Joanna James
Home to some of the city's finest Michelin-starred restaurants, Seoul's Jung-gu district is a foodie's dream come true. From delectable noodle dishes that are considered staples to local variations of Korean comfort food Kimchi, here are 5 delicious local treats every tourist must try in the area.
Although kimchi is sold in nearly every food stall in the Korean capital and is even available in local supermarkets, there's nothing that quite compares to Myeongdong Kyoja's garlic-infused variation. This particular kimchi recipe makes for a tangy and spicy starter dish that's ideal to whet one's appetite before a traditional Korean lunch or dinner. The combination of garlic-infused kimchi and steamed rice is difficult to capture in words as the mixture of light and strong flavours creates the perfect side dish. Open from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm, the Myeongdong Kyoja restaurant is the best place to dig into this signature dish.
Hamheung-style naengmyeon is the preferred noodle dish of most Seoul residents as this thin and chewy noodle is made using potato starch. Springy to the touch and distinct in flavour, Hamheung Naengmyeon was first devised by those residing on North Korea's east coast to help survive the icy cold winters of the region. Mixed with a hot pepper sauce, the noodles are usually served in a beef broth and are often accompanied by pickled radishes or beef brisket. Considered the ideal pick-me-up dish for those with a passion for cold noodles, Hamheung Naengmyeon is a speciality at Jung-gu's Ojangdong Hamheung Naengmyeon Restaurant.
Venture down to Jung-gu's famed Chungmuro Jjukkumi Bulgogi to order another popular Seoul delicacy known as the webfoot octopus. Tourists based at Travelodge Myeongdong City Hall or any other Myeongdong hotel won't be far from this local eatery where the dish has been reigning supreme since 1976. Marinated in a sweet and spicy red sauce, the webfoot octopuses are grilled to perfection while allowing some morsels to become charred during the process. Those who order webfoot octopus at Chungmuro Jjukkumi Bulgogi can also expect some mussels on the mixed platter.
As its name suggests, Pyongyang-style naengmyeon is a cold buckwheat noodle dish that hails from the capital of North Korea. Woo Lae Oak down Jung-gu is arguably the most famous restaurant in Seoul when it comes to authentic Pyongyang Naengmyeon as it has been serving the dish since the 1940s. Served in both chicken and beef broth, this buckwheat noodle dish is less spicy than its Hamheung variation.
Those in search of traditional Hansik or a conventional Korean rice meal with side dishes should look no further than the Le Yeon Restaurant. This restaurant is revered for matching wines to its Hansik meals, and those who dine at this Michelin-starred eatery can expect a wholesome variety of fermented vegetables and meat dishes served with steamed rice as in most Korean households. A Hansik spread in Seoul would not be complete without servings of doenjang (soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce).
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A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
