Home Made Spring Rolls and Some Noodle Goodness

Wandering round Itaewon last week, I was on my way towards Haebangcheon and feeling hungry. A little place called Le Saigon caught my eye and I snuck in for a quick bite to eat.

This tiny restaurant has a very simple menu serving the usual dishes you would expect from a Vietnamese place plus an interesting baguette sandwich option. I wasn't feeling too adventurous so I opted for the Fried Spring Rolls at 3,000 won and the Vermicelli With Charbroiled Pork for 7,000 won.

The spring rolls were a real surprise, handmade large parcels of shrimpy noodley goodness. They were fresh, tasty and more than worth the small price.

The vermicelli came next; fresh vegetables, well cooked pork and a tangy sauce made for a perfect combination. Again, the portion was very generous for the price and it felt like a lot of love and care had gone into the dish. Simple yet delicious grub and far better than any of the chain Pho restaurants dotted around Seoul.

If you fancy some reasonably priced Vietnamese food then head on down to Noksapyeong station and make your way towards Namsan tunnel number three. Le Saigon is on the right hand side past Italonia, the second hand book shop and Mi Madre. If you reach Buddha's Belly then you've gone a few metres too far. You can call them on 02 790 0336.

Anyone Out There With B- Blood?

I found this in my inbox after lunch and thought it was worth spreading the word around. Brian has already posted something and it seems like Jennifer Teacher is already doing her bit...

Dear friends,

I am writing this note with the hope that anyone living in Korea with a blood type of B rh negative (B-) would be willing to help a 19 year old boy who has recently been diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. I went to visit him in the hospital today, and now have specific information about him.

His name is YooWoon Jeon and he just graduated from high school in February. He has been sick since last October, but was just diagnosed last week. He will require 5-6 chemotherapy treatments, every three weeks. After each treatment he requires 6 doses of platelet, a part of human blood. The problem is, his blood type (B-), is not at all common in Korea. B+ is quite common, but B- is not. If a B- person gets B+blood, it can create problems. Platelet has a storage life of only one week, so its not easy to ship it from other countries.

There are 100's of thousands of expats in Korea, teachers, business people, engineers, etc... B- occurs much more reqularly in foreign populations than in Korea. That is why I am reaching out to you! Korea has given me so much, and I often wonder how I can return at least a little bit of it. This is one way. I happen to have B- so I went to the hospital today, and am scheduled to give the platelet on Monday. I will just lie down and while I watch a movie or chill out, my blood will be pumped into a machine that will take out the platelet and put the rest of my blood back into my body. The pain is about the same amount as getting a needle.

YooWoon just graduated from high school, and his dream is to go to Yonsei University. Instead, he is in the Yonsei Severence Hospital. If we can all come together, we can help him get back on his feet and he can get back to studying!

Please ask your friends to pass this info around.

His father is called Jay John in English, his Korean name is Jeon Jeong woo ( 전정우). His father works for the Korean branch of Cray Valley, a chemical company. His English is very good, so you wouldn't have to worry about communication issues.

He can be contacted at:

Jay

010-5048-7678

jeongwoo.jeon@crayvalley.com

If you have any additional questions, feel free to call me directly, 010-6801-0731.

Thanks so much for your time and please spread the word.

For your information:

Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the lymphocytes of the immune system and presents as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. It is treatable with chemotherapy, and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable, depending on the histology, type, and stage of the disease (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphoma).

Platelet Donation

During a platelet donation, a small portion of your blood (less than one pint at a time), is drawn from your arm and passed through a sophisticated cell-separating machine. The machine collects the platelets and safely returns the remaining blood components, along with some saline, back to you. After the donation you can resume your normal activities, avoiding heavy lifting or strenuous exercise that day.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/types-donations/platelet-donation

Marie

Hopefully word will get around and this poor boy can receive the blood he needs.

Abbey Road?

Sunday morning and I'm sorting through this week's photos... Found this Beatles album cover in Hongdae, seems like Abbey Road gained an extra title in Korea...

Tree Planting Galore For Arbor Day

UDATE: Things have slightly changed! Head to the event page for more details on where to meet.

Arbor day will shortly be upon us and for those of you free on March 27th there's an interesting event that you may want to join. The Korea Federation for Environmental Movement is hosting an event at Inwang Mountain and all are welcome.

See the digital pamphlet below for more information.

Ravishing Risotto

Passion 5 may be popular for incredible croissants, crispy baguettes and marvelous meat pies, but if you head upstairs you can sample a few more tasty treats. The Porcini Mushroom and Prawn Risotto is a little pricey at 17,000 won, but you are rewarded with a heaped pile of creamy deliciousness. The extra bonus of raw ham on top is worth shelling out the cash for...

Passion 5 is a very short walk from exit 3 of Hangangjin station, just head back towards Itaewon and look for the big black building with a bizarre selection of lips and flowers on it's side. You can call them on 02 2071 9505.

Violent Ecstasy

Tonight I used my hard earned won to wrangle myself the cheapest of seats at the LG Arts Center for a performance of two of Pina Bausch's masterpieces.

The first, Café Müller, was first performed in 1978 and is based on Bausch's "childhood memories of watching mysterious adult relationships in her father's cafe." The second was Le Sacre du Printemps (The Rite of Spring), a dark and dirty ensemble piece that was first performed in 1975.

Café Müller felt like ghosts passing in the night as the tables and chairs of the café clattered to the floor and separated lovers lost and found each other. The haunting image of a woman silently treading over her lover's face after the two of them had repeatedly thrown each other against the wall in an almost orgasmic act of violence is still strong in my mind. Fifty minutes long, this piece is melancholic and mysterious as they patrons of the café mix and mingle, interchanging relationships.

Le Sacre du Printemps, only thirty five minutes in length, was utterly mesmerizing and very disturbing. Over thirty dancers on a peat covered stage; dirty, sweating and ready for something to happen. Men and women flirting and fighting together in an animalistic ritualized dance. As Stravinsky's music rose and fell, the feeling of menace on stage became stronger and as it moved closer to it's climax the sense of dread and unease built into something almost unbearable.

I don't go out of my way to watch contemporary dance, but this was well worth the ticket price and is a must for any fan of physical theatre. If you have enough cash then snap up one of the last remaining tickets and treat yourself to an evening of violent ecstasies.

It's on until Sunday 21st March and tickets range from 40,000 won to 120,000 won.

ZenKimchi's March Madness

Things have already gotten underway over at ZenKimchi for the Korean food battle of the year. Pitting some of Korea's best loved foods against each other in a battle to the death, it's time to find out whether Kimchi can conquer Bulgogi or if Andong Braised Chicken will crush the hopes of the humble Grilled Fish.

If you haven't already, get yourself over there and vote for your favourite. If Spam Soup wins over the best hangover cure in the world then I'm going to be very sad...

Crimes Against Food?

There are some things in the world that are taboo: certain behaviours, actions, thoughts or ideals that society shuns and dares not speak of. Today I saw something which goes beyond the boundaries of a normal ethical society; today I saw something that chilled my blood and sent shivers down my spine; today I saw the pork cutlet pizza.



At Pizza DONS, where the salad bar is always full and the soft drinks always have unlimited refills, is where I saw this crime against cuisine.

At first look these black shelves seem to be stocked with rather generously sized pizzas, but if we take a closer look we find something much more sinister...

Behold the "Salmon fresh garden", delicious slices of salmon tossed gently with fresh cherry tomatoes, lettuce and spinach leaves, served on a bed of what can only be described as cheese and tomato sauce topped deep fried pork...

Then we have the "Seafood deluxe", only the tastiest prawns, mushrooms and peppers are bathed in a white mayonnaise like substance and then arranged artfully on a bed of cheese and tomato sauce topped deep fried pork.

On a lower shelf we are confronted with the "Hawwaiian fruits" which has the well recognized combination of mustardcress, pineapple, bacon, almond slices and cherry tomatoes; once again decorated with a lattice work of white gloop and served (and I can't quite believe I'm writing this) on a bed of cheese and tomato sauce topped deep fried pork...

I love deep fried pork. I love nothing more than tucking into some delicate slices of deep fried pork tenderloin accompanied with a light miso broth and a bowl of fluffy white rice. I love the crispy chewy nuggets of fatty porcine goodness that tickle my tastebuds and send me to deep fried nirvana, but a pork cutlet pizza is taking things a step too far. The Full English Breakfast is referred to as a heart attack on a plate by some, but the meals served at Pizza DONS seem more like a slight case of angina, followed by a heart attack, a myocardial rupture and then a slow and painful death.

I'm not sure why anyone would choose to eat there, but I'd love to hear from you if you have. Is there appeal to the deep fried pork cutlet pizza? Am I alone in thinking this to be a crime against food and a possible health risk? Has anyone eaten there and survived to tell the tale?

Take care dear readers and beware the siren call of the pork cutlet pizza...

Secret Chocolate Pear Cake Shots

Nestled amidst the mysterious alleyways of Hongdae is a cafe, a green fronted cafe that is always full. This cafe sells cake - chocolate cake; no other kind of cakes, only chocolate.

I went to this cafe, I chose the chocolate pear cake... not your asian pear cake, but your western pear cake. Real western pears (서양배)!

They may have been tinned, but they were real pears nonetheless. It was sublime. Dark rich chocolate and sweet pears make for a heavenly combination and its one that I've never found in Korea until today. The chef trained at the Ritz Hotel in Paris and the cakes served in this little cafe are of a standard I have never seen in Korea before.

The aforementioned chocolate pear cake once again pictured here, accompanied by a glass of apple juice topped with a scoop of apple granita.

I'll be going back, with my bigger, better camera and I'll get more pictures, details, prices and directions; but for the moment just comfort yourself with the knowledge that somewhere in the backstreets of Hongdae is a cafe to suit chocolate and pear lovers alike...

Second Saturday Ajosshi

This Saturday I'll be guest hosting the 2S2 meet up in Seoul. We'll be meeting at Twosome Place cafe just near Anguk station and then will do all sorts of interesting things. Highlights include Louise Bourgeoise's latest exhibition, the possibility of chunky dwenjang chigae or chinese grilled lamb and a trip to the theatre to see Sadari Movement Laboratory's English subtitled production of Chekov's The Cherry Orchard...

Head over here for all the details.

2.00 at Twosome Place at Exit 1 of Anguk Station. Join us for art, coffee, food, theatre and a chance to spot the bearded Ajosshi in public...

UPDATE: Here's the facebook event link.