Majestic Restaurant at New Majestic Hotel

I was cordially being invited to taste this set of luxurious meal at the New Majestic Hotel.

Here is my verdict. This is my tastes without even knowing what the menu serves.
Disclaimer: Taste is a very personal experience. What tingles my tongue does not necessary tingles yours. :p

Choice of the night is one of Cheg Yong's signature.

When it's served...

Sliced Peking Duck with Pan Seared Foie Gras and Banana topped with Black Caviar

I am not sure if the sliced peking duck skin should come with a little meat as it feels empty. So I wrapped the foie gras together. The foie gras pan seared nicely with a very fragrant outer layer and the inside is very soft. The banana is coated with a layer of torched sugar which is crispy. The caviar should be eaten with foie gras than banana but it's layed on top of the banana.

Double-boiled Sea Treasures Soup with Superior Shark's Fin and Black Truffle

This is very good! The soup's taste is "enough fire" 够火候 as Chinese says it. There are many treasures which some of them are chicken and mushroom. I'm not a fan of black truffle as it's bitter.

Baked Fillet of Fish with Sauteed Egg White Crabmeat Sauce

This fish is nice which outer layer rather fragrant with sauce but it's only nice when it's eaten alone. If you eat the egg white with the fish, you will not be able to taste the fish's fragrant. The egg white's taste is so strong that even you can't taste the crabmeat sauce. I prefer to have only the fish and some "special" or fragrant sauce.

Braised South African Dried Abalone with Beancurd and Garden Greens in Ancient style (25 head)

When this plate is served, I was expecting to smell the fragrant sauce but instead I smell green more. The brocolli's smell is stronger than the sauce? I had to have the brocolli first then after I could smell the nice sauce fragrant. Abalone is nice but I think it's just a little soft. Should it be a little Q? The beancurd is fragrance, especially the outer layer which I like!

Stewed Boston Lobster Noodles with Ginger and Spring Onion

The lobster is fresh and Q which is nice. It's good enough with just a little of the noodle sauce. It's advisable to eat the lobster with the noodle. As I don't eat ginger and spring onion, the noodle becomes very plain towards tasteless. I was expecting some "dried egg noodle" taste but it's not there. I think I would enjoy more with just the lobster.




They have a list for choice of desserts, mainly on pudding, puree and hot dessert. So we had DURIAN!

Crispy Durian

It's fried durian ice cream. The outer flour is crispy but does not taste oily which is good but the durian ice cream's taste is not very strong for a durian lover.

"Mao Shan Wang" Durian

Real durian served with a long biscuit. Is it the durian season? The durian did not taste fresh enough but the taste is definitely stronger than the durian ice cream. It's new to eat with the biscuit. Not bad~~

Seoul, South Korea - Getting around

An additional few days from work for shopping and tummy happiness. v(^_^)v

Travelling from Incheon Airport to Seoul City

If it's your first time to Seoul and wondering how to reach the city cheaply, you can take the airport bus. Find airport express bus counter after exiting from customs declaration and before getting out of the terminal. I took mine at KRW9,000, from Incheon Airport to Shinsegae Department Store (Times Square). The trip took around 1.5 hours with a rather slow and safe bus driver.

Being in a country of foreign language, it's important to know your location and destination. Remember to take picture of the bus information stand at the bus stop stated on your ticket. The bus will announce every next station that they are stopping but does not stop if no one rings the bell or stood up. With this picture, you can refer to the bus stop point to know how many station more to alight at your station. Don't fall asleep unless you are certain that it's a long trip!

You can leave your luggage at the bottom of the bus and you will be given a luggage number tag to identify your luggage. So you don't need to worry about other people taking your luggage.

Subway travel card

If you want to travel the cute way, go to Family Mart to buy cute top-up travel card for KRW8,000 (non-refundable). It will not be expired and if not used, can be treated as souvenier or accessories. It's sold as Hello Kitty, Rilakuma, and Angry Bird. It also contain a Swarovski's cut crystal.

Otherwise, go for the traditional single journey card or day passes. We took the single journey pass which you can only buy from machines with KRW500 refundable deposit.

Getting around with taxi

If you're carrying too much or legs too numbed from long walks, you may consider taking a taxi. The normal sedan taxi fare starts at KRW2,400 for first 2 kms and adds KRW100 for every subsequent 144 meters. You may first estimate the fare based on google map's estimated km.

Generally, it's around the same price as Singapore. If you have friends to share, why not?

Myeongdong 명동 (明洞)

This is a one of Seoul's main shopping area. What best to shop here? Mainly facial products, cosmetics, and accessories. Most of the Korean facial product brands you need, you will get it from this place.

To get here by subway: Myeongdong Station (Line 4), Exit 6, Turn left.

You don't need to worry if you can speak Chinese. Most salesgirls knows Chinese.

Note: Even if you enter to the 2 different shop of the same brand, you may get different promotions. Some shops give better promotion than others and you can negotiate for more free samples at some shops.

Dongdaemun 동대문 （东大門）

A place for clothes and accessories shopping. They are all in many floors of buildings, such as Doota, APM, and Migliore, all on the same road. It seems that Migliore's prices are lower than the rest of the complexes. The prices that they quote can still be bargained lower by KRW2,000 to maybe half of the initial quoted price. I was warned, bargain only if you're interested to buy. You won't want their faces or Korean language to spoil your day.

To get here by subway: Dongdaemun History & Cultural Park (Line 2, 4, or 5), Exit 13 or 14.

General operating hours: 10:30 - 04:30 (yes, 04:30 a.m.) but varies among different complexes.

Gyeongbokgung Palace 

A royal palace located in north of Seoul, South Korea. One of the main attraction of Seoul. There is also a museum in the Palace that explains Seoul's history.

To get here by subway: Gyeongbokgung Station (Line 3)

Looking around...

Insa-dong 인사동


This place is known as cultural street where you can see many shops selling antiques and artworks. Most of all are Korean souvenirs. You can also find traditional Korean food.

To get her by subway: Anguk Station (Line 3)

Cheonggyecheon 청계천


This is a man-made river of 8.4km long in Seoul city. It's a place that you can sit down and relax a little water and green scenery in the middle of high rise office buildings.


You will pass by it if you walk from Insadong to Myeongdong.

Gangnam Underground Shopping Arcade (Gangnam jihasang-ga) 강남지하상가


One of the underground shopping. It's newly refurbished with air-conditioned for comfortable shopping. Here they sell many of clothes (men, women, kids), shoes, to household items, garden items, etc. You can spend more than half a day here.

I prefer this place to Dongdaemun as the prices quote are already at a lower price with similar range of varieties. You will get your item at better price without the need to bargain alot.

To get here by subway: Express Bus Terminal Station (Line 3, 7 or 9)

Gwanghwamun 광화문 (光化門）


Gwanghwamun is the main and largest gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. This place also exhibits history of King Sejong, a King who created Korean language characters.


To get here by subway: Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5)

It's free to walk around the square but you may also enter the King Sejong's museum below his statue.

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 10:30 - 22:30; Closed on Monday.

Admission fee: Free

On your way to the square, you will see this cute Haechi, a symbol of Seoul. You can buy its soft toys and souvenirs from the shop.

Utopia Spa 유토피아 스파 

A 24 hours spa place where you can massage, sauna, watch tv, do nothing, sleep, etc.

Location:
187-3 Guro-dong Guro-gu, Seoul
(Entrance at B1, just follow the sign)

Tel: +82 2 839 6800

http://utopiaspa.co.kr/ (Korean only)

Subway: Guro Digital Complex Station (Line 2), Exit 2

Seoul, South Korea - Deliciously Korean

An additional few days from work for shopping and tummy happiness. v(^_^)v

Nolboo Budaejjigae
Our first dinner was experiencing the local "Military Pot". This dish came about after the Korean war where food was scarce and they were made from surplus food from the US Army base.

Location:
Level B1, Time Square
Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul


Subway: Yeongdeungpo Station (Line 1)

Tel: +82 02 2638 2077

http://www.nolboo.co.kr/ (if you know korean language or google for other outlets)

Hours: 10:00 - 22:00




Many choices of everything in a pot...

Our choice...

Brisket Casserole Pot 흥부 부대전골 (KRW7,000 per person)

This is the most popular pot of this restaurant consisting brownie, sarami, dark, pepperoni, sausage, etc. Adding ramyuen (instant noodle) for KRW1,000. It's like kimchi soup but not too soury taste of the kimchi. It's a very appetising soup that can keep you drinking although it's spicy. The ramyuen is put into the pot to cook together.

Peppermint sweet (Free)

This is free to take from the cashier counter. I think it's rather nice but some of my friends think it's too sweet.











Hosu Samgyetang 호수 삼계탕


A place for "special" ginseng chicken soup. A type that I've never tried before until now.

Location:
342-134 Singil-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul

Tel: +82 831 4111

Subway: Sinpung Station (Line 7), Exit 4










This restaurant has Chinese speaking people which you don't need to worry about conversing. Actually, you don't need to converse much with them as well because they only serve one dish which is the ginseng chicken, the one of its kind which only they sell.

How to get here by subway ...

After 15-20 minutes walk, you're rewarded...

The meal started with appetisers (as usual) served with chili, kimchi and cucumber. The cucumber is very crispy and it's really a cooling snack after your walk from the subway.

On samgyetang's first taste, it tasted like chicken or mushroom cream soup but I was told that the soup is made of sesame. By knowing this fact to taste again, yes, there is a very mild sesame taste. The chicken is tender that you can easily tear the meat from the bone. The chicken is stuffed with some ingredients such as glutinous rice, ginseng, and water chestnut which are some of the usual ingredients you can find from other samgyetang. This is new and delicious, very worth a try.

My very proud "produce" (^_^)

Bongchu Jjimdak  鳳雛찜닭

This is a chain restaurant selling Jjimdak, a dish originated from the city of Andong. Jjimdak is a Korean steam or boiled dish made with chicken and various vegetables marinated in a Korean soy sauce.

Location:
163-11, 2nd Floor, Mapo-Donggyo, Seoul
(Hongdae shop)

Tel: +82 3142 6618

http://www.bongchu.com/ (In Korean only)

Subway: Hongik University (Line 2)















If you're not tolerable with spiciness, be prepared for "sausage" lips. :p

Bongchu jjimdak (Large) (KRW35,000)

This is a very appetising dish although spicy! The chicken is very deeply marinated with the sauce and tender. There are various vegetables such as potato, carrot, dried chillies and spring onions and also with noodles. All enough for 6-7 persons.

I was told that the original jjimdak is many times much more spicy than this. "-_-

Don't let them take away the remaining sauce and add the next dish!

Gonggibap (Stone rice) (KRW1,000)

It's just a normal crispy rice but it's superb when it's added on to the remaining sauce.











After all the spiciness, you can cool it with a bowl of cold kimchi (non-spicy).

Coffee Brown

A random coffee break. A few shops down the same road from Bongchu Jjimdak.

Korean is famous of sweet potato by-products! You can try some here!

Sweet Potato Cake (KRW5,000)

It's like a sponge cake with sweet potato taste. It's something different that's nice to try

Sweet potato latte (KRW5,000)

If it's a cold day, this is a very nice drink. Warm sweet potato drink with sweet potato bits.














Seon Cheon 宣川

A place at Insa-dong to eat some traditional Korean food. This is just a random pick.

Location:
100-4, Insadong 14 Road, Seoul Special City

Tel: +82 734 1970

Subway: Anguk Station (Line 3)

Side dish starters - Kitchen's special (KRW10,000 per person)

If you want the side dishes, you have no choice but to eat what they cook on that day and it's unlimited refill. How much can you refill, seriously?

Beef bulgogi (KRW26,000)

It's fried with mushroom and garlic. It's tender and juicy. Very good with rice.

Each person comes with a bowl of rice and a soup. Beancurd soup to share at KRW5,000.







Shinsegae supermarket and foodcourt

This is a chain departmental store. You can find alot of nice snacks at the supermarket and food at their foodcourt.

At the supermarket snacks counter...

Waffle counter

They sell various flavours of waffles. I tried strawberry and it's a strong flavoured one. Nice!

Fishball counter

Prawn fishball is delicious, I recommend to try. The fish meat is smooth and tasty.

Tempura counter

Fried seaweed wrapped with vegetables. It quite delicious too!











Moving on to the foodcourt...

Oven Chicken & Beer (Noo Na Hol Dak)

A place that's all about chicken. There some english words in the menu, not for every dish, but even if without, no sweat, there are pictures! Just point! :D

Location:
164-8 Mapo-Donggyo, Seoul
(at Hongdae)

Tel: +82 2 332 6663

Subway: Hongik University (Line 2)

Appetisers and sauces (Free)

Appetisers of cucumber and radish. Sauces of salsa and mushroom sauce for the chicken or appetisers.

Chicken sausages (KRW13,000)

Four different types of sausages - spicy, original, a little more salty. This comes with a bunch of fries. Very potato-ish and crispy. Lovely!

Crispy baked chicken and Garlic chicken (KRW19,900)

A mixed of top selling flavours. You must first eat the crispy basked chicken. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Garlic chicken is marinated with BBQ sauced chicken with a mild garlic taste. The meat is also tender.

Crispy chicken with special sauce (KRW16,900)

Do you like to eat KFC popcorn chicken? This is the bigger piece version of popcorn chicken. Dipping it in the special sauce which tasted like sweet sauce, it's delicious.

If you're onion lover (which I'm not), have the onions! I was told that there are sweet.

Gukdae Tteokbokki 국대떡볶이 (國代）

One of the best rice cake place. A chain store that you can find in many places.

Location:
486, Mapo-gu Seogyo-dong, Seoul

Tel: +82 2 598 8869

Hours: 12:00 - 00:00

www.kukde.co.kr (In Korean only)

Subway: Hongik University (Line 2)








A recommended rice cake place but we did not have time to sit down for a snacks but a friend bought take-away.

Left: Tteokbokki; Right: Twigim

It's quite chewy rice cake with the spicy sauce. Its appetising. My favourite is the fish paste beancurd in the spicy sauce. Delicious! Some fried vegetables and fish cakes that you can deep into the spicy sauce.

Paris Baguette Cafe

I never knew that this bakery chain store is from South Korea. You can find this cafe at nearly every place you go. Their bread and pastries are not bad at all. You can check it out if you passby any store. Look out for cheese cake and sweet potato pastries.

Check out more at http://eng.paris.co.kr/

Seochogol Korean BBQ Restaurant 서초골


A chain store of Korean BBQ. If you want to avoid your smelling clothe smell, go as early as 17:00 or 18:00. 

Location:
1124-38 Guro 3-dong, Seoul

Tel: +82 2  837 1445

Hours: 10:00 - 01:00

Subway: Guro Digital Station (Line 2), Exit 2

Beef (KRW9,000)

Korean beef is delicious! Don't over cook! It's yummy wrapped with lettuce. ^_^

Pork Ribs (KRW24,000 for 2 pieces)

This is very good! I can't stop having this!

All free and refillable!

Sangol Pancake Shop 산골 녹두파전

This shop not only sells pancake but also small snacks good with eat while drinking beer.

Location:
1124-58 Guro 3-dong, Seoul

Tel: +82 2  864 6800

Subway: Guro Digital Station (Line 2), Exit 2

Kimchi pancake (KRW13,000)

The kimchi pancake is not a spicy pancake but it's very appetising. I think there is a pickled vegetables. No matter how full you are, you can definitely finish this!