Cover Choi Hyun-seok is one of South Korea’s most recognisable chefs and here are his favourite street food eats in Seoul (Photo: Choi Hyun-seok)
Choi Hyun-seok is one of South Korea’s most recognisable chefs and here are his favourite street food eats in Seoul (Photo: Choi Hyun-seok)
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From soul-comforting soups to shatteringly crispy Korean fried chicken, the South Korean celebrity chef spills the tea on the best insider street eats you have probably never heard of
For many Koreans, Choi Hyun-seok is perhaps one of South Korea’s most celebrated and recognisable chefs—thanks to much air time on national television, appearing on a cable channel cooking show titled Take Care of My Refrigerator in 2015 and the now viral Culinary Class Wars on Netflix.
After a budding stint at an Italian joint in 1993, Choi has been stirring up Seoul’s culinary scene for the past three decades and is what you’d get if you sprinkled a dash of rebellious spirit onto a classically trained chef. His current gastronomic abode, Choi Dot, is popular in the world of haute cuisine, offering space for distinct yet original creations that bear his fingerprints.
But away from the razzle-dazzle of starched white tablecloths and fancy champagnes, the celebrity chef enjoys exploring Seoul for authentic street food. While Choi was in Singapore for a two-night exclusive collaboration dinner with executive chef Kenny Huang at Bottega di Carna of Mondrian Singapore Duxton, Tatler Dining caught up with him to find out the best street food spots in Seoul. Here are his muses, in no particular order.
Read more: 5 Seoul sizzling new Korean barbecue spots in Singapore
1. 24 hour Bone Gamjatang
“This restaurant has been open for 30 years, and I often host my guests from overseas or even have my team-bonding dinner there. Although many come for the gamjatang (pork backbone soup), which is amazingly rich, I usually recommend the ppyeojjim, a spicy braised dish of pork and beansprouts that is my absolute favourite. Be prepared to line up though as the restaurant is always crowded—and even more so after I gave it a shout on national television. Also, you must try the fried rice as a K-dessert (slang for frying rice over the grill) to end the meal.”
24시 뼈다귀 해장국
Address: 73 Daesangwan-ro, Yongsan district, Seoul, South Korea
2. Pal Shikdang
“This underrated Korean barbecue restaurant is known for its well-aged pork. I like that the meat oozes with juices on a hot grill, which looks and tastes brilliant. Of course, we pair them with various ban chan (side dishes) served depending on what’s available. My favourite way to enjoy is dipping the meats into the saeujeot (salted fermented shrimp). Grilled pork aside, other cooked highlights including marinated raw crab, shrimp soup and a yujong-ui mi fried rice, which translates to ‘stay true till the end’, are most popular among the locals. And just like the locals do it, complete your meal with a bowl of white rice.”
팔식당
Address: 7 Dosan-daero 90-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
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3. Janbiwo
“Janbiwo means ‘bottoms up’ in Korean, and of course, the namesake points to a Korean-style pub which pours up great beer or anything and everything boozy. It is an old pub, with over 20 years of history, selling a wide variety of Korean dishes that pair smoothly with the libations—especially soju and beer. Among all, my favourite is the Korean-style fried chicken, something I strongly recommend. If you ask me, this is the spot to try genuine Korean fried chicken and not the franchises.”
잔비워
Address: 5 Apgujeong-ro 73-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
4. Go-heung Sundaeguk
“This restaurant is situated not far from the now-popular Seongsu neighbourhood, which I recommend visiting too. The restaurant serves up a delicious sundaeguk, a traditional Korean soup dish featuring the sundae (a type of blood sausage). It consists of generous servings of meat and sundae, all swimming in a clear yet richly flavoured broth which makes for a fulfilling meal. For foodies who are seeking the local taste that Koreans love, this is the perfect dish to try.”
고흥순대국
Address: 26 Achasan-ro 34-gil, Gwangjin District, Seoul, South Korea
5. Manyeo Kimbap
“This is my favourite street snack that is ready on demand whenever I need a bite in between my busy schedule. Manyeo means ‘witch’ in Korean and they serve up various flavourful kimbaps that I get delivered to me. It is also mighty affordable and I tend to stick to the original Manyeo kimbap or the egg Manyeo kimbap, which comes generously filled with soft eggs.”
마녀김밥
Address: 23 Apgujeong-ro 79-gil, Gangnam District, Seoul, South Korea
