Mul Naengmyun (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)

Mul naengmyun, or Korean-style cold buckwheat noodles, is one of those things I can have year-round. Nevermind that they're usually in a bowl of slushy, almost-icy beef broth. I find the vinegary soup so refreshing and often crave it after a long-haul flight. During the summer months, I think I can subsist entirely on a diet of mul naengmyun and watermelon!

This is another gem of a place in Yeouido, right across the street from the illustrious 63/Yooksam Building, so the business crowd is always buzzing about during lunchtime. It does good business year-round despite this cold noodle specialty; although I do believe seollungtang/oxtail soup is also a featured item (but it's not as famous for it). The mul mandoo (water steamed dumplings) are also a favorite. The in-house yooksu, or warm beef broth that's simmered for hours, is always given to customers at the start of the meal, no matter the weather. Rich, unctuous and full of hits-the-spot umami, I always ask for seconds.

The service is brusque, but friendly - just the way I like it in Korea! ;)

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They Grow Up Too Fast...

File this under "I just couldn't help myself." Okay I have to be honest - the minute I caught sight of this girl, I was not thinking "Oh, what a cutie she is." My mind immediately went to the image of Suri Cruise and her infamous baby-heels shot that blew into a media firestorm.

Who knows how I'll be if I ever become a mother to a daughter one day. Will I let her wear these faux-adult heels that are just a smidge too high for a child? Not if I have any say in the matter! I'm sure I begged for heels of my very own this age - in fact, my mom tells me I had a shoe fetish early on. But something about this girl is just a touch off to me. Could it be the on-trend faux animal print coat and the sheer skirt that is compounding the madness? The pom pom headband? The Lock & Lock "handbag"? Am I the crazy one for even thinking of documenting this shot? Who knows. I do know that I'm obviously still disturbed! Am I overreacting or can I get a witness??

PS: Did you check out dad's shiny gray suit? Soooo Korean!! ;D

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My Favorite Samgyubsal (Korean Pork Belly)

Like many of the best eateries is Seoul, my favorite samgyubsal (grilled pork belly) joint is a hole-in-the-wall with character to burn. According to my dad, this place has been around forever; oddly enough, he hadn't brought me here sooner because he didn't think it was special enough(?!). After my first taste of the succulent chargrilled pork, I quickly set him straight and ever since, we come here as often as we can.

I'm sorry to say I don't know the name (I don't believe there's any signage?) or the exact location (other than that it's in Yeouido, near KBS and Baskin Robbins - I think). I do know that this samgyubsal, which has a top secret marinade (a different way of preparing samgyubsal, as it's usually enjoyed on the grill as is, with no 'sauce' of any kind), brings in customers by the droves. I mean, look at all the ajushi (like Korean salaryman) there are! And that's only one corner of the restaurant.

O (his first time!) and I ate to our heart's content. I think our eyes rolled to the back of our respective heads more than once. The marinade is truly special, a concoction I could probably spend a lifetime guessing the ingredients of (I did detect hanyank, or Korean herbal medicine, in addition to the usual suspects of soy, garlic, Korean pear, etc.). My other favorite is naturally the garlic grilling away in a bath of warmed sesame oil.

I am totally salivating as I type this! I so wish I could bring you all here and share a bottle of soju (a magical pairing with pork) with you. The food and the ambiance (or as Koreans call it, "booneegee") nearly brings me to tears each time I visit.

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Spring, Where Art Thou?

27 degrees. That was what I woke up to this morning. Needless to say, it still feels like winter in New York; so it was an obvious choice for me to pick up these bright purple tulips at Whole Foods over the weekend. They were so cheerful, especially among their fellow colorful compatriots. I've had great luck with flowers from Whole Foods. The quality is much higher than say, New York City bodega flowers; the leaves are always firm; and the life expectancy is always longer than I expect.

Here's hoping that the real spring shows up soon!

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Horsin' Around

My parents picked up this traditional Dala horse in Sweden last summer. They, like me, fell in love with the beautiful handmade artwork that makes each individual figurine so special. As a plus, the horse fits in beautifully with their existing decor.

Have any fun weekend plans? I thought I might have some time to relax this weekend and catch up on my blogroll, but it looks like more work is in the cards. I want to fit in some baking tomorrow, but am not inspired by anything in particular. I have a folder full of saved links; but it's overwhelming to sift through. If you have a fresh recommendation, please do share!

Happy weekend, all. :)

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Ruff Life

Goodness, what a ruff (har har) week! It's not even Friday yet, but I feel like I've had a full five days. It's been go, go, go - not necessarily in a bad way, in fact, pretty good - but I've barely had time for myself.

I finally had a chance to take a breather tonight and pictures of this cutie face helped greatly with that. My friend Lyn's pup, a long-haired doxie (often mistaken for an mini Afghan hound) named Apple Mint-o, captured my heart when I met her earlier this month. She is soo sweet and beautiful! And like many dogs, eager to please. Just look at those eyes!

Man, I wish I had a dog. Or at least easy access to one!

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Ippudo Ramen - The Original

When I studied abroad in Tokyo, I stopped by the neighborhood Ippudo Ramen with regularity, always ordering the shiromaru (white bowl) with fresh garlic each time. It was a trusted stop during lunch, dinner and even late night as it was open and humming until 4a.m.

New Yorkers now know the famous Kyushu chain Ippudo well with its East Village outpost feeding many a curious tonkotsu (rich pork bone broth) fan. Even with a 45+ minute wait, fans aren't discouraged and are, in fact, eager. They even serve my favorite Yebisu on tap if you can manage to wedge your way to the bar.

The Ippudo I know in my heart isn't fancy; it's casual with rough-hewn edges and a down-home, communal feel. I still got that feeling at my well-trodden branch in Tokyo, even with its cleaned up - but not slick - renovations. You still see customers from all walks of life dine here (salarymen, students, travelers, everyone!); no one's immune to the variety of rich, heady broths. And more importantly, the bowl of garlic still graces each and every table (in New York, you have to ask your waiter for it, what?).

It was a true walk down memory lane for me. Sure, I can get the same taste in New York. But what I can't get is the authenticity and heartwarming waves of nostalgia walking through the Takadanobaba-dori threshold.

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Here Comes the Sun

Not long before we left for our trip, the sun came out in glorious fashion. It's been one tough winter in New York, but this bright day gave us a glimmer of hope that spring was, indeed, near. O even broke out the fingerless gloves I gave him for Christmas. Nevermind that we're to expect snow tomorrow - ONCE AGAIN.

I call this my 'Buffalo Soldier' look because of my shameless buffalo plaid upon plaid layering (read: laziness). Pair with a Mister Rogers-appropriate cardigan sweater and you're all set! I was in such a good mood that my inner Brawny paper towel man came out. ;)

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On the Move

Happy spring! I guess it's official now, but you wouldn't know it in New York, judging by the peasoup weather today. I just missed the balmy 75 degree day everyone keeps talking about. Oh well, hopefully it will return soon.

Before I start on posts from the second half of my trip, I just wanted to take a minute to ground myself back in New York. New things are taking shape on the horizon, which make me excited, nervous, scared and anxious all at once. But I think I'm pretty good at rolling with the punches, so I'll just stay calm while I get my hustle on like this lovely kimono-clad lady who looks a little late getting somewhere.

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Okonomiyaki + Ultraman

Okonomiyaki, or savory Japanese pancake, is something I can have often. In my mind, it's a thicker Japanese version of Korean pajun (scallion pancake), another personal favorite. Fillings vary by region and it seems I like them all. ;) Like my pajun, I like them really crisp on the outside.

Our dear friend Lyn introduced us to a great neighborhood okonomiyaki joint, complete with teppanyaki grills at each table. The yakiudon was amazing (basically, I love anything with 'yaki' in it :8)) and the generously poured nama-biru (draft beer) certainly quenched our thirst. Interestingly, Lyn's neighborhood in Setagaya-ku is home to Ultraman, hence the noticeable homages everywhere you turn. The highlight of the evening though? Hands down, it was meeting Lyn's six-month-old daughter, Yuna! Yuna-chan is an absolute doll and I totally think we bonded. Doesn't it look like she's eyeing my beer? ;)

Afterwards, we enjoyed some fine wine at Lyn and Ken's and played a spirited round of Settlers. I love the feeling of meeting up with old friends and picking up right where you left off. Truly priceless!

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Okinawan-style Izakaya - Part II

Lots of food-only photos today of my second Okinawan dining experience, but somehow I think you won't mind too much. :)

My dear friend Yoree, who moved to Tokyo not long ago, took us to an awesome izakaya where both the food and ambience were stellar. We enjoyed lots of regional specialties like goya (bitter melon) and gobo (burdock root) as well as mind-blowing tofu made of goma (sesame) and some seriously light and airy tamagoyaki (rolled omelette). Can you guess how many eggs were used? ;)

The seafood dishes were also delicious, O got to have his favorite fish over rice and we had an insane broiled fish with the cutest little yuzu cut in half. I wish my broiled fish came out this beautiful at home, it looked lacquered! Isn't the plating so lovely, so simple? Lots of toasts were had with more Orion beer and great Nihonshu (Japanese sake) to warm up the soul on a cold night. Love me my Nihonshu!

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Yoyogi-Koen (Yoyogi Park)

Just next to Harajuku station, where young costumed kids come to show off their eccentric outfits, lies one of Tokyo's largest parks. Yoyogi-Koen is a gorgeous space with lots to see. Tall trees abound and despite its location smack dab in the middle of the city, remains a tranquil place to take a meditative walk before rejoining the daily grind.

We even got to witness a traditional Japanese wedding party go by - how grand is that! But I think my favorite part of the walk was seeing all the wooden plaques with wonderful wishes and prayers written in various languages. I wish I could come here every week.

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Helping Japan

Image courtesy Japanese Red Cross Society

It seems a bit unseemly for me to continue posting without acknowledging the growing troubles in Japan right now. I thought I could go on business as usual, to show the best sides of Japan during this time; but it's really all too much. The country just can't seem to get a break. Have you seen these rattling before & after satellite shots from NYTimes.com?

If you're interested at all in helping to give relief to displaced people and rebuilding devastated areas, please consider giving to the Japanese Red Cross Society or other groups (I'm sure there are many).

I promise to return tomorrow with a fresh set of photos showing Japan - at least Tokyo - in a brighter light.

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Unagi-don at Irokawa

When I visited Tokyo two years ago, my friend Lyn took me to a wonderful unagi place that I fell in love with - and promptly forgot the name of. Who knew that it was actually already in the depths of one of my guidebooks all along? ;)

Irokawa (kanji for 'color' and 'river') is nestled on a quiet side street near the bustling Sensoji temple in Asakusa. It's nondescript with some potted plants and usually some form of line (this clear shot was a real exception, must have been the cold rain) - but don't let the humble facade fool you; this is one famous place. The chef is brusque but kind, and is known to make the daily trip to the fish market to personally pick out his eel by sight.

There's really only one thing to order at Irokawa and that's the unaju, or broiled eel over rice. It comes in varying sizes from small to extra-large, with no real fanfare aside from the pretty jewel box that it comes in. The unagi is delicious and if you're lucky, might have some charred edges along the skin. Most cusomers eat quickly and leave, as other people are usually waiting outside to get in. Irokawa's might just be the best unagi I've ever had.

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