#KelilingKorea Daecheon

Our first destination on our half-priced Railro pass was Daecheon, a small-city that even most Korean don't know (must say near Boryeong) and often confused with Daejeon ("Do you mean Daejeon?" asked every single Korean after hearing our plan to visit Daecheon, maybe because our pronunciation was too bad).

Being the sole organizer, I did not fully remember why I picked Daecheon. I just thought we would able to see the muddy beach...

But to my shock there was nothing. Nothing but beach. Not even a praise worthy transportation system that always amazed foreigners when they visit Seoul.

August 23, 2015 - Sunny Sunday
We expected to see large crowd maximizing their summer break but no.

We expected to be able to walk to the beach from the station but no. We were told to take either bus number 100 or 101 - as if the number really matter. Truth is; there were only 2 routes from that station. 100 or 101. As Seoulites, we felt that the bus only come once in every century... (hyperbola tapi emang lama bangeeeet deng nunggunya)

We expected to see some cool scenery along the way to the beach and I think seeing endless paddy field, empty wide roads and many inhabited-and-penuh-ilalang bus stops was also cool, no? We couldn't stop talking about all the lil things that we found (and looked, and heard) in Daecheon during the trip.

Arrived at the beach that looked like a death city, we were all excited. Abby and Iso are beach girls while Tugce and I clearly prefer beach over mountain.

The weather was really nice, the beach was relatively pretty but that's about it.

We were hungry and tried to find chicken. Knocking at the door of 3 out of 3 available chicken stores (2 of which were labeled '24 hours'), we barely found any trace of human.

So we went to a very Korean and 'must-visit' chain while traveling... LOTTERIA.
(none of us were happy about it but we were starving and there was no other option)

In less than 2 hours, we packed our bags back to the station.

It was short but indeed memorable trip that opened our eyes to something that we never ever expect before: Korea's countryside.

My Love from Korea: Sundubu Jjigae

I have been asked so many time "What is your favorite Korean food?" and every time I give an honest and frank answer, people throw a strange look OR react weirdly by saying "Wow that's quite unexpected" to laugh spontaneously. This actually happened during my Korean scholarship interview where both of the Korean panels were laughing at my answer...

I didn't know what's so unusual but my favorite #KoreanFood (or let me shorten it to #kfood) is Pajeon (파전). Often dubbed as Korean Pancake, I fell in love with the familiar taste of Pajeon. It tasted like Indonesia' Kekian (the one we always use in capcay) and now that I think about it, one should not say kekian as his/her favorite Indonesian food.

Ok I get it.

Don't worry, I still have lots of #kfood that I love, like chicken-based dishes such as jjimdak (찜닭) and dakgalbi (닭갈비). Eh but then people don't stop there and ask, "But how can you get Halal jjimdak or dakgalbi in Korea?"

Well it's basically impossible and I should just puasa (fasting) until I come back to Indonesia or visit the Halal-chain branches in Malaysia or Singapore. Turned out that being in Korea doesn't mean I am getting closer to my favorite #kfood until I found my new love... Sundubu Jjigae (순두부 찌개)!

I remember this dish as the first real Korean dish that I ate after coming to Seoul in February 2015. I had been stuffed myself with breads and milkshakes from the fast-food chains until some friends asked me to eat out at a Korean restaurant. I barely had an option when I asked for vegetarian menu in that restaurant. My options were only Sundubu Jjigae with seafood or Jjamppong aka seafood noodle.

I chose Sundubu Jjigae and loved it! So, what actually Sundubu Jjigae is?

For me, it's simply Korean style tofu soup that almost always served in black-Korean-pot or ddukbaegi (뚝배기). But for the sake of educating my readers properly, I got this description from Wikipedia.

Sundubu jjigae (순두부찌개) is a jjigae (Korean stew) in Korean cuisine. The dish is made with uncurdled dubu (tofu), vegetables, sometimes mushrooms, onion, optional seafood (commonly oysters, mussels, clams and shrimp), optional meat (commonly beef orpork), and gochujang (chili paste) or gochu garu (chili powder). The dish is assembled and cooked directly in the serving vessel, which is traditionally made of thick, robust porcelain, but can also be ground out of solid stone. A raw egg is put in the jjigae just before serving (also optional), and the dish is delivered while still bubbling vigorously. This dish is typically eaten with a bowl of cooked white rice and several banchan (side dishes).

As it was my first week in  Korea, I felt really great to successfully order Vegetarian dish in normal Korean restaurant. Later I learned that the gochujang that they used commonly is not Halal ㅠㅠ Be careful, fellow Muslim!

Seafood Sundubu Jjigae from 두부의 추억 151 이대점

Normally, I go to two places for Sundubu Jjigae. First, 두부의 추억 151 near Ewha. Don't ask me to translate the name, they really don't have English name nor English menu. But I did see many foreign visitors dine here. I assume they can read Korean as they don't seem to suffer when ordering food hahaha.

They offer only 4 kind of Sundubu Jjjigae. I always go with the Seafood one.

The portion is standard Korean, served with one bowl of brown rice and nice banchan (side dishes). They would either serve ampas tahu (I don't know how to translate this, something like cold soy porridge?) or tteokbokki as their specialty side dish.

What I like about them is that they are very generous with the seafood. This meal is definitely worth my KRW6,000

To be honest, I am not entirely sure of the Halal-degree of this dish so I have only been there with friends' invitations. I can definitely recommend and swear for the second place, Loving Hut Rainbow in Sinchon!

Loving Hut Rainbow - Sinchon, Seoul

Loving Hut is international vegan chain restaurant that can be found in all over Asia. I can always find Loving Hut every time I travel in Asia, except in Saigon hahaha. I always said how lovely it would be to have Loving Hut near my home before moving to Seoul and my wish is granted! This Loving Hut branch is reachable by walking from my dormitory.

They offer many interesting Korean dishes in vegan version, making it possible for me to try Jajangmyeon, Kalguksu, Mandu and other dishes with no worries. Although there is no dish that I don't like from Loving Hut, I always order Sundubu Jjigae before ordering something else...
(that shows how much I love it!)

my set of happiness!

I don't normally finish my banchan when eating in Korean restaurant because I am not sure what's in it, not even in Halal Korean restaurant, due to my diet of not eating any red-meat-based products. But dining in Loving Hut means it is safe for me to eat and try everything. Their banchan is the bomb! (Still not touching the kimchi btw hahaha)

my love, vegan sundubbu jjigae

Everything about this Sundubu Jjigae is just too perfect!

texture and content - must try!

Good news, you only need to pay for KRW6,500 to enjoy this Sundubu Jjigae 'set'. (when you order a portion of #KoreanFood, it is normally served with rice and all that. Free flow of water included - so nice, right?)

whole bowl of environmentally friendly and healthy ingredients!

Oh, one thing to note: do not easily fall into #kfood red colour visual. Its NOT spicy at all.

So if you happen to look for Vegan/Halal #kfood in Seoul, be sure to visit Loving Hut Rainbow in Sinchon! But if you are in Indonesia or UAE, visit the upcoming K-Food Fair 2015 in your countries to taste the Halal #KoreanFood wonders! Check the #kfoodfair2015 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/kfoodfair2015 or their website here.

Don't miss out the dates of this year' #kfoodfair! Selamat makan-makan!

#KelilingKorea Typhoon

I write this while we're stuck in Busan because of unexpected (sudden) typhoon. Train life has been great so far. We managed to do manyyy things that we never did before. I am personally satisfied with our 3hours Mokpo visit where Tugce and I managed to climb to the top of 유달산  at 6 AM in the morning. This trip is freakin tiring yeah, but thankfully we have no Barbie in the group and everyone is very considerate with each other.

Seeing more of Korea is nice but again, the whole trip convinced me even more that Korea is really really small. Looking forward for bright weather and sunny days till the end of the trip!

Mimi and Kelly's: My Favorite Vegan Cafe

Seoul (or Korea) in general is not a vegan-friendly place to live in. Being a vegan in Seoul could almost instantly mean starve yourself to death, fight endless craving for legit vegan dishes or use up all your paycheck for insanely expensive fruits and not-so-tasty green veggies.

Honestly, the vegan option in Seoul is not that bad. Seoul does have various vegan cafes, restaurants and bakeries. But the locations are generally spread out and Seoul is a big big city. Luckily, I got to live in Sinchon where I could easily walk to The Bread Blue and Loving Hut Sinchon. But my favorite has always been Mimi and Kelly's.

Mimi and Kelly's Insadong - Seoul 

Located in Insadong, my most-visited area in Seoul, Mimi and Kelly's is a newly opened small vegan cafe. Mimi and Kelly's provides comprehensive map on their Facebook so getting there was really easy although they don't have big sign. When I first entered the cafe, the place didn't really leave a deep impression since its relatively small and the menu was limited.

The impression stayed until I tasted their perfect Vegan Mac n Cheese. Yes, it was bloody expensive, KRW9000 for one portion but its worth every single macaroni and vegan cheese drop. I lost word for this creation.

Few weeks later, I came back after seeing their post on Facebook about limited vegan pasta with ingredients brought from Taiwan. There is no way I could miss it. Taiwan is definitely the Asia's Mecca of Vegan. 

I couldn't remember how much the pasta was but one thing for sure, it was so tasty that I kept smiling after finishing my precious cream pasta. I rarely upload food photos on Instagram but I uploaded this one (and not to miss my Facebook too) because I think the whole world should know how delicious it was. Vegan bacon was the bomb.

It only took me a few days after the phenomenal pasta until I decided to come back to buy their limited Vegan Hotdog, again - straightly brought from Taiwan. I was never a fan of sausage, not even the real-legit-meaty-sausage. I always hate the deep and oftenly bright red colour of beef sausage, and chicken sausage pink-brownish color isn't really appealing too. Sausage is one of the reason I turned to completely-red-meat-free-diet. But this vegan sausage was truly an exception.

Vegan Hotdog - Mimi and Kelly's

Everything on the plate was truly delicious. I was a bit sad when I hold the last bite of my hotdog, thinking when could I fully enjoy a hotdog again...

Now I'm thinking, while typing this line, when would I visit Taiwan again? Taiwan is definitely my top food destination. My Taipei Vegan Tour was amazing and unforgettable. These Mimi and Kelly's limited special dishes cured the longing for legit vegan food that I could only have in Taiwan.

Oh I almost forgot about their desserts!

They have few desserts option like soy milk and pudding. I think their vegan soft ice cream is currently the most popular dessert in the house. To be honest, I don't really buy their desserts since I still enjoy normal desserts with milk and all that in regular basis (I am a fool for cakes and cookies). I tried their soy pudding and it was pretty good.

So if you happen to search for nice, quiet and calm Vegan cafe with super friendly owners in Seoul that speaks English, head to Mimi and Kelly's. Be sure to always check their Facebook page here because they might announce another special limited menu soon!

Business hours

Weekday Pm 03:00~09:30
Weekend Am 11:00~09:30
Off: Every Wednesday(수요일 휴무) 

Address: 종로구 인사동 188-4 1층 (하노이의아침 건물 1층)
MAP: https://goo.gl/cyib5S

Desert Pizza: Simple and Classy

I went to Samcheongdong last week for my 'traveling' club outing with a hidden motive to try out one of Samcheongdong's unique and pretty cafe. I have decided to try out 'Woodside Cafe' for their waffle but only to find out that they already closed and changed to other cafe that never been mentioned in any Samcheongdong guide.

So I spontaneously suggested 'Desert Pizza' to my clubmate, Tugce, in a hope of ordering sweet chocolate pizza with ice cream.

it was the name that attracted me

Desert Pizza located at the second floor of the building above. When I first entered the restaurant, I had a very good impression of the ambience. It was a small space, mostly decorated in bright yellow, with quite packed seats. Luckily we went there in relatively quiet hours so it was very enjoyable.

Once I read the menu, I realized I was tricked. It was 'DESERT' not 'DESSERT'. The only dessert pizza menu was almond and chocolate pizza...

Shortly, we decided to order Red Gorgonzola Pizza with tomato-base. But after a bit of discussion with the very kind owner using all the Korean we have learned in class, we switched our choice to White Gorgonzola Pizza with cream-base.

After he took our order, he brought two glass of ice water and the sweet dipping sauce which I suspect as light syrup. It didn't taste nor smell like honey. I really loved how we were able to enjoy the restaurant fully with good aircon, strong wifi, quite ambience and perfectly lighted space while waiting for our order.

White Gorgonzola

The pizza came! It was just as what we expected in terms of size and thin crust. The taste was nothing special but the syrup and tabasco really complimented the pizza well.

Almost all of the pizza menu cost KRW19,900 per pan while pasta is priced at KRW15,800 per portion. They do have set menu, I remember two of them were Pizza + Pasta + 2 drinks for KRW35,000 and Pizza + Salad + 2 drinks for KRW32,000. Normal price in the area.

I really appreciate the super kind owner (they speak English by the way) and I would say they have a good focus by not offering too much menu but I'd appreciate if we can choose the size of the pizza. I wouldn't comeback for the food but rather for the comfortable space offered to have a deep conversation or long catch up session with friends.

A (Hot) Day in Jeonju

Jeonju was a city that I had never heard of. I just said "yes!" to the sudden trip because it was free (thanks to the shuttle bus from the Jeollabukdo government!) and it was on the weekend. Otherwise, I'd think hundreds of excuses and considerations before going haha.

So the process started by reserving ticket of the shuttle bus. My trip was organized by the Association of Indonesian Students in Korea so someone took care of the ticket. But in case you want to check the Seoul-Jeonju shuttle bus, it's super easy. Just head to shuttle.dongbotravel.com and sign up. Then you can choose the date you want to go. Available for one way or two way trip. Remember to go on weekends before December 27, 2015 to save money for bus ticket! :)))

Things to remember: bring your ticket and passport!

August 2, 2015. We departed from Seoul at 8 AM sharp and reached Jeonju around 11 AM. We walked from the bus stop to the famous Jeonju Hanok Village complex. 

Jeonju saying "Welcome" for us

We were greeted by the bridge that connect us to the beginning of the Hanok Village complex.

group of the day -  PERPIKA Seoul 

The design of the shops and bridge around instantly tell visitors that they are indeed built based on Korean traditional architectures.

one of the alley

I enjoyed walking around the area despite the almost unbearable summer heat. It felt like my hottest summer day ever in Korea.

I spotted many interesting buildings while walking down the road to the Jeongdang Cathedral - which was one of the highlight of the Jeonju Hanok Village.

Cathedral

Because everytime I found Cathedral Church, I feel so nostalgic of my fantastic high school era.

I really wished I could stay a bit longer at the Cathedral area but we were rushed to get to the lunch place which located near the Jungang Cathedral - only 2 stops away. Initially, we wanted to have buffet lunch, only to discover that the restaurant is closed on Sunday. So we came up with idea of having lunch at Save Zone food court, which was a good idea. The B1 food court have adequate choices of Korean set food and reasonable price, starting from 5000 won. I liked my HemulDopBab or Seafood Mixed Rice that worth my 6000 won :D

quite market on Sunday, near Jungang Cathedral

barely saw anyone

After slow lunch (an effort to cool down ourselves from the burning heat outside), we rode the same bus back to Hanok Village complex and snapped more pictures.

Korean-style architecture

reminds me of alleys in Bali

While some people were sightseeing, I managed to queue for Jeonju's famous PNB Chocopie, as recommended by the people. 1 choco pie costs 1,600 and white choco pie is more expensive, 2,000 won each. I was clueless about the taste, choices or price so when I got to the first line, I just quickly chose 1 pack of 5 choco pies and 5 white choco pies for 18,000 won. There is no discount even if you buy the whole stock of the store.

the famous Jeonju Choco Pie from PNB

So the pie contains a trace of nuts and its filled with whip cream and strawberry (or another berry) jam. It was tasty and worth queuing!

What I like the most: quite long expiry date (9 days). Long enough to carry this back to my hometown, although I am sure I won't do that.

Texture of the white choco pie

After that, we went inside the palace that I couldn't remember the name. It costs 3000 won for adult. It was just a typical Korean palaces. What I love the most from the palace is the Royal Potrait Museum because it was really cool inside (literally, the aircon) and the exhibits were really cute. The exhibition halls are located in the first floor and B1. I couldn't enjoy the 1st floor hall as it was too packed and too hot but I totally love the space in the B1 floor as it was well-ventilated, bright and spacious.

Credit: Mas Ali

Credit: Mas Ali 

See, they're not just a boring figurines.

Done with the museum, we walked back to the bridge while eating various snack. I bought 500ml cheese yogurt from 임실앤치즈 for 5000 won and fell in love with it. My senior bought cheese satay (sounds weird, right?) from the same stall and was really satisfied. My friend bought himself Ojingo and kept talking on how delicious it was.

see the green scenery behind

We ended our walk by going back to the bridge and snapped (more) selfies before walking back to the bus departure point. Passengers started to fall asleep as soon as the bus left Jeonju. I guess everyone was drained due to the unexpected heat that day. We reached Gyeongbokgung area around 8.20 PM.

It was a truly memorable one day getaway to Jeonju, spent with dear friends and Indonesian students family in Korea. Worth my time and sweats (can't get over the heat) hahaha. I really appreciate the complimentary shuttle bus and I think such program is a very effective way to bring visitors to Jeonju. I even discussed it with my friend that Indonesia's provincial government should learn the concept and adopt it. I didn't get to see much in a day but I'd love to explore more of Jeonju with the free shuttle bus in the near future!

DESSERT WAREHOUSE Bangkok: LOVE!

Impression awal: DREAM COME TRUE!

Setelah berbulan-bulan ngiler liatin instagramnya Ter, akhirnya bisa beli langsung juga dessert idaman ini. Meski pricey dan fancy, rasanya bener-bener nagih. Patut dan wajib dicoba buat penggemar film komedi Thailand dan penghobi dessert.

Gue lupa berapa harga si mungil oreo dan kitkat ini. Mungkin sekitar 60 Bath. Harga yang lainnya bisa diintip di background foto diatas. Gue sebenernya pengen banget nyobain smoothiesnya tapi sayang, Bath gue udah abis buat beli CD :(

Perlu diingat bahwa ini ukurannya sangat mungil. Kedua hearty dalam foto diatas itu ditaro diatas piring kecil. Huhu, kurang puas.

Bagaimana caranya kesana?

Dateng ke lantai bawah Siam Paragon atau Siam World gue lupa, eksplor lah! Hihihihi. TOKONYA SANGAT KECIL dan bukan store gitu melainkan kaya cuma toko gak permanen ditengah.

Nanya ke orang bakal susah banget karena gak banyak yang tau. Gue rasa nilai marketingnya si Dessert Warehouse ini memang cuma dipemiliknya....

Meski begitu, gue tunggu banget cabangnya di Indonesia. Atau mungkin brand yang asli Indonesia?