Street Food Yum - Mini Pancakes

It's been a while that I've had these mini pancakes as I've cried about them when living abroad in Korea, having the Korean version of the chesnut poppers. These cheap mini pancakes are of course, the childhood goodies that every ABC (American Born Chinese) child loves. Just for a measly dollar, who's price still stands, it is the perfect eat for anyone who is cruising around touring Chinatown or going food shopping. This perfect snack is cooked to a crisp within minutes, which makes it the perfect cheap snack, fun eat, everything you practically want in one! Be sure to ask them to make it a little more crispier so you get a perfect mini size cake. The best time to have it, of course, is right when it's removed from the pan on a Fall or Winter day! For anyone who is familiar with this childhood favorite, you'll know of the cart that is right in between Baxter and Mulberry, right at the break of Walker and Canal Street! 

Restaurant Review - School Food 스쿨푸드

School Food 스쿨푸드 is a restaurant that takes Korean school food for the young as an upgrade for the adults. School Food offers a fun play on traditional Korean foods of kimbap, ddukbokki, ramen, and naengmyeon, and other fried goodies. With an upgrade on the kid's menu, School Food offers more variety and a mix of deliciousness in the traditional eats. 

On average, dishes at priced at $8 a plate. Served with a cup of soup along with radish, the dishes are filling but it is always an option to order a large quantity to share. Anything on their recommended list is definitely recommended, especially with the sushi list. Kimbaps in Korea are so typical that it's hard to find good tasting kimbaps.

School Food offers you the next closest thing to Japanese sushi rolls, especially with their fried shrimp roll. It is definitely great to be able to find sushi rolls outside of a real Japanese restaurant. The food is simple, yet fun to eat, a big kid's version of lunch.

Cute Eats - Noodle Box

One of the famous Korean chain restaurants in Seoul is Noodle Box, a fast food joint that whips up Thai food. It is probably one of the cutest eats in the world because your meal is actually serve in a replica of a Noodle Box. The concept is fun and makes it that much more appealing to enjoy your food, minus the metal bar that always gets in the way. For anyone who actually follows tips from buzzfeed, you'll know the real way to eat out of a noodle box is not from the opening at the top. The concept of Noodle Box is that the box can be opened into a flat plate so you're not digging into an extremely hot base of food. 

On average, a dish at noodle box costs $7. The dishes range in spicy levels, but they do have a wider selection that is not offered in a lot of Thai restaurants. One of the popular choices of course is the traditional Pad Thai, but the Mongolian is also great for those who are able to tolerate a bit of spice. Because this is a Korean chain restaurant, you have to keep in mind that the taste will differ from location to location. Nonetheless, it is a great place to go to grab a quick bite in a cute box. It probably wouldn't be the best place to take a date, but there are a lot of couples who visit Noodle Box anyway!

Kongdae location:

Restaurant Review - Bonjour Hawaii

Bonjour Hawaii is a new restaurant in Hongdae that is bringing the concept of Hawaii to Korea. It is one of the cutest concept serving French and Pacific food over three floors of indoor and outdoor seating. Even with indoor seating of air conditioned space, it is the one restaurant where outdoor seating is more preferred. With colored beach umbrellas and plastic school-like seating, the best time to visit Bonjour Hawaii is  during the day where you are out in the sun, but an evening at Bonjour Hawaii to enjoy the food is recommended as well.

With dishes averaging about $15 a plate and topped with a flower, it is the perfect date spot to go and enjoy a few BBQ dishes. Almost all dishes are served with a side of fries, salad topped with sweet dressing and an American corn on the cob. That's right, it's not the Korean chewy corn on the cob, but a yellow buttered BBQ corn. Although the taste isn't amazing because it is a little on the dry side, it is the only places in Korea that serves actual foreign corn on the cob. Another recommended dish is their meat loaf that is topped with gravy and two sunny side up eggs that is the perfect dip for your fries immersed in their gravy. 

The concept of Bonjour Hawaii centralizes around tiki and outdoor seating with coconuts that you can enjoy a drink with friends. Because of this, it is more recommended to visit if you're looking for a place to lounge out and enjoy a drink. With a menu in English as well, ordering is extremely easy. When entering the premises, you simply order before going upstairs to the seating area. Paying first, they provide you with a buzzer that will ring when your food is ready. Simply pick it up from the second floor along with utensils and enjoy your meal. Once finished, someone will clean up after you so you don't even have to worry about putting things back.

Bonjour Hawaii is in a hidden area in between Hongdae and Hapjeong station off of the main street which may make it difficult to find. Be sure that once you see the Castle restaurant, you take a right into the smaller streets and another right after that. 

Address: "Rainbow Street" 395-112 Seogyo-Dong Mapo-gu, Seoul

마포구 서교동 395-112  

Phone Number: 010-9756-5406

Fresh on the Market - Brew 3.14

Brew 3.14 is a cozy spot in a hidden street by the famous tourist area of Jong-ro where all the traditional Korean locations are. The only thing is, Brew 3.14 is not so traditional. Serving up fresh pizzas and calzones to order, it is the perfect place to grab a drink as well as a bite without splurging your wallet. Pizzas are made on a fresh pizza base that is thin and crispy like a flat bread, topped with fresh ingredients. 

This small bar opens at 5pm, catering to the foreigners in town that live in the nearby hostels and hotels. It is the perfect place to go to for a drink that ranges from beers to their twist on bombs. Incorporating fruits, beer, and alcohol, it is a way to satisfy a big kid's stomach in a way that keeps you lingering around. 

Address: 서울 중로구 인사동 95-1번지

Jongno-gu Insadong 95-1

Phone Number: 070-418-3014

Restaurant Review - Japanese Kitchen 미카

Japanese Kitchen is a small cozy restaurant located in Sinsa behind the famous shopping street of Garosu-gil that is stirring up a lot of tasty Japanese dishes that range from udon noodles to curry dishes. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor seating that allows for guest to enjoy a cherry blossomed theme view with an interior that is based around a cherry blossom tree. The concept is extremely traditional, but offers a more modern and classic look. 

Japanese Kitchen serves a food menu up until 5pm where they switch over to a Hof-like location, serving dishes with their wide selection of sake bottles and Japanese beers. Being that it switches over to a Hof, you must order a small dish to consume. Dishes are rather pricey, ranging from $15 to $30, but it also has to do with location. Although it is a bit more expensive, their fried chicken is actually an amazing side dish to enjoy with your drinks. Fried crispy and topped with a sweet and salty soy sauce, it is an amazing combination. 

The one recommendation for Japanese Kitchen is to go during their regular lunch hours for authentic Japanese food. Going later in the night is perfect if you are looking to enjoy a drink with a group of friends. 

Directions to Japanese Kitchen: Directions: Straight from exit 8 of Sinsa station of the orange line 3, take a left when you reach the Tous Le Jours bakery on the corner. Take a left and a right at the following block to walk parallel to the Garosu-gil shopping street. Go straight to the very end and you will see Japanese Kitchen at the four way intersection in front of you. 

Hidden Treasures - Pierrot Strike 삐에로스트라이크

Pierrot Strike is one of the most recognized bowling alleys in Seoul. With all kinds of entertainment with a focus of bowling as their central means of entertainment, it is one of the must visit locations in Apgujeong with a group of friends or even on a date to show off your bowling skills—or not. Pierrot is practically the fanciest bowling alley in Seoul because of their black light bowling. With house balls that glow as you roll them down the lane, it makes for fun and games with a group of friends.

Pierrot focuses on fun and games for the grownups, with the option of booze of course. You can order a bottle between your friends with the service of one jug of juice at no cost or even sip on a few cocktails. They also have the option of non-alcoholic beverages and bottled water to cater to guests who do not drink. The best part of drinking is the food (anju) of course. You can pair your drinks with a small side of chips or even go large for some finger foods.

With so many tables both indoor and outdoor (in a patio-like area) available, it is the perfect place to longue around and enjoy a drink. If you are waiting for a lane, you can enjoy their other services available and they will alert you when your lane is ready. You can simply slide over to the bowling section and they will bring you your drinks and foods. If talking with a friend is not enough to kill time, for more entertainment purposes, there are a few pool tables and dart boards around. Guests can simply visit Pierrot to enjoy a drink, shoot a game of pool and even play some darts on a random day or night.

Bowling games are priced at $5 and $1 bowling shoes. Although the wait can be a big long because there are only about twenty lanes, it is still worth the wait for a friendly competition with your friends. Unlike bowling in the States, they are limited in lanes which means that your party of 6 will be stuck on one lane so for anyone looking for practice time and professional bowling, this is not the place to be.

On another note, there is no option of creating your own name or keeping track of scores, unless you are doing it on your own because guests are rushed off the lanes once games are finished because of popularity and the number of people waiting. Guests usually play a game or two, depending on the group. Common courtesy of lanes after you are finished bowling is to bring your ball back to the many different shelves to reduce the number of balls on lanes and availability of balls for bowlers.

It is definitely recommended to go during the later hours since it is opened until early in the morning, catering to the late party crowd. The pub is opened from 6PM to 3AM.

Simply take the train to Apgujeong Rodeo station (on the yellow line), exit 5 for the rodeo street. Walk straight for about two blocks until you see Pierrot across the street on your left. The building is made of a wooden exterior, not difficult to spot from the many buildings around.

Address: Gangnam-gu, Cheongdahm Dong 85-4
서울시 강남구 청담동 85-4번지, 디자이너클럽 
Bowling Phone: 02-6007-8008 Pub Phone: 02-6007-8889

Bottoms Up - Standing Coffee

Standing Coffee is a coffee shop where you literally stand in a line in the streets to order your coffee whipped up by a group of handsome barista "Standing guys" dressed in a white dress shirt, black slacks, and topped with a tie. It is the cutest concept with a quick way to brew up your coffee from a small menu. It's said that they only hire "handsome guys" which is definitely an eye candy for all guests, guys included.

Coffee of course, is the number one choice from Standing Coffee, but they are also known for their blue lemonade. Made with fresh lemons and blue caracao, this spiked lemonade is the perfect drink for any hot summer day. Don't worry about getting a "buzz" from the drink because it is extremely sweet in taste and made from a low percentage of alcohol. Drinks are priced at most $5 and they even have shots of alcohol for sale, another plus for many.

The original Standing Coffee is located straight from the Noksapyeong exit number 2 of line 6. It will be across the street from you on the right side so before reaching the light, take the underpass that will facilitate crossing the street. From Standing Coffee Two in the Hongdae area, the easiest way to get there is a straight walk from Sangsu station exit 1. Within a two minute walk, it'll be on your right (a bigger location than the original).

Sweet Tooth Satisfaction - Lee Saem Cupcake

Lee Saem Cupcake who's motto is "life is just a cup of cake" is one of the most popular cupcake locations. In fact, it is the most popular location to go to for cupcake in Itaewon. This small little white shop is hidden in a little alley from the Itaewon station in the basement floor. Once discovered, you will find yourself in a cupcake fairytale, surrounding by all things cupcakes and picnic seating to enjoy your cupcakes. With a small number of seating, it is recommended to grab these goodies to go.

Lee Saem Cupcake offers one of the more moist cupcakes in Korea. Offering traditional flavors as well as more creative ones, cupcakes are paired with a different kind of icing and sprinkle. The matcha cupcake is extremely bold in green tea taste which is recommended for anyone who is in love with green tea, sprinkled with a light touch of matcha powder. The blueberry is one of their best sellers and extremely fruity. It takes you back to being a kid because they sprinkle it with candies that pop in your mouth, just like the childhood favorite of Pop Rocks. The classic vanilla, which is the sweetest of them all, is topped with a mix of white and chocolate cookies which is the one recommendation to make. 

Address: 93-28 SangSu-dong, Mapo-gu
Phone: 010 7112 6770

From the Itaewon exit 2, go straight and follow the curve around at the bottom of the hill. Take a left at the dead end without crossing the street (follow the hill). After two blocks of going straight, Lee Saem will be in a small block on the left after the turn.

Bottoms Up - Adults Capri Sun

Depending on the area of Seoul you are in, you can have an adult's version of Capri Sun for an average of $6 that is made from alcohol in a little street tiki or van vendor. The cheapest I have seen this drink get sold for is $1.80, but of course there was very little alcohol in it, it tasted a lot like a regular capri sun. I do suggest giving it a try for its cute packaging as well as its look because let me tell you, this thing is delicious. I suggest the Sexy Mild which is a blue drink made with the famous Asian yogurt drink which makes this alcoholic beverage absolutely tasty! You can find it all around town in locations like Gangnam, Hongdae, Itaewon, and probably a handful of others as well. It's definitely adult's fun to have alcohol served in a capri sun look a like.