Homemade Meal - Seoul

Warding Off the Korean Winter
On the streets of Seoul in December, the wind finds a way through the defenses.  It scrapes past your scarf and crawls up your pant leg, taking frosty bites.  We called in the reinforcements at Homemade Meal, a ten seat matchbox that quickly became a favorite haunt.  The first visit I got pork with chilies and on my return I took it up a notch with a plate of rice, kimchi and spicy pork topped with a fried egg.  As I chomped I fantasized about staying there for the rest of the vacation.

The Dodomode got ham and cheese ramen.  It came looking exactly how I would've made ham and cheese ramen - with a slice of american processed cheesestuff on top.  Moments like these are jarring.  Do you expect to see a Korean woman in Seoul pull out american processed cheesestuff and throw it on top of your ramen?  Nevertheless, it was excellent.  The Dodomode ate with her nose in the air, conveying a sense that I'd been topped.

Of course, I can never be bested, this is my blog after all.  I did play along to soothe her fragile ego.  Boyfriend work is hard to find so I take it seriously.  Seoul reminds me of Tokyo in certain ways - one of which is how fantastically small the kitchens can be. 

As we ate, the owner kept ducking out with hot meals that she delivered to the neighboring shopkeepers.  Moments later they'd knock on the door and return their empty bowl.

You can have the overpriced fancy places.  You can keep the Michelin-starred spots all to yourself.  Just keep giving me these small mom and pops.

Of course, there was a sprinkling of pickledness.  Their kimchi was pretty good.  We would later spend a morning at a Korean "culture" course, making our own kimchi.  Boyfriend protocol dictates that I had to pack it in my luggage.  Thankfully, it arrived in Singapore in tact with no spillage or stinkage.

Seoul, I miss you already. 

Itwaewon-dong (between Hamilton and IP Hotels)
Itaweon
Seoul

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