HAPPYDALKIS: February 2015

My little Kim's top 10 favourite food

안녕하세요, 여러분 ^^ 새해 복 많이 받으세요! Today, I am finally done with all my updates for my 2014 trips back home. The recent trip was specially planned for my little Kim, just to reward her for studying so hard for her O level. Hope she has enjoyed herself. It is really not easy to be a student nowadays. Test after test, exams after exams. Kids spent most of their time in school for their lessons, CCAs, remedial classes etc. By the time they reach home, there isn't much time & energy left to do their homework. Anway, here's Kim's top 10 favourite food for our Winter trip :

Judging from the amount of food we ate during this trip, some of you must be thinking how much weight I have gained. I think I put on about 1-2 kg. Well, who cares about diet during holidays trips???? Diet only begin the moment I touched down at Singapore Changi Airport ㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎㅎ

Gotta buck up my research for my Spring trip 2015 now. So much to do and so little time for it. This is the first time I am doing my research at such a short time frame before my trip. Yeah...I know some or many people don't really research or only do their research at the last minute. For me, I preferred to be prepared, so that I don't miss out anything that I want to go, do or eat. Despite going back a few times already, I still like to research becos the process is interesting and I learnt. Preparation gave me the confidence to travel on my own cos I am not the adventurous type of person lol. Though I like to be prepared for my trips but I dun follow my itinerary strictly. Sounds contradicting huh?? lol

7 Dec 2014 - Eating till the very last minute ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

I brought Kim and my friends to this cafe, Travel Maker for breakfast before Kim and I checked out from our apartment. Like this place for its early opening hour. Love this place for its affordable and delicious American style breakfast. Travel Maker is about 3 mins walk from Hongik Univ Station, exit 3. Direction to the cafe in this link.

One of my friend was still in his dreamland, so three sets for three of us ^^
I miss the waffle, röschti and pork sausages...

Eating till the last minute before boarding the plane.
The big donut was as big as Kim's face ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

Anyway, we reached Incheon airport at around 12.30pm and was surprised to see the long queue at immigration. What's the occasion this time? I encountered the same long queue during my last trip and that was due to Incheon Asian Games. The long queue does not bother me much cos I usually reach the airport quite early. In fact, I appreciate the tight security checks, which is for the safety sake of every passenger.

Kim loves her multi grains donut and she finished it all despite our heavy breakfast ^^

My Red Velvet Cake Donut.

6 Dec 2014 - Eating as much as we could!!

We started the day with breakfast from 이삭 토스트 Isaac Toast in Hongdae.

I realised this outlet include pictures and English translations in their menu now!
Great news for tourists ^^

미안...I realised I left out the prices in my shots....

Decided to try "Hot Chicken & Cheese" for a change.
Told Kim to try my all time favourite, "Ham & Cheese" and she really likes it ^^
Its the sauce that does the magic for Isaac Toast ^^

Brought Kim and my friends to Bukchon Hanok Village becos I feel anyone who is visiting Korea for the first time should check out this place. We also visited Samcheongdong and decided to take a teabreak at 오가다 Ogada.

We were tempted to try out the cakes and tteok but decided to save our stomach for lunch.

Our Asian Pear Bellflower Roots Tea and Ginger Dried Orange Peel Tea tasted good ^^

The Hallabong roll cake looks ordinary but tasted refreshing.
We finished up every bit of the dried dates becos they were the most crispy red dates we had ever ate!

We went to Kyobo bookshop at Gwanghwamun Station to shop for some stationery before making our way to Gwanghwamun Jip 광화문집 for lunch. Direction to the eatery can be found here. Though the pork was a little bit tough but I am happy that my friends and Kim liked this place cos its rather homely and feels so local. We went to Dongdaemun for some shopping after our hearty lunch of Kimchi Pork jjigae.

Dinner was at 낙서파전 ^^
Directions to 낙서파전 can be found at my earlier post, Best best best 해물 파전!!!

Kim rated this pajeon as her second favourite on her list of top 6 Korean food.

BTW, it is compulsory to order alcohol here. You can't simply order only the pancake.

We thought we can't order Makgeolli becos my little Kim is only 16 years old.

I think the 아줌마 here heck care the age requirement.

She only told us must order alcohol even when I told her Kim is only 16 years old.

Unlike at 이모네왕파전, whereby the 아줌마 insisted on checking my classmate's ID.

Our eating session continued at 마약김밥 골목 Mayak Gimbap Alley in 광장시장 Gwangjang Market.

We reached about 7.30pm and there's only this stall left in the small alley.

이모 hopes we can order as much as we could cos there's still so much left for the day.
We tried our best by ordering guksu, kimbap and japchae.
We also bought some kimbap for take out.

Kim loves this best.

I thought this was the best 잡채 japchae I have ever ate ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ
No picture for my guksu but I find it very tasty as well for a plain looking bowl of guksu.

Although the 마약김밥 골목 Mayak Gimbap Alley closed much earlier than we expected, the main food section of the market was still buzzing with life.

Saw this shop and I think this is a popular store selling 마냑심밥 Mayak Gimbap.
Pardon me for this picture.
It was a snap and go situation.

We settled on this vendor to try the meat and sundae.

My friends and Kim hesitated to try this but finally they gave in.
They can now be the ambassador for 순 대 Sundae hahahahaha
We don't like the meat but sundae was pretty ok ^^
I still prefer the 순 대 Sundae from 죠스떡볶이 Jaws Tteokbokki, which has a stronger peppery flavour.

Last food for the day was macaron ice cream ^^
This macaron ice cream shop was 2 mins away from our apartment.
Kim and I have been eyeing at it since our first day in Seoul.
It was our last night in Seoul so I got to let my little Kim try it!!

Not much choices left.
Kim chose her favourite flavour, strawberry cheese ice cream.
The size of this macaron ice cream was about the length of a finger.
So so small......
Kim's comment : Doesn't taste like ice cream.
My comment : I still prefer the macaron ice cream from 앤티크 Antique .

5 Dec 2014 - Mr Churro 미스터 추로 ^^

After dinner comes dessert. Kim wanted to try Churro with ice cream since day 1 of our trip but we did not managed to cos we were so full by the end of the day. We were left with one more full day in Korea, so we decided that we must eat our Churro with ice cream by hook or by crook today!!! We found the cafe in Hongdae but so SAD to see its closed!!! How could you??!!!

We left the cafe with a broken heart and continue shopping in Hongdae.
Much to our surprise, we saw this vendor among the busy street!!
Its Mr Churro 미스터 추로!!
Yay!!!!
My little Kim's wish was fulfilled with a big smile on her face :)

The perfect combination of hot crispy Churro with ice cream!!!
To our surprise, the ice cream tasted really good!!
Its not just any normal plain vanilla ice cream!
My friend said the ice cream tasted like the expensive type lor and I totally agreed with her!
Please try if you see it!!

5 Dec 2014 - Revisit to 두물머리 Dumulmeori

After a heavy breakfast, we took the subway to Yangsu Station for 두물머리 Dumulmeori. This time I confirmed that I got to change train at Deokso Station. We got off at Deokso Station and took the subway from the opposite platform to reach Yangsu Station.