Toward the end of final yr I embarked on a visit to South Korea, thetravelnotes where I preserved my insides and sanity with soju and makgeolli for two weeks. I started my trip within the capital of Seoul, exploring supermarkets, museums, and (after all) vegan restaurants.

The booze

Coffee Makgeolli ("Makgellicano") in the park and a supermarket basket of Makgeolli, tofu, and grape beer

For the uninitiated, soju and makgeolli are both rice primarily based alcoholic drinks and they're each extraordinary with food. Makgeolli is a mildly sweet, viscous, and milky old school booze with a slight fizz about it. There are numerous varieties, from craft brews to synthetic fruit flavours. Alcohol content sometimes ranges between 6-9%.

With a lack of brewing legal guidelines, the alcohol content material of Soju can be as low as 16% and skyrocket to over 50%. Should one want to complement their alcohol with extra alcohol, a drink referred to as somac (beer + soju) shouldn't be uncommon. This drink was made for me by the managers of my hostel, one among whom liked Shakespeare ("to be or to not be, it would not matter"), craved recommendation on the way to romance an English lady in a bar, and loved singing both the Titanic theme music and The Little Mermaid traditional "Under the Sea." On repeat.

Other starchy vegetables and grains, comparable to barley, potatoes, and tapioca, will also be used to make soju.

Vegan Food in Seoul

Why cannot I ever keep this stuff brief? Okay, get pleasure from the rest of this novel.

Balwoo Gongyang

Operated by the Korean Buddhist Cultural Foundation, Balwoo Gongyang is a Michelin starred (no matter that means) vegan temple food restaurant in Seoul. There are five set menus to choose from, and they modify with every season. If you are going for dinner, make reservations. I went for lunch and there was no drawback scoring a table.

My lunch menu at Balwoo Gongyang

Exact menu in italics. Any notes of mine are in roman.

Suljuksim (Lip moisturiser)

Muhwagwa (Fig preserved in omija berry extract). Earthy fig in sweet and acidic broth that tasted of candy forest fruits with a hint of cinnamon. This lip moisturiser was excellent however I nonetheless wanted chapstick to moisturise my lips.

Juksang (Porridge)

Danhobakjuk & Seasonal mulkimchi (Sweet pumpkin soup & Seasonal watery kimchi).

Sangmi (Entree One)

Bburichaeso geojamuchim (Heat autumn vegetables seasoned with asian pear and mustard sauce). Marlin dotorimuk bokeum (Stir-fried dried acorn jelly with inexperienced pepper). The easy soy sauce dressing leaves the give attention to the texture of this Korean speciality, a chewy however not bouncy dish made with acorn starch. Neutari beoseot yeongeun muchim (Mixed oyster mushroom and lotus root with gochujang sauce). The homemade gochujang showcases the perfumed fruitiness representative of Korean chilies, and has a pleasant aftertaste harking back to the smell of a recent e book. Heavenly.

Dammi (Entree Two)

Beoseot gangjeong (Deep-fried assorted mushrooms seasoned with gochujang sauce). This gochujang is so good it even makes the bell peppers tolerable. Wooung altaree jeolim (Pickled burdock and radish with candy and bitter soy sauce). Ma doenjang chamkkae muchim (Raw Korean yam dressed with soy bean paste and sesame seeds sauce). All I might think of was if somebody were to invent savoury cherry bubble gum, this would be their inspiration. And since I've the palate of a ten yr old the flavour was dreamy plus plus. Nokdu jeon (Mungbean pancake). Gaeul chaeso jeon (Autumn vegetable pancake). Autumnal earthiness and campfire vibes.

Seongso (Noodle)

Pyogobeoseot-naengmyeon (Cold noodle with spicy shiitake mushroom & pear sauce). Dubu-gui (Grilled tofu). With pickled ash pepper. Sachal mandu (Temple type vegetarian dumpling). The solution to (momentarily, a minimum of) lifting depression due to the onset of winter.

Youmi (Medicinal Meal)

Yeonipbap (Steamed sticky rice with ginkgo nuts and pine nuts wrapped in lotus leaf). Doenjang-jigae (Soybean paste stew). Dugaji namul muchim (2 kinds of seasoned autumn greens). Citrus peel and nuttiness. Dugaji sachal kimchi (2 sorts of temple kimchi). One of those was made with perilla leaf and it is got so many layers to the flavour, from mustard and pepper to anise and petrol. It's a bit like if Alsace had a signature kimchi. Hangaji Jangajji (One kind of fermented pickles).

Ibgasim (Dessert)

Gyeji-cha (Cinnamon tea). Doraji jeonggwa (Balloon flower root preserved in grain syrup). Bittersweet with a cooling sensation. Light and easy after a big meal.

Incidentally, across the street from Balwoo Gongyang is Jogyesa Temple, where I found the most peculiarly delightful backyard of flowers organized within the shapes of non human animals (pigs, tigers, and so forth...) and manicured hands.

Maji Restaurant

Another Buddhist temple meals joint. A lovely nun saved me from going and not using a meal one evening after i turned up after the kitchen had closed, by composing a comforting bibimbap set. The meals is easy in a cosy atmosphere round a courtyard. The fish tank is an odd show in a vegan restaurant.

Vegan Bibimbap from Maji Restaurant in Seoul

Cook and Book

Located in Hapjeong, this lovely neighbourhood vegan cafe serves sizzling drinks, cakes, and meals. Cook and Book is a little bit off the beaten monitor, but it is worth a visit only for the vegan omurice. Typically comprised of fried rice blanketed with an omelette that's topped with ketchup, there are numerous interpretations impressed by this Japanese comfort classic.

The rendition at Cook and Book is wrapped in a turmeric and herb faux omelette in a sea of a sauce that resembles of a fusion of somebody's Nonna's tomato sauce and a mild Japanese curry. The entire lot is topped with microgreens and blended sprouts, and served with a couple of roasted bits, together with one every of a potato, tomato, brussels sprout, and button mushroom.

Vege Green

A friendly spot with little or no English spoken, this doesn't suggest the staff will not go out of their means to help explain what the buffet has to supply. There's a number of food to strive, from tempura vegetables (the kabocha squash is especially good) and stir fries to kimbap (Korean sushi) and noodles. The naengmyeon, a dish of iced broth with cold noodles, is particularly price a mention. There are numerous variations of naengmyeon and this one featured an acidic, vinegary, pink broth on candy potato noodles topped with a mustard sauce, cucumber, water kimchi, and sesame seeds.

Yummyyomil

It is a vegan bakery with an added burger menu. I stopped in for a peek and ended up ordering a burger as I hadn't eaten in at least an hour. Also consumed: a most delicate soy cream bun crammed with what I want all Bavarian cream doughnuts would take onboard. Yummyyomil is a superb spot for a espresso and cake, or to seize some pastries to take on a picnic.

Ose Gye Hyang

Of the three meals I ate here, the biji (okara) stew set was my favorite, and impressed me to post a recipe for kongbiji jjigae. The sets on the restaurant include the main plus rice and banchan (small sides). Worth noting is the lack of garlic in temple cuisine, which makes a much less pungent kimchi than I'm used to. The baechu-kimchi (the commonest and well known of kimchis, utilizing Chinese/napa cabbage) makes up for the absence of garlic with a strong horseradish and/or mustard factor. Other banchan included seitan pieces in gochujang, sesame greens, sukju namul (blanched bean sprouts), and gamja jorim (potato cooked in soy sauce, only this additionally had tofu).

Biji, wild sesame soup, and sundubu jjigae units at Ose Gye Hyang in Seoul

The banchan modified slightly each time I visited, with many repeats but just a few new plates each time. With the sundubu jjigae (tofu stew) set got here a sticky, candy, and savoury lotus and mushroom stem dish. Another came with soy braised mock beef. Some various kinds of kimchi were additionally served.

See and Do

Seoul is a large city, stuffed with parks, museums, vibrant city life, and walks. Listed here are a few of my reminiscences.

Kimchi Museum

Yes, a whole museum devoted to what is probably Korea's most well-known culinary export: kimchi. Spread over several floors, this homage to fermented vegetables consists of demonstrations, instructions, movies, and shows. There's even a chilly room stuffed with kimchi specimens. For those who love meals anthropology and culture, this can be a should go to museum.

War Memorial of Korea

Should you want to encounter international battle lovers bragging about their nationalism patriotism, head to the War Memorial of Korea. Sarcasm apart, this is greater than a memorial. It's an enormous museum crammed with battle history, art, and narratives that is sort of worth a visit.

The JSA and/or DMZ tour

I booked my tour with Cosmojin tour firm. You get to spend a day being bused around to all kinds of oddities, depending on which sort tour you e-book. I regret not purchasing a DMZ automobile air freshener that somebody pressed ship on an order to even have made. The day long tours include lunch and mine had a vegan option (bibimbap - you just must ask them to not embrace egg). The kimchi isn't vegan, so skip it. Also avoid the soup, which may be made with anchovy inventory.

War Memorial of Korea, DMZ automotive air freshener, Korean artwork, War and Women's Human Rights Museum

The War and Women's Human Rights Museum

Another absolute must, this small museum options the historical past of Korean enslaved women sex staff by the Japanese during occupation. Bring tissues.

Seoul Selection Bookshop

Run by an ex-journalist who grew tired of foreign residents' ignorance of Korean culture despite living in Seoul, this bookstore features an all English collection of books about the Koreas. You can watch an extremely awkward video of me being interviewed by the proprietor here.

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