19 April 2012 - Touring around Namdaemun

After a heavy and satisfying breakfast, I decided to walk around Namdaemun.  

Actually, I noticed this shop selling 왕만두 Wang Mandu before I went for my breakfast. The shop hasn't opened but there was already a queue. This shop is on the same row as the entrance of Namdaemun Kalguksu Alley. Walk past the Kalguksu Alley, walk straight for a minute and you will see the shop.

I didn't tour around the entire Namdaemun but randomly walked to any section that was near exit 5.  

Ahh!!  Gochutgaru 고춧가루!  I was contemplating whether to buy a not and eventually I did not.  It should be cheap to buy from here.  Hmm...They came in different tones of red.  Was that an indication of their level of spiciness?    

Looks like what we commonly known as 杂货店.

Woww..so many banchan! I bought garlic cos mum loves it but she said the ones I bought from Lotte Department Store tasted better than the ones I bought from here.

The fact that they used plastic film to cover the food was a plus point for me ^^  

Was that 간장게장 Ganjang Gejang?? 

Saw another shop selling 왕만두 Wang Mandu.

So big!!

I passed by the first shop selling 왕만두 Wang Mandu.  
Hehehee...I was tempted to buy a 왕만두.
  Can my stomach accomodate one more mandu??

I asked this lady whether I can buy only one mandu. She was a Chinese and that made conversation so much easier!  I asked her if there's red bean mandu.  She replied there wasn't. Hmm..so what is 찐빵 jin bang??  I thought I saw that on their sign board. Anyway, she told me they have mandu in two different savoury flavours.  Yup, no beef. One type was non spicy and the other type was spicy.  I chose the spicy mandu and had to wait for about 6 mins.  I still have some time so I can wait. 

These mandu looked ready for consumption.  Although I was not sure why I still have to wait, but I waited. 

These should be the non spicy mandu.

And these should be the spicy mandu.

I spent my 6 mins observing how they worked.  Every staff had their own role to play but they helped each other and worked as a team.  I also notice this money box, which was placed on the table top visible and reachable to anyone who passed by. I saw some customers putting their payment into this box when the staff gets too busy, while a few customers will get their own change from this box if change is required. I remembered seeing such money box at one of the shop in Herb Island.  Remember I bought the candies from a shop at herb island?  An elderly lady was tending the shop.  My candies cost KRW200 and she told me to put my payment into her money box.  She didn't even check whether I put the correct amount.  This is what I called trust and integrity.  

Woooo...Was that my mandu ^^ 

Wowww!!  Fresh from the oven ^^
Most of the customers bought their mandu in boxes but I bought only one mandu !!  Hahahaa
Well, I certainly wish I can buy these back to Singapore!!

I tried a mandu in my last trip. This was my second time to eat Korean mandu.  

Looks like 包 but it taste very different.  One piece of mandu cost KRW600.  

Yummy!!!!

Came across this in the subway station.  I wonder will foreigners from countries where recycling is not widely practised, know what goes into the recycling bin, and what goes into the waste bin. Well, its time for me to make my way back to the hotel but I have a place in mind to go before that.