Grocery prices in Seoul or where are the Korean carrots? Street food in Korea: bugs and kebabs Expensive food in Seoul

For a very long time I was preparing a post on the topic “Korean food”. This topic is infinitely broad and deep, so in my article I will simply list those dishes that are typical representatives and will not cause harm to most standard European stomachs. In addition to the dishes themselves, I will also note some food features that I noticed in Seoul.

Pipimbap.. 비빔밥 .

In 2011, CNN readers chose the 50 most delicious dishes in the world, bibimbap was the only South Korean dish on the list and took a respectable 40th place. Bibimbap is rice neatly placed in a clay or stone pot on a small tray, with meat (in most cases beef, but can be chicken, seafood and even tofu) and the following ingredients: cucumber, zucchini, spinach, fern root. , shiitake mushrooms, seaweed (gim), sprouted soybean sprouts (the list can be significantly expanded). The obligatory central element of this dish is an egg (can be a raw egg or already fried, but with a runny yolk) and hot pepper paste gochujang. Before placing the rice, a thin layer of sesame oil is poured into the bottom of the pot, and the dish itself is also sprinkled with sesame seeds when serving.

How to eat bibimbap?

Before you are served your bibimbap, they will bring you large selection of snacks(panchan/banchan/반찬). They are meant to be eaten together with the main course and although you, being very hungry, can “peck” them a little, it’s better not to eat them completely. After all, they should add variety to the consumption of the main dish.
Bibimbap is served very hot and a clay pot, much less a stone one, is simply hot - you can easily get burned. Therefore, hold, move or rotate your dish by holding it only by the handles of the tray, on which it is served and under no circumstances touch the pot itself.
As I mentioned above, they put in bibimbap a raw egg, and sometimes raw meat. But this does NOT mean that you should eat them raw. You need to mix all the ingredients of the dish, while trying to make the meat closer to the base of the pot and better cooked. The egg is usually “smeared” on the walls ^_^.
Can be served with bibimbap soup. Koreans believe that drier dishes should be complemented by moister ones. It is not customary to add soup to bibimbap itself.
Rice, which is located at the very bottom of the pot, do not try to mix it with the rest of the dish. There are two options for dealing with the bottom rice: do not eat it at all and leave it at the bottom of the pot, or add a little more oil to it so that the rice itself peels off from the base. Voila! You've got another Korean dish - nurungji/누룽지. You can crunch them proudly ^_^.

When you get home from Seoul and start missing Korean food, bibimbap is one of the few dishes you can cook yourself for your family and friends.

Soups and stews.찌개 .

Personally, I have always loved soups and always order soup if I come to a restaurant. Since we were in Seoul in the fall, soups were very popular. Soup or stew is a traditional Korean food!

There are several soups that we tried and I can recommend them:

Doenjang jjigae. 된장찌개. This is a very popular and well-known stew in Korea, based on fermented soybean paste, which is called doenjang paste, and soy cheese - tofu. In addition to these two ingredients, vegetables and seafood or meat are added to the stew. This soup can be recommended to everyone because it is not spicy at all.

This stew is also quite easy to prepare at home, as long as you buy the pasta. In St. Petersburg, Korean pastes (both hot pepper and soy) are sold here:

Kimchi jjigae. 김치찌개. As you may have guessed, this is kimchi stew. It is believed that kimchi contains a lot of beneficial bacteria, so for prevention you can try this soup, but it will be very spicy! So, be careful.
Sundubu jjigae. 순두부찌개.The main ingredient here is also tofu. This soup, as many people read, is very useful for acclimatization, the so-called jetleg.
Samgyetang. 삼계탕.Very tasty and healthy soup with chicken, ginseng, rice, dates and garlic. Not very spicy! This hot, healthy soup is usually eaten in the summer, especially on the hottest days, but also in the fall and winter, believe me, it is wonderful!

How to eat soups and stews?

There shouldn’t be any difficulties here: use a spoon in all cases when you definitely can’t use chopsticks. Eat rice separately, eat panchans separately with chopsticks, do not mix them in soup.

Tteok.떡 . Ttok.

It’s very difficult to explain, but you 100% have to try it. Tteok is a type of rice cake (sometimes called “rice dumpling”) made from gluten-free rice flour. Tteok is used for both sweets and the very famous spicy dish tteokbokki (떡볶이).

As for Korean sweets, many consider them to be specific, and there is a reason for this: yes, of course, Korean sweets are radically different from European ones. But that’s their beauty! I really enjoyed the chewy tteok sweets filled with sweet red beans or sesame paste. In addition to the fact that they are very tasty, they are not as cloying as European sweets and are also very appetizing to look at. We bought Tteokbokki on the street and were afraid that it would be very spicy, but no, it turned out to be spicy and sweet at the same time and a very pleasant texture. On a cold evening - just right! Try tteokbokkin for sure!

Fish cake & street food.어묵 . 오뎅 .

What is fish cake or fish cake? This is a product consisting of 50% surimi (what crab sticks are made of), wheat flour (about 30%), carrots, onions, salt, and sugar are also added to it. The resulting mass is kneaded and shaped, and then boiled or fried in oil.
Fish cakes are not a traditional Korean food, they are found in all Asian countries.
We also tried fish cakes at street stalls, they always have a very pleasant consistency, taste and aroma. Often soup is served with chipcakes on a stick.

Beverages.

Coffee

Seoul is a city of cafes and coffee shops. Coffee is definitely at a premium here and they love it a hundred times more than tea. We can say that in terms of coffee, Seoul is the Asian Stockholm, since people drink coffee here all the time, always and everywhere, on the go and sitting in a cafe, regardless of the time of day. Sometimes it seems that Seoul residents simply live in cafes, where they meet friends, work, do homework and drink coffee. I'm not a coffee lover and I don't know much about coffee. Having a Nespresso machine at home suits me quite well, but in Seoul you definitely need to drink coffee! And not even for the coffee itself, but just for the atmosphere! At the same time, you need to remember that a cup of coffee with a cake can cost the same or more than a full lunch in a simple restaurant.

Sujeonggwa.수정과 .

A hot drink made from dried persimmons, with the addition of cinnamon and ginger. Often served with pine nuts. A very pleasant, warming punch - a must-drink of the Korean autumn. We drank sujeonggwa in a traditional tea house - very tasty! You can make this drink yourself, the main thing is not to miss the season of dried persimmons. You can find it at the market, in the dried fruit department.

Shikhye.식혜 .

Shikke is a drink I've heard a lot about. This is a traditional Korean dessert drink made from rice. We only tried the cheap version from the can and liked it. Be prepared for the fact that most Korean drinks are considered desserts and are therefore very sweet, sometimes even cloying. Korean alcoholic drink soju(soju, 소주), in traditional green bottles, I haven’t tried, so I can’t recommend it. South Korea is a country that drinks a lot, so if you want, join in.

Ice cream. Patbingsu.팥빙수 .

Even if you come to Seoul in winter, be sure to try Korean ice cream - patbingsu. It's not exactly ice cream: crushed ice, red adzuki beans, condensed milk, nut powder and tteok. Also, fruits and other fillings can be added to patbingsu (patbingsu with green tea is very popular), depending on the imagination of the creator of the dish. Of course, this is a summer dish, so the further from the summer season, the more difficult it is to buy patbingsu. We tried it at Cafe Bene and received pure aesthetic and gastronomic pleasure, although we were very cold ^_^ How to eat patbingsu? — The main thing is to mix everything well ^_^

I did not include it in this article kimchi And korean bbq. You will try kimchi anyway and there is no point in writing about it separately. I can only recommend trying not only cabbage kimchi, but also radish kimchi (kkakdugi/깍두기). Korean barbecue is very common in many countries, so when you are in Seoul, you better try something that you cannot eat in your home country;
Of the dishes that I can’t write much about, I would also recommend additionally:

— Bulgogi — (불고기) fried marinated beef,

— Pajeon (파전) — onion pancake,
- rice triangles with 주먹밥 filling (sold in supermarkets),
— kimbap (Korean version of rolls),
— numerous variations of milk, in cute little bottles;
— fortified drink Vita 500, based on apple juice, with the addition of vitamin C and B2 (does not contain caffeine).

You will rarely need to “call the waiter” in Seoul; there is usually a button, by clicking on it, you call the waiter;
If you come to a restaurant and accidentally drop your spoon or chopsticks, do not rush to call the waiter. First, see if your table has built-in cutlery drawer;
There are cafes where after payment they will give you a small device with your order number. Having taken it, you sit quietly and wait for the device to vibrate, which means your order is ready and you can go to the counter and pick it up;
remember, that korean chopsticks differ from Chinese and Japanese: in shape and material, so at first there may be difficulties. But if you are fluent in using ordinary chopsticks, then there will be no problems with these;
in most cases, you order dishes not for yourself, but as if for the table, i.e. if you come with friends and order yourself a pajeon, then it will be a very large pajeon with a dozen panchans, and your friend ordered bibimbap, and another friend ordered bulgogi. As a result, you will have a table filled with panchans and three huge main courses, for each of which they will bring you a bowl of rice and another free bowl - it’s customary in Korea share food.
rice They are usually served in metal bowls with a lid. To prevent the top layer of rice from sticking to the lid on the back side, simply twirl the bowl in your hands several times while holding the lid.
stand in queues to eat is completely normal.
Typically, Korean minimarkets have not only cold drinks, but also hot ones, as well as boiling water and a microwave. So, you can literally eat your doshirak “without leaving the cash register.”
if you buy something in the market and don’t know what filling is inside or what the product is made of, look to see if there are any drawings on it))) very often, if a pig or a cow is drawn..... unfortunately... yes, exactly from her.

Of course, in this article I could only write about those dishes that I managed to try myself. Korean food is wonderful and varied, so this list is just a guide for your first trip to Seoul.

All photos are mine unless otherwise stated.

Eat and enjoy life!

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, has incredible street food - perhaps the best in the world. In order not to be unfounded, we present you with a whole list of evidence - with comments from expert critics. Like real critics, they don’t praise everything, but that’s all the more interesting.

1. Fried milk: $4

Critic 1: Yes, it's a thing. Delicious. Critic 2: When I saw this, I thought I was lactose intolerant.

2. Sweet Potato: $3

Critic 1: Simple and elegant. Critic 2: Unpresentable, but delicious!

3. Egg Bread: $1.50

Critic 1: The Mercedes-Benz of Korean street food! Critic 2: An absolute hit. Do not miss. If you're ever in Korea and only have time to try one street food... try this one. Satisfaction guaranteed!

4. Cheese and vegetable donut: $3

Critic 1: Hot and sticky kindness. Critic 2: After eating the last bite, I cried. I was sad that it was over.

5. Fish paste: $2

Critic 1: A very popular dish, people love it. Critic 2: Many people like it. But not for me!

6. Dumplings in the Myeongdong shopping district: 3 pieces for $4

Critic 1: Fried dumplings are the best dumplings. I'm just drooling. Critic 2: I had a food orgasm. This dumpling is to die for!

7. Scallops baked with cheese and butter: $10

Critic 1: Well, it's cool, at least because of the shell. Who doesn't love food in shells? Critic 2: I don’t really like it, but I saw people who were delighted.

8. Chicken in sweet and sour sauce: $3

Critic 1: The title sums it up. This is really fried chicken in sweet and sour sauce. Tasty. Critic 2: I agree.

9. Steak and wheatgrass: $7

Critic 1: The picture doesn't do justice to the delicious taste of this dish (no offense taken by Critic 2). It was delicious. Amazing steak! Critic 2: O-la-la! The memories of this tasting will stay with me forever. Perfect food.

10. Fun Hammer Cookies: $3.50

Critic 1: You smash this ball with a large wooden mallet and it disintegrates into crispy, fried, chocolate-covered pieces. How can you not like it? Critic 2: This is food for people of all ages. I highly recommend at least just using a hammer!

11. Sugar pancake: $2

Critic 1: It's just sugar in some fried dough. Incredible. Critic 2: I dream about this at night. This is the only thing that makes me happy now.

12. Mung Bean Pancake: $4

Critic 1: I look at the photo and want more. To be honest, one serving can feed three. Critic 2: Similar to Korean latkes (potato pancakes), but made from legumes - green mung beans to be exact. Fried, hot and delicious!

13. Taiyaki - Japanese filled cookies: $3

Critic 1: Cute and tasty. Critic 2: Tastes like sweet potato pie, but in fish form, which is much more fun.

14. Chips on a stick: $4

Critic 1: Chips... on... a stick. Brilliant. Critic 2: Everything tastes better on a stick!

15. Assorted rolls: 5 pieces for $6

Critic 1: As a true connoisseur of sushi culture, I have to say: this is a "yes" from me. Critic 2: Great presentation. Excellent performance.

16. Honey Garlic Shrimp: $6

Critic 1: Delicious and crispy. The slogan should be: “Dangerous, addictive!” Critic 2: Honey! Oil! Garlic! Everything I love!

17. Chicken skewers (with brush to rub in sauce): $3

Critic 1: It's all about this brush. Critic 2: Absolutely divine.

18. Rice Stuffed Sausage Assortment: $4

Critic 1: Great combination. Critic 2: Oh, this is what they call a sausage festival.

19. Dried persimmons: $10 per box

Critic 1: Persimmons are one of the most underrated fruits. But her time will come, mark my words! Critic 2: They took dried fruit to the next level. Tasty!

20. Assorted Fish Pies: $4

Critic 1: If you like fish in batter, then this is for you. Critic 2: I don't like fish in dough, so I didn't like it.

21. Oreo Chocolate Churros: $3.50

Critic 1: If you like Oreo cookies and churros, you'll love the combination. Critic 2: A work of art!

22. Waffles with cream cheese: $1.50

Critic 1: Looks better than it tastes. A little disappointed. Critic 2: Unfortunately, they gave me a lukewarm waffle, but I like it hot! But it's beautiful.

23. Baked Cheese: $3

Critic 1: Talented, brilliant, incredible, stunning, impressive, unrivaled and completely unique. Critic 2: Baked cheese! And that's it.

24. Banana/Strawberry/Nutella Spring Roll: $6

Critic 1: It's worth a try. Critic 2: I did it!

25. Strawberries in a Cup and Chocolate Covered Strawberries on a Stick: $3 and $1 Critic 1: I've never seen a strawberry on a stick before. Big and tasty Critic 2: Simple and straightforward. A good option for those who love chocolate covered strawberries.

26. Baked lobster tail with cheese: $15 Critic 1: Delicious and cute. Critic 2: I recommend this dish because the shell doubles as a serving plate.

27. Fried Sweet Potatoes: $3 per glass Critic 1: Not bad, but the fries could have been hotter. Critic 2: I had high hopes! But unfortunately, the layer of honey around the sweet potato was too chewy and the sweet potato itself was too cold.

28. Baked Squid: $7 Critic 1: Squid lovers will love this. Critic 2: No, but thanks nonetheless.

29. Strawberries in mochi (sweet rice batter): $3.50 Critic 1: Great mochi cakes. Excellent chocolate filling. Very fresh strawberries. Yes, wrap it up. Critic 2: My favorite berries wrapped in mochi? Winning combo!

- "street food"

As a rule, when planning a trip to Asian countries, we book an apartment - but how will the local cuisine turn out to be “too much” for our stomachs and we will have to cook something? And once again we still eat in the city, using the kitchen in the apartment to peel local fruits or drink tea :)

Korean cuisine in our minds is closely associated with two things: they eat dog meat and Korean salads. I can’t say anything about the use of dog meat in Korean cuisine - we looked everywhere, but nowhere did we see a hint that they eat dogs somewhere. But those salads that are sold here as “Korean” have nothing to do with Korean cuisine, I don’t know where this name came from.

In development of topics, I plan to talk about the following things:
- "street food"
- some nutritional establishments where we ate, both in Seoul and in other cities,
- about what food is sold in local supermarkets,
- about several visits to the local food market.

Upon arrival in Seoul, we naturally ran to the market - firstly, the road there went through national treasure No. 1 - Namdaemun Gate

(seriously, they have all the sights and artifacts included in the list, and next to each such significant item it is written, for example, “national treasure No. 189”), secondly, I was already hungry, because Aeroflot feeds me on the Moscow flight - Seoul is so-so, thirdly, I read in the guidebook that you can buy a lot of things in the markets, but I was interested in some cosmetics. In general, the puzzle came together and we jumped to the market, making our way through the May Day demonstration, which was just marching through the central streets of the Korean capital.

The market, which is typical, is also called Namdaemun and really sells a lot of things there

We immediately came across these “kebabs” - sausages in dough, and there are also sausages stuffed with dough. Nothing exotic, sausages are like sausages, high-quality meat, low-fat dough.

And this is how not only market employees eat from a tray, but also employees from nearby offices: usually an elderly woman sits at the counter, who immediately prepares food, you can take it with you, or you can sit right there and have lunch.

Many photographs will show prices, so I’ll give you the exchange rate: 2500 local money is about 2.5 dollars.

The establishments on the streets adjacent to the market are different: there are some very creepy, by my standards, stalls, there are more civilized establishments where there are pictures of food and the prices are immediately written, and in some places they even understand English, and there are restaurants that occupy entire buildings. The choice is rich.

Street food again: some waffle-like things

but this spiral is an ordinary potato, 1 skewer - 1 potato, intricately cut and stretched over a stick. By the way, it is in great demand and is sold everywhere - on the streets, near parks, at the zoo.

Finally, we got tired of crawling around the Myeongdong shopping district, which is located next to the market, and were tempted by this place.

I don’t know what this place is called, but this is what it looks like, there are two such establishments on the streets of the Myeongdong district, and each is popular - often I had to sit on a special bench at the entrance of the establishment and wait for a table to become available, and, fortunately, not for long . As soon as a table is free, you are given a crimson apron and taken to a table, in the center of which there is a burner, and in drawers on the side there are napkins and cutlery, chopsticks are also available at the entrance. Water in Korean establishments is provided in unlimited quantities free of charge.

As soon as you choose something on the menu, they bring you a frying pan where your food is (for example, the first time we had octopus, sprouts, mushrooms, sauce and something else, then they added rice and grated cheese), they turn on the burner , and your food begins to prepare in front of you. You don’t have to stir anything yourself: every couple of minutes one of the waiters comes running and stirs the food in the frying pan, checking its readiness.

Here you can see how they put a damper around the frying pan to prevent the grease from getting on our clothes.

First impressions of Korean cuisine: spicy, but very tasty!

Here is a photo from one and subsequent visits to this establishment: you can see my bib in the background and the hands of the waiter who is stirring our food :)

In addition to the main dish from the menu, in the center of the room there is a “salad bar”: pickled cabbage, radish, cabbage again, which must be topped with milk sauce from bottles, all free of charge in unlimited quantities.

Koreans, by the way, actively use scissors when cooking and eating food! When our octopuses began to fry, they cut them into pieces so that they would cook faster and cook well, and in a number of places we were given scissors to cut the noodles. Since we were unaccustomed to eating with chopsticks, at first they slipped in our hands again, it took us 2 days to get used to it again, but no one laughs and they don’t even seem to pay attention to it, only the instruments show delicately. Many Koreans, by the way, also eat with European cutlery.

Street food in stock again.

But we didn’t dare to eat here, that’s for next time.

The next day we decided to go to one of the establishments that are hidden on the second and third floors of the Myeongdong district: the first floors are occupied by shops, and above there are small restaurants, in my opinion, many of them are run by families. Despite the modest size of the hall and the short distance between the tables, the establishment is cozy, and cards are accepted.

Menu (just to estimate the cost, usually a meal costs 6-7-8 dollars per person, octopus or special meat costs 9-10 dollars)

Our table. By the way, the teapot in the teapot is not water or tea, but hot meat broth, which in this establishment is poured from a large barrel.

These noodles need to be cut with scissors

And again street food

We were counting on a sausage on a skewer, but it turns out they cut it into pieces

One day we decided to eat at the Lotte supermarket, located near the central railway station (keep in mind that for some reason our cards are not accepted there, even the manager could not explain what the problem was, although in fact at the checkout counters it was indicated that a visa and mastercard is accepted, also have cash with you). Everything is simple there: a counter that runs along the perimeter of the kitchen, you pay, you get a bowl of food. The prices are the same as in Myeongdong, but Myeongdong is more fun.

Please note that everywhere a “salad” is offered with the main course - usually pickled cabbage or radish. This is called kimchi - the main feature of Korean cuisine.
Kimchi (in dialects: kimchi, kim-chi, chimchi, chimchha, chim-cha) is a dish of Korean cuisine, which is a hotly seasoned pickled (fermented) vegetable, primarily Chinese cabbage.

In general, these are pickled heads or leaves of cruciferous plants seasoned with red pepper, onion (or onion juice), garlic and ginger. Most often it is Chinese cabbage, sometimes with slices of radish. However, sometimes the leaves of kohlrabi, radish, loba and other plants from the cruciferous family, as well as cucumbers, eggplants and other vegetables are used instead.

In Korea, kimchi is considered a staple dish, without which no meal is complete. Koreans believe that moderate consumption of kimchi promotes the resorption of fat deposits, that is, they consider this dish to be dietary. It is also believed that spicy kimchi is a good cold remedy. Kimchi (like other fermentations and the resulting brines) is considered an effective hangover remedy.

I don’t know how it works against a hangover, but this cabbage is very good for digestion - my gastritis didn’t bother me even once the whole trip, although we ate everything in a row and everything was very spicy. In addition to restaurants and stalls in shopping areas, there are food courts near shopping centers and large railway stations - for example, food court in Suwon city

. To be honest, I was expecting something a la Singaporean food courts, so at first I was even a little upset: there are much fewer restaurants here, and there is no choice of many cuisines, and there are no separate tables, but after we ate, I even liked the place - everything utilitarian, nothing superfluous. The place is popular, we even had to stand for 10 minutes waiting for a seat. Street food in Suwon - steamed pies with spicy filling, called

pigodi Before I forget, I’ll say a few words about supermarkets. If someone expects to sit in their rooms and not eat local food, they will either have to try it or take food with them. There are few normal products in our understanding in local supermarkets

, for example, mentioned above, Lotte offers for Europeans only buns, some pastries, noodles in cups, candies and some semi-finished products like fried meat in batter, everything else is terra incognita - you don’t understand what to do, how to cook. In addition, in South Korea completely there is no point in cooking on your own when traveling

In Gyeongju, we ate in two places: on the day of our arrival, we came across an establishment in the center like “pay 10 thousand won (about 10 dollars) and eat as much as you want” and, as we called it, “at our aunts’ place,” in an establishment opposite ours hotels.

In the first one, everything is simple: you collect raw ingredients and fry them in your fryer. The products include meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits and cereals (no need to fry them, just for variety).

Here the food is still raw (you can see the fryer in the background)

And here the food is already being prepared, waiters are running around quite often and changing frying pans.

I can’t help but show you our breakfast in Gyeongju, which was brought to us every morning on a tray, ramen noodles. Everything is fresh and very tasty, filling.

We discovered "Aunties" by chance - we were walking and walking from the bicycle rental point where we rented our iron horses in the evening - and here, right opposite the hotel, was an establishment. Just as we were wearing bicycle pants, we went :) The only people who ate there were the local population, who at first stared at us, then they got used to it.

This is what it looks like inside, there’s even a series on TV. The establishment is run by two elderly Korean women: they cook, serve, and clean themselves. Very friendly, cheerful. Cards are accepted, again.

The food here is similar to what we ate before in Seoul, but there are more salads, mushrooms, and local marinated fish. "Aunties" only has 3 or 4 dishes on the menu, but we had just enough for our stay, each dish costs between 6 and 8 thousand won, as you can see, the prices are the same as in Seoul.

Finally, the apotheosis of the “eating” theme in Korea for us was a visit to Gwangjang Market. It not only sells a large number of groceries and prepared foods, but also traditional clothing, as well as a large number of Korean fabrics (very cute in my opinion) and cotton products (very high quality and at low prices). At about 6 o'clock the market is already starting to wind down, but it's time to eat there. Shall we have dinner?)

On the approach to the market itself there are several streets where they fry fresh fish in large quantities, but we didn’t go there, saving some for ourselves next time.

Inside the market, along its central “alleys,” there are tables where incredible amounts of food are prepared. Everyone sits down without ceremony, pays and eats. It’s very noisy, there are a lot of people and a lot of unfamiliar food - all this, out of habit, plunges you into shock and awe, then, after hanging around for half an hour, you stop paying attention to the crowd and look for food for yourself.

This is where we bought sushi for dinner.

And this is something similar to large potato pancakes: it seems that peas are ground and a special dough is prepared from it.

It seems that these are fried cockroaches, sold everywhere, in cups, everyone eats them too, but we didn’t dare try, we wandered around, looked at them, and when we took a photo, one woman laughed very hard, but we’re not offended - probably we would laugh too if someone spun around and took off, for example, seeds :)

In addition to ready-made food, they sell nuts, kimchi in large containers, and sweets

And in conclusion I will give one recommendation: there is no need to wait for anyone’s recommendations on nutrition in Korea, none of these “advise where to eat (brrrrr, I hate this word) at 12 o’clock in the afternoon, if we are a kilometer from object x, and our children don’t eat a damn thing.” Just come in and eat whatever you like - there is no stale food here and they maintain sanitation. If you don’t know how to eat, they will help you, give you advice, and finally, pay attention to what they eat around you. Are you afraid you won't like it? take different dishes - if something happens, you can change.
And don’t forget - you’re also talking about food, am I the only one who suffers remembering all these goodies?)

And this is probably all about Korean food from me.

Well, here's how they feed the red panda at the Seoul Zoo

Taming the bicycle, part 5 - the outskirts of Gyeongju, or on the way to Buddha

Cosmetic shopping in Korea

The railways of Korea (the photo just begs for the inscription “and understand the board as you wish”:)

Royal Palaces of Seoul

Wall in Suwon

When visiting any country, we always try to try the local cuisine, so to speak, to experience everything from the inside and to the fullest! I am used to the fact that the basis of my diet is always fruits and vegetables. At least we are well informed about Korean carrots! However, the city of Seoul was simply amazed by the price tag for some products! So, I offer a small photo review of food prices in Seoul.

Fruits and vegetables in Seoul.

In Seoul, there are signs about healthy and natural nutrition on every corner, but compared to other countries, the prices for vegetables and fruits seemed very strange.

Firstly, I was amazed that vegetables and fruits here are often sold individually!
Secondly, the prices of peeled and cut fruits, even on street stalls, are even more surprising than in stores.

I am attaching photos taken in shops and markets. It is very easy to calculate prices; you just need to remove the last three zeros and you get the price in dollars.

So, onions - per piece: 1.3 dollars per piece.

Bell pepper - almost 2 dollars a piece.

Watermelon - 11 dollars. The one we already bought for 17 bucks! In demand!

Two apples - 4 dollars.

Five small green tangerines - 3.5 dollars or two small oranges for 3!

After Cambodia and even Russia, three small bananas for one and a half dollars is somehow surprising!

Melon - only 8 bucks.

Sweet potato - 700 grams only 4 dollars. And I was surprised when in one street cafe I found boiled potatoes on the menu, that a dish of just potatoes with sauce cost 8 dollars.

Prices for grapes range from $10 to $15 per kg, but small bunches are usually sold individually. Bunches are individual, not grapes. Although the latter is already expected. The cost of a bunch is from 1 to 5 dollars (small bunches). The most inexpensive grape is Isabella, it is very tasty and aromatic.

Prices for tomatoes range from 6 to 10 dollars per kilogram (those that we came across), I don’t mean cherry tomatoes - the price increases cosmically.

This is what a fruit and vegetable counter in a store generally looks like.

Prices for fruits are not necessarily indicated per kilogram, sometimes per package, sometimes per 200 grams, sometimes per 700. In general, you need to look.

Oranges and grapefruits - also individually.

Behind this counter they sell peeled and cut fruits.

As you can see, a glass with a round grapefruit and a small banana cut in half costs $4. Grapefruit only - 3 dollars.

Prices in street cafes or inexpensive Korean food.

Unlike fruits and vegetables, food in street cafes is not so expensive, but you should definitely read what’s inside. If you buy cheap food, don't expect there to be meat or any healthy product inside.

This dish costs only $3. Opposite the entrance to the hotel we had probably the most inexpensive cafe in the area, where sushi with sausage (more precisely, with a semblance of sausage) was sold for only 1.5 dollars, although in other cafes the same sushi cost 3-6 dollars. So, this dish, the photo of which is below, is called “Korean sausage”.

Korean noodles - three dollars per serving.

In general, prices for food are displayed at almost every cafe, at the entrance. And there are pictures.

Small snacks - from one and a half dollars. Prices are usually posted for the most inexpensive dishes. For example, if there is a $2 price tag next to a hamburger, then most likely it is the smallest hamburger, which is very difficult to eat.

And this is the coolest cafe that we wandered into by accident. More precisely, I liked her the most! Here, a married couple makes dumplings on their own (and the husband makes them on a special automatic installation), and the wife cooks, serves customers, etc. The menu consists mainly of dumplings.

The filling in these dumplings was at least somehow similar to the food we are used to, which is why I liked it. Prices in this cafe range from 1.5 to 3 dollars.

Prices for ready-made food in stores.

After the prices in the 7eleven store in Bangkok, a similar chain in Seoul could not please. I left the baking and everything else for the next topic, but the prepared food was also surprising. As you know, in the store of this chain you can buy ready-made food and heat it right there in the microwave. This is convenient if you are in a hurry, want to grab a snack, etc. In Bangkok, an average dish of rice with meat or fish costs about a dollar. Here the same small portions start from three bucks.

So, the highlight of the program is a plate of boiled white rice for practically 4 dollars.

Rice with something (sorry, I don’t read Korean) - three dollars.

Beverages.

Drinks can be bought on almost every corner. Small bottle of water (0.33-0.5 l) - dollar. Prices for a large bottle are below. Well at least there are promotions!

Heineken beer - $10 a can (to be honest, I don’t even know how much it costs in other places).

In almost every store you can buy a drink in a glass. Basically it's coffee - you pour boiling water over it right there and drink it. Price 1.5-2.5 dollars. Better coffee prices range from $4 and up.

Coffee and fruit drinks, hot and iced.

Bakery and sweets.

This bread is not sold in whole loaves, or even in halves. 80 grams cost 2.3 dollars.

Bun - dollar.

Also bread, and also not a whole loaf. 2.8 dollars.

And this bread for 4.5 dollars must be very tasty! 78 grams weight of the loaf.

There are just tons of sweets here! Moreover, there are sweets and cookies, both local and imported, very tasty, from Europe, etc. They also make local sweets, you definitely have to try them if it’s interesting!

The prices for our usual cakes are already somewhat high, on average, from five dollars per cake.

Prices in cafes and restaurants.

Prices in cafes and restaurants start from 15 dollars, on average somewhere around 30.

Meals in places with food delivery average from $25 per dish.

This kind of motorcycle delivery of pizza is carried out in all places with a crowd of people and in places with attractions. First you order pizza, you are given an electronic key fob that will blink when the pizza is delivered. Pizza starts at $17.

Pizza! Pizza! Pizza!

Among foreigners, the most popular place turned out to be the PIZZAGATE pizzeria, which was opened by a large chain not so long ago (at least that’s what it says everywhere). We have a whole bunch of boxes from this pizzeria near our hotel, which allows me to think about the popularity of this establishment.

Compared to all other establishments, the prices are simply amazing. Pizza - from 5 dollars. Pizza + 2 chicken legs + bottle of Pepsi - 10 dollars. Pizza is delicious! It is no coincidence that near the exits of hotels where foreigners live, everything is littered with empty pizza boxes!

And what about Korean carrots?

When I told my friends that I didn’t know what to eat in Seoul, since the food was somewhat unusual, often spicy, expensive, etc. They told me: “Eat Korean carrots!” So guys, there are no Korean carrots in Korea! They say that Korean carrots were invented by Koreans who came to Moscow to study and could not find their usual food. I have only seen raw carrots in a store once. But these carrots, tortured by life, don’t make me want to eat them at all!

And I would also like to say that Korean cuisine is quite tasty (although, it seems to me, it cannot be compared with)! I thought it was tastier or. However, if you want to save money or eat mainly fruits and vegetables, then you will have to do some research! Good cuisine in Korea is not cheap!

Well, who will buy a hod-dog on the street. Yes, probably a lot of people. I myself was in Alushta as a child, and I ate a couple of them, stuffed with a ton of everything besides the dubious sausage - basically I got poisoned. It’s good that I ate a lot, more than others, and it went away faster.

However, street food is common in Asia. So familiar that it is traditional. And they feed you on the street not with sausages in dough, but with national food, special national food, with its own smells, technologies and atmosphere.

In Korea, it is almost impossible to find low-quality food on the street. You may end up with something tasteless, dry, and watery. But poor quality - you have to work hard, run around the city, try a bunch of things, eat to your heart's content.

Street food in Seoul is sold from small, mobile stalls. Most often, such trays are a mobile kitchen, with hot tiles, boiling oil, pyramids with special pans in which Korean dumplings are prepared: “Mandu”.

Korean dumplings “Mandu”

If you are in Seoul, and an unexpectedly typical evening for those latitudes has arrived, you will easily discover, following the smell, believing your eyes, such a culinary spot should not be afraid; Take a bottle of Korean beer from a convenient store, stuff it in your left pocket so that with both free hands you can pick up all sorts of edibles from the seller - you can’t go wrong. Go to the nearest park, to a bench, to the university grounds... wait, what should you take?

You need to take dumplings (mandu, as I already said) - they contain meat mixed with all sorts of spicy herbs, they are juicy, smoky - you won’t get burned. You can find fried, monstrously unhealthy eggplants, pieces of tofu, mushrooms, bound with a sweetish, terribly fatty breading - this is where beer comes in handy.

Be sure to try pajeon, leading to a common denominator called it Korean pizza. In fact, it is a thin egg pancake, the diameter of one plate, which, like a mosaic, contains squid, onions, cabbage, and sometimes Kimchi. In the latter case, it will be reddish, sharper and more sour.

There is one more, completely Korean, special street item - oden. Oden, also similar to thin pancakes, is cooked in a spicy, tangy broth. Made from flour. This flour is made from ground fish bones. Oden is pricked onto a wooden stick and served. The broth is also worth using, although some will find it quite spicy. A ladle hangs on a chain for him, and paper cups stand nearby. But it seems your beer has run out - a great opportunity to grab some more. You'll probably be walking around the city tomorrow, the hangover in Seoul is stuffy - two bottles will be enough, but one will definitely not be enough.

Now we want something spicier, and we find it spicier – the dense, rice-based “sausages” of teokbokki. They are boiled, marinated in a thick, red hot sauce - and served with it. They are as tasty as they are immensely spicy - when eating them you will need all the endurance and all the beer - a strange, paradoxical feeling - when you practically cannot eat, but you continue, because it is wonderful. Be patient, take them and endure. Both are absolutely necessary - teokbokki is one of the most traditional Korean dishes, Koreans are proud of them when they eat them in large quantities. They eat and are proud. It’s worth noting that the best teokbokki can be found around Wansimni subway station, but that doesn’t matter.

Now let's eat something sweet - keranban, egg bread. Very juicy, tender dough is gathered around a whole egg or half a whole egg. You need to take three, wash it down with banana milk, and now you will probably feel sick, but nevertheless, you will be completely satisfied with Seoul street food.

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