Bottoms Up - A Twosome Place

A Twosome Place is a popular Korean coffee chain that specializes in a handful of drinks outside of the caffeine beverages that can be found at all cafes. A Twosome place offers coffee beverages, smoothies, juices, teas, desserts, and chocolates. Pricing is much like other coffee shops, averaging $6 a cup depending on size. 

The one thing that makes A Twosome Place different from the other Korean cafe chains is their frappe and latte list. They have a handful of flavors that you are not able to find elsewhere. One that I find to be eye-cathcing is the ginseng frappe. Ginseng is an extremely popular eat in Korea, but never did I think the herb would be infused in a drink, especially in a chained coffee shop. I have yet to try it, but I am big fan of a Twosome Place, especially since it is available in most CGV theaters. It definitely pays to have a cup of tasty coffee when watching a 3 hour movie in the middle of the night!

Bottoms Up - VB Cafe

VB Cafe, a healthy cafe in Sinsa-dong of the Garosugil street is the one place to go to for a drink and healthy eats without feeling guilty of a splurge. VB is a cafe on the first floor and a diet lab on the second floor, offering products and services for guests. 

In the VB Cafe, the drinks are all made of healthy ingredients, with the most popular being red ginseng. It is extremely strong and overpowering taste if you are not a fan of ginseng, I do not suggest going for it. The VB fruitade is a suggested drink that is recommended for anyone looking for a cool refreshing drink. 

The best part is the healthy desserts VB Cafe offers which include a strawberry roll cake and a green tea soy cake. Made of all healthy ingredients and even vegan, VB Cafe is the one place to go to for anyone on a strict diet or looking to maintain beauty.

Straight from exit 8 of Sinsa station on line 3, take a left when you reach Tous Le Jours bakery on the corner. Go straight along the famous Garosu-gil shopping street until you reach the corner where VB cafe is on the left.

Phone Number: 080-023-5454

Korean Traditional Eat - Ginseng Jook

I previously blogged about Korean ginseng soup, being a very popular dish in Korea. Feeding off of that blog, a ginseng 죽 (rice porridge or congee) is a Korean Traditional Eat here in Korea. It is the perfect meal for someone who is having an upset stomach, not in the mood to eat, hungover, or even just to enjoy. It goes down smoothly and because the rice is already broken down, it is easy for the stomach to absorb the nutritions without having to do too much work. At an average price of $6, you can't go wrong with a dish that is able to make you feel better and is packed with ginseng goodies. 

Korean Traditional Eat - Chicken Ginseng Soup

Korea is known for their ginseng, having the best in the world. Because there is so much nutritious value in ginseng, the cost of it is rather high. For those looking to get a bit of ginseng in their diet and is not familiar with how to cook it, there is a handful of options in Korea for you.

The most popular and famous tourists attraction by Jong-no called Tosokchon (토속촌) is the one place that is a must visit for their ginseng chicken soup (Samgyetang 삼계탕). A baby chicken stuffed with glutinous rice is boiled in a ginseng broth until soft and infused with ginseng. This healthy eat is a bit expensive, $20-30 a bowl, but extremely worth it. With only four soups to choose from, they are all on the recommendation list.

In addition to the ginseng soup, there are shreds of ginseng that is served to be added to the soup. The restaurant also serves up ginseng tea and a shot of ginseng wine for those who dare to take a drink. Wait at the restaurant can be as long as two hours, depending on the time and the number of tour buses in the area. Nonetheless, it is a must visit for all in Korea!

Directions to Tosokchon (토속촌): Take Gyeonbokgong exit 2 and go straight until the second block. Take a left and you will see the wooden front with chicken roasting and perhaps a line.
Address: 85-1 Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul

Life In Korea - Demilitarized Zone

One of the must visit places in Korea is the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) for any visiting foreigner. It is an experience that introduces you to the only country that is still divided in the world today. The best part about this tour is the opportunity to visit one of the four discovered underground tunnels that were dug by North Korea to target Seoul in a secret attack.

Of the four underground tunnels that were discovered, the last one was turned into a popular tourist location. A foreign passport is required for entry and depending on the tour company that you travel with, you will visit a variety of different locations within the DMZ. All tours cover the basic grounds which include the underground tunnel that you can visit. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you will walk down a steep tunnel to reach the underground tunnel. In addition, the hike up can be quite a challenge.

It has been claimed that the USO tour is the best, being able to visit more locations and getting closer to the North Korean base. That and the fact that the USO is so excited for their job makes the experience the touch greater, so does the price. Regardless of which tour company you go with, be sure to make this visit, you will not regret it. Not only will you learn about the two countries, but you will be able to actually experience a underground tunnel which is not likely in many areas.

It still amazes me that there are already four discovered underground tunnels, yet there can be many more that have not been discovered yet. I definitely recommend making a visit to the DMZ, especially if you are not from China. Only those from China are able to physically visit North Korea. As for everyone else, we are only able to get as close as the DMZ.

Be sure to also pick up ginseng products because Korea is known for their ginseng, especially in North Korea. North Korea has the best ginseng in the world. At the DMZ, they sell ginseng tea, candy and even a beauty product which I picked up. For just the price of $20, I had to get two ginseng BB creams for souvenirs. BB cream is extremely popular in Asian countries and ginseng is one of the best products for beauty and it is on the higher end of the market. Another recommended souvenir product, aside from the North Korean currency, is their blueberry wine. Step outside of the box and try something new, you never know what you'll find!