Halal Food Journeys (1): Seoul, Korea

Since I've got some free time (for now..), just felt like updating this blog with a post about FOOD! Remember when I said I wanted to talk about my past travels? Well here it goes... 

I went to Seoul, Korea last April and I must say it is not easy finding real Korean Halal Food. Itaewon has tons of Halal Restaurants but they mostly serve Mediterranean or Indian Food which is totally NOT what I've come to Korea to experience. So, I shall not talk about it hahah. Anyways, here are some of my food picks while I was in Seoul. 

1.
Drama Cafe *Halal*
Nami Island

Korean Pancakes 

10,000 Won (~S$12)

'Dosirak'

6,500 Won (~S$8.00)

If you are travelling to Nami Island for a day trip, Drama Cafe is a great place to stop by and have

lunch. Their speciality is the 'Dosirak', which is like a Korean lunchbox packed with rice, egg, kimchi and other toppings. You will be a given a pair of gloves to shake these 'Dosirak' as violently as you can so that the ingredients mixes well. I ordered one with and cheese and the other with tuna. If I remember correctly, I think I preferred the one with cheese better. I also added in a Korean Pancake, which is not that bad but I would have liked it more if it was crispier. 

Price wise, its kinda expensive but most probably due to its location. 

You will be able to find it at the outside left of the Nami Library, further at the back.

2.
Osegyehang Restaurant *Vegetarian*
14-5, Insadong 12-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea
+82 2-735-7171

(Photo from Tripadvisor)

Extremely SPICY Soup Noodles!!

Black Bean Noodles (Super YUMMY!)

Tucked away in one of Insadong's quiet alley, this vegetarian restaurant is probably one of the best finds. I've totally forgotten what I've ordered but there was one that is still stuck in my mind which was the BLACK BEAN NOODLES! It doesn't look like much but the taste it to die for! I totally recommend it and it would be such a huge miss if you don't try it. The other items were quite good as well. I really like the ambience of the restaurant as it exudes a kind of traditional Korean house feel. Other than that, the price is affordable too. So, if you are travelling on a budget and don't mind adding vegetables to your diet, this place is definitely a place to consider.

I found out about this place when I enquired about vegetarian restaurants at Insadong's information centre. It's pretty hard to find it if you don't have a map. So, I would suggest to go to an information centre and get directions.

3.
Yang Good Korean BBQ Lamb Restaurant *Halal*
Seoul, Gangnam-gu, Nonhyeon-ro, 95 gil, 15
+82 02-567-7060

(Photo from Wordpress)

Really friendly and helpful staff!

Cold Noodles :P

Now, saving the best for last! After days of eating vegetables, desserts, seafood and whatnot, finally I found a place that serves halal MEAT!! Sadly, I visited this place during my last few days in Korea and I wished I had came here sooner. I could be a little bias when I say its one of the best BBQ meat I've eaten but I'm not kidding, especially when you are in a place where there is limited halal food choices. Its best to come to this place for dinner or supper as it only opens in the evening till the wee hours of the night.

Recommended: Marinated meat and cold noodles!

Being our first time eating Korean style BBQ, we put the whole piece of meat onto the grill (as you can see from the 2nd picture). 

However, it was apparently the wrong thing to do as the staff there were all looking at us in a weird and puzzled way. 

(Like where the hell do all these noob people came from?!)

 Thus, one of them actually came and help us cut up the meat. 

Thank you! Lesson learnt. 

Price is pretty reasonable for BBQ meat, around 20,000-35,000 Won (~S$25-S$40) for 2 portions, depending on what type of meat you choose.

It took quite a long time to find this place as I thought it was near Gangnam station as the address was in Gangnam but we were suppose to go to Yeoksam Station which was one station away. Even upon reaching Yeoksam Station, it took a couple of locals and turns before reaching. 

Apart from having to rely on these restaurants to fill our tummies, there are also many interesting cafes which Seoul is known for having. Here are some of which I've visited..

4.
Dal Cafe
Samcheongdong

Green Tea 'Bingsoo'

Along the streets of Samcheondong, you will be able to find this cafe known for its 'bingsoo' which is almost the same as our 'ice kacang'. I feel that this cafe is a little pricey for me but they are pretty generous with their bingsoo portion and additional toppings. The waffles are so-so (really like its presentation though). Overall, this cafe is a great place to chill and unwind awhile, after all those walking.

5.
Caffe Bene
near Ewha Women's University

SLURPP!

 I decided to visit popular Korean cafes in Seoul where Singapore has yet to have an outlet. One of them was Caffe Bene. Sadly I didn't manage to take photos at the other cafes :( Many of you may have heard of Caffe Bene before, cus its everywhere in Seoul! I went to the outlet nearby Ewha Women's University. I like that it was quiet and had a great alfresco area. 

At Caffe Bene, they also serve 'bingsoo' but with a variety of modern flavours. I choose cookies & cream which I absolutely LOVE! How I wish in Singapore there is such a thing as cookies & cream 'ice kachang.' However, I think that the ice portion for their bingsoo may have been a little too much. 

(Just look at the amount of ice I've wasted at the 2nd last pic! :O) 

Alright that's all from me! For the halal restaurants, even if they a hold a halal certificate, they will still sell alcohol or rice wine. So, don't be too surprise and doubtful as the reason why they are allowed to sell alcohol is mainly because of business survival.  

Next stop, I will be heading to Taiwan this coming end of May. 

So do look out for the next HFJ in Taiwan!

On Hiatus..

Hey everyone! For the first post of 2015, I'm sorry to say that I will not be able to post often during this next few months due to exams coming up. I know I've only just started and now, I'm going on hiatus. But fret not, this is not the end! Most likely, I will start blogging more actively starting from the end of May. It is quite a long wait so hopefully, you guys will stay tuned till then. 

xoxo

My Driving Experience @ CDC Ubi

It's almost the end of 2014 and I have to say, one of the highlights this year for me was getting my driver's license (3A) back in October. It has always been a dream of mine since young to be able to drive a car but in all honesty, it's not as simple as you think. Hopefully this post will help you, aspiring drivers to gain some info/tips and have an idea of what to expect from this whole driving experience.

 

(The Beginning)

Firstly, before getting on the road, you would have to take the theory tests. Personally, both the basic and final theory tests are really easy to score. You don't really have to study much for it but it is extremely important to attend at least 2 e-trial tests as the questions are almost exactly similar to the actual test.

(Practice makes Perfect)

After passing your theory tests and getting your provisional driving license (PDL), you are now ready to hit the roads. At CDC, you can opt to be taught by a team or common pool. For team, you will be taught by the same group of instructors and will be using the same car for all your lessons. However, you have to pay an additional $5.35 for every lessons. For Common Pool, you will be taught by many different instructors and using a different car for every lesson, without any extra cost.

For me, I decided to have the Common Pool as I hope to gain more exposure from having many different instructors. Also, you will not be getting the same car for your test if you choose team so, I don't really see much point in paying that extra cost. In the end, the choice still depends on the individual. Some people may prefer team as by having the same group of instructors, they are able to know your strengths and weaknesses and guide you better.

(The Real Deal)
Now that your lessons are done, its finally time to take the practical test! The test day itself was the worse feeling ever as I felt so stressful. There was a lot of waiting and the anxiety was seriously not helping. Luck wasn't really on my side during the test as well.

On my first course turn for the directional change, I hit the kerb and I kept cursing myself, deep inside. It kinda ruin my motivation the whole time, but I just continued on and all seemed to go well. However, by the end of it when I was about to turn into school, a huge Coca-Cola truck was parked directly in front of the school on the two-way street (Seriously, of all places). It blocked almost the whole lane space, that I have no choice but to eat into the oncoming lane. It was pretty scary as I couldn't see the oncoming traffic because of the truck, so I just kept praying that I won't get into an accident. After much squeezing, I managed to get into the school and finish my test! I was not confident at all that I would pass but hey, guess what happened.......

I PASSED WITH 12 DEMERIT POINTS!! 

My tester said that my driving was overall steady. Thank Goodness! I'm so glad everything is over. One important tip to take away is to always be confident when you are driving during your test. I understand that it can be difficult especially, when you are feeling so stress out but you have to give your tester the impression that you are not afraid to drive. Whenever you make a mistake, move on from it and don't make it obvious to your tester that you realised you did something wrong.

Another important point is to have commitment. Make sure you are ready and have the time to attend your lessons consistently. Otherwise, there really is no point in spending so much on your driving when you are not fully committed to it. Always plan your lessons ahead and pre-book as much as you can. Even if you can't make it, no worries. You will get 19 free cancellations.

FAQ

How long does it take to complete your driving?

It took me around a total of 5 months including the waiting time. I registered in March but I had to wait for 2 months to take my basic theory test in May. After my BTT, I stopped for a month cus of my studies and started my final theory test and practical lessons in mid-July. I went for a total of 27 lessons and attend them for twice a week. If you can afford to go more often, you will definitely be able to complete it at an even shorter time.

How much does the fees cost you?

I'm not sure about the exact cost but I think it cost around S$2000 - S$2500 in total, depending on your progress.

Do you encounter any bad instructors?
I wouldn't say they are bad instructors but its just that their teaching styles are all very different. Some of them can be pretty hard on you while others just seem to not care and lets you drive without giving much feedback. However, out of the 27 lessons I've taken, probably only about 5 of them were with my less favourite instructors. Most of them are pretty good and fun as well.

Which is better? Private or School?
The reason I choose to go for school is that I don't know any good private instructors. I also liked how their lessons are structured and systematic. But of course, taking private has its own pros. Its a lot cheaper and faster to complete but I would recommend it only if you know a really good private instructor. So my answer would be, it depends.

When is a good time to book for my practical test?
Weekends are the best time to have your test as there is really not many cars on the road but its extremely hard to get, so I wouldn't hope too much on it. As for weekdays, the peak periods are usually lunch times around 12-2pm. I took my test at 2.45pm and I think its alright.

Even though I got my driver's license, I still prefer to be riding at the back seat of the car. Since I'm under probation for a year, I still feel a little self-conscious and have this fear of possibly hitting something when I'm driving. I hope with time, I am able drive more confidently.

If you have any further questions, feel free to drop a comment below and I will try my best to answer them. Wishing good luck and all the best for those who are currently working on their driving pursuits!