SK: Ulsan Bawi @ Seorak National Park

One of the best parts of my South Korea trip was Mount Seorak.  Just 3 hours from Seoul, the Seorak national park is just beautiful when covered in snow.  To get there, I got on a taxi from the airport to bring us to Dong Seoul Bus Station where we got on a bus to Seorak.  This was followed by a 20 minute taxi ride.  All in all, it cost around $100 for two people.  A night’s stay at the national park motel was a modest $80 and the room had a beautiful view.  The only thing was that it did not have a lift and we stayed 3 floors up.  As we had our luggage bags full from shopping in HK, it was a pain in the ass!

 

Anyways, our plan for the day was simple, hike Heundeul – bawi and Ulsan – bawi.  A total hike of around 6km each way.  Not much in terms of distance except its verticality. The only problem was that it was a  –27 degrees afternoon.Crossing the bridge

 

Still yet to reach Heundeul – bawi  but Ulsan – bawi was already in sight.  Or so we thought =.=!After an hour of walk, we settled around 2kms to Heundeul – bawi but it was rather insignificant. Just a big rock :(! So we set forth to Ulsan – bawi!

 

On the way up!Some of the better parts of the trail with guides to hold on to.  Little did we know that it would save our lives as we climbed up!

 

After another hour, we were really rushing against time. The sun was really against us and we quicken our pace.  Challenging really! It was so slippery and we had no shoes so we stopped by a small hut and bought some spikey attachments!  $5 each but really handy in providing grip ;)!

 

After almost 2 hours, we were at the base of the Ulsan – bawi.  Feeling rather happy, we thought that it was really near.  It was actually, just 1km more...  vertically.  And that was another 30 minutes up…Ulsan – bawi base!

 

As we were ascending the steps, we almost got blown off.  So I sat down. Keep calm, take a picture.  We clearly caught up to the sun. There was heaps more sun at the top.   The view here is truly magnificent during winter. Not sure about other seasons though!

 

Nothing much. Just a stair.  One of the many stairs….

 

At the top, the view was phenomenal.  Here is a picture of me in my unsuitable clothing and Ulsan-baw in the backdrop!  Almost died there! Still managed to fake a smile hahaha.

A mad combination of howling wind and darkness forced us to descend quicker than we had wished.  Better safe than sorry we thought, only to meet wolves/wild boars hunting along the river.  Glad we were on the other side! But after a mad 5 hour hike up and down, we were so hungry we quickly ate nearby in a local café.  The town is 10 minutes by taxi but we were too tired to move.

 

A winter staple. Dried Pollock soup!  Really delicious in this weather :)!  The Pollock is dried by the chilling winter air and used to make soups and other food stuff.  Absolutely odorless which made me like it.  ]At best, it was slightly salty with a rough texture, and felt somewhat like bacon =.=!

 

The little darling’s favourite BibimbapMeal in a bowl!

 

The obligatory side dishes of kimchee.  Cabbage kimchee and radish kimchee along with seasoned cucumber, seaweed, mushrooms and more vegetables.  Damn! Koreans are really healthy!We slept at 7pm that night.  Definitely needed a good rest as we had just flown in from Jeju to Seoul 6am that morning before taking a bus to Mount Seorak!  But still, this was a winning trip! 

 

We got to snoop around the area the next day before it become overly populated.Buddha statue

 

Mount Seorak was really photogenic!!

 

After Mount Seorak it was back to Seoul for our NYE count down ;)!  More to come but I am just so lazy at the moment haha.

 

WenY

Bites: Harvest Espresso @ Victoria Park (Spring menu)

I do not normally go Harvest.  But when I do, a new season starts.  My first post of this pint size establishment on the busy Albany highway backdates to January 13’ which was summer. It is now the 3rd season that I am coming here and because it is Spring, a new menu has been set.  Walking in, I received a familiar greeting that was both warm and welcoming.  On the menu, there were the sandwich staples but more importantly new hot food too.  As the weather has been unusually chilly, windy and wet, my mind quickly decided on the food to order. 

 

But before I had brunch, I shared a cake with my friends.The almond-orange cake here is gluten-free (GF) which confirms my suspicions.  The only thing which disagreed was my tongue.   Unlike most gluten-free cakes which ChompChomp and my friends describe as dry, and often dense, the one here was so yummy.  Along with a decadent cream cheese frosting, this was absolutely delicious.  It felt in no way like a gluten-free slice. But could this be a case of me having to many bad GF cakes or was this simply good? I shall let you decide! :)

 

My brunch for the chilly morning was a Seasonal Mushroom RaguDelicious earthy mushroom flavors with creamy polenta.  The only problem was that I drank the delicious sauce like soup without mixing it up first.  That caused the polenta to feel lacking in seasoning.  Good thing was that it was such a hearty dish that compensated the dull weather.   Great when shared with friends! It might be a little daunting to eat all the creamy polenta alone!

 

Next dish up was the Braised Beef Cheek Pie which takes 15 minutes and is baked fresh upon ordering.Here, the flaky filo pastry creates an opening scene for the perfectly braised beef cheeks.  Its flavors were strong and is easily any bovine lover’s heaven.  But all hell breaks loose if you are slightly more conservative like my mates who found it too beefy.  I found the beef and carrots palatable but wanted more sweetness perhaps from some baby onions.  Already dreaming of it cheekily as I type this post hehehe.  Once finished, grab your fork and dismantle the graceful celeriac remoulade.  I am not sure what a remoulade is but the celeriac slaw was spot on to cleanse the mouth from the beef I had before!  My mates enjoyed the slaw heaps.

 

Next up was the Baked Almond Brioche which I would describe as a Spring splendorLike celebrating Spring in the  garden, beautiful colors graced the plate.  The toasted brioche was crusty outside, and fluffy on the inside with a rich buttery fragrance.  A lovely toast to enjoy the well-poached strawberries with the little bits of crunchy muesli and raisins giving it more texture.  Also, the panna cotta which used my favourite English tea, Chamomile tasted delicious as it stood prettily next to the brioche. The duo felt perfect together.  The taste was good but visually, it was a spectacular feat.  It was like having breakfast and dessert together :)!

 

Baked Almond Brioche with Chamomile Pannacotta, Poached Fruit and MuesliI am not sure how many fans does Harvest Espresso have out there but I definitely am one of them.  A season-based menu keeps things interesting and so far, this has been one of the very few brunch places in Perth which I have not ordered the boring “big breakfast” because there simply is not a need to do so.  Harvest Espresso, keep it up ;)!

 

WenY

Bites: Namoo Korean Barbecue @ Perth

Korean Barbecue.  It is simple, effortless and to any meat eater, almost heavenly.  A new place in town wants to bring that to a whole new level.  Did they?  With an interesting menu and pretty good value set meals, I was there last Thursday for dinner.  After putting in my name and almost 30 minutes of waiting, we were in.  If you see other reviews around, this place looks superb.  Its interiors were stylish and for most parts, very modern.  But I was here for the food as I have been craving for Korean Barbecue for ages now.  When the barbecue hot plate was put on the stove. I was STOKED.  It was the beautiful slanting plate which I will explain further below.  Also, see my trip to Jeju Island where I first saw the concept. 

Jeju Island Part 2

The famous meat here is the rainbow pork which has 8 flavors.Their flavors include Ginseng, Original, Wine, Herb, Garlic, Curry, Miso, and Hot.

Unfortunately, the transition from kitchen to table was bugged.  And I mean VERY VERY troubled.Slant plate barbecue.  Its concept? Simple.  U put the pork belly in the middle and let it sizzle away.  As it crisps, the lard melts downwards to the bean sprouts and kimchee making it extremely fragrant and palatable to eat.  Here at Namoo, the service was SO BAD, that the kimchee and beansprouts were put too early that it burnt even before the meat arrived.  And soon it became too bitter to eat. I was gutted.  How long does it take raw meat to reach the table? =/  I asked the manager and he asked us to keep stirring it around.  Obviously it did not work…

In addition to the pork, we also had a kimchee stew that came with the set meal.It was utterly disappointing.  It felt as if they were not prepared to serve anything else except the seafood stew that was a set meal standard.  It just did not meet our expectation and added to our already mediocre experience.

A few things which pissed me off that night:

1) There were no lettuce to wrap the meat, and there was only just half a teaspoon of sauce to go with the meat.  I asked 2 different people and NONE even bothered after 30 minutes. 

2) We ordered the rainbow pork, kimchee pancake and a marinated beef cube roll.  After 1 hour of eating, we only had the rainbow pork.  Nothing else arrived.  Thank you waitress for not taking our orders on a paper.  And also a big thanks to the manager with a CBF attitude. 

3) Despite the modern interior of the place, there was absolutely no ventilation to get the smoke out.  We were literally choking towards the end of our meal. It definitely could have been better.

But putting all my unhappiness aside with the service and the stew, I was actually very delighted with the pork.  The flavors were very well thought of and it simply worked.  The ginseng and wine pork belly for example had a beautiful fragrance while the curry one simply sizzled with spices.  Garlic and herbs also complemented the pork belly well.  These were the simple joys which would have us extremely elated if it was not for the patchy – sub-quality service we had that night.  While I would typically give more established places a STERN “avoid” reputation, I accept the fact the Namoo Korean Barbecue is no more mature than an embryo.   But I definitely hope to see improvements the next time I come in.

WenY

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Bites: Midori Japanese @ Northbridge

The first time I used the reservation website Dimmi, I ended up at Blackbird, East Perth.  My experience there was OK but far from great.  My second reservation using the website quickly happened, and that developed to an amazing third round at Shiro.  Now, I am at my fourth booking.  This time, at Shiro’s sister restaurant, Midori.  It did not take long for me to feel as if I am now a fully fledged bargain hunter.  Quite far from my typical fine dining routine, but definitely suited to the economy.

 

Midori’s service was good.  Lunch time crowd was quiet and hence, the service was absolutely attentive.  A Korean waitperson got us off to a flying start and we quickly grew acquainted with the menu.  This resulted in 4 appetizers, 5 mains, rice and drinks.  Our first appetizer to hit the table was Popcorn Shrimps.

The starter we ordered was already a cliché in most modern Japanese places but still, crunchy prawns bursting in flavors topped with Chili Mayonnaise swirls made this dish every bit palatable.  Still a big favourite among my friends and I.   $16 bucks for 18 shrimps! Definitely beats the 5 for $15 which I had at Aisuru Sushi.  Still crunchy, the Chili Mayonnaise here had that extra kick in flavor, presumably due to an extra dose of Siracha chili sauce.

 

The chick ‘n’ chips was a playful rendition of the classic Karaage.Boasting 3 types of dips including aioli, chili mayo and ketchup, this was a kid’s wonderland.  The chips despite looking weird, felt right at home.  My big Q here though, is that despite being new and kickass, the flavors of the a classic Kaarage should still be present.  I wanted a juicy inside, crunchy outside Kaarage with the generous flavors coming from the garlic, ginger and sometimes, a little Mirin.  The chicken bits here were crunchy but felt a little dry because they were rather small.  Definitely something that should be improved.

 

Salmon Aburi.  I am a sucker for the blowtorch.  Be it desserts of appetizer or mains, blow torch magic works.  Unless it becomes burnt.The salmon here was faultless and this remind me of the old Shiro.  The caviar here were “El Buli” inspired as the waiter immediately got the hint when I mentioned that restaurant in Spain first wow-ed the world with the apple caviar.  Here it was done three ways with yuzu, balsamic and beetroot.  Some rather unconventional flavors that were nice but with a generous amount of sauce at the bottom, I could not feel the lovely torched flavor of the Aburi. Looking back, it was delicious but I wanted something more.

 

Our next dish on the table was again, something different and quite special.Our twice cooked pork belly came with a good melt on the top paired with a slight crisp.  Its meat though, was not of a similar consistency like my favourite Buta no Kakuni.  This was a little more dense.  Not bad at all.  But definitely not what I expected it to be.  It was served on caramel miso, topped with pickled carrot and radish, micro herbs, ginger salsa as well as spicy mayo.

 

Our next dish was the prime beef tenderloin.High quality beef with an assortment of mustard felt very English. I love mustard with my red meat along with some harissa at some established places like Rockpool.  Not to mention some lovely béarnaise too. OMG, I am a sucker for good sauces @@! But still, the beef itself should always be the here.  IN Midori, it was.  Even by itself, it tasted amazing with good flavor and a decent melt in your mouth feel.  My favourite of the lot was the hot mustard but found that green tea mustard was rather unique too!

 

Below are a few other things which we ordered too.  For most parts it was superbly composed.  I loved the miso tooth fish a lot more than the one I had at Ha-Lu as the one here was flavored well and was very flakey.  Shame that the meat was not as buttery as a black cod. 

 

The hero of them all though was the duck.  Small cut of the breast that more was robust in flavor and went perfectly well with the orange miso.  Very very good. 

 

The treasure island which was a chicken roulade with pistachio was not bad but it somehow felt more modern Australian than Japanese.

Over all the meal at Midori was very enjoyable and it clearly shows that Midori is not all about teppanyaki.  Just as we were about to eat, the waiter introduced to us to their head chef, Chef Luke Lee.  He was very friendly and speaking to him, he was very experienced.  He had been to Dubai, New York, Seoul and now, Perth.  Looking at the food, it was clear that his inspiration was not just classical Japanese, but rather Japanese with modern touch.  With the Dimmi discount the bill came to $150 including drinks.  Definitely a worthy bite. In fact even at full price, having all these to share amongst the 6 of us felt substantial and something worth revisiting. 

 

WenY

South Korea: Pierre Gagnaire @ Seoul

Coming back from our North Korea DMZ trip, we were weary of sad tales and war stories.  Our return point at Lotte Hotel, this means we had a chance to treat ourselves to something lovely.  Here, XL and I avoided the biting frost to enjoy some hot drinks at the Lotte Lounge.  Lucky for us who were rather broke from our Michelin experiences in Hong Kong, we still managed to get some lovely treatment from another Michelin establishment, Pierre Gagnaire Patisserie.  In fact, Pierre is the only Michelin chef restaurant in South Korea.  But we did not know he had a Patisserie too. Needless to say, the pastries here were well thought of with every bit executed to perfection. 

The sesame éclair for example was a fine pastry.  While I have eaten éclairs of many variations, it was hard to tell what a real one should be.  Eating the one at Pierre though, was orgasmic.  The sesame flavored ganache complemented the sweetness of the chocolate.  All on top of a lovely choux pastry.  Airy, with a slight crunchy.  Smashing.

 

Our strawberry tart was nothing less than spectacular.  How do you beat the conventional?  Well, attention to detail helps. The strawberries were arranged beautifully, and the condiments arranged neatly.   The crust was short and the custard was silky smooth.  Michelin certified for sure. After all, a Michelin chef does not put his name on just ANY tart.

 

I cannot quite remember the last one but I think it was an Orange Friand.  Or at least here it looks like one!As this was hers, I cannot even remember how it tasted.  But knowing what Friands are made of, I can quickly judge that this went well with our hot drinks.  Probably nicer with coffee though I have not drank that bitter beverage even once before!

 

Michelin starred experience in Seoul? Checked!

 

WenY

Bites: Typika Artisan Roasters @ Claremont

Typika Artisan Roasters have been around for awhile now.  Being the talk of the town, I was keener than ever to give this newcomer a go. Coming in, the crowd was decent but the dining area was just simply superb.  Right from the door step, it was airy with heaps of seat making finding one a bliss.  Comparatively other smaller venues like Tuckshop and Harvest Espresso still pack heaps of quality and in some ways still give a nice indie feel.

Small vertical garden by the dining area

 

The food that we had this morning was pretty good.  For myself, I called the spiced beef benedict @ $18.50.The poached eggs were perfect.  As for the harissa hollandaise, absolutely sensational.  Its flavors hit all the right notes.  It was salty, sour and sweet all with a hint of spice.  For most parts I loved this dish that Typika served me.   However though, I found that the amount of pulled beef were rather miniscule.  It was spread so thin, it felt as if there was something they wanted to hide.  But in actuality the beef was moist and tender.  This for me was a bummer.  A big one too.

 

The Huevos Rancheros @ $16 was my sister’s pick.  It look gorgeous the moment it hit the table.  Micro herbs on the perfectly runny 62 degree egg looked absolutely stunning.  I was sold.  But does it deliver?  In terms of flavor, the spiced tomato mix had the ripeness and at the same time, the acidity to give my palate a kick .  Mixing the egg in, my sis and I found that it did not really turn out the way its description suggests it should.  The egg in no way thickened the dish.  Instead, it became runnier.  Not bad nevertheless.  But if you come in hungry, I think you might go out hungry too.  For my sis whom is a small eater, she found the dish to be lacking in bulk.  Perhaps some beans or another egg should be present.  As is, it just was not enough.

 

 

If you had something light before your meal and needed to meet someone for  a meal, Typika Artisan Roasters top my list of places to continue brunch.  A list I have just made up.  In fact, I was once told by a girl that she felt hungry after having lunch too.  In the end, the food on the plate just did not feel quite substantial.  The taste though, was far from disastrous.  It was beautiful and in terms of flavors, it delivered.  More important than not, the food here was not typical at all.  It was pretty good.  Perhaps a heap more pulled beef?  Or perhaps some beans would have made our meal complete.  Ok, I have probably ranted enough.  But am I right?  You go there and tell me :)!

 

WenY

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South Korea: (just a little..) Street Food Culture!

South Korea is definitely a place that will always be in the good part of my memories.  It could be the good planning which the we had or perhaps because of how everything felt so foreign it actually became an adventure.  Food for sure is one of the many things that highlighted our visit to South Korea.  No doubt Kimchee is a staple around town, but so are many other types of food.  Street food is especially popular and admittedly, I had a feast whenever I was on my feet.  That explains all the long walks but still, a net gain of 5kgs which I have since lost.  So what is the Seoul Street food scene like?

 

ManduEssentially Korean dumplings which can be served fried or in a soup.  Filled with rice noodles, meat and vegetables, these bite size snacks make perfect accompaniment in the sub-zero weather!

 

TteokbokkiUnlike the skinny ones found in Australia, the ones on the streets of Seoul were plump and with a mild chewiness.  South Korea’s signature sauce which is a little spicy and sweet was just super yums.  Recommended with the dumplings shown above!

 

Pork buns!Not really a common snack, but in a particular market in Seoul called Namdaemun, hungry crowds often pack these home by the dozens! Hot, and more-ish with a textural wonder thanks to the vegetables in there.  (also available with red bean)

 

The dragon beard candyDespite looking so simple, these little delights are skillfully woven by an often charismatic chap.  Sticky honey with peanuts. Imagine the salty-sweet goodness these pack!  Could do with some now!  Often woven on the spot, ask for fresh ones and enjoy the show!

 

Assorted fried foodsAnything here can be fried.  Sausages, fish cakes and even the infamous rice called called the tteokbokki!  Grab one and be on the run ;)!

 

Jap JaeJust because you are in the markets does not mean you have to be on your feet. Kick back, call a Jap Jae and enjoy warm tea or if you prefer, some Korean wine; Soju.  The Jap Jae comes with a variety of ingredients.  Make your pick, be it vegetarian or meat.  If meat is preferred I would suggest the pork.  For an extra kick, ask for spicy.  Beats any ordinary pork stir fry your mom makes.

 

OdengGo up North, down South or simply into any 7 Eleven.  Odeng or fishcake is a Korea staple at home or in the stores.  Walk into any convenience store and a pot of Odeng cooked in turnip broth awaits.  If the –25 degrees weather does not kill you, the awesomeness of South Korea will.  Keep calm, have an Odeng.

 

Hott-teokIn Malaysia, they serve flakey and airy Roti.  In South Korea, they called it Hott-teok.  Served piping hot with a syrupy cinnamon sugar.  Prepare for food coma.  Because it hits faster than diabetes when its that awesome. Also, if you think your fancy shirt is rare, this pan cake beats that.  Only available during winter, make sure you enjoy one if you are lucky enough. 

 

Meat skewersSticky, tasty and tender with a hint of smokiness, these skewered meat basted with a sweet soy glaze was another simple food made great.  Best eaten with one hand.

 

Kelam Pan - Egg in bunNo idea what this is called but it is another food commonly found on the streets of Seoul.  A really nice cake with an egg cracked in the middle and left till cooked.  While I love the cake, the same cannot be said with the egg. 

 

KebabsKebabs!  Funny to find them so far away.  But do not underestimate the Koreans.  Freshly chopped cabbage, spicy bugolgi chicken and a generous amount of mayo makes a formidable team. I was sold.  Behold the roll!

 

These are some of the few food which kept one hand busy which I explored South Korea.  It was an awesome place with so much to offer.  The misconception that a trip to South Korea is an all out Kimchee expedition is clearly wrong.  In fact, the pictures I have taken is probably not even half of the street food I ate.  Definitely worth re-visiting!  South Korea 2013? Nawwwww… maybe 2014!

 

WenY