★★★★☆Chanwook Lee6 months ago
The question of how to spend the short autumn days ultimately leads to a moment of catching one's breath at a night market. Let's briefly return to a beautiful October day at a food shop's autumn night market.
Near Inhyeon Market, in a narrow, noirish alleyway lined with printing shops, a food shop opens its shutters as the sun sets, revealing its hushed presence. It's renowned as a night market spot, a place that firmly maintains the discipline of the area's bars.
I realized its popularity only when I saw the night market packed before 7 p.m. on a weekday. Fortunately, after making a list and a short wait, I was able to secure a seat at another night market.
I heard the night market closes at 9 p.m., so I quickly scanned the menu. The variety of snacks, a rarity at most food and beer places, caught my eye. And the fact that they even serve meat was impressive.
Corkage was available, so I brought along a bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, purchased in the reserves. They say it tastes better frozen, but time didn't allow it, and the soft honey and vanilla flavors permeated my throat creamily.
A generous assortment of side dishes arrived first. While there weren't any special items like three kinds of kimchi and pickled royal vegetables, the side dishes were vibrant and well-cooked, especially the kimchi.
I followed the popular order and asked for a 1-geun portion of a mix of sirloin and chadolbagi, but sirloin was sold out, so I started with a 1-geun portion of chadol. At about 40,000 won per geun, it was reasonably priced, even though it was American.
The chadol cooks quickly, so even a quick grilling with kimchi and garlic was enough to cook it perfectly. The meat was of good quality, not too thin, and had a good balance of lean meat and fat, giving me a sense of the flavor.
How different is chadol? Ultimately, it's a rich flavor. So, I thought it would be nice to mix in sirloin, and the savory flavor bursting from the melted fat, complemented by the kimchi and whiskey, complemented the savory flavor.
The Irish whiskey my companions brought was a staggering 62 percent, sending a tingling sensation down my throat. Instead, the grainy notes, vanilla, and caramel sweetness balanced the palate, with subtle hints of peat and oak.
Since we were a gathering of three men, we naturally moved on to soul food, and the next appetizer was stir-fried pork. The broth was simmered on a burner, thickening and enriching the flavor as time went by.
The Cheongyang peppers made it quite spicy, and while the sweetness in the seasoning wasn't immediately apparent, the generous amount of onion provided a subtle kick. The seasoning clung to the firm pork, creating a moist and satisfying pairing with the ssam (wrap).
The next appetizer was rolled eggs. The minimal use of vegetables, other than the egg, created a soft and clean texture that I thoroughly enjoyed. Also, the egg mixture was slightly undercooked, making it even more tender.
For the long-awaited final dish, even though I hadn't had any soju, I couldn't resist the temptation of the soup and went for the gochujang jjigae. Even with the rolled omelet, the portion was still quite full, but strangely, it went down well.
The soup, with its characteristically thick texture, was incredibly rich, with the zucchini adding a sweetness, the Cheongyang peppers adding a spiciness, and the Spam adding a salty, savory flavor. However, the tofu balanced the heaviness just right.
★★★★★Sam1 year ago
This is a street food stall in Euljiro that I've only seen on the news and online.
It's surprisingly clean.
A pound of pork belly, tofu kimchi, enoki mushrooms, and rolled eggs are all excellent value for money.
I was so hungry I ate in a hurry that I didn't take any pictures.
Due to its location, you might see a lot of motorcycles passing by while you're eating.
On weekdays, outdoor tables are available after 7 p.m.
