Getting to Hongdae from Gangnam is such a trek that these days I hardly ever go. Yet lately most of the places worth trying seem to be opening in Hongdae or north of the river. Since I cannot go often, I picked a day during the early October holidays planning to hit them all, but in the end I could not get into the places I wanted and it turned into an ordinary Hongdae stroll. Quite a few shops close on public holidays.
First, lunch at Marugame Seimen.
Inside
Marugame Seimen is a famous sanuki udon chain. In Hawaii people line up for it too. I heard one had opened in Hongdae so I went to check it out; it was fairly busy, but the staff seemed a little out of sync with each other. Maybe because it was a holiday and packed..
Look closely inside the fridge and the flour is Gompyo, a Korean brand. Hmm.. hard to expect much bounce in the noodles with that.
Kitsune udon, tororo, plus shrimp skewer, vegetable croquette, kabocha and kashiwa-ten
The udon broth tastes just like in Japan, but the noodles do lack a bit of chew. Then again, if they say it was adjusted to Korean tastes, that may well be it.
The tempura was far cheaper than I expected, and the taste was almost identical to Japan. Four pieces came to under 6,000 won, so it was very reasonable. I felt like ordering a pile of tempura instead of the udon. The kashiwa-ten in particular, fried chicken tempura style, has a charm quite different from karaage, so do try it if you get the chance.
One more shot because the chicken tempura was so good
This taste, this volume, this price. Is that not far better than KFC?
The tempura I took home
I liked the tempura so much that I took a few pieces home. Value for money, they are all excellent. The only pity is that you cannot have them with a beer inside the shop.
After that hefty lunch I wandered the streets of Hongdae to walk it off.
Paul & Paulina, still with a long line
First time back in a while, and the line is the same as ever.
The dreaded tasting corner
If you are lucky you can sample four or five kinds of bread. On top of that the staff are so friendly it felt like walking into a hotel. No wonder business keeps going so well. I learned something big here.
Ice cream at Gelati Gelati
Nitrogen ice cream is all the rage in Hongdae these days, but somehow I have no urge to try it. So for dessert I stopped by Gelati Gelati, a safe choice. Some people say the gelato has slipped since the crowds grew, but I never came in the early days so I cannot tell. Icheon rice, blueberry and Earl Grey seem to be the famous ones, and the signature flavors are still competitive.
Book fair
I went in with no information at all, and there were lots of good books. If I can make it next year, I will prepare well in advance.
Crazy Monster
I have no idea who dreamed up such a perverse dish, but I respect them.
Playground
After walking for ages I rested a while in a quiet park. I discovered that a seesaw is actually a pretty good piece of playground equipment. There are many things you never realized as a kid that you only learn as an adult.
Dinner at Soi Yeonnam..
The place I originally wanted was closed, so I went to Tuk Tuk Noodle Thai, only to be told it was a two-hour wait. So I went to Soi Yeonnam instead; there was a line, but I got a seat quickly. The food took a while to come out, though.
Beef noodle soup with extra meat
The stewed beef is so good that not adding extra meat is a loss. You can add noodles too, but this broth really calls for rice. Order a bowl of rice and you get noodle soup and rice soup in one go.
The photo is dark because I ate outside, but now that it is getting chilly, eating outdoors is going to get tough.
Pork skewers
Mine was apparently the last order. On holidays they must run out of ingredients. They were grilled nicely, but the sweet sauce is what makes them. I should try the grilled sausage too, but that will have to wait for next time.
I missed almost every place I had planned that day, but one way or another it was a full day. I was so sorry about it that I went back to Hongdae the next day as well.
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