Korean Traditional Eat - 뻥튀기

Ppeongtwigi 뻥튀기 is the Korean take on the Western popcorn which is just popped grain. It comes in all different shapes, sizes, and colors which makes it a heck of a lot of fun. Watching people on the street make Ppeongtwigi is a full blast of fun and loud of course (the more traditional kind) If you ever pass a truck that is selling 뻥튀기 and see how it is made, you'll see that a frisbee like rice grain is literally popped out of a metal machine. It's quite a bit of fun to watch them make it and consuming it fresh is just as good. This cheap eat can usually be picked up for a measly price of $2 for a whole big bag that will last you quite some time. 

It is extremely common to be served in bars and hof restaurants for guests to enjoy drinks with (as shown in the photo). The smaller and bite sized 뻥튀기 is usually served in restaurants just so you can pop them in your mouth. As always, this is served as a "service" which means free with your drinks and an unlimited amount of refills. They all range in texture depending on where you go, but for the most part, they are all made of rice grain and it is the perfect snack with your beer. This extremely cheap street food is popular among children as well and it's extremely light in calories which makes it that much better. This Korean traditional eat takes it to a new level of fun, something to share with everyone in the family. 

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Oliver Sweet

Oliver Sweet is an internet based bakery that caters to the community in Korea, delivering all baked goodies from holiday themed cookies to pastries to cakes. With a wide option of baked goods that cater to the occasion, Oliver Sweet makes packaging and ordering gifts easy. For those who are looking to sample the Oliver Sweet baked selections, there is one cafe in Banpo-dong that sells a selection of Oliver Sweet desserts. 

Oliver Sweet can also be found in some of the department stores which includes the Lotte and a selected handful of restaurants (including Vatos Urban Tacos). They break from the traditional catering and taste of cakes and pies by offering a twist to their goodies. The Cognac Pecan Pie for example is a liquor infused pie that is baked with the full blast of pecans. Baked with a chewy texture, the pecan pie's tart is not flaky at all, but more like a crust that is baked to perfection.

In addition to the pie, the Earl Grey Tea Cake infused with Grapefruit is a multi layered cake themed around cream, cake, and more cream. With a spongy texture, the cake offers grapefruit flavoring that is definitely different from from any other cakes offered in Korea. It is rather light in taste, not offering much of a strong green tea or grapefruit taste, but it does compliment one another pretty well.

It is definitely suggested to order an Oliver Sweet speciality cake or baked goody for an occasion. Going out of your way to try their cakes may not be worth it, but of course if you see it in the area you are in, do order one to give it a try. You never know if this is would be your kind of dessert. 

Cafe Address: 612-140 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea 137-713

Product Review - Etude House Black Head Pore Tightening Essence

The Etude House Black Head Pore Tightening Essence is a handy pen made with Morocco mud that helps to tighten and shrink the sizes of those with expanded pores. Simply turn the cap to ON and push to apply the essence on the problematic areas. There is no need to rinse off and it is definitely recommended for those with oily and combination skin. It is not the type of product to be used as a primary care product for black heads but a supplement. 

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - O'Sulloc

O'Sulloc is a store that centers around Jeju island's amazing tea leaves. They bring out the best in fresh green tea and incorporate it in a wide range of goodies that are not just limited to tea. Everything for the house that is for general well being is infused into O'Sulloc's merchandise. This includes the best sellers in the Innisfree stores and a handful of other baked goodies that are sold all around Seoul.

In addition to the amazing products that O'Sulloc carries, they also have an amazing cafe that bakes up the most amazing sweets. Incorporating green tea and fresh ingredients in their goods, the best sellers are green tea. With the green tea being the best seller, the must haves are the Green Tea Tiramisu and the Green Tea  Frap that is topped with their best selling Green Tea ice cream. With so many locations around, be sure to visit the website for a list of shops to get your taste of Jeju Island. 

The one recommended location is in Insadong where they offer three floors to the shop. The first floor consists of the shopping goods and a visible roasting pot of fresh green tea leaves, providing samples of the tea to guests. The second floor is their more modern touch of a cafe, catering to locals and tourists. The third floor is a more fancy and high class seating for a quieter environment to enjoy their goodies with a higher price as well. The third floor is definitely recommended if you are looking for a quieter place as well as a place for business purposes. The extra touch does go a long way.

Address: 170 Gwanhun-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Phone: 02-732-6427

Restaurant Review - Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨

Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨 is a Korean fusion chicken spot that is dispersed across Seoul. The restaurant offers something new to chicken lovers that break from the traditional Korean norm of chicken and beer. Chir Chir Chicken not only has amazing boneless chicken, but they top it with sliced almonds, Korean rice cakes and an amazing sauce of course. There are also chunks of fried sweet potato which is a Korean staple and nonetheless, a good combo as well. This Korean fusion breaks away from using potatoes and fries, but it is still nom-alicious. 

In addition to their popular saucy boneless chickens, they also offer fried chicken that is paired with a simple salad. Basic, but over the top for someone who loves chicken, but can't splurge on the extra calories. A bed of fresh salad always does the trick! It may make you feel less guilty about the extra calories from the amazing sauce, but be careful of the dressing. Because it is so delicious, you may consume a lot more than you plan to. 

Touching on the topic of chicken and beer. Chir Chir chicken definitely offers beer with their menu options because it is the most popular thing, but they offer something that many chicken places do not and that is American alcoholic beverages. Served in pitcher sizes, their refreshing drinks makes any chicken explosive. 

Being that Chir Chir Chicken 치르치르치킨 is extremely popular for those who are drinkers, there are a few locations across Seoul, including two in the Hongdae area down the alley of fun. 

Restaurant Review - Best Croquettes Ever 칠리차차

Chilly Cha Cha 칠리차차 is a hidden treasure that takes fried food to a whole new level. This small Korean owned restaurants cooks up all things deep fried that is absolutely amazing. They also offer the traditional Korean eats of ddukboki and kimbap, but the menu is beyond imaginable. The one thing that is to die for is their amazingly stuffed croquettes. The batter is on point and the food is extremely cheap which makes being full for lunch or dinner within budget. Fried items average at $2 a pop and because it is so cheap, ordering everything on the menu just might happen. 

Although Chilly Cha Cha offers a menu that is low in price and you would assume that their items are not filling, being that it is the equivalent to a Paris Baguette's croquette, these croquettes are palm sized. Consuming two can probably fill you up already! Being that there are so many different kinds to choose from, including a mystery flavored one, there is definitely one that caters to everyone's taste. The most popular ones include the curry, pumpkin, and corn which comes with a mashed potato blend. 

Pictures give this croquette no justice so it is something that you have to try to believe. Initially, I thought it was a little overrated by Eat Your Kimchi, but I've come to realize that it is that amazing. I've been craving for it since I left and realized that this is one of the very few places I actually go back to. Can you say amazing?

With directions from the Eat Your Kimchi website, an additional important note to point out is that form the Sangsu station exit 1, walk straight until the Dunkin Donuts on the corner and taking a right onto the Parking Lot street. When you see the C for U mart on the corner, take that street down to the left. Staying on the right side, Chilly Cha Cha is on the corner across the street from the seven eleven next to a Cafe Bar. It is not exactly on the corner, but towards the right after you see the 7/11.

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Snowmounteen

Being that there are so many different version of patbingsoo 팥빙수 (the shaved ice dessert) in Korea, every cafe and restaurant has their own take on it. Why? Because of the way the ice is shaved down for the sole purpose of being a refreshing dessert that is topped off with all things amazing. 

Snowmounteen is a place that serves up this traditional Korean eat along with other drinks that include coffee and bubble teas. For the most part, many go to the popular Korean chain for it's shaved ice. The patbingsoo at Snowmounteen is definitely different from the rest. The texture of the ice is so flaky and thin, it is softer than snowflakes. Is that possible? It sure is at Snowmounteen. 

Topped with a variety of flavors that are milky and fruity, it is definitely a way to refresh yourself on a hot summer day. In addition to the $5 single and $9 double servings of flavored snow ice at Snowmounteen, there are also the option of the fruit incorporated patbingsoos which is something that can be shared between two. With a handful of chains in Seoul, it's definitely worth making a visit to Snowmounteen.