Chocopie

Crepe

2008-07-02T03:24:00.000-07:00

As I started to work very early in the morning around AM 6:50, I had to skip the breakfast. From today, I decided to start my daily life very early to have more personal time. After work, I can invest my time in reading book, newspapers, or studying foreign languages. Around AM 10:00, I became very hungry. It took me to a Lemon Juice, crepe restaurant. Originally, there was one restaurant at dawson street, however, it was newly opened at the graffton street just beside Butlers chocolate shop. I chose vegetable menu - onions, mushrooms, eggs, and cheese. It was so simple and good with a big bowl of black coffee. Yes, this is my brunch. So now my stomach is well filled with french crepe " Vive la crepe "

Special menu for rainy day

2008-07-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Today, in Dublin, it rained like other ordinary days. It was just a sprinble of rain. I like very much these rainy days, because a busy world became quiet just for rainy time. Normally, Korean peoples have a tradition of taking some special menus just for rainy days. Hot noodle called as " Kal kuk so ", Korean pizza " Bin dae Ddduk" with some korean alcohol - soju. Therefore, I chose some chinese dim sum. Whenever I go to this chinese restaurant, I have taken beef with green vegetables, crispy crabs, mapa tofu, and crab meat stuffed tofu and aubergines. However, today's choice was dim sum for the first time. As appetizer, I started with wan ton soup, as main I ordered some steamed crab dim sum, seaweed dim sum, and vegetables stuffed dim sum. Especially vegetables stuffed dim sum was so tasy and fresh. I loved it. Of course, I didn't miss dessert menu - fried seasam bun. It was very good also. Sometimes, why not trying different or special food just for rainy days. Of course, in Dublin, there are too many rainy days. So we can have many opportunity of trying special foods ^^

Italian Breakfast

2008-06-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

Recently, I has been indulged in Italian food. I start my daily life with italian bread and coffee. Near to my apartment, there are two italian restaurants. They serve some breads, hot coffee at morning time, some pastas or salads at day time. Now, every morning, I go to one italian bistro restaurant. Some times I take just bread - apricot, strawberry croissant with a cup of hot coffee, some times, I order some breakfast menu such as scrambled egg, and toasts. Tasty is okay. Whenever I go to that restaurant and make a queue, I feel I'm still live and I also still in a member of this society. This fact made me more relaxed or gives me a comfort. Can you imagine that when I am in a queue while waiting for my coffee, I can think that I'm opening my busy day with others. Of course, on sunday, I go to Trinity college with some books. If the weather is not so good, there are few peoples who sit on the bench in trinity collage. It's very quite, and I can be relaxed.
This italian bistro restaurant serves very hot coffee. I hate cooled coffee !

Bibim Bap

2008-06-29T10:56:00.000-07:00

My korean friend invited me at dinner. Normally, as I spend my time alone, invitation at any meal makes me very happy. Especially, during the weekend. Appetizer was brucheta, main meal was Bibim bap - mixed rice with vegetables and some slices of beef, dessert was tiramishu. Today, I felt proud of the fact that I'm korean because of korean foods. Many foreigners enjoy Chinese, japanese, even thai foods, however, korean foods were not well introduced to foeign countries. It's a pity. Korean foods are very tasty, healthy and scientific. Due to pepper paste sauce, Bibim pap was salty. However, Simple rice were covered with slices of carrots, onions, mushroms, and egg fry. Well mixed and very fresh. Normally, when we take bibim bap, a bean sprout soup or soy bean paste soup are accompanied. Maybe during summer time, cold sea weed soup will be good. Today, any soup was not available, bibim bap was so tasty. I could imagine that I was in Korea and I missed my family and friends. In dublin, it's not easy to take real korean food especially home made. Therefore, I empted a big bowl of bibim bap. Because I can't expect when I can take it again. If I move to new appartment, I wanna make meals for myself.

A memory of Pasta Fresca

2008-06-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

As I had a breakfast very late, I didn't feel any hunger even though lunch time was passed. Since a few days, thanks to our director's visit to Dublin, I had to take 3 full meals for a few days. Sometimes, although I'm living to eat, I felt too much eating made me mad or they were feeding me like pig. Yes, I gained a lot of kilos. Therefore, I had no appetite. However, around 2 o'clock, I decided to go out of office to take a small lunch. Normally, every day, there is some menus that bursts upon me. However, today, none. Finally, I went to " Pasta Fresca " located in Grafton street. When I came to know this restaurant for the first time, it was around Dec. 2005. To complete some technical issues with senior engineer close to me, our japanese colleagues introduced us. I can't remember the name of pasta what I've tasted in that time. It was fantastic. Although I tried to taste same dish, I couldn't find it because I couldn't explain what I've taken.
Today, I took tag capesante. Scallope, some vegetables including onions, creamy sauce. This is not too much creamy. Since long time ago, I didn't try creamy pasta, that I loved so much for a while in the past time. Today's choice was not bad. I took a glass of white wine. Quick lunch however, reasonable quality of italian food.

A french restaurant

2008-06-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Recently, when I went to Paris, I discovered one restaurant with two michelin stars(I think so) on the opposite area of Notre-Dame by chance. In that time, that restaurant was closed. A simple design and colour of that restaurant decoration and two michelin stars attracted me and I visited on purpose that street to taste their special food. I went there for the lunch. They introduced mainly 3 kinds of food per course. As appetizer, I chose asperagus with some red pepper powder, roasted fish( I can't remember the name of fish) as main dish, financier as dessert that actullay was recommended by a server of that restaurant. I asked him what a special dessert is in this restaurant. He introduced this chocolate financier. Asparagus was so simple. Some mixed chopped eggs with some chopped vegetables were served also. I spreaded them into a bread. It was so tasty. However, my choice of main dish is not so excellent. Frankly speaking, I love fish and sea food. But recently, whenever I pick up any fish, it was not so good. Today also was the same. It was okay. However, it was not so fantastic, unfortunately. Chocolate finaicier was fabulous. I think that chocolate scrumble is topped on this chocolate bread. It was not sweet. It was so simple. It is so amazing. There should be a lot of chocolates used for this dessert, however, it didn't give any sweetness. Therefore, I couldt empty a plate of financier showing the bottom of small plate. I finished my meal with double expresso. I selected one glass of white wine costed 9 Euro. It is so expensive, but taste was quite normal, not impressive. Inside decoration is so simple, ratherly so humble. Outer design looked better. Table setting was very humble. Used plates are so simple and normal, not impressive. What I was impressive was small expresso coffee cup. It was very diffierent one from normal expresso cup like asian style tea pot.
My evaluation of this restaurant is
Atmosphere - average
Appetizer - Excellent
Main - so so
Dessert - excellent

Healthy food

2008-06-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

As I was so excited and concerntrated on "Sex and city", I felt so hungry. As I skipped lunch, it was around PM 5 o'clock when I entered the restaurant. Early bird menu of Ukiyo served different small dishes. Among a few kinds of small dishes, 3 dishes could be selected. And a bottle of japanese beer also was served. I picked 3 dishes - one aubergine with nato sauce, rice covered with unaki, Tofu salde. Recently, I took tofu salade. It was so fresh and simple. Different vegetables such as carrots, cabbages and tofu. Main sauce is made from soybean. Although I can't trust freshness and quality of imported tofu, combinasion of vegetables and tofu made my mouth so fresh. It's really well-being food. Augerbine is boiled and finally was spreaded by japanese soybean paste sauce called as "Nato". Due to simple nato sauce, aubergine became something different.
Today, when I tried one jacket, I was so shocked that my size didn't suit me. It's so horrible ! From now on, I'll try to go on a diet for the healthier life. As the first step, I'll take 3 meals regularily. We'll see.

Walnut party

2008-06-08T15:10:00.000-07:00

Recently, I love for Italian food. Why ? and suddenly ? Not at all. I have loved Italian food, however, I could have many opportunities of eating Italian foods. There are some Italian small town near to Jervis tram station. I heard that one irish guy who loved Italian football and food made this street composed of 3 restaurants, 1 bar, 1 icecream shops. And there is another italian restanraunt in Inchicore also. Today, I went to this street. As appetizer, I selected mushroom and walnuts salad with some red wines. As main, today's special was spanich ravioli with walnut sauce. Walnut sauce attracted my appetite. I couldnt' imagine ravioli sauce is made of walnut. Salade was so simple, and ravioli also was so different. It was not bad.

-

Tulsi

2008-05-18T15:00:00.000-07:00

When I tasted indian foods in this restaurant at the first time, I couldn't think that it was good. As my friend also was gourment, I couldn't understand why he brought me at this restaurant. First of all, differently from my expectaction, this restautant looks humble, that is to say, it's not a luxurious restautant. However, when I tried indian foods in other restaurants, I could understand how this restaurant serves a tasty food. Since then, I became a guest. Now, I talk with them about daily life or inquires after each other waiting for foods. Mostly, I order a prawn curry or buttered chicken curry with onion nan. When I was so hungry, I tried a hot prawn curry with some rices. It was so fantastic. Please try Indian food.

Orchid world

2008-01-27T13:09:00.000-08:00

I brought our colleagues to chinese restaurant, Orchid. As I know some restaurants in Dublin, I think that actually this restaurant is the best. Food is good, and persoanlly, I like very much interior decorated by golden flowers on the black wall. It's so special.About two years ago, I was introduced by my irish friends. In that time, I didn't recognize real taste of this restaurant. However, as I find different restaurants, I could discover that this restaurant has a good quality. Some times, I go at lunch time. My favourite lunch menu is prawn dumpling as starter and boiled sea bass with giner as main. They are all so simple and tasty. Especially, foods try to stick to original taste of each material.
This time, as there were many peoples, we had to order a few different foods to share. As appetizer, there were some prawn boiled dumpling, spicy soup, etc. As main dish, boiled sea bass with giner sauce, plump crisy duck, some vegetables. Unfortunately, I can't remember all names of food. Next time, I'll write them down.

Special mandoo

2008-01-03T05:48:00.000-08:00

My lunch menu was " Dumpling ", we call it as Mandoo in korean. Near to my previous working place, there was a very special restaurant. I was introduced by my best female friend at the first time. Since then, I became a guest, ratherly VIP. From time to time, I went to that restautant 4 times a week. This restautant just serves " Big dumpling made with Kimchi " like E-Book style( E-Book means north korea). There are some meats, vegetables, especially Kimchi and sweet noodle. Menu is Man doo kook(Soup), Man doo Jim(boiled dumpling). Owner of this restaunt made Mandoo for herself with her husband. It tasted excellent. As I was guest, I booked table before going there so she set the table differently from others. Man doo is served with Kimchi and Dong Chi mi( this is also E-Book style, made with white raddish) Today, I went to this restaunt again with my colleagues. I didn't go there since 2 years ago. I was really looking forward to tasting what my appetite remembered. However, I was so surprised and disappointed. Firstly, I was so surprised at change of location of this restaunt. This restaunt was originally owner's house therefore very small just a few tables. There were a lot of peoples who were waiting for their turn. However there was bigger and more modern restaunt. And there was no owner. Owner's son made Man doo with other peoples. Man doo soup was so simple, lack of a certain taste and Man doo stuff was filled with too much black pepper. There were not many peoples in that restaunt.
I was very sad. Korean peoples don't try to preserve their value. If a restaunt makes good business and become famous, owner tries to extend business area or lazy at keeping eye on their taste to maintain same taste. It's a pity. Although a few years are passed, if that owner makes Mandoo for herself as usual in the same place, maybe many peoples remember that restaunt and try to stop by. And that son also should learn how to taste good Mandoo before starting business.
I felt very sorry because I won't go any more to that restaunt and miss any more that special Man doo in my life.

The Restaurant

2007-05-27T03:10:00.000-07:00

After rain, the weather was fantastic. Although I prefer rain, sometimes, bright sun ray looks like an applause for hard work. Due to often business trip, I don't spend my personal life in meeting friends or close colleagues. Exceptionally, I went out to have a lunch with peter at the " Restaurant ". In that past time, I came here with my femail friend who got married with Austrialian. As we liked eating and are interested in food, we could share common taste and hobby together. However, recently, I didn't find any proper person who can share same taste around me. Of course, there are some friends who like very much dessert like me but they're not living in Korea. I took peter to this restaurant. As I didn't take breakfast, I was so hungry. My choice was apple cream soup as appetizer, scallop cream pasta as main dish, ice cream and biscuit filled with caramel, 1 cup of black coffee. Of course, 1 glass of white wine was added. Recently, I can't imagine formal meal without any alcohol. But please don't misunderstand that I can drink well, unfortunately, I like very much just socilizing with peoples thanks to little drink.

Apple cream soup was cold and fresh, quantity was very little. Scallop cream pasta was not bad, but very common, House wine was not dry so not bad, special dessert by cook was good especially ice cream, Coffee's quality was not so excellent. Although we wanted to talk more, because we have not met since 2 months before, restaurant was opened just up to PM 3 o'clock. We had to move to Insadong. We entered some galleries to appreciate Korean arts and painting. It made me very relaxed. Really, I could take a rest with fresh air and pleasant time.

Gun Bbang - Roce biscuit

2006-06-11T04:05:00.000-07:00

Normally, to make instant and commercialized cookie by cookie maker in enormous volume, they use much of sugars and edible chemical product. Although sugar and chemical product are all edible, it is not recommendable for peoples to take them often and as much as we can because it's not quite healthy.
Recently, I tasted these cookies called as ' Gun Bbang ' by chance. Gun Bbang means that gun in chinese character is dry and Bbang is bread. Normally we call bread that are distributed to solders in military camp during their military service as ' Gun Bbang ' in Korean. It was made by unpolished rice as well as organic sugar that are very healthy for our body and it was roasted not fried. We can buy these cookies at organic or friendly environment shop. More over it, we can order by internet. Many korean mothers think of their childrens' health. Therefore, certainly these cookies are very loved. There are also green tea cookies.

Swellfish

2006-03-05T03:58:00.000-08:00

Last time, I have been to a restaurant specialized in swellfish with my friend and her husband in Pusan. Long time ago, our previous president, Mr.Park came to this restaurant, so it was very famous for foreigners. As my friends are also foreigners, they showed me a introduction document about Pusan. This restaurant called as " Keumso bok jib" was also shown on that doc. Bok means swellfish, and jib means house, namely restaurant. Today, I took my girl friend to that restaurant. Although it was very strange food to my foreign friend, she liked it very much. Normally, swellfish is very expensive food in Seou, but as Pusan is located in close to sea and port, I could enjoy this special food with low price as I've expected. Clear and simple taste of this soup ! Well harmonized with bean sprouts and dropwart.

Special Cookie

2006-01-28T02:37:00.000-08:00

The japanese takes these different cookies at Happy new year. My japanese colleague gave it as special gift for new year. All are too pretty and different. Of course, they're so sweet( In fact, I don't like too sweet one) But, it's a special one so I shared them with my other colleagues. Lunar holiday is also coming soon. Although I made some resolutions for this year, I didn't keep everything. I was still so lazy. It's very good for me to have another lunar new year because I can have time to think of me and refresh my resolutions. I won't repeat same mistake.

Prussian carp's bread

2006-01-02T03:05:00.000-08:00

In front of my house, an aunt sells bread which shape is Prussian carp. In fact, I don't like this bread. No, I didn't like this bread. It made of flour, egg and read bean flour. I didn't like this read bean flour inside this bread. But suddenly, I bought them and its taste was fantastic. Maybe, I was very hungry. As it was fresh and hot, I fell into this bread. Whenever I pass this smaller machine that make Prussian carp's bread, I don't reject their temptation. Thanks to it, I gained on 10 kilograms. My colleagues laughed at my fat body. I was not happy. Today, although I wanted to take it, I well stood it. Oh my god..

Rice cake soup " Duk Kuk "

2006-01-01T02:09:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that today is the first day of 2006. Regardless of my intent, I have to grow older by one year. My mother prepared Duk kuk as our traditonal New year's day dish. Normally every bowl of Duk kuk means a year to your age. Duk kuk is made of rice cake called as " gare duk ". Gare means stick or bar, namely gare duk is like a long stick. We slice this long rice cake to make a soup. Soup is based on thick beef juice. We put also some spring onion,egg, beef flesh as decoration. We make also some side dishes to make along with Duk Kuk. Of course, my mother made everything during I was dreaming in my room. Today, I want to have time to examine myself and make new resolutions. Of course, I'll take care of my blog and develop it. I hope to meet many different peoples in this blog world. Happy new year to all visitors

Injulme

2005-07-17T05:21:00.000-07:00

Glutinous rice cake

Injulme is one out of rice cakes what I like the most. It is coated with bean flour. It made of glutinous rice so it's moist and sticky. The main ingredient of this rice cake is bean. It's is very good for health. After harden, I put them in refrigerator. I let iced injulme thaw and boil them on fry fan. It gives another special taste.

Water is vital for me

2005-07-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

A thermos bottle

What is vital for my life ? For me, it's water. Normally, I drink 2ℓper day. At lease 1.5ℓ. As my body is very dry, it needs sufficient water. At frankfurt airport, I bought a thermo bottle. In fact, two. one is for me, the other for my mother. As she like mountain-climbing, I offered to her as gift. But differently from salesman's saying, this thermo bottles are not well working. If we put cold water, it doesn't keep cool. Bottle's cover was not well piecered. So, the water was not well poured. Oh la la... it was inferior merchandise ? Of course, I don't hope so. At any rate, this bottle doens't function properly as thermo bottle. But it's pretty as photo shows. If I use this bottle, my colleagues think something special and good for health is in. Yes, the water is in. I can't live without water.

Chicken Soup

2005-07-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

SamGyeTang

Today is early dog days in chinese characther. Early dog days means the first 10 days period of the dog days. What is dog days ? I'm not sure why they name after dog. At any rate, it is originated from a tradition inherited since a long time ago. Amid summer time, our ancestors stood the heat by having dogs or chicken soup. Of course, dogs are different from domesticated ones. Sometimes, it brought many disputes from foreign country. Although I have never tried dog soup, I think that one country's tradition should be respected.
At any rate, everybody took chicken soup to get over hot summer. Personally, I don't like this kind of food. But my mother also prepared this chicken soup for us. Normally, we put glutinous rice, a chinese date, a jinseng, a chestnut, a ginko nut, etc. Glutinous rice is very good. All ingredients are good for health. So I can get over the heat ?

Keep same quality and same taste

2005-07-13T05:19:00.000-07:00

Rice with a hard-shelled mussel

A few years have passed since I stumbled upon < Chung soo jung >. In those days, this restaurant seemed to me snug and neaty located along the street of Sam Chung Dong close to President residency, Green House. It was too small to find it passing by this street. What is the specialty of this restautant ? It's a rice made with hard-shelled mussel. According to main chef of this restaurant, she used rich seamsam oil and fresh mussels. To make it nice smelling and tasty, it needs much time and many hands. To my memory, it was a little different from making normal rice. So she had to stir a few times to be steamed to a proper degree. At any rate, when I tried this rice for the first time, I thought it very nice. I became a client. But under a popular mode that contemporaries seek for tasty foods, this restaurant introduced via mass communication like TV, newspaper and magazine related to food. Normally, if we order a standard meal, about 10 side dishes and 2 ji-gyes are served. Of course, rice made with hard-shelled mussel and today's soup are basic food. Today, I dropped by it to have a lunch with my colleagues. But I was a little disappointed with served foods. Differently from my expectancy, quality was deteriorated. For example, I could rarely hard-shelled mussels inside rice. Oh my god. Is it right rice of hard-shelled mussels ? So its rice is not quite tasty. Side dishes either were not tasty. Why ? I don't know why. I think that one out of Korean's defects is dishonest or trickery. That is to say, when a restaurant is famous and many clients come to a restaurant, owner is rotten with a bad attitude to client and sales. They try to omit a few ingredients or reduce food's quantity to maximize their benefit. So when I find a good restaurant or good food, I'm afraid of being famous to many people. I hope that restaurant owner keep in mind that client want to keep them their same taste and same quality, always ! Don't reduce quantity, Don't deteriorate quality,,,

Special pasta

2005-06-30T20:18:00.000-07:00

soba pasta

Normally, pasta is made of wheat flour. But this made of buckwheat. Normally, buckwheat is a good material for noodle in hot summer, because buckwheat's cold nature take away the heat from the bottom of the body. In Korea, black food is regarded as well-being food. For example, black bean, black tofu, black seasam, black noodle.... We believe that its black contain something special for our health.

Samsuni's pican pie

2005-06-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Lovely pican pie

I'm a self-styled gourmet. Although I'm not professional journalist or freelancer for all kinds of food magazine, I have a sense of taste( Of course It's my own judgement ^^) I discovered a pican pie shop through a newspaper long time ago. Due to my skin trouble, I had to repress my thirst for tasting it. I finally decided to try it, I called to this shop. Differently from what I've heard from netizen, shop owner was very kind, more over talkative. I thought this shop is far from my house, but next to mine, and they opened a new shop underground of Big department store just near to my house. When I entered this shop, about 20 ovens were in a line in two separate room. Except it, there was nothing special. There were 2 women, one dame is owner and the other is cook. The latter seems around 50 years old. The shop owner was very kind and praised her pie. She asked to me how I had found this shop. Of course, by magazine. This shop's name is samsuni. In Korean, this name is very rustic but it brings a dim memory for our childhood. This shop is specialized in only pican pie. It costs about $10. In comparison with other bakery, this price is not expensive. She made by 100% handmade. She select good quality's walnut. The feature of this pie is that walnut is live, that is to say, normally, the chips of walnut is covered with pie dough. but on this pie, big slices of walnut are lay. So when we bite a pie, the walnut and pie dough eat crip. They don't use sugar so it's not quite sweet. It's a healthy food for well-being generation. There are two tastes depending on dough ; seasam and matcha(green tea). I bought two for tasting. Green tea is a little moist. Personally I prefer less moist seasam pie. My mother prefer green tea. It depends on age ? Maybe, because my sister agreed with me. Of course I can't take everyday this pie, but I'd like to keep this happy time while biting a sweet and simple pie. To tell the truth, I don't want that this shop became too famous. Normally, if a shop became known, its taste is certain to deteriorate and commercialize. I hope that this shop keeps their originality. There are some shops and restaurants that keeps their original tradition, for example, although they gain a lot of money, they don't try to enlarge their shops. Although a present shop is too tight and small, they try to keep their taste and colour. I hope that it happen to this shop. Nowadays, Samsuni fever has gripped our country. Samsuni is an actress' name of a soap dram titled to < Samsuni >. Samsuni is an old and fat maid. She is patissiere graduated from French cuisine school. It seems to me this drama pattern is too similar to Bridget Jones's diary. As I'm a big fan for Bridget, I don't like this drama. At any rate, implicating in the popularity of this drama, this shop is introduced often to TV program.

A special patisserie < Fraise >

2005-06-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ugly bread

By accident I stopped by a bakery. Maybe to call as patisserie is better. Its name is . This means strawberry in french, certainly the baker completed a certain baking course in french school. They don't use an antiseptic. I'm not sure if other bakery use it or not. At any rate, we can see < we don't use an antiseptic> on all covers of bread or cookies. I found a special bread called as ugly bread. This figure looks not so good. They take any shape. Inside there are marrons and raisins. Its taste is quite good. They make much of pound cake and handmade chocolate. I tasted chocolate pound cake. It was fantastic. They use rich choco chips inside and hard chocolate outside. Nowdays it became a cake what I like the most.

Cocoa Cans

2005-06-21T08:06:00.000-07:00

Mickey's Cocoa

My sister untied a package from her journey to U.S.A and Mexico. She has been there to meet our relative. This is a part of Cocoa packs. This is composed of totally 6 cans. Its favour are all different. Its taste is like a water boiled with burned rice, how can I say, it's very flat, not specially tasted. Normally, Cocoa has to be very rich and strong. At any rate, this pack is a kind of souvenir in Disney Land, maybe, by only this fact, its taste can be overlooked.