I had drunk too much the night before, so I thought about getting something to cure the hangover, but going far felt like too much trouble. In the middle of all that, I heard there were two places in Yeoksam-dong that do a good bugeo haejangguk, dried pollack hangover soup. Of the two, Hyundai Gisa Sikdang was said to be the less spicy one with more broth, so that is where I went.
The front entrance
It is on the second floor, and true to a gisa sikdang, a taxi-driver diner, it is a bit run-down. Prices are on the cheap side.
Banchan is self-serve
There are not many kinds, but they are all decent.
Gim and green chilies
Apparently they do not put the gim out on rainy days. And the chilies were genuinely fresh. When was the last time I had chilies like this at a restaurant.. I was a little moved.
Bugeoguk
Simple, but clean and refreshing. It was excellent as a hangover cure. They said it was not spicy, yet it still has a bit of a kick. Makes me wonder just how much hotter the spicy place must be..
There is a whole dried pollack in there.
Beyond the taste, the price is fine and it is easy to get to. On top of that it is nicely shabby, which makes it the perfect middle-aged-guy joint. Along with Daesungjib, knowing plenty of places like this is probably what makes middle-aged life comfortable. Maybe I should take this chance and switch over to writing a middle-aged-man blog..