carolion the exploroar: October 2014

Jukjeon looks like a city in the eyes of an American girl, but compared to Seoul it's really out in the boonies. If you ever find yourself down on the Bundang line though, here are (some of) our favorite places that are close to home.

First Nepal
Just about the first meal I had in Korea, First Nepal is Dankook University's diamond in the rough. Serving dishes standard to American Indian restaurants, the curries are always spicy and the naan is cooked to perfection. Plus, the absolutely adorable owner always provides a lassi, sometimes mango, sometimes banana, while you wait for your food. And as if that weren't enough, be sure not to miss the endless reel of Bollywood dance videos paired with mismatched music.

First Nepal 퍼스트네팔
경기도 용인시 수지구 죽전동 1321-3
Yong-in suji-gu Jukjeon-dong 1321-3

Jung Seong Bon Shabu Shabu
Shabu Shabu is what Korea calls "hot pot": it's a huge bowl of boiling broth in the middle of your table, to which you add paper thin slices of meat, loads of veggies, and noodles to cook before your eyes. The best part is, after you have the veggies and the meat and the rice cakes and the dumplings and the noodles, the server comes and scoops out some of the now stew-like broth, and then adds some cooked rice and creates Korean rice porridge, called juk. And despite the fact that you felt ready to explode about twenty minutes ago, the juk is so damn good that you can't help but scoop it into your mouth.

Jung Seong Bon Shabu Shabu 정성본
경기도 용인시 수지구 죽전동 1328-2 단대프라자3 지하 1층 101호
Yongin sujigu jukjeondong 1328-2 B1 1

http://www.jungsungbon.com
https://www.facebook.com/jungsungbondankook

BBQ by James' (old) place
In my opinion, this is the best BBQ place in the area. No, I haven't tried them all. But I actually remember the meat having it's own flavor, as opposed to just shoveling pieces into my mouth as quickly as possible. Bonus: the rice here is so good that I creepily sneaked around and took a picture of the bag so I could buy it and make it myself. Don't forget to order rice!!

Yuganea Sutbulchon 유가네 숯불촌

경기도 용인시 수지구 죽전동

Jukjeon-dong, Yongin Suji-gu, Yongin

Yamadaya Udon
When Boris first visited in January, our Awesome Obie Korean friends took him to a restaurant that (apparently) is pretty famous for its handmade udon (thick, Japanese wheat noodles). I didn't get to go because I was at work. Hmph. Anyway, months later I finally made it to this Udon place, and then went back way too many times for how obnoxious it is to get to. The set plates come with tempura (a special batter for frying things like shrimp and thin slices of pumpkin), as well as a couple pieces of sushi. I loved the cold udon which has little broth, but the warm dishes were equally slurp-able.

Yamadaya Udon 야마다야

경기도 성남시 분당구 구미동 226-7

Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 226-7

(not open on Tuesday!)

Japanese Ramen
I found this place through a useful location-based social networking group on facebook. I've never been to Japan, so I can make no comparisons in that direction, but the price here is friendly and the ramen is scrumptious. Salty broth, chewy noodles, and savory cuts of pork that melt on the tongue. Only caveat: they aren't open on Sunday, in my opinion the ideal ramen day.

Japanese Ramen 라멘만땅 분당오리점
경기도 성남시 분당구 구미동 189-1 성우스타우스 117호
Gumi-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do 189-1 117

Jogae on Cafe Street
I've only been to this place once, but I'm a sucker for seafood so this had to make the list. You'll sit on mismatched plastic stools around a metal BBQ pit called your table, on which sizzles an exquisite tower of shells: oysters, mussels, clams, and some shrimp all piled up and ready to be devoured.

구울래?찔래?
경기도 용인시 기흥구 보정동 1191-11
Giheung-gu, Yongin bojeongdong 1191-11

55 Chu

Whenever one of my students brings food to class, I unfairly exert my authority and ask that they share their food with...me. Usually they laugh and comply and I will take a teensy bit if I'm certain it won't be the most repulsive thing I've ever tried. When they offer more, I say 'no thank you' and tell them to put it away. Except this one student. She brought in fresh churros, still warm, and would offer them to me before I noticed she had them. And every time she offered, it was impossible for me to refuse. They were so crisp, yet soft, not too sweet, hint of cinnamon...and still warm. Swoon.

After a few failed teacher-student communications ("Teacher, it's by my house!") I finally learned where 55 Chu is located, and dragged all my foreigner coworkers on an adventure to heaven.

55 Chu오오츄
경기도 용인시 수지구 죽전동 1324
Jukjeon-dong, Yongin Suji-gu, Yongin 1324

https://www.facebook.com/55chu

During my last few weeks in Korea, I realized I had picked one kind of ramyeon I liked and failed to branch out to the dozens of types that fill supermarket and corner store shelves. I googled "best Korean ramyeon" and became enlightened by the god of instant noodles, the Ramen Rater. I didn't fancy all ten items on his list, and couldn't find others, but here's my very quick review of the ones I did try.

Bt the way, everyone in the states should liberate themselves from Maruchan ramen and find the Asian food mart. (or even aisle, if your grocery store is bougie like that). Also in Korean,