FatManSeoul

Beware! They’re coming for your taste buds!

Daseulgi Haejangguk (다슬기 해장국) is helping aid North Korea in their attempts to take over your mouth via their delicious marsh snail cuisine. This old hanok on the west side of Gyeongbuk Palace is the landing site of the next invasion from the north, featuring haejangguk, salads, and even savory pancakes featuring these tiny taste bombs. Sure, at first their menu and food looks innocent enough. You’ll settle comfortably on the nice, warm ondol and relax as the staff brings out innocent-looking banchan to tempt your tastebuds away from vigilance. Read the rest of this entry »

Over at Oh My News, Robert Neff has a Halloween column well worth the read for some spooky stories of Seoul and beyond . . .

Hungry Ghost Scroll - image from Tokyo National Museum

Check out this clever way to get rid of certain spirits:

According to an article published several decades ago by Yi Kyu-tae, there were several ghosts “sighted” in Korea following the Kabo reforms in 1894-95.

According to him, many of the Korean residents of Seoul were convinced that there were Japanese ghosts haunting the streets of Seoul. For some reason the people called them “Yobosang,” a derogatory name for Koreans used by the Japanese during that period, and believed that Korean women were especially susceptible to these ghosts. At night, if a woman had to go out into the streets, she carefully packed a packet of ground red pepper and placed it in the roomy sleeves of her jacket to be used as a weapon against the Japanese ghost. According to the local belief, the ghosts could not endure the fiery taste of the red pepper.

Fatman is adding red pepper to our stockpiles of garlic and salt.  Or you could try one of these products  . . .

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Stafford of the Chosun Bimbo is running a series on the Hub of Sparkle covering his daily lunch experiences at his school’s cafeteria. Check it out!
Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Stafford's Lunch

So Stafford, when are you going to come write for FatManSeoul???

This time even Fatman was fingered:

The organizer of the party, Joe MacPherson of Zenkimchi fame, said his Seoulpodcasts would be a full hour shorter each if not for Brian, but FatManSeoul was mostly there to try the different Jeolla-do foods.  When asked for a comment, she simply kept singing, “Skate, skate, skate, skate,” to herself, under her breath.

Mmmmmm, fermented skate!  홍어 사랑!

image courtesy 교보문고

The Blue Ribbon Survey 2009 Seoul Restaurant Guide is now out.  This is probably the largest, most complete guide to restaurants in Seoul.  This is a pretty useful guide, including short reviews, directions, contact info, and maps.  They also covered some of our favorites in this edition, including the Kitchen and Star Chef.  Available at pretty much any bookstore. Fatman got a copy from Kyobo for 18,000 won.

Hidden among the posh boutiques of Samcheon-dong is the best deal in town for cheap eats:

Moksuidonna Ddeokpokki is easily one of the most famous places in all of Korea to get the spicy simmer of rice cakes and pepper sauce, and with justification. Unlike common street stall ddeokpokki that’s all spice and flash but not much else for flavor, this place makes ddeokpokki for the ages.

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The chestnut vendors are out in force.  The turning of leaves and brisk air might signal fall to some, but Fatman officially calls it when the chestnut vendors outnumber the miniskirts . . .

Hmmm, we might need to reconsider our criteria . . .

집에서 맥주를 양조될까요?  방법과  공금 찾기 가르치는 블로그가 생겼어요!  A resource for anyone who wants to do some home brewing here in Korea, including where to buy supplies:

Homebrew Korea (영어 링크)

Fatman heartily approves ~ Korea needs more and better microbrew!  After all, why should OB have all the fun?

Yes, there’s yet MORE melamine fun from China . . . this time in the form of powdered eggs!

Watch the MBC coverage here (한국어 링크) and the YTN version here (한국어 링크)

or read about it in English here (Korea Times)

Fatman has created a commemerative cocktail for the Hub of Sparkle . . .