It's a great time to throw off the thick padding you've been wearing all winter and enjoy the cozy weather these days! The weather continues to rise above 10 degrees, and even though I think spring has arrived, the cold wind that blows in the morning and late evening closes my collar. Let's find a health food that will fill your mind and body with strength when you are surprised by the unexpected cold weather. From grilled eel that feels light and light when grilled over charcoal, to teokgalbi, which is rich in juiciness and sweet condiments, to chuertang, which is simmered in a cauldron to complete the deep flavor of the soup! Here are the 3 best health food restaurants to welcome the coming spring.
1. 'Ilmi Eel' from Dongja-dong, Seoul, boasting chewy meat and light flavor
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“Japanese eel†has been competing as an eel dish for 36 years near Seoul Station. Following the founder's father, his son, Park Ki-hwan, has continued for the second generation. If you order the signature menu “Grilled Eel Teishoku,†the deep-fried eel bone served as a side dish will enhance your taste buds before the meal with its crunchy texture and savory flavor. After cleaning and maturing the eel brought from Gochang, they were grilled with perilla oil paste on charcoal to capture the tender flesh and moist juice. The eel, which has lost its fat and is grilled to a golden brown, has an excellent light flavor and a subtle charcoal flavor. The squid stew that comes with grilled eel is easy to eat with the sharp and refreshing broth that captures the fatty flavor unique to eel.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 35-15, Huam-ro 57-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
▲Opening hours: 11:30 — 21:00 every day, B/T 13:30 — 17:30, closed on Sundays
â–²Price: Grilled eel set meal 32,000 won, eel bowl 16,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigami Gongdae Armi): I ate more than other places because I didn't feel any earthy smell from the eel. It was nice to be able to keep the eel warm until the end when it came out in a brazy-like place. It's also a delicacy to just eat it at first and then eat it like bibimbap with chives and rice.
2. The combination of sweet and spicy seasoning and moist gravy, 'Songguk Tteokgalbi, 'Songjeong-dong, Gwangju
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“Songguk Tteokgalbi†is a place with 45 years of history in Gwangju's Songjeong Tteokgalbi Alley. If you order “Tteokgalbi,†you can enjoy a hearty menu, from gamjatang stewed with pork, potato bones and radish, to fresh wrapped vegetables, and about 8 delicious side dishes. Tteokgalbi, which appears with a sizzling sound on a hot stone slab, is mouth-watering. Ribs that have been aged for 24 hours are roasted first in a briquetfire oven, then grilled again before going out to the customer to enjoy the tender meat and rich juiciness. The soy sauce, which boasts an addictive umami flavor, is not irritating to the liver, so it's easy for men and women of all ages to enjoy.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 10, Gwangsan-ro 19beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju
▲Opening hours: 09:30 — 22:00 every day
â–²Price: Tteokgalbi 13,000 won, yukhoe bibimbap 8,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Iced tea full of ice cream): If you soothe your mouth with the standard bone soup, teokgalbi appears! It was sprinkled with sesame seeds, and the sweet and spicy seasoning and soft texture of the rice cake ribs were very appealing. My kids also eat well, and the owner is kind, so it's a place I often go to when I eat out!
3. 'Wonjoseok Juechueotang' in Seokdae-dong, Busan, a rich soup made after a long time
“Wonjo-seok Jue-chuertang†has presented chuertang in a traditional way from 1988 until now. The store, which is operated by remodeling a family home, has a nostalgic atmosphere as if you were visiting a rural grandmother's house. The signature menu, “Seokdae Chueotang,†is a soup that has been thoroughly cooked in a cast iron cauldron for 3 hours or more, then served in an earthenware pot. I mixed the loach broth with rice broth to make the most of the refreshing flavor, then added loach meat and shiraegi soaked in miso to add a savory flavor. The fresh flavor of the mackerel made from the broth is excellent when using a sieve to separate the bones and entrails, then only the finely filtered flesh is added. After fully enjoying the natural saltiness of chuertang, you can add various condiments such as minced garlic, Japanese pepper powder, and chongyang pepper to suit your taste.
[Shikigami Tip]
â–²Location: 5, Bansong-ro 571beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan
▲Opening hours: 08:00 — 21:00 every day
â–²Price: Seokdae Chueotang 8,000 won, rice paddy sauce (small) 10,000 won
â–²Testimonial (Shikigin Bung Bung): I was impressed by the way they were simmering in a cauldron in front of the store. Chuertang contains a lot of shiraegi, so it has a sweet flavor and the soup is really different. When you roll up a bowl of rice and eat it, it feels hot all the way to the inside.
