Say CHEESE!

What a weekend!  Truly, this weekend was one for the books, ideal for an international foodie, leaving me brimming with joy and a full tummy. On Saturday, we toured parts of Seoul - from Yongsan to Itaewon - drinking and eating and enjoying every second. Then, we spent Sunday afternoon at Main Gate, near the air force base, for Pyeongtaek's Cultural Friendship Festival. What could be better?

Around noon on Saturday, we began at a coffee shop called Blind Alley Café in Yongsan. Korea's littered with urban cafés of different styles and ambiances, but Seoul takes it to a whole new level. One can find a ramen café, and even a poop-themed café... as well as cat, dog, sheep, and raccoon cafés! There, you can enjoy a caffeinated beverage in the company of a furry animal of your choice.

When a friend suggested we go to a raccoon café, it sounded fun, but I had no idea just how much I'd enjoy it. We watched, fed, and petted three raccoons - and a bonus corgi puppy. Originally rescued by the woman who owned the coffee shop, who treats them like you or I would treat a dog or cat, I had never expected that raccoons would be so energetic, social, and wacky! They climb like monkeys and are just as infinitely curious. Their paws are even more comparable to hands and feet; they grip their food and eat it from their own grasp. We spent over two hours reveling in the playful behavior of these creatures.

Pocahontas, or Meghan? Answer: Yes.

How cute are they? Notice the rope climbing skills.

See ya later, lil guy!

 Next, we headed to Itaewon, a neighborhood chock-full of foreigners - and the choice in gastronomy shows. In the taxi, we stared out at the storefronts like children that have finally reached their vacation destination: Mexican! Greek! Italian! Thai! Hooray!  In Songtan/Pyeongtaek, we don't have such options. But where there are foreigners, there is a demand for our varied palette. So, we ate like the foreigners we are. Mostly, we were on a mission for one thing - something that we can't get where we're living: CHEESE.

Truly inspirational.

Cheese isn't an unknown concept in Songtan, but the quality and variety is, objectively, abysmal (no hard feelings, Songtan). Every option is a processed shredded mozzarella-style, or an individually-wrapped, plastic-tasting consistency (think Kraft American Singles, but apply it to other cheese types, too - cheddar, gouda, whatever). Now, I'm no cheese connoisseur, nor am I a self-proclaimed addict, but after two months of shoddy cheese, I was ready for some high-quality cheddar (no pun intended).

Not a good shot, but it'll do the job.

First stop: Cheese A Lot, a cheese-lover's paradise. Their main restaurant was on break between lunch hour and dinner, so we bought some mac-n-cheese to tide ourselves over; Tony got meat sauce, while I chose garlic. YUM. It was expensive - $5 per tiny cup - but when in Seoul...

Next: Namsan Chemistry, an insanely cool, modern, open-air bar. Urban and industrial, this spot featured mountains of choices of beer and cider, but I'd go again just for the pulled pork fries. Honestly, I haven't tasted better bar food. The roof-top atmosphere was so chill, and whoever created the playlist should win an award. Such a modern, hip atmosphere and relaxed vibe. Not sure what the night scene is like, as we were there in the late afternoon, but I'd happily return to investigate!

Third: We returned to Cheese A Lot, but this time, we were Team Serious. The dine-in area was back open for business after 5, so we descended to sink our teeth into some delicious dairy delicacies. And, of course, what goes better with cheese than wine? Since we had snacked all afternoon, we decided a simple ricotta salad and cheese platter would suffice, but soon we regretted that decision. This sinking feeling set in as we saw a neighboring table, which had ordered an actual, bonafide entree, requested melted cheese on top of the plate. What happened next caused us each to gasp and groan, and our friend Fallon (a true cheese fan) literally had tears in her eyes as she said, "We've f***ed up, guys!" Behold, reader, as I attempt to verbally describe the beauty that I witnessed, and as I curse myself for neglecting to capture a photo.

Near the bar were two enormous slabs of cheese on adjustable pedestals under a heat lamp. Every five minutes or so, we'd watch (mouths watering) as the wait staff returned again and again to redistribute and spread the melting cheese as the top of the block dripped down upon itself. At this point, the table near ours made their request. The waiter picked up one of the slabs (how much did it weigh - four pounds, perhaps?) and carried it to the patrons. We watched as he slide a knife across the top of the slab, and every melted bit of that cheese, bubbling and slightly browned, fell atop the meat on the platter. More cheese than anyone could ever need, but just enough for a restaurant that boasted an unforgettable cheese experience.

Nevertheless, we wiped the drool from our lips - and the tears from our eyes - and thoroughly enjoyed the salad (crisp greens topped with slivered almonds, walnuts, dried fruit, and a ricotta smoother and creamier than I ever imagined ricotta could be) and cheese platter (complete with bleu, aged cheddar, brie, gouda, and swiss, plus crackers glazed with honey, nuts, and fruit).  Before ending our cheesy evening, we stopped at a store nearby and bought a wedge of brie to take home - a souvenir, if you will, to sustain us until we must face the sad reality of returning to the land of the plastic-wrapped single slices away from the capital city.

Pork, pico, & pineapple.
What more could you ask for?

Our foodie weekend didn't end there! After a late breakfast of sliced apple, eggs, and melted brie (hehe), we decided to head to Main Gate, another foreign district with fewer options but much closer to home, for some sushi and to get some work done at a café. Lo and behold, we had forgotten that Fallon had mentioned it was the Cultural Friendship Festival on the main strip! Quickly we decided we could return anytime for sushi, and we wandered from tent to tent, stage to stage, observing and enjoying what each culture had to offer. There were a few performances - Ecuadorian pan flutists in traditional feathered regalia who danced and played, and another group of what we think may have been Mongolians who played and twirled ribbons on top of their heads. We took advantage of the variety of western foods and did an around-the-world gasto-tour that included Turkish kebab wrap/gyro, Czech dark beer, honey cinnamon tea (Korean?), German sausage, Mexican al pastor taco, and for the finale, American pulled pork BBQ sandwich. Perfection.

God bless the USA.

Mysterious Island

During Chuseok vacation (a blessed 5 days away from school), Tony and I took advantage of the free time to do some exploring of the country that has become our new home. At 11:50PM on Tuesday, September 13, we boarded a bus to begin our trip to Ulleung-do, an island off the eastern coast of South Korea.

After 4 hours on a bus, 2 hours waiting at the port, and 3 and a half more hours on the most seasick ferry ride imaginable, we arrived at the tiny island of Ulleung-do, home to only 10,000 residents. Despite its size, small population, and lack of an airport, this island provides the mainland with most of its squid (which may not sound like a big deal, but squid is a common and popular food source here). Of course Tony wanted to try some of the local dried squid that was present at each food vendor on the street, but I was more interested in the other item that makes this island famous: pumpkin! We tried pumpkin taffy, gummy candy, and even pizza.

We traveled with a group called Adventure Korea, which provided us with accomodation, many of our meals, transportation, an itinerary, and most importantly - English-speaking tour guides. We tried to make the most of our brief stay by...

...exploring the walkway that is carved into the volcanic rock up and down the coast

...taking a bus tour around the island and stopping for various photo ops at breathtaking views

...hiking the tallest peak on the island, Seonginbong, at 3,228 feet

... making a Buddhist-style rock stack at the beach before swimming in the chilly, clear sea

...taking a cable car up to a scenic viewpoint and visiting a museum dedicated to the controversial neighboring island, Dokdo, which the Japanese and Korean feud over.

What a beautiful trip it was to this destination that is coined as "Mysterious Island," and a welcome opportunity to explore the more hidden gems that make up Korea.