Seoul, the Healthy Culinary Capital of Asia

A visit to Korea is a trip to culinary heaven.  Japan has exquisite restaurants in Tokyo and Osaka that empty your wallet faster than the shinkansen flies.  Hong Kong deserves its international culinary reputation.  Macau blends Portuguese with Chinese decadence.  And Shanghai offers plenty of fare for every income strata.

But with all due respect, Seoul offers the finest food tour in Asia--or at least northeast Asia.  Like Korean culture, food on the peninsula is diverse, fun, and full of surprises.

While most of us think of Korean food has red hot kim-chee (or kim-chi), galbi, and bulgogi, Korean food is far more diverse than what overpriced Korean restaurants in Los Angeles’ Koreatown or New York’s Flushing usually offer.

Take your time and explore the various versions of mandu, dumplings that many restaurants in the neighborhoods make by hand.  University students talk about another day of (not) studying over searing griddles of sizzling tak galbi (chicken mixed with rice cakes and vegetables).  Regional specialities like stuffed squid, tempura-like fried vegetables, and stews (jjigae) offering everything from mushrooms to fish will tempt the palate.  One tried and true dish is bibimbap, which always varies in quality.  This classic combination of rice, vegetables, meat, and an egg is always a safe bet when you cannot   make up your mind or are not feeling adventurous.

one example of pan-chan, Korean side dishes

But even bibimbap can be adventurous.  With Koreans’ increasingly keen interest in organic or “well being” food and products, more Korean eateries are boasting macrobiotic versions of bibimbap, as well as the versions of wild mountain greens that are available in the nearby countryside.  We happened to find a macrobiotic version full of sprouts (pictured, click to expand) in Songhyeon-dong, a neighborhood in North Seoul close to the Blue House (the President’s residence, or Cheongwadae) that in recent years has become more gentrified and expensive.  Other versions are full of whole grains, beans, chestnuts, textures, and colors.

Regardless of your budget, you will find just about every variation of Korean dishes (and more international ones) in Seoul.  From its chaotic markets to hermetically sealed department stores, a visit to Korea is worth just to explore Korea’s rich cuisine.  And besides the taste, the presentation is easy on the eyes, too.

I’ve only scratched the surface.  Share your other ideas of Korean cuisine here--what's unique and what's healthy.