #01-37 (look for the building below facing Macpherson street).
Website: www.alferogelato.com.

A visit to Maxwell Food Center in Singapore

A food trip to Singapore would be incomplete without paying a visit to at least one Hawker Center. They are typically open-air complexes populated with all sort of food vendors (the “hawkers”). Each stall usually specializes in one single food item or just a few related. They are all over Singapore and very much part of the culture.

The visit

I went to Maxwell Food Center in Chinatown area with two friends from Japan and Taiwan. It was a Friday evening in July 2019. This particular center seemed to cater both to tourist and locals. There was a good mix and it was busy but not packed. This is a relatively large center with over 100 stalls organized in 3 or 4 alleys.

We arrived at 7pm. Despite being open till late, many stalls were winding down at that time, in particular there seemed to be no chicken rice available (like at the celebrated Tian Tian Chicken Rice stall at n. 10 and 11). If you are craving for chicken rice, go earlier.

We collected goodies from different stalls (plus some drinks from a separate one; drinks are usually sold by specialized stalls) and then we found a table for the feast. Tables are not linked to any specific stall, you can sit wherever you find a spot.

First stop was a stall selling oyster fritters called Maxwell Fuzhou Oyster Cake (Stall no. 5). The cakes were deep fried with oyster meat and other ingredients such as minced prawns, pork, peanuts and oyster juice. Each cake is the size of a hand’s palm. We bough half dozen and we were derided by the seller claiming that his customers would eat at least a dozen each. Perhaps just a clumsy attempt to up-sell, or in Singapore there are some massive oyster cake eaters.

Then we went to stall 71 (Fu Shun Shao La Mian Jia) and we had to queue for 10 minutes or so for some Cantonese style roasted goose and pork.

Finally during the waiting I ordered some fish balls from stall 72 (Seafood White Bee Hoon Kitchen).

All the food was very good. The oyster cakes were less juicy than expected, but still very nice. The roast meat was comparable to the best Cantonese roast in Hong Kong. The fish balls had a good amount of batter and were also nice.

The check

Most of the food was bought by a friend so I did not track all the costs. Obviously the big ticket item was the roast meat. The cakes and the fish balls were just a few Singaporean dollars. It was really affordable.

Sinapore continues to sport quality hawker food and a visit to a hawker center is highly recommended.

Where in Singapore:
1 Kadayanallur Street
This review was very useful while looking for stalls. Also here you can find the description of several other stalls.