Tag: korean

Expat Eateries in Adana, Part One

M's Adventures
Croma, is a farm to table place styled sort of like a French bistro.

Let’s talk best restaurants for expats in this city of no expats. I realize that not everyone wants a “bizarre food” experience all the time. Or even most of the time. If you want to stick with the familiar, then rest easy that Adana has chain places here like Starbucks, Popeyes, Little Caesars, McDonalds, but just remember that they will not have pork products. Otherwise, a translator app will help you in most places. Here are my recommendations for expat-friendly places. These places serve good food. I do not mention the many shiny places that serve bad food.

Okay, with all those caveats, let’s begin. I have been to over 90 eateries in Adana. The list is in descending order from best to worst food, sort of.

Croma’s shrimp with fresh pasta (they only do shrimp on Wednesdays).

Croma, Sayhan Apt, Cemalpaşa, 63005. Sk. 17/D, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, in the Gazipasa neighborhood. Parking is awful so take an uber (just type in the name of the restaurant in uber and it will pull it up) or walk. The food is farm to table, the waiters speak English, and the place makes their own pasta. Avoid the rice and chicken dishes. Excellent salads. Beer and wine are available as well. You will feel like you are not in Adana. So far, this is my top pick for best restaurant in Adana. I have now eaten there quite a few times and I still like it.

Vill Kitchen, Güzelyalı Mah. Uğur mumcu Blv, 81151. Sk. Enver Özkan Apt No:2 / E, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, in north Adana, has a nice vibe, excellent creamy desserts, Turkish breakfast, and other trendy items like avocado toast. Eggs are good here. Staff speak some English.

Güneşer Bakery, Güzelyalı, 81161. Sk. VELİ İŞLEK APT SİT. 5A, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, is an organic, gluten free famous, mom and daughter bakery that would not be out of place in Berkeley, California. If it was there, the line would go out the door and around the corner. Sunday Turkish breakfast requires a reservation. The mom makes all the food from the jams to the purple colored gluten free bread.

Pizzeria Povera, Turgut Özal Bulvarı Doğal Park Karşısı G4 Nest Altı, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, in north Adana, is run by a chef who ferments his pizza dough for 72 hours. He also has tiramisu but it’s best to ask him via direct message on Instagram, if there is any that day or you will be disappointed. The chef speaks English. Limited menu.

Pizzeria Regna, Kurtuluş, 64009. Sk. No:8, 01130 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, ferments their pizza dough for 48 hours. Chef speaks English. Limited menu.

Maki Uğur Mumcu, Bayram Apt, Güzelyalı, Uğur Mumcu Blv. 30/A, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, in north Adana, serves sushi, cocktails, salads, and everything in between. Staff speak English. I like the stuffed potato skins.

Maki Gazipasa, Vali Yolu Caddesi, Cemalpaşa, Ethem Ekin Sk. No:2/A, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, has excellent salads and everything else. Also sushi. Staff also speak English. I like their salads. Salad! The other Maki restaurants have more limited menus.

Sipsters, Reşatbey, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, is a healthy bar with a San Fran feel. Run by two sisters who both speak good English. Excellent French style creamy scrambled eggs. The place feels a bit hippy and the sisters also sell produce, including from their farm.

Bobo Franco, Cemalpaşa, Bahar Cd. Topaloğlu Apt No: 17/1, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, has a wide variety of dishes from pasta, steak, salads, fish carpaccio, and so on. Also has theme nights like Mexican or movie night. I don’t think their food is beyond good but it’s got a glam vibe. Even if the music is too loud. Almost no English spoken so use a translator app.

Wispy Pizza, Kurtuluş, 64003. Sk., 01010 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, on a side street from the main food drags. It is a casual place with only one table indoors. The owner speaks a bit of English and he will use an app to communicate. Good pizza in the Boston Upper Crust style. The advantage of this place is that there is lots of parking. Limited menu.

Focawich, Reşatbey, Gazipaşa Blv. Yunus Bey Apt Altı. No:9, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, is like any brand chain upmarket sandwich place in London, New York, so on, but it is not a chain — yet. Staff speak English. Limited menu.

Bark’s Burgers, Cemalpaşa, Toros Cd. Çiğdem Apt No: 6/B, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, on the famous Toros street in Gazipasa, has possibly the best burger and fries (for expats) in Adana. Fairly sure the staff speak English. Limited menu but they have beef burgers and fried chicken.

Pizza Locale, Kurtuluş Mh. Şinasi Efendi Cd. No:8A, Şinasi Efendi Cd. 8A, 01130 Seyhan/Adana, a chain outpost in Gazipasa, has thin crust pizza in three sizes, large salads, beer and wine, and English speaking staff. Brand new so very clean looking and lots of outlets for charging your phone…

Nas Kitchen, Reşatbey, Stadyum Cd Reşatbey Concept Apt D:41/C, 01120 Seyhan/Adana, (it is not located in the intersection as Google maps indicates but one block west, on the south side of Stadyum, across from a grocery store, Better to look for Elif Çiçekçilik, a florist, at Reşatbey, 62024. Sk., 01120 Seyhan/Adana), in Gazipasa, has excellent croissants. Also Turkish breakfast. Elegant bakery.

Quick China, Kurtuluş, Mithat Saraçoğlu Cd. No:3 D:3, 01130 Seyhan/Adana, in Gazipasa, is an all-round Asian restaurant for when you want Asian food. Staff speak a bit of English. Oddly, the kimchi here is the best in the city. This place looks the part with its imitation statues and red walls.

SushiCo, 1Z M1 AVM Adana, Yeni, 87071. Sk. No: 15 K Blok, 01200 Seyhan/Adana, in (front of) the M1 mall, is also an all-round Asian place. Staff speak a bit of English.

In addition to these places, there are many coffee shops and cafes that are much like places one would find in London or San Francisco. Too many to mention actually but I’ll try: Blumind, Fein, The Mia-Glamm (Glamm has multiple locations), La Patte, Proper Coffee, Mingogo, Bonn in the Garden,…

Chocolate, matcha, and classic bubble/boba tea.

Korean Cultural Center, Koreliler Cafe Kore Kültür Merkezi, Toros, 78178. Sk. NO:3 A, 01170 Çukurova/Adana, in north Adana. I include this place because one of the staff speaks excellent English (she is a English teacher) and this place has the only authentic bubble tea that I know of in Adana (Most of the bubble tea stands use juice pearls). Excellent tapioca pearls here! I have been to all the Korean restaurants in Adana and do not think much of the food served in them. They mainly serve fast food so pasta and fried things. But this place is probably one of the better places.

Muze Kebab Hestat. Yeşiloba, 46253 sok No.21, 01100 Seyhan/Adana, in west Adana (try not to be put off by the industrial neighborhood), serves Turkish food. I do not know if their staff speaks English but this is worth a visit because the decor is that of a museum. It is like eating inside a museum. The decor is all faux archeology, but the experience is real.

The interior of the Museum style restaurant.

In terms of price, most of these places are on the more expensive side for Adana. But not too pricey for an expat.

Royal’s menu is in English and in dollars. You can pay by credit card or Turkish Lira.

Finally, as an expat, you may be longing for some of the international foods that you are accustomed to such as Thai food, Indian food, Chinese American food, or the ever popular Mexican food. While there are a few places to get a semblance of Chinese American food, most of the other flavors are not here. While most menus offer curry sauce, Korean sauce, Mexican sauce, these are not what you expect. Except maybe in color?

But, there is a solution. Although you will have to leave the fancy expat part of town and go over to the “village” outside the front gate of the air force base. Over there, you will find places that grew up because of the military folk posted to Incirlik. The two places I want to mention are Royal Restaurant and Bar (as I like to say about Royal, “They will try to make you whatever you want, however you want it) and Moonlight (best fries in town). These two places have catered to English-only-speaking American service men and women for the past 30 years… so the staff speak English. The menus are in English and the prices are in dollars, although you can pay in Turkish Lira (and, of course, by credit card).

These are the places to go if you are desperate for American tasting food (like sweet and sour chicken, curry, etc. BUT with a more gringo taste), then be daring and ignore the grubby worn out decor of these two places. I repeat, they can make you what you want and how you want it, whether it be Turkish food or something else.

Royal made me a chicken curry that satisfied my craving.

End of part one about expat-friendly places.

In the future, I will also write a list of places that I recommend in Adana, even if they are not expat friendly. There might be a few from this list…

The History of the USA Told By Three Sisters

M's Adventures

Here is part three of the where I got to in my draft book about the history of America told through immigrant food. This is about three sisters.

For the next chapter in American history, we jump a century or so. After Columbus, there were other groups who attempted to conquer the “new land” of the Americas. Columbus had sailed for Spain. 

Captain John Smith should get more play in American history as he made a lot of it. On May 14, 1607, he established Jamestown in Virginia. This was the first town of European settlers in the Americas to survive to this day. The earlier attempt at Roanoke failed in 1593. There had been attempts to settle in parts of the coast along what is Virginia today. The “Lost Colony” of Roanoke is a mystery. The 100 settlers left there probably were starving and assimilated with the natives who lived in the area. From 1492 to 1586, there were bloody battles between the natives who lived in America and the privateers/pirates/buckaneers who attempted to claim the land for their kings and queens. They were also looking for gold. When the rumor started that “Eldorado” or the land of gold existed, the race was on. But that is a story about South America. Maybe the subject of a different book.

Some of these explorers include Giovanni da Verrazzano who landed on the American coast in 1524 and in 1578, Queen Elizabeth I granted permission for Sir Humphrey Gilbert to conquer lands “unclaimed by Christian kingdoms.” When he died at sea, his charter was taken over by his brother and half brother, Sir Walter Raleigh. There are lots of myths about Sir Walter Raleigh and it makes for imaginative films. Interestingly, he could not leave the queen’s side, so all his “conquering” was done through other men. Roanoke Colony was founded in 1685. In 1586, Sir Francis Drake, returned to England after visiting Roanoke. It was at this time that tobacco, maize, and potatoes to the English court.  

But what were the Americans eating? The natives were eating the richness of the land they lived in. They ate mainly corn, beans, and squash. These three are called the “three sisters” but the natives also fished and hunted. The natives in the first encounters with the English were part of the larger Algonquian peoples. 

The natives ate many foods that are rare today (porpoise, whale, seal, moose, beaver, and other animals that are still part of the native diet) but they also ate things that we non-natives also eat such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, nuts,  scallops, mussels, clams, crabs, trout, bass, flounder, and cod. 

The three sisters, maize, beans, and squash (gourds) were planted together and formed part of the mythology of several native cultures including the Seneca Nation. 

From the USDA site:

The Iroquois and the Cherokee called corn, bean, and squash the three sisters’ because they nurture each other like family when planted together. These agriculturalists placed corn in small hills planting beans around them and interspersing squash throughout of the field. Beans naturally absorb nitrogen from the air and convert it to nitrates, fertilizing the soil for the corn and squash. In return, they are supported by winding around the corn stalks. The squash leaves provide ground cover between the corn and beans, preventing weeds from taking over the field. These three plants thrive together better than when they are planted alone.

These are not the food of immigrants. These are the foods of people who were already here. Of course, the immigrants took on the foods that the indigenous people taught them about, told in a dramatic story that is celebrated as Thanksgiving. The Puritans arrived famously on Plymouth Rock in 1620. Modern day America is based on a group who found England to be too lax. No wonder America is so puritanical. But I digress. These puritans are why Americans celebrates Thanksgiving (in Canada it is on the second Monday in October). Thanksgiving in the United States is a big deal. It’s the biggest holiday.

Next time, I may try to make a three sisters salad.

The History of the USA Told Through Immigrant Food

M's Adventures

In 2023, I moved to Alexandria, Virginia, a historic old town across the river from Washington, DC, the US capital. As I scarfed Vietnamese pho, drunken Thai noodles, Korean barbecue, Taiwanese bubble tea, Russian blinis, Mennonite milk, Neapolitan pizza, mini crepes from Hue, Vietnam, hamburgers charred perfectly, Greek salads, Lao sausage, Spanish tapas, Peruvian rotisserie chicken, Salvadoran pupusas, Uyghar spaghetti, New England meatloaf, clotted cream from England, and dim sum from China… I realized how much I knew about the diverse foods that make up American food but how little I knew about American history. I decided to write a book about the history of America. Through immigrant foods. Then, I realized, this was too vast a topic to undertake in one book, plus I have other things to do in my life… so instead I decided to write about the foods of early American history — from 1492 to 1792. Then, I got to chapter three and realized that I was not going to get anywhere near finished in a year. So instead, I’ll post what I wrote on this blog.

Vietnamese food


Some would say that the history of the USA should go back to the land bridge from Siberia when the ancestors of the native Americans, indigenous people, first nations, walked to the Americas. Some might say that the Vikings should be included in a history of America. Leif Eriksson was the first white European to set foot on North America, around the year 1,000 CE. Five centuries before Columbus, who never set foot on North America. Leif did not influence American food history. Some say that a history of America should include the Pacific Islanders who canoed to Hawaii a thousand years ago. For this book about the melting pot of American foods, I will start with 1492. This is when the bounty of what Christopher Columbus found in the Americas entered the European lexicon and mouths. Why European? Victors write the history and the Europeans were the invaders of America for several centuries. 

I will start somewhere easy as the United States of America is a young-ish country so we only need to go back to 1450 CE (current era or AD). The USA did not come into existence until 1775 but for ease of history, I will refer to it as the USA even from before 1775.

Next time, I’ll start at 1492 when Columbus sailed the ocean blue. Christopher Columbus was not Italian. Italy didn’t exist as a country until a century after the United States became a country.

Where Have All the Hole-in-the-wall Places Gone?

M's Adventures
Taco Ssam surrounds the Pho and Grill place — they have a restaurant and take out on either side of the grill

Living in the DC area, I rarely go to a hole-in-the-wall. Even the famous ones are… famous. For example, Blue & White Carry Out in Alexandria is still a small “shack” but it is well known. And some say the prices are getting a bit too big for their britches.

Inside the grill. Lots of room.

Often, when invited to happy hours, the location is in DC, super crowded, and the appetizers cost $20. Recently, I went to a much less fancy happy hour. Actually there are two places, cantinas, in the Culmore strip mall. The one plays latin music at a slightly lower level. There were mostly guys enjoying a pail of 10 beers before going home… one guy was asleep on the table. But, no one bothered us.

Inside Taco Ssam.

The prices were good too. One place is called a grill and the other is a Korean taco chain (they have two locations). I’d go back. A the grill, they have pupusas from El Salvador and pho soup from Vietnam. No, it’s not like your Vietnamese grandma’s soup. But they figured that they could make a clear soup and their customers like it. America is a melting pot, remember?

Happy hour prices are a bit cheaper than the regular prices but not by much.

I’ll continue my search. Recently, I went to Table Talk, a local diner in Alexandria. It was really old school. But not a hole in the wall.

Where to Eat When Everyone Else Is Asleep – 24/7 Restaurants in the DMV

M's Adventures

Washington, DC is a city that goes to bed early. Most restaurants are open all day and many serve dinner as early as 4 pm. There are even restaurants that close at 9 pm! But if you get here in the middle of the night and need to eat, here are a few places open all day, all night, every day of the year, 24/7. Most of these places are not on the Metro line, but then again, the Metro does not run all night.

Tortas y Tacos Chiquita, 2911 Columbia Pike, Arlington, Virginia. It is a Mexican place located about a mile from the Pentagon.

Mexican place on Columbia Pike.

Kabob Palace, 2315 S. Eads Street, Arlington, VA. This is a well known kabob place near National Airport.

Yechon, 4121 Hummer Road, Annandale, VA. This Korean barbecue restaurant is large and humming at 3 am.

Tosokchon, 7031 Little River Turnpike #21D, Annandale, VA. A Korean restaurant hidden in the strip mall behind Shilla Bakery.

Steak ‘n Egg (24 hour on Saturday only), 4700 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC. Located way above Georgetown, this all day breakfast place is famous. After a renovation, they now have a bit more seating.

Bob and Edith’s is a diner that has various locations.

Ihop is a fast food pancake restaurant. All day breakfast and pancakes piled like cake available all day.

McDonalds. Some are open all day but in the DC area, this tends to be the ones out on the highways.

Denny’s is a breakfast chain that also serves food throughout the day.

Subway is a sandwich chain. Most do not have too much seating.

And a few others on this list from Eater that include Gom Tang E out in Centreville.

Fun Food Places in the DC Area

M's Adventures

Truong Tien to test out your new knees while sitting on a stump and slurping food from Hue. Kudos to them for miniaturizing and taco-izing the crepe. Go for that alone.

TeaDM Plus for the clubbing cool cat feel during the day while drinking boba.

High Tea at the Willard so you can test that pinky finger. Other places like the Ritz also serve British style tea.

Capital Grille for the old boys or old gals club feel. One of the few places where an all American dude can sound like a British butler.

Arlington Cinema and Draft House for a show and popcorn. You might even meet a comedian. There are new chains of drafthouses but this is the old one.

Perry’s for the drag show and sushi. Sashay you stay!

King Spa because nothing is so relaxing as eating with a towel around your neck.

Oegadgib for all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue. Sometimes you just want meat, meat, meat! There are other places but this one is a not flashy and new.

Ann B Kool and Shin Ramyun Fries

M's Adventures
The Korean bun hamburger and the Shin Ramyun coated fries.

Sometimes, I travel for food. I went to Minneapolis for pizza.

I only waited 15 minutes in the cold. Kim’s does not take reservations.

At Kim’s Uptown, you will the festive conclusion to the all American Korean story. Korean dishes have been making their way into American menus over the decades with bulgogi and kimchi regularly on menus but at Kim’s Uptown, Ann Kim, @annbkool, who is the coolest person one would want to grow up to be, has made a place that is elegant, warm, family-oriented, happy, and yummy. As I waited in line for Kim’s to open, people passing by were excitedly saying, “Oh look at the line, I’m so happy for her.” It was obvious that Ann Kim is a popular restaurateur here in Minneapolis. She is also a James Beard award winning chef, and Guy Fieri visited her at one of her pizza restaurants as part of his television show, Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.

The take on traditional Korean dishes like pork belly are well done and slightly Americanized.
Shrimp pancake served with a type of kimchi made with onions and jalapenos.

May they succeed for many years and eventually franchise like all this other American food places… the rice cake and cheese was inspired, but would be even more amazing with slivers of chili and a seafood of some sort (Lobster or clams).

Mac and cheese made with Korean rice gnocchi pasta called “Tteokbokki”.

Shin Ramyun fries are nostalgic fun. Who doesn’t remember dipping one’s finger into the ramen flavor packet? The burger was good quality meat. I wish Kim’s sold those by the boxful. It was all American Korean food.

Show the waiter this photo to get the mushroom and melty cheese one and to get the pepperoni and spice one with added Calabrese chilis and garlic…

I actually came to Minneapolis for Ann Kim’s pizza place, Pizzeria Lola. The bulgogi one (she should use Korean salad instead of arugula) was not exciting but her other pizzas were excellent. If you find yourself in the area, try out these restaurants. And go to the Bronto Bar in Kim’s basement.

Pizzeria Lola has a casual vibe and is located in the suburban outskirts of town.

Crave – Food at the Source

M's Adventures

I know that it is the general convention that dishes, food, is best tasted at the source. I think that does some disservice to the diaspora and fusion food that has evolved over the millennia. That said, here is a list of food that I often crave. Actually, for many of the dishes, I prefer in their newer form. But, then again… some I prefer at the source.

Ceviche — I like the classic old fashioned version. The Peruvians love fusion. They are a fusion and so is their food. So now one can find “warm ceviche” and ceviche not made with fish.

“Ceviche classico” with “leche de tigre” (tiger’s milk) making the fish turn white.

Danish hotdog — I prefer them in Denmark. The actual hotdog is special, the ketchup is different, the dog is served with crunchy fried onions…
New York pizza — also, one of those things. Some say that the New York pizza is like a Neopolitan pizza from Naples, Italy. We shall see…
Hamburger — Some of the best I’ve had are in the United States. American beef and lack of gristle in the mix.
Banh mi — I’ve had good ones outside of Vietnam.
Pho — Also, good in the certain parts of the United States. Very bland in other places.
Korean BBQ — If one sticks to the pork belly, then it’s fairly easy to get good Korean barbecue in many countries. I think that many people think that bulgogi should be made with a high grade of beef and grilled at the table. Traditionally, bulgogi was created to use bad cuts of meat that required marinating. Usually the slices are so thin that grilling at the table dries them out. Some places use good cuts of steak and then one can dip them in sesame seed oil and salt. This is a delicious way to eat barbecue.
Chicken wings — Oddly, some of the best barbecue wings I’ve had were in a pizzeria in New Mexico.
Dim sum — can be good in many places outside China.

Laksa — so far the best I’ve had, and even some of the mediocre, was in Singapore and Malaysia. What can I say?

Most of all, the food of other lands transports you to them.

Soup for Soupy Skies

M's Adventures
A really old photo of a delicious Korean beef rib soup.

After the gray skies of Lima, I feel like it’s blue skies here in Rome every day. But, of course, that’s not true. There are rainy days and I’ve had to use my umbrellas for the first time in years (it never rains in Lima). When it’s rainy out, I really like to slurp soup.

One of the delights of Peru was that I never had a bad bowl of soup. It seemed like everyone knew how to make “sopa criolla” or creole soup — basically a chicken noodle soup. The kind your Jewish mother used to make (as David Chang says).

While I like chicken soup, I love spicy Asian soups with spice and treasure trove of ingredients in my bowl. Some of my favorites are hot and sour soup, pho, and laksa. Pho always allows for lots of greens which I love in spicy soup. Laksa is a curry style soup with noodles and seafood, plus tofu cakes, and many other things.

Pho is a clear bone broth soup.
Look at the serious amount of greens this couple is putting in their pho.
Laksa with hard boiled eggs, fish cakes, and other yumminess.

In Singapore, I went to the most famous location for laksa. It was good. One day I went to a mall (it’s a country of malls), and found a “pick your own 100 ingredients” soup place. Heaven! While not on par with the famous place on the number 14 bus, even the laksa at the airport was good.

Laksa with tofu cakes, seafood, and the usual noodles.
Laksa on the menu!

Here’s to happy virtual traveling and soon, slurping at the source!

Where to Slurp Ramen in Lima

M's Adventures

Ramen is more than just instant. It’s gourmet too. In the previous year, I went hunting for gourmet ramen in Lima… A Nikkei food festival is happening this weekend in Lima so you could go hunting as well. Below is what I found on my search:

Tokio Ramen: Probably the best in Lima. It’s all by itself over in Jesus Maria. **** update October 19, 2019**** Tokio Ramen has opened a new location in Miraflores: Calle Coronel Inclán 235.

Noruto: Was a reliable go-to place for my Nikkei friend (Nikkei refers to the Japanese restaurants as well as the Japanese-Peruvians).

Kaikan: the ramen was actually better than at Norutu, even though the restaurant is part of the same chain.

Takuenn. Tried sushi. Soup not a thing.

Maido: this is often the best restaurant in South America (according to 50 Best Restaurants) but it is Japanese fusion so they also have ramen. It is served with a large rustic ladle, but I didn’t think much of the soup.

Tzuru: I can’t recall so I think it says it all.

Cosme: When I saw the ramen on the menu, I had to order it. It was not good. I ate the pork belly but that was it. When I didn’t eat it the rest, the staff took the dish off my bill even though I didn’t ask them to.

Korean restaurants: The Korean restaurants have ramen as well. I’m guessing that it is also made from instant noodles. The Koreans make a popular version of instant spicy ramen.

Happy slurping!

Top Korean Restaurants in Lima

M's Adventures

qUIakxR7l_BQmh7XPsHB2G1HrdTGT2Uk46s4tK9xT5S7QBTNyFQ-5l6nsxVcKnq_SMvg4VX6IrCywtIfgNgLSUB0NUPW3MCO8rhfHNdPO2LTX_XySyDDl17LkVyMHmAXu4PtnW9YSjEVidbuMQ13RECY2EyRz9ZNxj5_5F0lUEpooKyJWPzcu-w-wMIt has taken me over a year, but I finally made it to all the Korean restaurants in Lima (bar the instant ramen noodle place in Arenales Mall and the bingsoo dessert place downtown). Here is my review of the restaurants.

3rjzR2CS4Z78rni2qjXt-cTtvunIMkKnLHzNn3KyJY1ONgsGpAmJ5VWjz_C0x07SL3zb-GMD9Tn4PxRGUttwO7YUBNG6YTDX8a2xl3uyldHvNd-E9KhZlUHkAiQ4AQxRYVSNAVF8DqBai-tO-egm-wmgkCYKbBzx7U6m3JdR-muhr2KruMpbp9ewOA1. Dae Jang Geum, Av San Borja Sur 279, San Borja: The name of this place is named after a female palace chef and style of cooking. This place has been visited by Gaston Acurio. I like the food here including the bbq.

2. Arirang, Calle Las Orquídeas 443, San Isidro: This place is closest to Miraflores and is located in the business district. Also good food including bbq.

1sBRR0Tv8kvCfVFE7kB3vtxzeKAHxKQitYBHpnVmiC4v2ZXUtL5Pg9RP0grGXSMCbF1Q7LRiXyc605ld3PQYPZvIKi731RWsjuP41QDbmozaFeufD1sjNVFXqHznBfbtWq3ymoVR4N4TxsW4siMeAYFQQRDW_uMaQ931kNpqyL6k6AXfJLSdnyHLxV3. Han Kook Kwan, Av San Luis 2256, San Borja: This place doesn’t open until 2 pm on Sundays! The lady who owns the place is Korean. The food here is probably more “authentic” from the old days… all I know is that I’m not good at eating raw crab in the shell (see lower left corner in photo below). I’d say to eat here if you want a more homey style of food.

TLNLCBxrDBMvuFbr9PEfr0m5r5Fy9ayUEe5q0Q2mcy-jveGxqvxiEoCzIqvKoyjAamnhYRcvtQy1Skari0SC1OMcLbPdEAcTUfXBoW_EKMRIAXvh7eEDj-0JFRkCnx5rjZxRcR8krRbdT4Hl-ysDcTVfakuSLgXBx0TwaLus__VckcBvCr7SpM9kmA4. Nodaji, Av. Aviación 3257, San Borja: The good thing about this place is that it’s next door to Assi, the Korean store. The food was not anything special but the place was busy and had lots of tour buses parked outside.

5. Coreano Dos Hermanos, Av. Aviación 4812, Santiago de Surco: This is upstairs… the dumplings were Chinese style, had gochuchang inside, and steamed like dim sum. But, the japchae noodles were good.

6. Namu, Centro Comercial Arenales, Cuadra 17, Av. Arenales 1737, Lince: This place is located in the basement of the Arenales Mall. It’s a casual place with K pop playing and teeny boppers singing along…

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7. Bingsu, Jirón Callao 161, Cercado de Lima and Av. Gral. Eugenio Garzón 1360, Jesús María. This Korean shaved ice dessert, bingsu, is served in these two locations. The branch in Jesus Maria is newer so still shiny and new. Just down the street from the new place mentioned below.

8. Seoul Chicken, Avenida General Eugenio Garzón, 1474 Jesús María, opened in July 2019, this place serves deep fried chicken, fries, ramen, and mandu (dumplings or as they are called here, “empanadas”). The wings are not the crazy addictive rice-flour-coated wings of BonChon chicken as these taste more like sweet and sour chicken. But, the owner is Korean and they play K-pop videos on the TV.

Tokyo Ramen in Bogota

M's Adventures

A bowl of ramen, salarymen in the background.
A bowl of ramen, salarymen in the background.

Yup, I found the best place for Tokyo style ramen in Bogota. The restaurant is located at Carrera 11 and Calle 98, overlooking the little park between 11 and 12. (*** update January 5, 2016 **** Telephone number is 609 09 59. They are open Monday-Saturday from noon to 9:30 p.m. and on Sundays/holidays from noon to 6 p.m.)

The place on the left doesn't get many customers...
The place on the left doesn’t get many customers…

They must cater to salarymen because they aren’t open for dinner on Saturdays, nor are they open on Sundays.

Fried cutlet on rice noodles.
Fried cutlet on rice noodles.

I enjoyed the soft tofu appetizer, the kontaksu (fried pork or chicken cutlet, here served on fried noodles as light as air), and the calamari which were soft and tender.

Fresh tofu, ginger and onion, and bonito (dried fish) flakes.
Fresh tofu, ginger and onion, and bonito (dried fish) flakes.

Some people would probably like me to keep this place a secret. Ooops.

Fried calamari.
Fried calamari.