Good food near Gangnam?
Oct 7, 2012, 3:20 pm
#1
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Good food near Gangnam?
I was browsing through Sweet Willie's thread specifically searching for info about good food near Gangnam. I'll be in Seoul for an afternoon/night and was hoping to try some local cuisine.
Don't need it to be fancy, cheap street food will work as well, just need some suggestions, if anyone has personal experiences.
I usually arrange through CouchSurfing to have a local show me around and recommend food to try, but damn Korea seems either anti-social or people work so hard mid-week that nobody wants to meet up.
Don't need it to be fancy, cheap street food will work as well, just need some suggestions, if anyone has personal experiences.
I usually arrange through CouchSurfing to have a local show me around and recommend food to try, but damn Korea seems either anti-social or people work so hard mid-week that nobody wants to meet up.
Oct 7, 2012, 6:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
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Find an English teacher on CS, and regardless of how tired they are, offer of free food and drink, you'll have yourself a little army....
Though from experience, the English teachers aren't the most knowledgeable of Seoul, unless you want to find bars that other English teachers hang out at, then you've hit the gold mine.
BTW, the area surrounding GN station has good eats, but if you want a more local experience, try other parts of the city. Access to line 2 and 9 (Sinnohyun Stn, only a 5 minute walk from Gangnam Station) will give you easy access around the city.
Though from experience, the English teachers aren't the most knowledgeable of Seoul, unless you want to find bars that other English teachers hang out at, then you've hit the gold mine.
BTW, the area surrounding GN station has good eats, but if you want a more local experience, try other parts of the city. Access to line 2 and 9 (Sinnohyun Stn, only a 5 minute walk from Gangnam Station) will give you easy access around the city.
Oct 7, 2012, 7:27 pm
#4
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How adventurous are you? I took my Italian supplier to a local Korean bbq restaurant near Kangnam and he loved it. I wrote about this restaurant in a different thread, but I will give you the directions to the location.
The restaurant is called Bonga. It is located within walking distance from the Novotel Hotel in Kangnam. If you can find your way to Sinnonhyeon Subway station, take the #3 exit, walk north to the first alley then turn right. Next turn left at the first alley. This is Bongeunsa-ro 1-gil (name of street). This street is unofficially called Eating street, or Food Alley. There are tons of local restaurants on this street. Head north up the street. About half way up the street, you will see Bonga on your left side.
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/store_deta...egion=&str_na=
Perhaps it might be easier to print that page out so you have a picture of what it looks like. Also if you get confused you can show it to anybody and they can point you in the right direction. Or you can put this address into Google Maps 서울 강남구 논현동 165-13 and it will take you there. I've tried it using Blackberry and iPhone and it is pretty accurate.
What to order? They have this marinated thin strips of beef.... so delicious! It is called Woo Samgyup.
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/menu_woo3.asp
Page also shows how to cook and eat it wrapped with greens. You order it per person. A serving for one person may not be enough. I've had two by myself and was very full afterwards.
Want to try something more local? They have a dish called Chadol Doenjang Jjigae. Basically, a beef stew but you take part of it and mix it in with the rice and veggies. It becomes their version of Bibimbap (mixed rice).
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/menu_chadol.asp
This location is open 24 hours. First floor has chairs and tables, but the second floor is a sit-on-floor type.
Best of luck, have fun.
The restaurant is called Bonga. It is located within walking distance from the Novotel Hotel in Kangnam. If you can find your way to Sinnonhyeon Subway station, take the #3 exit, walk north to the first alley then turn right. Next turn left at the first alley. This is Bongeunsa-ro 1-gil (name of street). This street is unofficially called Eating street, or Food Alley. There are tons of local restaurants on this street. Head north up the street. About half way up the street, you will see Bonga on your left side.
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/store_deta...egion=&str_na=
Perhaps it might be easier to print that page out so you have a picture of what it looks like. Also if you get confused you can show it to anybody and they can point you in the right direction. Or you can put this address into Google Maps 서울 강남구 논현동 165-13 and it will take you there. I've tried it using Blackberry and iPhone and it is pretty accurate.
What to order? They have this marinated thin strips of beef.... so delicious! It is called Woo Samgyup.
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/menu_woo3.asp
Page also shows how to cook and eat it wrapped with greens. You order it per person. A serving for one person may not be enough. I've had two by myself and was very full afterwards.
Want to try something more local? They have a dish called Chadol Doenjang Jjigae. Basically, a beef stew but you take part of it and mix it in with the rice and veggies. It becomes their version of Bibimbap (mixed rice).
http://bornga.co.kr/bonga/menu_chadol.asp
This location is open 24 hours. First floor has chairs and tables, but the second floor is a sit-on-floor type.
Best of luck, have fun.
Oct 8, 2012, 7:50 am
#5
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thank you for the great suggestions
I try to avoid getting foreigners involved in my "foodie" experiences abroad because they usually suggest stuff that has nothing to do with the host country... nothing against them showing me around, but you know as a first time visitor to Korea I'd really love to try authentic korean food... (my recent experiences in Kuala Lumpur for example saw foreigners living in Malaysia take a french tourist to MOS burger... a damn shame if you ask me.... or my own personal experience in Bangkok with a foreigner, we went to an Irish pub... definitely not my cup of tea)
I seem to have managed to find a local now who is very interested to show off korean culture to me, this is exactly what I was looking for.
cheers!
I try to avoid getting foreigners involved in my "foodie" experiences abroad because they usually suggest stuff that has nothing to do with the host country... nothing against them showing me around, but you know as a first time visitor to Korea I'd really love to try authentic korean food... (my recent experiences in Kuala Lumpur for example saw foreigners living in Malaysia take a french tourist to MOS burger... a damn shame if you ask me.... or my own personal experience in Bangkok with a foreigner, we went to an Irish pub... definitely not my cup of tea)
I seem to have managed to find a local now who is very interested to show off korean culture to me, this is exactly what I was looking for.
cheers!
Oct 9, 2012, 1:26 am
#6
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If you love garlic and chicken I'd suggest Banpo Chicken near the express bus terminal http://m.visitseoul.net/en/article/a...=53599&lang=en It's nothing fancy, but will fulfill your garlic cravings for a while...
Oct 10, 2012, 9:21 am
#7
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I came home from Seoul yesterday and all I can say is: Eat all you can! In Gangnam there are lots of places to eat, but of course it's difficult to know if it's a "tourists-trap" or not... We had lots of Korean BBQ in Gangnam and from the people visiting the places looked like locals. 
Xxx.
Xxx.
Oct 11, 2012, 3:27 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2006
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I came home from Seoul yesterday and all I can say is: Eat all you can! In Gangnam there are lots of places to eat, but of course it's difficult to know if it's a "tourists-trap" or not... We had lots of Korean BBQ in Gangnam and from the people visiting the places looked like locals.
Xxx.
Xxx.
Oct 11, 2012, 4:36 am
#9
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Oct 11, 2012, 10:14 pm
#10
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But either way, even some of the chains have good food.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Oct 12, 2012, 10:05 am
#11
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This being my "home area" in Seoul, closer to Namsan you can also find many "Seoul originals" where food is sometimes excellent and customers mostly locals. But agree that several pojang-macha and some of the Myeong-dong staples are more or less rip-off.
Oct 14, 2012, 10:29 pm
#14
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I was browsing through Sweet Willie's thread specifically searching for info about good food near Gangnam. I'll be in Seoul for an afternoon/night and was hoping to try some local cuisine.
Don't need it to be fancy, cheap street food will work as well, just need some suggestions, if anyone has personal experiences.
Don't need it to be fancy, cheap street food will work as well, just need some suggestions, if anyone has personal experiences.
Oct 16, 2012, 3:26 am
#15
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: BKK/SEL/YQG
Posts: 2,543
I would suggest going near the university campuses in Seoul. I used to live near one in Seoul and they have tons of restaurants, especially near the entrances. Also, there is a good chance a few of the people working or eating there will understand a bit of English. If that doesn't work, they usually have pictures of food.
"Seoul National University of Education Station" isn't that far from Gangnam, but the selection of food is kinda blah.
I would recommend Konkuk University Station, or up near Hansung University.
The better known areas of Hongik University Station/Ewha University Station, though these are ever so slowly becoming 'touristy' places. Still tonnes of great food about, but some lacklustre options as well.