Curry in 김해 (Gimhae)

Wandering round the streets of Gimhae last weekend, I stumbled upon a spicy little diamond in the rough. Namaste is one of the best Indian restaurants I have been to in a long time and well worth a visit if you happen to be in the area.

(Plain rice, mutton curry, makhani dal and plain naan)

On the third floor above a Brenntano clothing store and up a rather dodgy looking staircase, lies the rather modest looking Namaste restaurant. With posters of the himalayas resting under cracked glass table tops, this place is not about looks.

The menu reflects the simple surroundings with curries starting at 4,000 won for a plain dal and peaking at 14,000 won for a beef masala. Most curries on the menu are in the 6-8,000 won range and a whole tandoori chicken will only set you back 13,000 won (Menu available here and here).

(Mutton curry, makhani dal, pakora, plain rice, vegetable curry, garlic naan and plain naan)

(Mutton curry)

We ate at the restaurant on two different occasions sampling a number of the dishes. At 6,500 won the mutton curry is a fantastic bargain. Beautifully spiced, with much more meat than pricier Indian restaurants in Seoul, this dish offers deep flavours and succulent sheep. The makhani dal at 6,000 won is much lighter fare, but a perfect accompaniment to one of the stronger curries. The naan are crisp and chewy and very reasonable at only 1,300-1,500 won.

(Jira rice)

Plain rice is available for 1,000 won or you can choose the slightly more expensive Jira rice (Fried rice) for 2,000 won.

(Chicken tikka masala)

(Potato and onion pakora)

Namaste is one of the best foreign restaurants I have been to in Korea and with a meal of curry, rice and naan coming in at under 10,000 won, also one of the cheapest. Curry in Gimhae doesn't get better than this.

Namaste specializes in Indian and Nepali cuisine. To contact them call: 055 327 4892.

Copyright Infringement Tuesday (김해 Edition)

It's Friday night, it's late, you are stranded in 김해 (Gimhae) and you have a desperate urge to munch on some juicy fried chicken. Where are you going to go? Who will serve you a plate of the crispy, crunchy, feathery goodness that you need so much?

Look no further my friends, for this little blue fellow will satisfy all your chicken related needs:

"Smoper" has got your back and he and his friends want to serve you the finest fried, roasted and stewed chickens in the south of Korea.

This tiny chicken outlet in the backstreets of Gimhae means no harm and its cutesy portrayal of "Smoper" the fried chicken mascot should be admired. However "Smoper" does seem a little familiar.... His hat may be yellow and his features a little distorted, but he does remind me of a figure from my childhood. Is "Smoper" Papa Smurf's long lost cousin? Is Peyo rolling in his grave?

Searching for "스모프" on google I found the parent website for this intriguing chicken franchise. So it seems that this rather blatant copyright infringement is not isolated, but that there are in fact a fair number of "Smopers" selling their wares across the country. Better not let the Smurfs know.... Turns out they call themselves "Smupers" (스머프) in Korean.

Disclaimer - Paul Ajosshi has never tasted "Smoper" chicken and so cannot vouch for quality, quantity or fair treatment of any chicken eaten at one of these franchises. Consume at your own risk....

The Best Damn Tofu in Daejeon!

If you find yourself at a loose end down in 둔산동 (Dunsan-dong) in 대전 (Daejeon) and are in the mood for some tasty tofu treats then head on down to 갑동골 흑 수제비 (Gapdonggol Heuk Sujebi) - home of 흑 두부 (Black tofu).

This paradise of soybean pleasure is only a five minute walk from Galleria-Time World, just cross over to 전자랜드 (Chunja Land Electronics Market) and head down the side street another fifty metres until you see the comforting sight of this beautiful little restaurant.

Once inside it looks like any other little restaurant you might find in the city, but the menu on the side of the wall hints at the exciting dishes that await your dining desires:

Black dumpling soup, black dough flake soup, black dumplings, black bean curd pancakes, black tofu, black silken tofu soup, spicy black tofu and seafood, black dumpling stew, black tofu stew, kimchi stew, fermented soybean stew, black tofu and steamed pork, and black soy bean noodles. Quite a list of options and over the past couple of years, each time I've come back to Daejeon, I have tried quite a few...

First up the crowd pleaser - 흑비지전 (Black bean curd pancakes), these crunchy little fellows are guaranteed to put a smile on anyone's face. The black bean curd is shaped into robust patties that are crispy on the edges and satisfyingly moist in the middle. The chillies on the top add a little bit of a kick, but the pancakes are not too spicy and will leave you craving for more.

Next up the comforting option - 흑만두 (Black dumplings), solid and hearty dumplings that fill you up and keep you warm in the winter. These are well made, well seasoned and a simple option for anyone avoiding spice. For those with a slightly more adventurous spirit and a more robust palate then 흑만두전골 (Black dumpling stew) may be the choice for you:

This fiery pot of dumplings, cabbage, seafood and spice is perfect for sharing with friends and for warming your cockles when Daejeon's streets are frozen over.

For those with iron taste buds then the next step up is - 흑두부 두루치기 (spicy black tofu and seafod), succulent slices of black tofu, squid and a mountain of bean sprouts are soaked in a feiry ocean of chilli sauce. If you are craving something mouth-burningly delicious then this is the dish for you. Not for the faint hearted, this volcanic tofu mountain will sate your spicy needs.

And saving the best for last - 흑두부보쌈 (Black tofu and steamed pork), slices of pig and black tofu wrapped in kimchi or lettuce... Heaven. Don't listen to what vegetarians may tell you, pork and tofu go together like no other combination on earth. Add some mature kimchi into the mix and you have a heavenly mouthful of Korean cuisine.

Black tofu may sound like an oddity, but after a visit to this restaurant you'll be craving it again and again.

For more information see the proprietor's business card below:

Most definitely the best damn tofu in Daejeon!

Catfish Soup in Yuseong

Visiting Daejeon (대전) for the weekend, I found myself hankering for something a little bit different food-wise. So I wandered the streets of Yuseong (유성) looking for grub. Just near exit seven of the Yuseong Spa station (유성 온천 역) I came across a Japanese restaurant with a curious sign out front:

생물메기탕! Fresh catfish soup! Only 10,000 won a portion!

Delight of delights; a new delicacy to try... Turns out the 10,000 won deal is only at lunch time and for dinner they add on an extra 5,ooo for good measure, but I wasn't deterred. I was shown to my own private room and was treated royally.

First off a little raw fish salad to get the party started:

The fish was fresh and succulent, not too chewy and well complimented by the assorted leaves, seaweed and slices of pepper all covered in the traditional sweet chili sauce.

Next to come - the main course accompanied by a fabulous array of eleven 반찬 (side dishes).

The catfish soup was bubbling hot and topped with a seasonal treat, a large handful of 냉이 (shepherd's purse). The broth was simple, but very tasty and packed full with bean sprouts, tiny prawns and large chunks of catfish.

A delicious meal, with only one small drawback; like most fish soups that I've had in Korea, there was a lot of skin, a lot of bone and not too much flesh. Still it was definitely worth trying and the raw fish salad was a very welcome bonus to the meal.

어가원 (the restaurant) is worth a look if you are in the area and in the mood for something a little different. They specialize in tuna, but the catfish is a far more interesting option. Contact them on 042-825-6665 for more information or directions.

Christmas Lunch

Nothing says Christmas more than a big steaming plastic bowl of 설농탕 (Beef Soup)....

Lunch in a bag.

Before the soup.

After the soup.

The Christmas lunch of champions; well, those champions who have to work.

Macaroni Market

The latest restaurant to join the bustle throng of upscale eateries in Itaewon is Macaroni Market. Just three days after its doors opened I ventured inside for a quick bite to eat.

The name "Macaroni Market" conjures up a cheap and cheerful bistro in my mind, a place to pop in for some pasta or a quick bite to eat, but the owners seem to be aiming for something a little more classy. The menu is simple offering soup of the day, a range of bruschettas, salads, a few main courses and a wide variety of pricey sandwiches.

After perusing the menu I settled upon the soup of the day (pumpkin) and the goat's cheese and dry fig compote bruschetta.

I sat in front of the kitchen and watched the waitress deliver the order to the head chef, who seemed quite bemused at me wanting all four bruschetta to be topped with goat's cheese and figs. The waitress came back and explained that the chef thought that the cheese and fig combo might be too sweet and urged me to try some of the others. I settled on two humous and two cheese and fig, in the hope that I might sate my craving for some salty creamy goaty goodness.

The soup and bruschetta arrived promptly and looked wonderful. A lot of care had been taken over the presentation of the dishes and both looked absolutely delectable. The pumpkin soup was rich and creamy, delicious save for the sweet white foam that topped it. The foam looked pretty, but did nothing to enhance the flavour of the dish, in fact at times its cloying sweetness overpowered the pumpkin, leaving me feeling like I was sipping on dessert.

The humous bruschetta was far better - a mountainous blob of oily cold chickpea paste on hot toasted baguette. Very tasty.

Moving on to the goat's cheese and fig I was a little apprehensive, I worried about the sweetness and the fact that there were only three lonely little pieces of cheese on the bread. Far too many figs for my liking.... The cheese was wonderful, but drowned in the sweetness of too many figs. No wonder I had been warned off by the chef...

At this point I realised that the toasted foccacia promised on the menu as a side to my soup had not found it's way to my table. I spoke to the waitress (who was very apologetic) and soon got the extra bread, unfortunately they had been a little over zealous with the grill and the toast was charred beyond the point of pleasantness.

As I scraped the remains of the soup from the bowl with my blackened foccacia, the waitress came over again, this time with a complimentary glass of juice. A very pleasant surprise after a small mishap. The service was very good as was the quality of the food, however, sweet pumpkin soup and an over abundance of figs left me slightly dissapointed.

On paying my bill they did hand over two free coffee coupons and they seemed to being trying their best. I just hope that they get better over the coming weeks and that they can improve their cheese to fig ratio.

Fusion Bibimbap

One of Korea's most famous dishes is 비빔밥 (Bibimbap), it's name means mixed rice and that's exactly what it is. There are many variations (See Zen Kimchi's love letter for more info), but the constant is always rice plus a selection of seasoned vegetables and meats. Sesame oil and chili paste and almost always welcome guests in the bowl and a fried or raw egg is more than likely to make an appearance.

I decided to have a go at making my own version, putting my own stamp on the dish. No egg, no chili paste and a little bit of a european twist - instead of chili paste I made a tomato, garlic and chili reduction to stir into the dish.

I finely chopped two cloves of garlic and two hot green chilies, fried them off in olive oil and added a good glug of tomato passata and let it reduce until thick and sloppy. I left that to cool and got on with preparing the other ingredients.

I chose ten ingredients for my bibimbap:

Thinly sliced raw cucmber.

Thinly sliced carrot sauteed until a little soft in olive oil.

Minced beef, finely chopped green pepper and two cloves of garlic fried and mixed with a couple of spoonfuls of 황매원 (a kind of sour plum juice, though all sorts of juices and alcohols could be substituted.

Thinly sliced aubergine sauteed until a little soft in olive oil.

Chopped garlic shoots quickly sauteed.

Thinly sliced raw red and yellow peppers.

Thinly sliced pyogo mushrooms fried in olive oil and tossed with dark sesame oil.

Sliced oily salty dried seaweed.

Lightly boiled beansprouts.

A variety of tiny sprouts.

After preparation it was time for assembly:

Then the necessary mixing:

Finally... consumption. Honestly speaking it was very tasty, I think as long as the rice is properly cooked then it's quite difficult to mess up. The tomato chili sauce gave a fresh spicy tomato flavour to the dish without overwhelming the other ingredients and the sour plum juice added an extra piquancy.

Though preparation of the ingredients may take a little time, the whole process is relatively easy and can be approached at whatever speed you want. Plus with a little ingenuity and inspiration you can turn what's left in the fridge into something delicious