Hallowe'en Night in Itaewon

We put on our costumes and headed out to Wolfhound, a popular bar on an Itaewon side street. Festive orange jell-o shots with extremely cheap vodka. Only $1.50 each. I think the sign even advertised them in dollars! (Side note - the awesome exchange rate has now dropped down to 1234 won on the dollar from a high of 1484 on Tuesday.) Chugging down the shots with my friend.
Our next stop was The Bungalow, where we found a private room. This place was pretty dead, but the music was loud. Fortunately we could ring a door bell to receive service.

Back on the street, we saw a Mexican food court competing with the typical Korean food tents. Perhaps a hot dog stand (Koreans love hot dogs) or pizza stand (for the East Coasters) would be more successful. How many people crave an empanada at 2:30AM?

As for us, we headed to our old stand-by, McDonald's. All of us claimed we were only eating there due to a lack of options. I loved how Eric's bulgogi (beef) sandwich was neatly tucked into a cumberbund. So tidy!

Birthday Dinner & Drinks

A group of friends joined me at Buddha Belly, my favorite Thai restaurant, for dinner. I had my typical favorites, a glass of sangria and the Massamon Curry. A Westerner owns the restaurant, and everyone speaks English. We don't struggle much with the language barrior in Itaewon.
In Korea diners do not tip the servers. Instead, the bill includes a service charge. In addition, a tax called the V.A.T. must be paid. We didn't have to pay that tax, though, because Meeran had her embassy tax exemption card!
Our table at the bar didn't come cheap: $270 for two bottles of Absolut vodka, a dish of lemons and limes, cranberry juice, and diet coke. Typically at Korean clubs one must buy an overpriced bottle of liquor for seating privileges.
At least the exchange rate has topped 1400 won per dollar!

Sandwich Islands

I'm leaving for a 1-week vacation in Hawaii. If I see any Korean food, I'll take pictures and post. Otherwise, I might not be posting until next weekend. Feel free to leave comments in the meantime!

Korean Ginseng

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Asian ginseng provides energy and stimulates male sexual function. It's a natural treatment for erectile difficulties. Native American cultures used ginseng for similar reasons. It's interesting that ginseng grows naturally in both Korea and the United States. However, the plant root is immensely more popular in Korea. Some stores devote their shelves entirely to ginseng-related products.
Once I tried a microwaved slice of honey-sweetened ginseng. It was delicious! I don't see myself buying one of these ginseng 'specimans,' though, other than as a souvenir. I wouldn't know how to prepare it.

The Anchor Bar Would Not Approve

Eric and I had a few laughs over this sign after his birthday dinner. I hope this "diner" goes out of business soon. It really does a disservice to all the incredible diners in New Jersey and New York. First off, diner food would never be described as savory. Greasy, perhaps, but never savory. Next, as a Buffalo native, I had to laugh at the "wild buffalo wings." Apparently the Korean owners are unaware that "buffalo" refers to a location and not a type of meat! Do buffalo even have wings?
And, finally, a diner is a great place for a cup of coffee but not beer!
We generally avoid American restaurants. Servings are smaller, yet pricier and taste Korean. For Eric's birthday, though, we ate at Sortino's, his favorite restaurant. The food is excellent, but the cost is outrageous. For example, my polenta, the size of two card decks, cost $20! Come on, it's simply corn, water, oil, cheese, and a few spices! Eric usually needs to order to entrees to fill himself.
Yes, I must admit that I like American portion sizes. I love taking home leftovers and getting my money's worth. I understand that portion size doesn't need to be so large, but then again, shouldn't the price go down too?

Chicken Drippins'

This lady sells fresh-cooked rotisserie chicken from the back of her bongo truck. This photo serves as proof of hygienic cooking practices: raw chicken at the bottom, lightly cooked in the center, and crispy-cooked at the top. My friend said she would not buy that chicken unless she knew the cooking order. Well, here is her proof. Now she can give it a try! 12,000W for two birds ($6 each).

On the way to the tanning bed...

Every weekend I walk to the Green Turtle Salon to tan. I enjoy the walk, mainly because of the people watching. Here are a few of the food-related sites I see every time. (Note: I'm only tanning for an upcoming vacation to Hawaii!)

The non-touristy Itaewon sign. (All the tourists take photos of the Itaewon arch.)
Vendors prepare everything from iced coffee to hot tea from these carts. The vendor often sets up shop in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. The drinks are served in small paper cups. I'm not sure of the cost or sanitation of these products.
The vendors are always eating something. Usually an ajumma from a nearby restaurant will deliver food trays to the street-side vendors. This guy is always selling produce a few blocks from Starbucks. Everything always looks so colorful and fresh.
How does this ajumma balance the food trays on her head? Sometimes I see this woman crossing the busy street or making her way through the weekend crowds - - without using her hands! I love how she wears her kitchen apron out on the street, a definite no-no according to American food sanitation rules.
Trash piles are ubiquitous, while garbage cans are not. Phew...I've finally made it to my destination! This intersection is the busiest in Itaewon; I call it the "hub." Over the years, American eateries have taken over this building. However, don't be misled: though American by name, the atmosphere and the foods are distinctly Korean (more on that topic later).