A Delicious Affair: Dong Bing Go

For our fourth day of "Bingsu reporting," we went to a small bingsu place called Dong Bing Go. This place is tucked away in a residential neighborhood, so only the people who know the place will come visit here.

We ordered one regular bingsu and one milk tea bingsu. I asked the waiter to take out the condensed milk to save calories, but the girl I'm reporting with found out and asked for it on the side...haha.

The regular bingsu was nothing but simple, with ice, red bean, and three pieces of rice cake. I liked that the red bean wasn't too sweet.

The milk tea bingsu had bananas, too much nuts in my opinion, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I prefered this bingsu to the other one, but nothing that special.

A Delicious Affair: Ducati & Cafe T

I went to Samsungdong with the girl from Smith yesterday to taste more bingsu. The first cafe we went to was called Ducati, and this place is famous for its green tea bingsu ($16). I asked the waiter to extract condensed milk because I didn't want my stomach to erupt (I am partially lactose-intolerant). The bingsu looked fine visually, but it tasted awful. The green tea flavor was too bitter, even with the heaping ice cream on top. There was too much nuts and not enough red bean. I am not sure why this place is famous for its bingsu because it was one of the worst I have ever tasted.

We were contemplating whether to go to a very expensive bingsu place at the Park Hyatt hotel ($35), but decided against it because realistically not very many people can afford that kind of bingsu.

Instead we went to Cafe T near Galleria. We ordered the Milk Bingsu, which was made from shaved milk ice, red bean, too much condensed milk, and tapioca. I personally prefer chunkier rice cake. The milk flavor was too strong so I wasn't a huge fan of this bingsu either.

A Delicious Affair: Cafe the Air & Be Sweet On Green Tea Shaved Ice

I have been on the hunt for the best bingsu (Korean shaved ice with sweet red bean) in Seoul with another intern for Chosun Ilbo. Yesterday was our second day and we went to a neighborhood called Hongdae.

The first cafe we went to was called Be Sweet On, and we ordered its signature dish, Green Tea shaved ice. At about $18, I thought the bingsu was quite overpriced, but because it came with green tea roll cake along with rice cake balls and green tea syrup on the side, perhaps the exorbitant price was reasonable.

The shaved ice had a very strong green tea flavor. I spilled a lot of ice and red bean on the plate at first because it was so huge! I liked that the red bean, which the workers cooked themselves, wasn't too sweet. The ice was shaved very fine and the bingsu was also served with hot green tea on the side, which warmed my body. The cafe uses best ingredients (organic green tea powder, red bean from Korea, etc.), and I could definitely taste the difference. Yum!

We walked around Hongdae for a bit to empty our stomach, and went to our second destination: Cafe the Air. I didn't like how crowded and loud it was inside. We ordered the green tea bingsu, and I would say the majority of the customers (99%) ordered the same thing.

My favorite was the ice cream because it had the texture of soft yogurt/ice cream. I am not a fan of nuts, and I was disappointed that there was no rice cake. Also the red bean wasn't made in the cafe. It was also too milky.

I have to go to other bingsu places in the afternoon, and I am already quite tired from consuming such cold food...it's upsetting my stomach! It's not easy being an epicure...

A Delicious Affair: Jin Jin Bara

On Saturday for dinner, my dad took us and grandma to a full course Korean meal restaurant called Jin Jin Bara. Mom and I had been shopping at Lotte Department store and we unexpectedly met in the subway on our way to the restaurant. Oh family...

We made reservation so the table was already set by the time we got there.

The course began with soup and salad. The soup needed more seasoning, so I added a little bit of soy sauce that was on the table. I'm not sure what type of soup it was, but it was thick and white. The lettuce in the salad was fresh and crispy, but there was too much dressing on the bottom.


The second round of food included chicken rolled in patties (tasted more like sausage), three different kinds of Korean pancakes (my favorite was the one in the middle because it tasted chewy with sweet bean paste inside), crackled rice soup, sashimi, and jellyfish salad.





Next were japchae (clear noodle with soy sauce and vegetables), "Goo Jul Pan" (Nine
platters...similar to a wrap with nine different kinds of vegetables), and mook salad that my brother really enjoyed.



Giant shrimp with sweet pumpkin and potato puree! I really enjoyed this item and had both of it since DJ doesn't eat shrimp.

Memil noodle, which needed more ice and was too salty, steamed pork meat, galbi (beef), and octopus dish that we were too full to even taste.




Koreans don't call it a full meal unless there is rice, banchans, and fermented soy bean stew.

Finally, dessert. Rice cakes, pineapple, and fruit drink. We literally feasted that night for just about $40 per person! I would highly, highly recommend that anyone who visit Korea to try a full course meal. My stomach was so full afterward that I decided to walk home, which took 2 hours (including crossing the Han River, one of my favorite things to do!)

A Delicious Affair: De Miel

My family went to Insadong this morning to see my photographs on display at Ssamzigil (I won honorable mention!), and had an early lunch...or at least we were hoping to eat brunch since we didn't eat anything for breakfast.

I seared for some fancy Italian restaurants the night before, but forgot to take notes on how to get to those places. After wandering for about 40 minutes, we finally found a decent place called De Miel, which had pretty good reviews on Naver.

We weren't too impressed with the menu, but because we were quite exhausted from all the walking in the sun, we decided to settle on the restaurant.

My brother ordered chicken rose risotto, which I didn't get to taste because my brother, who was obviously starved, finished the whole plate before I even had the chance to reach over with my fork.

My dad ordered tomato sauce pasta, but I didn't eat this one either since it had bacon slices.

Mom ordered vongole, and it was way too oily than other olive oil pasta.

I tried the grape pizza, which had yogurt-based sauce with mozarella cheese and grapes. The description on the menu said it is a sweet pizza, and I quite enjoyed it (including the thin crust). I realized I don't like deep dish pizza, but thin crust isn't too bad. I still had to wipe all the grease with a napkin though.

Welcome to the Food World!

"Those who enjoy cakes have to bake cakes, and those who enjoy pasta have to cook pasta."

This is too obvious of a statement. A place that made this statement a reality opened today (July 20th) - Welcome to the CJ Food World.

CJ Food World was made to celebrate the food culture in Korea. About 200 specialty chefs cook different food at 17 different CJ brand stores/restaurants, including VIPS, Bibigo, China Factory, and Freshian Brasserie. In addition to food restaurants, Food World features Fresh Market where you can by CJ Brand groceries, Petitzel Fruity where you can enjoy fresh fruit juice and jelly made without any food coloring or preservatives, and Tous les Jours*Twosome Coffee*Cold Stone Creamery complex store where you can enjoy freshly baked bread, creamy ice cream, and coffee all in one place.



However, in today's world, a food court can't survive just by serving food. The executive director of CJ Brand, Mrs. Noh Hee Young, considered this fact and created CJ The Farm and Baksul Cooking Class.

CJ The Farm simulated nature's farm where you can observe beans, tomatoes, and other vegetables growing in the middle of the city. In order to create an atmosphere that best resembles nature, the Farm is equipped with Korea's first simulated sun ray that moves closer and further away from the crops depending on the time and humidity. In addition, there is a kitchen where you can make the food you ate at the different eateries. CJ also plans on conducting cooking classes for kids.

The underground is a place of gourmet's heaven. From nangmyun (Korean cold noodle) and bulgogi grilled on fire to fresh pasta and furnace-baked pizza, you can enjoy all kinds of cuisines.

I tried three types of curries from Loco Curry - rich brown, creamy yellow, and spicy red curries. Loco Curry uses 23 different spices and cook the curries for longer than 24 hours, so you can taste the deep savory flavors. Inside the curries were thumb-size broccoli, tomatoes, and mushroom instead of meat, which added freshness and eliminated greasiness. I couldn't taste the dull flavor of instant curry, but instead tasted the richness.

I also had Bibigo's seafood salad with chewy jellyfish, fresh vegetables and shrimp, Korean pear, and sweet wasabi dressing. The wasabi dressing was so strong that it hurt my nose a bit.

For main entree, I had dry-aged steak cooked rare. There were enough fat to add softness, and the pepper seasoning added flavor. The chewy and savory meat melted in my mouth.

After a filling meal, you can buy CJ Brand products at the Fresh Market grocery, as well as shop at Olive Young cosmetics. If you are craving for more, you can wrap up your adventure on the first floor with sweet dessert and coffee.



The concept of Food World, a place where you can eat, cook, and shop in one place, is innovative, yet the transportation to the place is quite inconvenient. Also the Food Court isn't that much different from other food courts besides the Farm and the Cooking Class. There are lots of stores and shops nearby, but not enough apartments that the place is more for office workers rather than families. An irony part is that the price range is a bit high for office workers to frequent this place.

The Beautiful Life of a Gourmet: The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe

There are a few perks of being a journalist, such as getting to interview celebrities (I'm only considering the "fun" perks, not the serious I-get-to-be-the-voice-for-the-voiceless). On the other hand, there are numerous perks for a food reporter, especially if you are a big foodie like I am.

My mentor at Chosun Ilbo is the food reporter for the newspaper. As a result, he knows lots of people in the food business and visits lots of restaurants, bakeries, cafes, etc. Today he invited me and one other intern to a newly opened bakery called "The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe."

Upon entering the bakery, I could see the bakers decorating cakes and baking bread at an open kitchen. The bakery, which opened today (July 18), features studio style open kitchen. Now, I am just going to translate whatever I wrote in Korean for the bakery review into English for this blog.

The Barn Bake Studio & Cafe, a bakery where you can watch the bread and cookies being baked, opened its doors on July 18. With its wooden walls, studio-style open kitchen, and peaceful atmosphere, the bakery arouses the visitors' taste buds.

The visitors can observe the bakers decorating cakes and baking bread in its open kitchen, taking into consideration the careful preparation and effort that goes into making this high-quality bread. On top of a wooden table are brown sugar cubes and two types of jam in bowls. You feel like you are at a romantic French cafe because of the serene, foreign music in the background. The cafe also has a quiet side room where visitors can read.

Inside the glass case are three types of colorful macaroons, mango mousse that you want to poke with a fork, eclair that makes your mouth water, and other high-quality dessert.

The first dessert I tried is the macaroon ($1.75 a piece). The size of this macaroon is so small that it easily fits in one hand and can be eaten in one bite. At the Barn, there are rose, coffee, and vanilla flavors. I tried the vanilla macaroon. As soon as I opened the packaging, I could smell the strong vanilla flavor. When I put it in my mouth, the outside slightly shattered, but the crispy outside was contrasted with the chewy inside. The soft, sweet vanilla cream melted when it touched the tip of my tongue. Though the macaroon tasted delicious, its vanilla flavor was so strong that my stomach would hurt if I ate more than two.

The next dessert I tried was the eclair cafe ($2.50). The eclair, with its plain appearance, reminded me of the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." On top is a layer of caramel icing, with coffee cream filling inside. The eclair wasn't damp, but crispy. The coffee filling was too rich that if I ate it too much, the eclair, like the macaroon, would make my stomach nauseous.

The caramel pound cake ($3.50) was in an individual package by slice. The caramel syrup on top made it sweet as well as sticky. The pound cake was moist, but also made me thirsty. Besides the caramel pound, there were pistachio and banana walnut pound cake. I don't think this menu was worth the price.

Next I tried a mango mousse with the cute name "CoCo Passion." This was one of my favorite desserts. I had to eat this circular mousse with a fork or a spoon. The top 3/5 was pastel yellow mango mousse, and the bottom 2/5 was white cream. At a first glimpse, it looked like an egg. Between the mousse and the cream was thin vanilla cake. The taste of white cream that melts in your mouth like snow and soft vanilla cake was a match made in heaven.

The baguette ($2) made with French flour tasted great with the jam on top of the wooden table. I could taste the berry bits in the berry jam made with five different berries. This jam wasn't too sweet and enhanced the plain flavor of the baguette. On the other hand, the sour grapefruit-orange jam hid the flavor of the baguette completely. The ends of the baguette was too hard that I couldn't eat it.

The next fermented bread I tried was cranberry campagne ($3). This bread, enjoyed by many Europeans, means "Country bread." The outside looks rustic and as hard as a rock, but hidden inside is chewy bread with cranberries. In addition, the cream cheese inside the circular cranberry bread added additional flavor. The soft inside was different from plain white bread or pound cake. One regrettable thing about this bread was that the crispy outside was too thick. This bread also tasted great with jam.

I only had one mouthful of the croissant and chocolate croissant. The crispy outside looked as though someone layered it with shiny oil. As soon as I ripped a piece, my finger became super greasy. The bread is definitely not good for the health. The inside was soft with a little bit of salty flavor.

The Barn features 6 to 7 types of bread at a time, in addition to cookies, pound cake, macaroon, madaleine, gift set, and jam. You can also enjoy wine with bread. The Barn is opened M~F from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 to 6 (closed on Sunday). The Barn is giving a free cup of Americano coffee to all visitors for its opening event.

A Delicious Affair: Happy So-Poong-Yee (해피 소뿡이)

Today I indulged in the thrill of biting into something I have never had before. We stopped by a small take-out only eatery in Daehawkro (College Road) called Happy So-Poong-Yee, which sells two slices of toast filled with different fillings that range from savory toppoki, bulgogi, sauasage, and pizza fillings to sweet red bean, pumpkin, and potato fillings, and then pressed into a fish-shaped mold.

There were two types of bread: regular toast and pastry bread. I saw the nutrition facts and the latter had more than 3 times the fat as the former! According to a leaflet, pastry sopoongyee is better if you aren't eating it right away because the toast gets soggier faster. When we came to the store, the workers were busily making the pastry sopoongyees.

We were the first customer of the day. We wanted to try a little bit of everything, so we ordered pizza, toppoki, potato, and sweet pumpkin in vanilla ice cream with cereal flakes. As soon as we made our order, the worker began to fit the slice into the fish mold, poured in different fillings, and topped it with another slice.

After pressing the bread for about 5 minutes, the toast finally transformed into a fish!

Look how happy I look...haha.

My brother ordered the Pizza So-poong-yee. I had a bite and it tasted a lot better than the pizza bread at a typical Korean bakery. The pizza filling tasted just like the pizza sauce, minus the greasy cheese.

Mom ordered the Potato Sopoongyee, which had a scoop of potato salad inside. I only tasted the corn, and it was a little creamy-ish because of the mayo.

My sweet pumpkin sopoongyee with ice cream. I was sad the ice cream wasn't a frozen yogurt because it was a bit too heavy. The sweet pumpkin filling was too overpowering, sugary, and dry. I would have actually preferred less filling, or the filling to be spread around the fish more so it's not only in the middle.

We also shared a toppoki sopoongyee. It was too spicy and cheesy. I probably won't be eating another sopoongyee any time soon, not necessarily because I didn't enjoy them, but because I want to try more food that I have never had since my time in Korea is limited.