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Have You Eaten? Tteokbokki (떡볶이 - Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes)

Welcome to the third serving of Have You Eaten? This month our chosen snack of the month is Tteokbokki! Also known as Spicy Stir-Fried Rice Cakes, tteokbokki is commonly seen in dramas as it is one of the most popular street food snacks around. It is a cheap snack for anyone on the go. You’ll often see characters picking it up when in a rush or if they are stressed out by life. It stands out on the screen as its sauce is bright red but it wasn’t always that way…
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A Brief History of Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki wasn’t originally a dish of the common folk as it is today, the earliest known recorded version of Tteokbokki was found in a 19th century cookbook, “Siuijeonseo”, in which it was known as “steokbokgi”. It was a soy sauce based rice cake dish served with beef and available vegetables such as scallions which was exclusively served to Joseon royalty during the first month of the year. This is now known as “Royal Court Tteokbokki”.
Funnily enough tteokbokki as we now know it was developed by accident. Back in the 1950’s when Ma Bok Lim accidentally dropped a rice cake into some hot sauce and found it so delicious that a new snack was born. She started selling it in Sindang and eventually it became the tteokbokki we know and love today. This area is now known as “Tteokbokki Town” and is full of famous tteokbokki restaurants including the original Maboklim Tteokbokki. They host festivals and competitions there from time to time.
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Types of Tteokbokki
Tteokbokki is typically made with small pieces of the long cylindrical rice cake, commonly known as tteokbokki tteok (tteokbokki rice cakes). It is usually served in a sauce and is most commonly served with some combination of boiled eggs, fish cakes, and scallions. There are many different versions available in street market stalls and dedicated restaurants. Here are a few of the more common ones you might find:
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Dramas with memorable Tteokbokki Scenes
Like with the previous foods we have discussed, tteokbokki is seen in so many dramas, here are a few that have stood out to me:
My favourite tteokbokki scene of all comes from one of my favourite dramas, Radiant Office. It features a scene in which the lead, Eun Ho Won, and one of the side characters, Seo Hyun, go to eat tteokbokki as eating spicy foods is one known method of combating stress. They order four ascending levels of heat. As they eat the differently spiced tteokbokki they share one thing that has been stressing them out and release their stress, until they reach the ultimate spice level four. Throughout the process the characters get to know one another a little better and become closer. At the time of my first watch I hadn’t tried tteokbokki so I couldn’t really imagine how spicy that tteok could get, now I fully understand their pain and love the scene even more.
The Heirs had a storyline in which a tteokbokki restaurant was a very symbolic place to one of the characters, Choi Yeong Do, as a result there were quite a few meaningful scenes shot there throughout the drama. Sadly, a lot of tteokbokki was wasted in the process.
Pegasus Market features a really fun tteokbokki storyline in which the heir to the company whose only happy childhood memories revolve around tteokbokki decides to have a go at creating his own tteokbokki franchise. Everyone is too afraid to tell him how incredibly awful his tteokbokki is and there are some pretty amazing reactions to the tteokbokki allround (especially since this one is based on a webtoon). How the market deals with the problem is great too.
Finally Let’s Eat 2’s leading lady, Baek Soo Ji had a childhood trauma when it came to overeating tteokbokki that caused her to be unable to eat it. After a day of starving herself on a date she comes across Gu Dae Young who is snacking on it for the second time that day and steals his meal before realising what she’s done. Understandably he was annoyed by this.
What dramas have scenes that have stood out to you?
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Personal experiences with Tteokbokki
I won't lie, I’m not the hugest fan of tteokbokki. I keep trying it thinking maybe this time I’ll love it, but I think it is kind of like Vegemite in which you need to be brought up eating it to really get it. It’s usually either too fishy, too spicy, or too chewy for me. Thanks to Hi! School - Love On here is an accurate depiction of my initial impressions and attempts to eat tteokbokki with chopsticks. The first time I bought it, I got a humongous plate of “cheese tteokbokki”, it took me a really long time to eat half of it (the cheesy half). I don’t think I ate it again until I went to Korea where I ate quite a lot considering my feelings about it.
Most memorably of all with u/MerinoMedia I visited Dooki in Hongdae, a chain which were prominently featured in quite a few dramas around 2017/2018 including My ID is Gangnam Beauty one of the rare occasions they weren’t eating tonkatsu! I really had to try the cheese ring and it was seriously cheesey. OMG. So much cheese. But it was truly a lot of fun trying all the different types of rice cakes.
I also had some tteokbokki at the Tongin Market but I don’t think it was gireum tteokbokki, just standard tteokbokki. It was super spicy but somehow I managed to eat it all without crying.
I haven’t tried to make my own tteokbokki, but in preparation for this post I got some instant kinds to try. So far I have tried the Jjajang flavoured one which was not great and as a bonus it exploded in my microwave. I’ve decided to hoard the rest in case I get trapped inside my house for a while and need some excitement one day.
What types of tteokbokki have you tried? What were you experiences? Has anyone tried the original tteokbokki at "Tteokbokki Town"? Or have you ever made your own tteokbokki from scratch or pre prepared ingredients?
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What’s the Next Course?
Our April snack needs to be chosen! This month we will be choosing between three different foods/drinks, cider (soda), bibimbap (mixed rice), and gimbap. PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE HERE. I’ll leave the vote open until this Friday’s Weekend Wrap-up post goes live then announce the winner there. Our next post will be on the 26th of April 2020.
Until then come and share your experiences whether they are limited to drooling over tteokbokki be it simply on screen or more in the comments below.
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Have You Eaten? Bibimbap (비빔밥 or Mixed Rice)

Welcome to April’s serving of Have You Eaten? This month our chosen food is Bibimbap, also known as mixed rice. The name bibimbap breaks into two parts to describe the meal - bibim (비빔) meaning “to mix with various ingredients” and bap (밥) meaning “rice”. Bibimbap is a simple, homely yet hearty and relatively healthy meal. It is usually prepared with rice, whatever banchan (반찬 or side dishes) is at hand and mixed with some sauce to tie it all together, traditionally gochujang (고추장 or red chilli/pepper paste) is used.
A Brief History of Bibimbap
The true origin story of bibimbap’s creation is not actually known. There are a number of theories about when and where in history it first was created:
It is believed that the dish was originally known as “goldongban” which translates as “rice mixed vigorously” (also “hwaban” which means “flower blooming on top of rice”) and is recorded as early as the 17th century, with the earliest recipe being recorded in the Siuijeonseo. Some sources state this is the first in print mention of “bibimbap”, however, a study from 2015 argues against this.
In the late 1990’s Korea Air was the first airline to serve bibimbap as an inflight meal paving the way for it to become an internationally renowned signature dish of Korea. Since then the dish has grown in popularity on a global scale.
Now there are all sorts of modern takes on bibimbap from cup bibimbap, to easy microwavable bibimbap, to all sorts of bibimbap flavoured dishes, they have even developed it so that astronauts can fulfil their bibimbap cravings but none of these can beat the original form.
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Symbolism of Bibimbap
As a dish bibimbap is very symbolic. It is said to “symbolise the harmony and balance in Korean culture”. Additionally the individual colours of the ingredients are also symbolic following the principles of the five elemental colours (Obangsaek 오방색) each colour represents a body part, a position and an element.
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Colour Body Part Position Element Representative Ingredients in Bibimbap
Red (Orange) Heart South Fire Gochugang, Carrots, Chilli, Jujube
Black (Brown) Kidneys North Water Mushrooms, Seaweed, Beef
Blue (Green) Liver East Tree Cucumber, Spinach
Yellow Stomach Centre Earth Egg Yolk
White Lungs West Metal Rice, Bean Sprouts, Radish
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Varieties of Bibimbap
As mentioned above bibimbap is a dish which combines rice with a number of ingredients, the typical inclusions you will see are namul (sauteed seasoned vegetables 나물) and kimchi (김치). It may be topped with a protein (either cooked or raw) and/or an egg (either cooked or raw). Gochujang is typically added to bring everything together and add a kick. Other common additions include sesame oil, soy sauce, and doenjang (fermented soybean paste 된장).
Bibimbap is endlessly customisable to an individual’s taste, so I’ll just discuss a few of the main versions you can find. The names of the different variations of bibimbap generally stem from the location in which they originated, the type of dish in which they are served, or the type of protein featured in them.
Jeonju Bibimbap (전주비빔밥) - the most famous of all regional bibimbap varieties. In this version there are many different inclusions most importantly the rice is cooked in beef and bean sprout broth and one of the inclusions is bean sprouts grown in the area. This is typically served in a warm brass bowl.
Dolsot Bibimbap (hot stone pot bibimbap 돌솥 비빔밥) - this version of bibimbap is served in a hot stone pot
Yangpun Bibimbap (양푼비빔밥) - this version of bibimbap is served in a yangpun bowl (metal bowl).
Sanchae Bibimbap (bibimbap with wild vegetables 산채비빔밥 ) - this version of bibimbap is made using seasoned leafy greens and other wild root vegetables found in the mountains.
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Memorable Scenes in Korean Dramas Featuring Bibimbap
Bibimbap usually appears in a drama under one of the following circumstances:
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  1. A character has reached a new low /is stressed out by life; they drown their sorrows in a big bowl of bibimbap usually whilst wearing their best tracksuit/in secret.
  2. A character is too lazy to prepare a meal or has almost no food left to eat and they are starving
  3. A lower class character is eating in front of a chaebol or higher class character and for some reason they have no ramen on hand (poor sheltered chaebols have never tried either of these foods, it’s pretty hilarious!)
  4. A character needs to bond over food with someone they are not that close to. Bibimbap is best when shared out of a big metal bowl.
As this is the usual case it’s hard to think of too many super memorable scenes featuring bibimbap. Here are a few that I personally enjoyed:
In the first season of Let’s Eat Lee Soo Kyung’s mother comes to visit and prepares bibimbap as a meal and comments that it might not be good enough. Goo Dae Yeong replies that it is perfect as it is impossible to get the right taste when only making one portion. Apart from the horror of the eggshell in the frying pan that catches my eye every time I watch, this is a great mukbang scene which showcases the dish bibimbap and how it should be eaten well. It definitely made me want to try it out.
In the classic rom-com Full House, frustrated at waiting for Young Jae to come home, Ji Eun begins a late dinner of bibimbap. When he arrives home she offers him some only for him to tell her “that’s not bibimbap, that’s dog food!. No, I don’t eat things like that”. A few days later she catches him stuffing his face with bibimbap and has to help him alleviate his resulting indigestion. I really like how the scene where Rain prepares the bibimbap and stuffs his face is shot, so here’s an endless loop of it.
Bibimbap is a common feature in many family dramas as you see more of the characters day to day life which includes simple home meals like bibimbap. In the drama Smile, You, the family members were under strict rules for when and what they could eat and so there were a few sneaky bibimbap scenes along the way. In one of these scenes, in order to get Jung In to eat something after having not eaten all day Hyun Soo demands she make him some food. Reluctantly she prepares him some bibimbap which he rejects saying it is too salty and that she has to eat it all or she’ll dob her in for wasting food. The bibimbap she prepared was so-so but this scene was particularly nice as it highlighted the change in the leads relationship.
What bibimbap scenes are memorable for you?
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What Experiences Have you had Eating and Making Bibimbap?
Bibimbap is my mother’s absolute favourite Korean food, so I have extremely warm feelings about it because she gets adorably excited at the prospect of eating it every single time it comes up in conversation. I didn’t personally try it before my trip to Korea as it was something that was easy to find everywhere. My first time eating it was on my flight to Korea and it was so delicious I was mad at myself for choosing other dishes over it in the past.
I also ate it by the seaside after visiting Odeo island. I am not 100% sure what sea creature it was because my Korean is about as basic as my ability to identify sea creatures. I think it was possibly sea urchin, whatever it was it was pretty great.
As for cooking, I’ve made bibimbap a few times but I’m pretty lazy with the whole cooking the ingredients separately in order of darkness concept so I don't make it very often. My Korean Kitchen is my usual go to for Korean recipes. By some miracle I managed to find some gochujang at the supermarket today so I’m going to make this one for dinner tonight.
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What’s the Next Course?
Next month is KDRAMA’s 10th birthday so we will be celebrating in the traditional way with a bowl of Seaweed Soup (Miyeok guk 미역국) on the big day (Sunday 10th of May).
Until then we’d love to hear your experiences with bibimbap be it simply on screen envy or more in the comments below.
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Additional Bibimbap Material:
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Trip Report: Honeymoon to Tokyo, Kyoto, and Seoul (875k pt spend)

My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon to Japan and Korea. We booked all travel accommodations using points to book a luxury vacation to Japan and Korea! Overall, we used a total of 875,000 points. I would have loved to make it a "million point vacation", but I couldn't find a way to spend our AA or MR points to add extra value :). Since this is the AwardTravel subreddit, most of this trip report will focus on the travel accommodations booked with points, but I'll still include a short description of other activities we enjoyed since I know there's a lot of other travelers looking for an opportunity to visit Japan and Korea.

The Flight - Korean Air First Class

Our travel began with a first-class flight on Korean Air leaving from IAD. Normally, KAL first-class passengers would be allowed access to the AirFrance/KLM lounge. Unfortunately, this lounge is currently closed for renovation so we were instead directed to the Virgin Atlantic lounge (although it looks like AirFrance and KLM passengers get to use the Etihad lounge). This lounge was nothing exciting. We were there for breakfast, and although they did have some hot options, the food was pretty bad. I tried a small bite of everything, but the only food there that I enjoyed was an apple. On the bright side, they did have cold beer, wine, and a small selection of hard liquor as well as a nice view of the tarmac and plenty of comfortable seating.
This was our first time travelling anything other than coach/economy, so both of us were very excited to see if first class was everything it's chocked up to be. Compared to every other flight I've had, this flight was unbelievably enjoyable. I was worried that 14 hours of flight time would be uncomfortable regardless of which class we were flying, but by the end of the flight I was disappointed we had to deplane. Korean Air uses the Boeing 777-300ER for the IAD-ICN flight, which features the new-ish Kosmo Suites 2.0. These first-class suites are huge. They have plenty of storage compartments, a USB charging port in the in-flight entertainment console, and an international-compatible AC outlet on the floor. As most reviews of Korean Air flights say, the in-flight entertainment is pretty lacking. Luckily I had the first 7 seasons of Game of Thrones downloaded to my laptop which I happily watched with the noise-cancelling Bose headphones they provide. I think what I was most surprised with was how many flight attendants they seemed to have devoted completely to first-class guests. It seemed like they had 1 flight attendant for every two passengers, but maybe some of them sneaked away to serve business/coach when I wasn't looking. Regardless, I was very impressed with how briskly I was tended to each time I pressed the call button.
The food service was great considering we were eating 40,000 ft in the sky. As soon as we left the ground, our flight attendant showed us the drink menu and took both meal orders ("dinner" as the first meal, and "lunch" as the second). Nether my wife nor I drink, but my uncultured palette thought the champagne tasted great. The meal service started with an amuse bouche of cream-cheese stuffed tomato and mushroom, followed by a serving of caviar with traditional accompaniments. For my first meal I chose Korean Air's famous Bibimbap served with soup, banchan, and a side of bulgogi. For how simple this meal looks, it was excellent - especially the bulgogi. For dessert, they served very good fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers followed by an unremarkable chocolate pound cake. After watching a few more episodes of Game of Thrones, my flight attendant asked if I would like my bed made. She grabbed a mattress topper and a nice comfy blanket, fully reclined my seat, and made my bed into what felt like a normal twin-size bed. I changed into the pajamas they provided and slept very well for a few hours. As a midnight snack I decided to try a bowl of spicy ramen, which lived up to its namsake of "spicy" by being a little too hot for my enjoyment. Luckily they also had cookies and milk on the menu, which I was very delighted to hear from the flight attendant when she said "I'm sorry, it will take about 8 minutes for me to bake them fresh for you". No worries - I have never been disappointed to wait for freshly baked cookies, and they certainly did not disappoint this time. After sleeping for a few more hours, my wife woke me up to let me know I only had a couple more hours until we landed. For lunch, they offered a nice "build your own salad" station with a blend of greens, veggies, and anchovy. It was nice to have something crisp and refreshing since I was feeling groggy after waking up. For my second meal I chose the Chilean Sea Bass with veggies. I really enjoyed it, but my wife wasn't too impressed. For dessert they served fruit and cheese again.
Upon landing, we weren't able to enjoy any of the lounges at the ICN airport since we only had 45 minutes to catch our connecting flight. After spending about 10 minutes looking for a lounge with a shower, we decided that we didn't have time and proceeded to our gate. The ~2.5 hour flight from ICN to NRT was on an Airbus A300-330. The first-class seating on this flight actually looked identical to the business class. The seats were still lie-flat, but it was about two-thirds the size. Again, I got the Bibimbap for my meal, even though it didn't come with the side of bulgogi this time. The flight was over before I knew it, and again the customer service we received was excellent.

Tokyo - Ritz Carlton

After getting our bags and going through customs and immigration, I had to figure out how to get to our first destination: The Ritz Carlton Tokyo. There's normally a "limousine bus" that leaves from the Narita airport that stops at our hotel, but because we weren't ready to depart from the airport until about 9:30pm there were no more buses for the day that stopped at The Ritz. There's also a train that goes directly to Tokyo Station, the "Narita Express (NEX)", but we also missed the last train for that. A quick Google search showed that it would cost about $300 to take a cab from the airport, we instead took a bus from the airport to a hotel about 2 miles from our hotel and took a cab from there. This was especially daunting considering my cellular data only worked for about 10 seconds every 10 minutes, it was getting late, and there was an obvious language barrier that made me wonder if we were headed in the right direction. But luckily, we made it to our hotel without too much effort. As expected, the customer service at The Ritz was great. Our bags were immediately taken for us when we stepped out of the cab and we were escorted to the main lobby on the 45th floor. When we stepped out of the elevator we were met by the live music of smooth jazz saxophone and a vocalist that made me think "god damn this is a swanky hotel". It got even better when we got to our room and were met with this view. They must clean the windows every day, because when you walk into the room you can't even tell there's a pane of glass there. It almost looks like an optical illusion. Having this great view was one of the highlights of the trip, and one of the biggest reasons to choose the Ritz Carlton when staying in Tokyo.
Again, I cannot believe how excellent the service was at this hotel. The concierge was great (for the most part - more on that later), turn-down service twice daily, spotlessly clean room and bathroom, etc. What really made them surpass my expectations were the little things. On Day 1 we used up all the complementary espresso pods, so during turn-down service the housekeeper left an extra box of espresso with a note (picture taken after we used some). Similarly, after a day when we used both complimentary bottles of water, after turn-down service we found two extra bottles of water with another endearing note. And one day when we mentioned to the concierge that we were celebrating my birthday and our honeymoon, we found this nice gift of chocolates in our room when we returned for the night (the heart and sphere were filled with chocolate covered almonds). Somehow I forgot to take pictures of our room. It was standard size as far as hotel rooms go, but the bathroom was exceptionally large. There was a bathtub, shower, two sinks, and a separate small room with the toilet. Speaking of the toilet, it seems like many toilets in Japan have built-in bidet systems with warm water and heated seats. This one was especially nice and had a "power deodorizer" that seemed to vacuum up the fumes directly from the bowl. Wouldn't be a deal-breaker if they didn't have it, but we enjoyed having a high-tech toilet for the first time in our lives :).
Like I said, the concierges were great with most of their recommendations. All of them were fluent in English and we enjoyed every activity/restaurant that was recommended, with one exception. For my birthday dinner we wanted to try some Japanese fine dining. We told the concierge our price limit of ~250/pp, and were recommended to try a traditional Japanese kaiseki at the Ritz Carlton's restaurant Hinokizaka. As expected, the view from our seats was excellent, and we were very happy to have some origami to take home with us as souvenirs. Unfortunately, those were the only things that we were impressed with. We've had the pleasure of dining at a handful of fine-dining restaurants and have never regretted splurging a few hundred dollars on a meal - until now. We were presented with two menu choices - one for $180 and the other $240. Without really looking too closely at the difference between the two menus we decided to get one of each. I still don't understand why the $240 menu was more expensive. Most dishes were nearly identical, but the $240 menu had one less course and there were no "ultra-luxury" items that would normally expect an upcharge like truffles, caviar, foie gras, etc. Without diving into detail on why each dish was disappointing, I'll just say that most dishes seemed poorly balanced - either too salty or too bitter. There was an herbal lemon jelly that several of the dishes used that completely overpowered the dish with a sour, bitter flavor that was, bluntly, disgusting. Maybe it's just that I don't like Japanese fine dining, because the restaurant seems to be well-reviewed elsewhere, but I will certainly not be going back for a ~$500 dinner. At least the presentation of the food was pretty.

Tokyo - Sightseeing Highlights

Tokyo was our favorite destination. Everything was surprisingly easy to navigate once we figured out that there are actually several distinct rail companies that share some of the same stations. At each of the rail stations we used, there was always staff that spoke English well enough to help us, and we were always made to feel welcome to the country. Every time we asked for help we were politely greeted and treated respectfully. Overall, it seems like Japan strongly encourages foreigners by having multi-language maps, easy to decipher pictures, and multi-lingual customer service to answer questions. The one really annoying thing that surprised me was the lack of trash cans. There were several times where we wanted to throw something away but instead just tossed it in our backpack because we walked for blocks without seeing a garbage can. The same thing goes for buying snacks in marketplaces - eat it and give your trash to the vendor you bought it from, otherwise be prepared to carry the trash with you all day. Somehow, the city seems pretty clean regardless.
While we were in Tokyo, we saw beautiful gardens and temples, and ate amazing food. Most of our time here was spent browsing for souvenirs around the various shopping districts (such as the famous Shibuya crossing area), falling in love with dogs at "puppy cafes", and playing wacky Japanese arcade games. We also spent half a day at DisneySea because my Wife is a Disney fanatic and she originally wanted to do DisneyWorld for our honeymoon.

Kyoto - Hyatt Regency

Compared to the Ritz Carlton, there's not really much to say about this hotel. Compared to most hotels, this was a very nice hotel. Compared to the Ritz Carlton, it was exceptionally normal. The service was pleasant and the concierge was able to recommend how to make the most of our time in Kyoto. From our second story window, we had absolutely no view - we could only see the wall of the building next door. Instead of a 65" top-of-the-line Sony Bravia, we instead had to watch Game of Thrones on a plebeian 42" display. We did not get gourmet chocolates left for us in our room, nor were any thoughtful handwritten notes left by the housekeeper. I know it's not fair to compare this Hyatt to the Ritz Carlton, so to be fair, this hotel was very nice. It was clean, comfortable, and conveniently located. Although I wouldn't recommend it at its cash price of ~$564/nt, I was happy to pay 20k Hyatt points to stay there.

Kyoto/Osaka - Sightseeing Highlights

We purchased the 7-day JR RailPass since I knew we'd use it for a round-trip to Tokyo-Kyoto-Osaka and a trip from Tokyo Station to Narita Airport. At ~$260 each, it more than paid for itself. You need to purchase the JR RailPass voucher while you're still in the United States, then bring the voucher with you to Japan. Exchanging the voucher at Tokyo Station was straightforward, and we were able to reserve a seat on the Shinkansen "Hikari" to Kyoto. After just under 3 hours, we arrived at Kyoto Station and took a complimentary taxi to our hotel.
Again, we saw some beautiful temples and ate lots of food. We took a day trip to Osaka using our JR RailPass. We decided not to get reserved seats and just hopped on the next available train, but unfortunately had to stand for the entire 45 minute journey. Osaka was an awesome city and probably deserved more than just a day trip. My wife loved the shopping areas there, and we also took a trip to Osaka Temple at night. While we were there they had an event going on called "Sakuya Lumina" where you stroll along the path to the temple and follow along with a short story of a girl from the future who's trying to get home. Along the way there are beautiful light shows and short movies, and a great photo spot where one of the employees offers to take photos with your phone. At the top, you get a great view of Osaka Temple close-up, where we also found some adorable and friendly stray cats.
Back in Kyoto, we had our most enjoyable day of the vacation. We took the subway to Arashiyama - most well known for its beautiful bamboo forest, temples, and most of all - the Iwatayama monkey park. It's a small hike and about $10 to get to the monkey park, but it's well worth it. When you reach the summit, there are dozens of Macaque monkeys just running around. There are a lot of employees around to stop tourists from touching the monkeys, but you can get pretty much as close as you want. The monkeys here are completely desensitized to humans are will walk right past you, even with their babies. There is a small hut with a fence for a wall where you can feed the monkeys potatoes and peanuts for $1/bag. We happened to be there during "feeding time" where one of the employees walks around and throws chestnuts and seeds on the ground which the monkeys go crazy for. I don't think there's anywhere else in the world where you can experience this, and it's a must-do during a visit to Kyoto.
While we were in Kyoto, we decided we had to try "real" Kobe Wagyu beef. I've had A5 wagyu once before at Cut in Beverly Hills, but I was excited to compare it to what Japan has to offer. And since my steak-loving wife has never tried it, I was especially excited to see her reaction to biting into the best steak shes ever had. The restaurant we chose, Premium Pound Gion, absolutely killed it. Each course was excellent, the ambiance was great (the whole restaurant is just a "chef's table" style seating), and steak was just as good as I remembered. If you've never had Kobe beef (note: the term "Kobe beef" has no significance in the USA, but "A5 wagyu" does; if you want to experience this type of steak in the USA, look for that designator) and aren't a vegetarian, you need to try it. It's worth it. Here are some pictures of the dinner.

Flight - Tokyo to Seoul

After taking the Shinkansen back to Tokyo and going back to the Ritz Carlton to pick some luggage we left there while we were in Kyoto, we spent the remainder of the day at DisneySea Tokyo then headed to our hotel airport to prepare for a 10:30am flight. The Hilton hotel we stayed at did have a very good breakfast buffet that included both Japanese and Western cuisine. For us it was complimentary thanks to the automatic HHonors Gold status provided by the Amex Hilton Ascend. The Korean Air lounge at NRT was pretty unremarkable - similar to the Virgin Atlantic lounge we used at IAD. They did have an area sectioned off for first-class only, which was pretty unnecessary since there was plenty of seating elsewhere. However, it was nice to be able to walk past the "first-class only" sign to let all the other lounge members know just how baller we are.
Just like the ICN-NRT flight, we were served a nice lunch followed be cheese and fruit. The same aircraft, A330-300, was used as well.

Seoul - Hilton Millennium

Unfortunately, with the exception of the Marriott Courtyard we stayed at in Dulles, this was the most disappointing stay of the trip. There wasn't anything awful about it, but this hotel just didn't have the same level of service as the others. When we arrived to the hotel, the doorman unloaded our bags for us but did not take them to our room. The concierge spoke English, but not very well. There was a doorman who assisted with taxis, but several times there were communication problems due to translation. Overall, the hotel staff seemed a little indifferent. In comparison to all the hotels I've ever stayed at, this probably still ranks in the top 50%, but is in a completely different category than the other hotels we stayed at for this trip. On the plus side, they give out free $10 vouchers per person per day to the casino attached to the hotel, which we were always sure to cash out before we left for the day. We also got free breakfast and "cocktail hour" snacks which were always mediocre. We had breakfast most days because it was provided for free, but I would not suggest paying for it if you're not an HHonors Gold member.

Seoul - Sightseeing Highlights

While we were in Seoul, we took a cab pretty much everywhere that wasn't within walking distance. The prices were cabs in Seoul are cheaper than any other city I've taken cabs (DC, NYC, Tokyo, Kyoto), and are barely more expensive than taking the metro. Most fares were less than $10, the most expensive being a ~22 minute cab to Gangnam costing about $13.
Again, we love to try exotic food, so we made sure to experience as much of the local cuisine and street food that we could try. The highlights were the freshly fried sweet "Korean pancake" filled with honey and walnuts and the muskmelon bingsu with ice cream that was surprisingly delicious considering how pretty it looked. We also had Korean BBQ from a restaurant called "The Marbling" that we went to twice because we enjoyed it so much. We really enjoyed walking through the markets and buying junky souvenirs. We also took a guided tour that I would not recommend since it ended with a trip to a "ginseng museum" where they locked us in a sales room for 30 minutes where we were relentlessly pitched to by salespeople to get us to buy hundreds of dollars worth of "cancer-preventing, life-lengthening, energizing ginseng".

Flight - Seoul to Dulles

The check-in for KAL first class flyers is pretty unique at ICN. There's a "first class check-in lounge" prior to security where you're served beverages while your bags are checked. I thought this was a nice touch compared to the normal check-in experience, even though we only stayed for a few minutes before going through security. From what I understand, there's several different Korean Air lounges at ICN. There's the "normal" KAL lounge that anyone can access, the miler lounge that can only be accessed by million milers, and then there's the first-class only lounge. We spent all of our time in the first class lounge, which was the nicest lounge of the trip. We had an early flight home so they were serving breakfast - an assortment of Korean and Western options as well as ice cream, beer, wine, and a small assortment of hard liquor. They also had table service where you could order eggs or a couple other traditional Korean breakfast options. They also had a massage chair, but I couldn't figure out how to work it because all of the controls were in Korean.
The flight was the same as the original IAD-ICN leg with some slightly different but equally delicious food options. After 14 hours of eating, sleeping, watching Game of Thrones, eating, and sleeping, we were back to real life in Dulles where we had a 3 hour drive home.

Award Redemption and Cost Analysis

Night # Hotel Avg Pts/nt Avg cash rate cpp
1 Marriott Courtyard (Dulles) 16,000 $270 1.69
2 In-flight N/A N/A N/A
3 Ritz-Carlton (Tokyo) 48,000 $1155 2.41
4 Ritz-Carlton (Tokyo) 48,000 $1155 2.41
5 Ritz-Carlton (Tokyo) 48,000 $1155 2.41
6 Ritz-Carlton (Tokyo) 48,000 $1155 2.41
7 Ritz-Carlton (Tokyo) 48,000 $1155 2.41
8 Hyatt Regency (Kyoto) 25,000 $564 2.26
9 Hyatt Regency (Kyoto) 25,000 $564 2.26
10 Hyatt Regency (Kyoto) 25,000 $564 2.26
11 Hilton (Narita) 20,000 $130 .65
12 Hilton Millennium (Seoul) 55,000 $221 .40
13 Hilton Millennium (Seoul) 55,000 $221 .40
14 Hilton Millennium (Seoul) 55,000 $221 .40
15 Hilton Millennium (Seoul) 55,000 $221 .40
Total: $8751
First class on Korean Air: 320,000 + $800 in taxes/fees (total for two passengers). Cash "value" is $39,541 (~12cpp).
Total points used:
Brand Points
Marriott 240,000
Hilton 240,000
Hyatt (UR transfer) 75,000
Skypass (UR transfer) 320,000
Annual fees paid to accumulate these points:
Card Annual fee
Chase Sapphire Reserve $450
Chase Sapphire Reserve $450
Chase Sapphire Preferred $95
Chase Sapphire Preferred $95
Hilton Ascend $95
Hilton Ascend $95
Chase Marriott $95
Chase Marriott $95
Total: $1470
Approximate spending during travel (note: these are rough approximations that I made by taking our total amount spent, $3336.39, and estimating the proportion spent toward each category other than food, then assuming that the rest was on food):
Category Amount
Food $2386.39
Transportation (taxi, subway, bus) $250
Transportation (JRPass) $560
Activities $400
Souvenirs $300
Total: $3896.39
 
Cash spend (travel accommodations, including fees paid to accrue points): $2,270
Cash spend (expenses during travel): ~$3,900

Total cost of vacation: $6170

Conclusion

The many hours of accumulating points, learning from /churning and /awardtravel, and planning our itinerary were well worth it. I can't wait to build up our points bank in preparation for our next big redemption. Even though I'm glad we flew first class once, I don't think we'll splurge on it again. Business class seems adequate, even though the seats are a fair bit smaller. At least first class seats had plenty of availability so planning around our schedules and only flying non-peak season was not an issue. The Ritz Carlton Tokyo was amazing and well worth the points, but unfortunately due to Marriott award redemption change this hotel will now cost 85k points instead of 60k. It may still be worth it if you have the points to get the 5th night free. The Hyatt Regency was nice, but definitely not worth the cash rate. The Hilton Millennium was probably not worth the amount of points we blew on it, but Hilton points are pretty worthless anyway. The Conrad in Seoul may have been a better option - it's hard to say, they have similar reviews. If you go to Japan, go to Arashiyama and the Iwatayama Monkey Park! Also, early May turned out to be a great time of the year to travel to Japan/Korea. Every day was in the low 70s and mostly sunny - perfect weather!
submitted by DyslexicHobo to awardtravel [link] [comments]

The best Korean restaurant in India during lockdown

Me: “Oh, I see you have Korean written all over the walls and a Korean flag, is this a Korean restaurant too?”
Chef: “Yes! I love to make Korean food! I taught myself!”
Me: looking for a change of any kind of food + “Oh, do you have kimchi?”
Chef: “Yes, I can make some right now.”
Me: A little doubtful, you can’t just ‘make’ kimchi, has to be fermented and things + “Ahh, OK, I’ll order that. Do you have bibimbap?”
Chef: “What’s that?”
Me: getting seriously doubtful + what was I expecting, beef? Good luck. + “OK well, what’s your best Korean food?”
Chef: “I can make an excellent Korean butter chicken.”
Me: Blankly stares at my bottle of vodka and it’s only 75% full + “Ummm, OK fine. I’ll take that too.” + don’t even bother asking if he has sochu
Chef: Places dishes on table + “Your kimchi, and your Korean butter chicken.”
Me: the kimchi is sliced cucumbers with red pepper on it, the butter chicken is… butter chicken + “Thank you very much!”
Vodka: “Don’t you want to bring me down to 50%? I like bottoms up.”
솔직히 버터 치킨은 매우 좋았고 김치는 김치가 아니었지만 맛도 좋았습니다.
https://youtu.be/M2lfZg-apSA
submitted by 0x4b57x2002 to uwaterloo [link] [comments]

TIC(well yesterday) because someone found my dog and ate my food.

Different people. Yesterday my aunt was going to watch my 3 dogs yesterday at her house but wasn't home when I dropped them off. She has a huge dog door for them to go in and out and a very safe backyard that I stuck the padlock back on her privacy fence before I left.
Well 40 min into our day trip to the city I get a call that someone found my little papillon walking around. Y'all I lost it like immediate hysterics. I know its hormones but my poor doggy was with a stranger!
Turns out it was the direct neighbor to my aunt and she offered to keep Molly at her house until my aunt got home to put her back in the yard. I think what happened was in the chaos of trying to keep her dogs in the yard and also shove my 3 dogs in her yard Molly maybe didn't actually make into the yard and wandered off to the side of the house instead. It pretty much ruined my day but I tried to get over it knowing she was safe and my other 2 dogs were still in her yard/house safe as well.
There was 6 of us all together and as we were looking for a place for dinner we found a Japanese bbq place. Every inch of my pregnant self said yes! Turns out it was one of those places where you grill your own meat at the table which was pretty cool but almost chaotic.
I'm not a huge fan of chunks of meat right now so I opted for bibimbap as that's one of my favorite dishes and saw it was on the menu. Anything that can hide meat in veggies/rice I'm good with.
They started bringing food out and would set bowls down. Since there was so many dishes they just kind of set them everywhere. I must not have been paying attention because they brought a bowl out, asked how spicey they wanted it, and someone responded with medium then they passed out multiple bowls.
I was all kinds of excited about my food and kept pushing other foods away when I noticed everyone had their food except me. They were working on their meat on the grill and I'm like is that my food at the end? My hubby was like what nooooo? Ok, but I think it is.
Waiter comes back and my husband asks is that the bibimbap? Waiter responds yes and asks if there was a mistake and my husband says oh no I'm just going to give it to my wife she wanted it. Well y'all everything was eaten out of it. There was no beef, egg, or veggies. It was literally like a handful of spicey rice. I ate a little bit of it, then someone gave me a handful of garlic noodles to eat as well.
Everyone kept trying to give me chunks of steak but I legit just didn't want to eat it so why would I? I can't believe I sat there staring at the floor trying not to cry over food. Like really trying not to because if I was so close to losing it then to make matters worse my friend's drunk husband was so in love with my food he took it back to eat the rest of the rice that was in it and kept going on and on about how good it was. Cool I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Apparently I'm not over it because today I started crying about my food again and I'm still trying not to tear up now. What is with these hormones? I've never cried over food before. On a positive note all 3 of my dogs are sleeping on the couch with me, I just need a yummy Korean bowl to complete me. 😢
submitted by Missharlett to BabyBumps [link] [comments]

Cooking for my mother— a nightmare story

So to preface this story of how last night’s dinner went, you need some background on me and my fam. We’ve always been big into cooking, and both my parents truly have some serious skill— don’t get me wrong. You just have to picture the stereotypical middle-class white kitchen. I grew up on (great) pastas, casseroles, Tex mex, and BBQ, but nothing that really expanded into different cuisines. Luckily I did have those parents that underseasoned veggies or overcooked meat; they really are great at cooking, they just cook super safe-American. It wasn’t until college that I got to try foods like sushi, Indian food, ramen, Vietnamese, etc. and now that’s almost exclusively what I cook and have even been expanding my parents’ palettes a bit when I come home to visit.
This weekend I had a planned visit where my mom asked me to cook a big meal for the family and her friends. Sure, I love cooking! She specifically requests that I make bibimbap, a recipe I was taught by a Korean woman when I was living abroad. Absolutely, it’s one of my favorites to make, and she’s had mine before. She asks for a grocery list and I give her all the ingredients I need: ground beef, zucchini, carrots, edamame, purple cabbage, bean sprouts, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, eggs, and white rice.
Well dinner time comes around and I’m pulling out cutting boards and pans while my mom grabs ingredients. She remembered the edamame, soy sauce, eggs and garlic, awesome. She forgot the zucchini, bean sprouts, and and sesame oil (actually she accused me of not putting them on the list). As for the rest of the ingredients....
Cole slaw mix (“it has some carrots in it!”)
Ground turkey
Brown minute rice
And after this ingredient disaster, when I’m trying to make some semblance of bibimbap with what she bought and what’s in the fridge (mini carrots I individually shredded on a cheese grater, corn, and broccoli at least) she has the gall to tell her friends, “Look it’s so cute, she likes to cook all the veggies separately just so that the dish looks pretty at the end!”
YOU REQUESTED BIBIMBAP NOT A GODDAMN STIR FRY.
I was fuming. Luckily I figured it out and it tasted good and the guests loved the dish but man.
I figured this is the one place where my rant would be understood.
submitted by AnAliebn99 to Cooking [link] [comments]

Trip Report (Kanto and Kansai from Sep 29 - Oct 15!)

Trip Report Time!
My first trip to Japan was a huge success! You might even say it was the trip of a lifetime. Lurking this subreddit for 3 months helped me a lot with regards to planning it out, so I'd like to give back with an overly-detailed accounting of how things went, and in the spirit of other reports I've seen, list where I succeeded, where I messed up, and what I could have done differently. This post may actually be longer than War and Peace, so feel free to use the search function to find relevant locations.
Mods, please remove any of my links if inappropriate.
I traveled solo with just a carry-on backpack, messenger bag, and JR Pass, and my intention was to go sightseeing and see as much variety in Japan as I could squeeze into 15 days, and as cheaply as possible. I charted out the distances between the places I wanted to go and even printed out daily itineraries into booklets via Odigo.com. I also reasoned that walking a lot would keep me in shape for work, allow me to see more of the country than if I were in subways most of the time, and save me money, since I’d be spending less if I was constantly on the move. As someone who has lived in Manila, Los Angeles, and other places with great Japanese food, I have had consistently great Japanese food my whole life, and it's never as fun for me to eat alone, so food wasn't my #1 priority, although I did allot a couple of nights to pigging out.
I have good legs and stamina and I accomplished my goals and then some, and although I wasn't able to do a couple of things due to poor planning (should be a no-brainer, but please check the closed days for parks and markets in advance!!), random encounters, or unexpected circumstances, I'm really happy with how my trip turned out, though please be aware that my plans involved a lot of walking (though some of that distance was from being turned around, lost, or too stubborn or cheap). According to my phone, I walked a total of 228.3 miles (367.4 km) in 15 days.
Original plans in italics under each date. After my recollection of events, I will detail what I might have done differently, as well as my thoughts in hindsight.
TL;DR, quick and dirty tips for solo travelers day-tripping traveling at this time of year or earlier:
What I'm glad I did:
What I would have done differently right off the bat:
What I will do differently next time:
My go-to kit for day trips:
A microfiber towel to put around my neck for sweat, a tumbler filled with water from my hostel's filter jug, my phone and pocket wifi, a pack of Gatsby wipes, a new stick deodorant I brought with me, my small notebook, map, and power bank (I brought two power banks and cycled them every day to let the other charge/rest).
9/29 Fri
Plan: Arrive at Haneda International Airport in evening, pick up pocket WiFi, check in at Asakusa-area hostel (9/29-10/5 booking)
Went as expected, except for stupidly losing my Suica card on the train due to squeezing through crowds at my exit. Be careful! Hang onto those cards, or personalize them with your name, so you can redeem if lost!
9/30 Sat
Plan: Akihabara, possibly see friend/s, go on Tokyo Pub Crawl
Actual destinations: (...walked to) Ueno Park (...train to) Tokyo Imperial Palace and Gardens, Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art (...train to) Ginza, Tokyo National Film Center (...train to) Akihabara Electric Town, Yodabashi Camera, Square-Enix Cafe (...train to) Roppongi Tokyo Pub Crawl
This day didn't go as planned at all, but it was still great. Fueled by energy, I got up super early and filled with adrenaline. I had prepared my messenger bag with the bare essentials (my go-to kit). Then I picked up coffee, breakfast, and onigiri from the 7-11 to sustain me until lunch (a daily routine), then walked from my Asakusa area hostel to Ueno Park (beautiful), then took the train from Ueno Station to the Tokyo Imperial Palace. I walked the grounds, then headed to the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art (stunning). Then I hopped on over to Ginza to walk the strip and purchase some slim but stretchy pants at GU (since I realized I hadn't packed enough pants). This was a short trip, since I was really in the area to see the National Film Center (worth it only for hardcore Japanese film buffs - if you don't know who Kenji Mizoguchi is, give it a pass), which was also hosting a Jean-Pierre Melville exhibit. Then I returned to my hostel to change before heading out to Akihabara, where I checked out Yodabashi Camera and hung out at the Electric Town for a spell. Then it was off to Roppongi for the Tokyo Pub Crawl. This was an interesting way to spend the night, so to speak, and though I'm not a big drinker, the free drinks were on the weak side. The bars were crazy packed, but there was a bit more space at the clubs. I met up with a friend from my hostel, then spoke with a lot of other fellow tourists and swapped information. After meeting up with an old friend of mine from college and grabbing some ramen with him and his girlfriend, my hostel friend and I split the cab fare back to our hostel. I can't remember how much it cost, but it was definitely under 2,000 Yen each, and we both got some change after that. All in all, a fine day.
What I ought to have done: If I had known I'd be traveling so much on my first day, I ought to have definitely bought a subway day pass. I spent a lot of Yen just hopping from station to station on this day.
10/1 Sun
Plan: Harajuku, Shinjuku, Shibuya, see friend/s at night
Actual destinations: (...walk to) Tokyo Skytree (...train to) Asakusa Jinja Shrine and Senso-ji Temple (...train to) Akihabara - Sega Akihabara, Gamers, Mandarake Complex, Super Potato, etc… (...train to) Yoyogi Park, Harajuku’s Takeshita Street (...train to) Shibuya Station, Shibuya JR Park
Possibly my most productive day in Tokyo. I had to make up for lost time and get ahead of my schedule, so I woke up and set out early, walked to the Tokyo Skytree to see it from below, then took a short train ride to the Asakusa Senso-ji Temple (packed with Chinese tourists, and the long walkway in was a tourist trap, but the crowds didn't bother me, the monks were praying, and the beautiful ceiling of the main hall was so worth it). After picking up a few small souvenirs, seeing the sights, and paying homage at the Jinja Shrine, I ate some cream-filled melon buns and took the subway to Akihabara. I'm a huge nerd so I could have spent all my time and savings here, but that's why I made a strict itinerary and only brought carry-ons. I picked up a few souvenirs, had some fun at Super Potato, and tried some games. Then I headed to Harajuku to see the cosplayers and street performers, but I arrived a bit late into the afternoon. I got turned around by the crowds at the exit of the JR Station and ended up wandering into Yoyogi Park by mistake, which was a fortunate mistake, because it was beautiful. Didn't go into the Meiji Shrine (lines were long), but I could admire it from the outside, and the stroll through the wide pathway between tall trees and towering torii gates left me breathless. Finally, I wandered down Takeshita Street and saw some amazing clothes and had some tasty crepes. Then after the obligatory photo with Hachiko, I met up with my old college friend again. We grabbed some Starbucks and watched the busy Shibuya crossing, went into a shopping complex to walk and talk, and finally hung out at the Shibuya VR Park Tokyo. The games here were a bit dated graphically, but the staff was great, and my friend and I had a lot of fun. They did have a couple of English speakers on staff, but thankfully, my friend was able to translate for them. It was a bit late, but that worked to our advantage, because we booked a later appointment, killed time with arcade games and by eating from the Conbini across the street, and since we had 80 minutes and there weren’t many other people, got to experience every attraction with time to spare. Some of the games weren’t the best, but the ones that were fun (the magic carpet, fighting off goblins, the capture-territory shooting game, the gun game, ghost busting, the driving sim) made it more than worth it. The staff worked hard to make things go smoothly, and since both my friend and I are big gamers, I felt it was a great value. I heard tell that the games in the Shinjuku VR Park are apparently more up-to-date and fun, but it's more expensive, harder to get into, and you can only pick four to do from a set list. Them’s the breaks. Eventually my good friend and I had to say goodbye...
What I ought to have done: I wish I had arrived at Harajuku earlier in the afternoon, hadn’t gotten lost due to Google Maps bugging out, seen more of the cosplayers, and spent more time there. I also wish that I had allotted more time to spend in Akihabara, and that I had gone to the @home maid cafe there, since the one I did eventually go to (Maidreamin in Ikebukuro) wasn’t too lively. I also wish I’d bought a shirt or two from Harajuku.
10/2 Mon
Plan: Asakusa (Senso-ji Temple), Tokyo Skytree + Mall, Studio Ghibli (tour appointment for 16:00)
Actual destinations: (train to…) Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (walked to…) Toho Cinemas Godzilla Head, Shinjuku Samurai Museum (took the train to…) Mitaka, Studio Ghibli Museum (returned to…) Big Echo Karaoke, hostel
This was an interesting day, to say the least. None of my Tokyo-dwelling friends could make it to the Studio Ghibli Museum with me, so, not wanting to squander the hard-earned ticket I almost failed to get online, I chatted up a girl at the hostel and invited her to go with me. Long story short, now we’re very good friends, and meeting her was the highlight of my trip Anyway, after making sure she’d meet me there before the appointed 4PM time, I headed to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to get that sweet view over Tokyo. It was quite breathtaking, and I definitely recommend it, because it’s free. They also sell souvenirs and local foodstuffs at the top there. Then I went on foot past Shinjuku Station and ate lunch at a busy restaurant populated by businessmen. I was disappointed to find that the Shinjuku Gyoen Park was closed for the day (my fault for not checking), so I just went to the totally wicked Shinjuku Samurai Museum (be sure to check online and come by around the same time as the live demonstration, because it was a highlight!). What made this so great was the guided tour. Our tour guide spoke good English, and though much of the history lesson covers the basics, I learned a few interesting things about the equipment, and even got to try on some of it! The museum itself isn’t huge, but the presentation made it worth it. Then, I took the rapid train to Mitaka and walked to the Studio Ghibli Museum. I made it there early (around 3:15PM), but there was already a line of people with 4PM tickets waiting to enter. My friend arrived at 3:30 or so, and the line moved rather quickly. The museum itself was unforgettable and a must-see for any anime fan. The short film was very sweet as well. Afterward, we had dinner in the cafe, then on the way back to our hostel, in between train transfers, we decided to rent a karaoke room at a Big Echo and sing (we were there for 2 hours or so; it was a bit pricey, but ultimately worth it). We returned and bade each other goodnight. Sadly, she’d be checking out the next morning, but that was just the beginning of our friendship.
What I ought to have done: My schedule was so packed, there’s nothing I could really have done about this, but I wish I could have scheduled my Shinjuku trip for a day when the Shinjuku Gyoen Park was open! I was really looking forward to seeing it! I know it’s touristy and silly, and I’ve seen enough videos of it to get the picture, but I somewhat regret not going to the Robot Restaurant. I knew that tickets could be gotten for the earliest show at certain sites online for cheaper than at the door.
10/3 Tue
Plan: Tokyo Tower, Zojo-ji, Sengaku-ji, Odaiba (Joypolis, Onsen Monogatari)
Actual destinations: Tokyo Tower (…walked to) Zojo-ji Temple (…train to) Sengaku-ji Temple (…walked to) Odaiba Onsen Monogatari via the Rainbow Bridge (…walked to) Odaiba Giant Unicorn Gundam
Got a late start due to doing laundry in the morning. Wanted to see Tokyo Tower not just because it’s a famous landmark, but because I wanted to get my One Piece-obsessed friend some gifts. Zojo-ji was beautiful and impressive, and I’m really glad I got to see the graves of the 47 Ronin at Sengaku-ji; I wasn’t the only one paying my respects. Walking all the way from Sengaku-ji and across the various canals to cross the Rainbow Bridge was rather ambitious, but the sights made it worthwhile. It was a real endurance test. Afterward, I relaxed for several hours at the onsen, which I loved. I don’t recommend the Korean food (and someone said as much on Tripadvisor, but I was just craving the dolsot bibimbap… do yourself a favor and go for something else). After a beautiful walk through a slight ocean breeze to see the Unicorn Gundam and the Statue of Liberty, I hopped a train and tried to meet up with a group from my hostel for drinks, but I missed them and had no way of contacting them, so I returned to my hostel. Lo and behold, there they were at the station! Just about to leave for the evening as I was wrapping up my day. I apologized that I was too tired to join them, wished them well, hung out until their train showed up, then returned to my room for some precious and well-earned shut-eye.
What I ought to have done: I don’t recommend anyone do this exact itinerary. This was a ton of walking at one stretch, with the only real rest stop being a bench at the Odaiba end of the long Rainbow Bridge. I could have at least taken the train from Sengaku-ji to Tamachi Station and saved some time and energy, though I wouldn’t have seen as much of this part of the city. Also, this is the day I should have gone to the Tsukiji Fish Market! It was the last day I could have done it, and it would have fit in perfectly with my itinerary. I ought to have deferred my laundry another day, but at least I got to bid goodbye to two of my hostel friends who were checking out. I do wish I'd hung out with my hostel-mates in the evening, though I probably would have struggled the next day, which was a big one…
10/4 Wed
Plan: Koishikawa Korakuen + Shinjuku Gyoen Garden, Museum of Modern Art, Ginza, Ikebukuro
Actual destinations: Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens (…train to) Ikebukuro Sunshine City (…walked to) Ikebukuro Maidreamin Cafe (…train to) Suga Shrine (…walked to) Golden Gai (…train to) Shibuya Station (…walked to) Sakura Tei restaurant (Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki)
This day really threw me for a loop! I was originally going to go to Mt. Fuji today, but upon checking the night before, the forecast was better for Thursday, so I decided to put it off, then head to the Tsukiji Fish Market. Well, turns out the fish market was closed! At least, that’s what someone told me. I didn't realize it was closed on some Wednesdays. So I faced the music - I wouldn’t be going there this trip. Could have planned that better! Anyway, this was one of the best days of my trip. Despite it being a cloudy day, the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens were immensely beautiful. I don’t know what it was, but turning the first left corner from the entrance, I was moved to tears. It’s not the largest garden, but it felt like everywhere you turned, there was a fantastic view. I probably spent almost two hours here taking snapshots and drinking in the atmosphere. Then it was off to Sunshine City. The first stop was the Sky Circus, which was great and whimsical and all that, but probably better for couples or women. Still, I loved the vibe and the cool little illusions, and the VR roller coaster was fun (if a bit low-poly). I’m glad I went for the Kaleidoscope Room and gift shop, at least. The Sky Circus is obviously way up high, so it’s also a good alternative (or addition) to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Of course, I had to see the Pokemon Center and play a round of Pokken Tournament. Somehow I was able to resist buying anything. Then I ate lunch near J-World (didn’t feel the need to go in), walked a bit around Sunshine City, popped out the back way into a pretty cool sewing crafts exhibition, then left to check out the Maidreamin maid cafe. I might not particularly recommend this branch to American gaijin, since their English wasn’t the best, but the maids were cute, and the dessert and coffee were tasty. I hopped a train to Shinjuku to see the Suga Shrine (of Kimi no na Wa fame). This was a bit of a walk, but easily worth it for the photo/pilgrimage. I wasn’t the only one there. My original plan was to hit up the Golden Gai and then grab a drink at bar atop the Park Hyatt Tokyo (I’m a huge “Lost in Translation” fan), but after a few minutes of admiring the gritty, lived-in cyberpunk vibe of the Golden Gai, a friend of mine from grade school (!!) who was living in Tokyo saw my IG photos and hit me up online and so we met at Shibuya Station and then walked to Afuri ramen in Harajuku, only to find out they were closed for renovation! So we went to Sakura Tei in Harajuku for their okonomiyaki and monjayaki, and that was easily one of the best meals we had in Japan. We chatted about our lives and hung out in a cafe near Shibuya Station until we had to catch the last trains. Catching up with her was the most surreal experience of my trip. We hadn't talked in almost two decades, but it felt like no time had passed between us…
What I ought to have done: This was pretty much a perfect day. Other than maybe having gone to a different maid cafe and maybe buying that Eevee coin purse, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Didn’t get to see the Park Hyatt Tokyo, but I got an even better surprise.
10/5 Thu
Plan: Day trip - Fuji-Q + Fujiyama 5th Station hike / Kawaguchiko Music Museum (pick 1-2 of these)
Actual destinations: (…train to) Shinjuku JR Station (…bus to) Fuji-Q Highland (…train to) Lake Kawaguchiko + Kawaguchiko Music Forest
I got up super early this morning and traveled to Shinjuku Station just in time to purchase the Fuji-Q Q-Pack (entrance to Fuji-Q plus a round-trip bus pass) from a kiosk. Return trips from Kawaguchiko the same day were sold out, so I had to purchase a return trip the next morning. The reasons why I wanted to go to Fuji-Q were (A) I am a roller coaster fanatic, and (B) I am an Evangelion fanatic. On both counts, the theme park did not disappoint. I was expecting long lines, however.
As soon as the park opened to the general public, I walked up to the fast-pass counter and bought two fast-passes (1,000 Yen each, an easy purchase for me) for Takabisha and Fujiyama. (sadly, Eenjanaika was closed for maintenance that day, but for anyone who’s ridden Six Flags Magic Mountain’s X2, it looked a bit like that coaster, only larger). Then I lined up for Dododonpa, which wasn’t open yet. The lines were not too bad. I got to ride Dododonpa in about twenty to thirty minutes, and that was a heck of an experience! I now know what a bullet feels like leaving the chamber! Then I immediately lined up for Takabisha, which was a really fun and very technical coaster. It wasn’t as scary as it looked, but it sure was enjoyable and memorable. The lines had not gotten ridiculous by this point and I waited about 30 minutes as well. Then I had a good hour or so until I had to use my Takabisha fast pass, so I rode most of the other rides in the park (aside from the water rides - I did not have a change of clothing!). After my second Takabisha ride, I rode Fujiyama, which I really wish I had the time to ride again. It was just an epic, solid, intense coaster. It doesn’t loop or corkscrew, but it’s crazy fun, and the thrill factor is pretty high. I really do hope Fuji-Q end up changing their policy and group single riders together, because given the amount of people at the park, the lines really shouldn’t have been as long as they were. The Evangelion World exhibit was everything I wanted and more. I stocked up at that store for sure.
Then I intended to walk to Lake Kawaguchiko. I wasted some time getting turned around by Google Maps before I gave in and decided to take the train there. The train, by the way, is tucked away in the back of Fuji-Q. I had to re-enter the park and exit out the back way just to find the train station. Since it was quite close by, the ticket to Kawaguchiko was very cheap. Because the afternoon was drawing to a close, I hailed a taxi to take me from the Lake Kawaguchiko Station to the Kawaguchiko Music Forest. I’m so glad I visited this place. It was immensely beautiful and nostalgic, I was invigorated by the carefully-tended gardens and grounds, and the automatic music concerts were delightful. The shop, in addition to boasting a very wide selection of music boxes, also has some handcrafted stuff made in the Mt. Fuji area, including some well-priced pottery that made a good present for my other friend in Tokyo. Also, the admission was much cheaper after 4 PM, but I could have easily spent more time here. Afterward, I checked into a capsule hotel for the night, which was more spacious and comfortable than I expected, and emailed to apologize to my hostel that I would be a few minutes late for check-out.
What I ought to have done: I was waiting on the weather (because Fuji-Q closes their coasters if it rains), but I really could have purchased my tickets earlier so as to get a same-day return trip. That said, I don’t mind that I stayed the night in Kawaguchiko, because I was finally able to get a clear shot of Mt. Fuji in the morning and walk a bit around the area before boarding my return bus. Also, this was a risk I was willing to take, but I really didn’t need to buy that second fast-pass. Still, riding Takabisha twice was worth spending another 1,000 Yen. I do wish that I’d experienced the Attack on Titan VR ride, but after spending so much in one day already, I was too cheap to give it a shot…
10/6 Fri
Plan: Activate JR Pass. Check out of hostel. Go to Kamakura. Visit Akira Kurosawa's grave site. Stay at my friend’s place in Tokyo.
Actual destinations: (...train to) Engakuji Temple (...train to) An’yo-in Temple (...train to) Yokohama Cosmo Clock (...train to) Nagano Broadway + Don Quijote
This day went very smoothly. I activated my JR Pass upon arriving at Shinjuku Station (very easy, just bring your document and passport to the right office), returned to my hostel to check out, and stashed my bag at a coin locker in between Kamakura and my final destination. Visiting the graves of Yasujiro Ozu and Akira Kurosawa all went pretty much as planned. I finally bought some decent insoles to replace the worn non-removable cheap ones on my shoes and ease my busted-up feet. I also loosened up my laces. Following this, I immediately felt better. While I was caught in the sudden downpour of rain, I frantically searched for Mr. Ozu’s grave site in the large and beautiful Engakuji Temple. I finally found the right one and offered him a bottle of wine and my thanks. Then I took a short train ride, got a poncho, and walked to the An’yo-in Temple to see Mr. Kurosawa. I had a bit of a time finding the An’yo-in Temple’s cemetery in the rain and had to ask the monk in residence whether the cemetery was even open (he was a very kind man who walked me all the way to Mr. Kurosawa’s grave, even in the rain - he didn’t need to, but he really went that extra mile!). Anyway, starting from the street, instead of going up the stairs and through the gate, head straight up the pathway that curves up and to the right, then make a left to enter the cemetery. After paying my respects to one of my favorite filmmakers, I returned to Tokyo, but got off the train at Yokohama to ride the Cosmo Clock Ferris Wheel, made famous in one of my favorite anime, Honey and Clover. Sadly, the rain made getting photos difficult, but it was still a fantastic view. Following this, I watched the cool light show that happens at the top of the hour, then headed back to Tokyo to meet up with yet another old friend of mine. We ate some delicious ramen outside of the now-closed shops of Nagano Broadway, did a bit of shopping at Don Quijote, and then watched videos on the street food in Dotonbori to prepare for my Osaka night.
What I ought to have done: I ought to have bought an umbrella instead of a poncho. I wondered why people didn’t use ponchos as much, and discovered the hard way that (A) it’s easier to open and close an umbrella than take your poncho on and off, (B) taking off your poncho and putting it in a plastic bag before sitting in trains is tedious but necessary, and (C) it gets kinda humid under there. My friend ended up giving me his extra umbrella, which I’m eternally thankful for. I also wish I had time to see Kotoku-in (and the giant Daibutsu Buddha statue), but alas. It was raining, I didn’t want to risk getting sick, and I really wanted to ride that ferris wheel, since Honey and Clover had a lot of special significance to my late sister, and to my new friend.
10/7 Sat
Plan: Travel to Nikko in AM. Leave to Kyoto in PM. Stay night at Kyoto hostel (excepting the night of 10/9, this is my base until 10/13).
Actual destinations: (...train to) Nikko JR Station (...bus to) Nikko National Park (…train to) Kyoto Station
Now, this was an ambitious day. The trip to Nikko station (with a transfer at Utsonomiya) was beautiful, and very worthwhile. I'd shelled out for a Green JR Pass, hoping to lean back, stretch out my legs, charge my electronics, and get some nice rest during my longer shinkansen trips. And all that did become possible, though the trips were so relaxing and the views so beautiful, they felt over in a flash, and I don’t think I really needed the luxurious seats. That said, I don’t regret getting the Green Pass. Once at Nikko, I stashed my backpack in a coin locker, then quickly bought the bus pass (not necessary, but helpful), lined up outside the JR Station, and rode the Tobu Bus all the way up to Senjogahara Marshlands, where I got off and began the breathtaking walk down to Lake Chuzenji. At this time of year, the autumn leaves were mostly occurring at the higher altitudes here. It was a beautiful and calming walk along the lakeside to be sure, and I saw the Ryuzu Falls along the way. There was a lot of fog surrounding the Kegon Falls, but I wasn’t about to leave until I saw the falls and could see just how far they went, so I hung out there a bit. Then I took the bus back down to the bridge for a selfie, then walked around to see the UNESCO Shrines and Temples for a spell, but I’d spent too much time in the highlands and was running out of daylight. I didn’t want to arrive too late at my Kyoto hostel to be a nuisance, nor did I feel like paying a large fee for what would have to be a quick trip, so I didn’t get to see the Toshogu Shrine. No big deal. I grabbed my backpack and headed to my destination. The ride to Kyoto was long and thankfully uneventful, and my check-in went smoothly.
What I ought to have done: I might have gotten to see more of the shrines and temples if I’d spent a tad less time dawdling around and taking innumerable photos of the highlands (though I did like the old-school vibe of the lake-town) and buying postcards and such from the gift shops, or if I’d foregone spending time at the bridge. That said, I actively prioritized seeing the National Park, and I think I made pretty good time and progress. I also regret ordering the soba at the conveniently located restaurant at the JR Utsonomiya station. It was rather bland.
10/8 Sun
Plan: Day trip - Kyoto to Nara.
Actual destinations: (...train to) Nara - Nara Park, Kasuga Taisha, Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, etc… (...train to) Fushimi Inari-taisa Shrine (...train to) Kyoto Station
Wasting no time in putting my JR Pass to use, I traveled to Nara for what I’d planned to be a day trip. It was a relaxing trip, and I saw all I’d been hoping to see. Coming from the Sierras where we have skinny deer that bolt at the sight of a person, the wild deer here were quite a unique sight. The Giant Buddha was a highlight. This was a 3-day holiday weekend and it felt like it, with hordes of tourists, both Japanese and foreign. Kofukuji’s Main Hall was under renovation, but I did enjoy walking the grounds and seeing the five-story pagoda. Didn’t see the National Treasure Museum, but I should have. Then I headed back to Kyoto in the afternoon. I hit up the must-see Fushimi Inari-taisha and was woefully unprepared for the density of the crowds at ground level, and how so many women were attempting to take these many, many stairs in kimono. I would have walked all the way to the top at one clip, but my batteries were dying (I accidentally brought the wrong power bank with me) light was running out, and I was getting tired and frustrated from having to either weave through tourists or keep to their sluggish pace, which ended up being rather rough on my feet and legs. I cut across at one point to the bamboo grove and took a cutoff path across the woods back to the main pathway. Finally, I made it about halfway or so to a couple of gorgeous lookouts in time to catch the sun setting over western Kyoto. I weighed my options of attempting to walk all the way up, or heading back down and leaving. The crowds did thin out a bit the nearer one gets to the top. I knew that I could make the walk, but I was tired and a tad worried at the prospect of being completely without my phone and pocket wifi, so I headed back down. Seeing the crowds at the train station, I attempted to walk 20-odd minutes from Fushimi Inari to the Nintendo HQ building to get my obligatory pilgrimage photo, but I took a wrong turn and ended up spending an inordinate amount of time finding my way back to the subway, and eventually, to my hostel.
What I ought to have done: I really should have made sure that the power bank I brought with me was charged. This would have saved me a lot of stress. I might have felt confident enough to get all the way to the top of Fushimi Inari, and I definitely wouldn’t have gotten lost. I also attempted to visit the Tofuku-ji Temple, but couldn’t figure out where to go after leaving the subway, and Google Maps was not helping, so I continued on to Fushimi Inari, hoping to see it another day (it never happened). I also shouldn’t have knowingly attempted Fushimi Inari on a holiday weekend, a mistake akin to getting involved in a land war in Asia.
10/9 Mon
Plan: Travel - Hida Folk Village in Takayama - Takayama Autumn Festival - stay night in Takayama (onsen hostel).
Actual destinations: (...train to) Takayama JR Station (...bus to) Hida Folk Village (...bus to) Takayama JR Station (...walk to) Takayama Jinja (...walk back to) Takayama JR Station (...shuttle bus to) Natural Onsen Hostel Hidamari no Yu
Another day that didn’t go exactly as planned, but it was still a beautiful and memorable experience. It was a bit of a long ride to Takayama and due to only reserving my seats at Kyoto Station the night before, I wasn’t able to get a window seat on the Hida Wide View 3, but the windows were so wide, I was still blown away by the immense beauty of this region. This was hands-down the most beautiful ride I’ve been on. I know many people recommend Shirakawa-go over the Hida Folk Village, but as someone very interested in sustainability, I was drawn to the promise of an open-air museum and the exhibits explaining how the people worked and lived in the countryside. So I spent an inordinate amount of time there, and I fell in love. With the help of a kind woman, I, a 30-year-old man, also made myself a nice kaleidoscope (if you do this, make the wet, not dry one, it’s so much cooler). Then it was off to see the Takayama Autumn Festival. I obviously missed the bulk of the festival in the morning and afternoon, including the midday puppet show, but what I learned from the Hida Folk Village out-prioritized that for me. I walked from the JR Station, ate some of the local food (Hida Beef really is that good!), hung around the river, and soaked in historical Takayama. Then the sun set and they’d finally prepared the gorgeous and ornate floats for the nighttime part of the festival. I stuck around until 7PM or so. Then, full from expensive festival food, decided to take the shuttle bus to my cheap onsen hostel. As a solo traveler, I was simply looking for the cheapest functioning onsen in the area, and the place I went to suited me just fine. I stayed in a large 20-person dorm, and they do close the premises from 11:30 to 7:00 AM, but if you’re aware of that and just want a place to bathe with soothing hot spring and jacuzzi baths, an outdoor hot spring as well, a decent sauna and cold pool (where I spent most of my time), and a futon to sleep on, this place was crazy cheap, great for a weary soul, and it got the job done. Be aware that they may not always have shuttle buses leaving early in the morning, but I was able to get one at 7:30 AM that took me right back across the street from the Takayama JR Station. All in all, I had a great experience here, no complaints, but I can see why people didn't like the "give us the key to your shoe locker until morning" policy.
What I ought to have done: I don’t regret missing the day portion of the Takayama Festival, which was just a bonus for me, and perhaps due to the festival, the Hida Folk Village was rather empty and peaceful. However, I wish I knew in advance that the shuttle bus to my onsen hostel boarded across the street from the JR Station. I could have gotten there 20-30 minutes earlier.
Reaching the character limit, so I will continue in the comments below... thank you for reading...
submitted by sandwichsupernova to JapanTravel [link] [comments]

Schönhauser Allee Restaurant Guide

Hey all, I am an American who has been living in Schönhauser Allee for a year (and I love it, and the food). After eating at most restaurants in the area and many close by I wrote up a food guide of my favorite nearby places (prompted by feeling a little home-sick as I was traveling away from Berlin). Let me know if you guys have any recommendations of places I should try or want to add to the list! (Also I'm including some Rosenthaler Platz stuff as it's a short tram ride away, and has great food, I'll mark it down.)
However, this isn't a super foodie-list because it is mostly close by cheap restaurants, all but 2-3 are below 15 euro per meal. So I encourage all to try these places!

Mexican-

Maria Bonita: Probably my favorite go-to on this list, large portions of good flavorful food at relatively cheap prices (<10 euro). As an American mexican food is close to my heart and this satisfies that craving with delicious guac, huge burritos, and great chips. Just as good if not better than all burritos I've had in LA. One of the first places I hit when coming back from travel.
Recommended menu item: Pork Belly Burrito

Sushi-

Sasaya: Best sushi restaurant in the city. Floor and bar seating and outdoor seating in the summer this place has awesome atmosphere and good food. The best tuna Nigiri I've ever had and while pricey compared to most Berlin spots it is worth. Need reservation.
Recommended: Tuna Nigiri (& Chef Set)
Omoni: This restaurant serves both korean food and sushi, but I think the sushi and sashimi are better, with some solid options. I wouldn't recommend the salmon as I've been disappointed by this but they have good rolls and a good mix of other nigiri. This place is a tad overpriced in my eyes, but it is up there in quality (also best to get a reservation, although not as hard to get one as Sasaya).
Recommended: Kopenhagner roll. Don't get salmon nigiri, the below restaurant has it 2x better for .5 the price
Best Friends Sushi: This restaurant is not as expensive as the above two, but is pretty close in quality (surpasses them with their awesome salmon Nigiri, especially Omoni). This is my go-to take away sushi place (although a tad expensive for that), and has some great special rolls. Also open late (12 am IIRC).
Recommended: Best Friends Special Roll

Ramen-

Cocolo [Rosenthaler Platz]: This ramen-bar in Rosenthaler is tight but delicious, with lines going out the door every time I've been it might be worth going to their larger location in X-Berg, but the quality difference is apparent in this one (namely the broth). This place has good ramen overall but is really known for their Tonkatsu and for good reason, it is super flavorful and I love it.
Recommended: Tonkatsu ramen with pork belly starter or gyoza
Takumi Nine: This recently-opened ramen shop has solid Miso ramen options, with tons of toppings if you are into that. Less awesome to cocolo but much closer to shonhauser makes it a good option, although it's in a really tiny place as it took over for an Okonomiyaki shop (that was pretty bad).
Recommended: Miso ramen w/ egg (non-Deluxe, too much toppings for me)

Other Asian food-

Kochu-Karu: Korean-Spanish fusion restaurant this place serves really solid food. Best bibimbap I've had in berlin (with hot stone bowl!) with some super good sharing appetizers. The spanish-korean fusion works well and this is definitely a sit-down fancyish place but is totally worth.
Recommended: Bibimbap, Kimchi pancakes with cheese (amazing), not desert :(.
Onkel Ho: Decent vietnamese place (sister restaurant of Best Friends Sushi) this place has good 'curry' dishes listed as specials on their chalkboard with sizable portions, good quality, and decent prices. Good takeaway place or good place to stay in, sit on the ground, and enjoy some teas. Pho was disappointing though, would definitely go with the special menu.
Recommended: Special #2 (they are always roughly the same)
Royals & Rice [Rosenthaler Platz]: Solid vietnamese place that has a better set up menu than Onkel Ho (but farther away T_T). Bao burger is hyped if you are into that, has some decent cocktails and a back porch making it pretty cool for summer hangouts.
Recommended: Salmon & Wok Vegetables
Yum Cha Heroes [Rosenthaler Platz]: Dumpling place that serves authentic dumplings as well as their own brand of Yum Cha dumplings. I prefer the non-authentic ones as they have some interesting meat-spice combinations. Overall a little pricey vs amount of food (most dumpling places are), but the best place if I am looking for dumplings.
Recommended: Colored Yum Cha dumpings (except the prawns one, disappointing :)

European-

Der Fischladen: Probably my 2nd favorite restaurant on this list, this fish place has a counter you can buy fish for home, you can get the best fish n chips I've ever had (for pretty cheap), or get some really nice sit-down restaurant food with great seafood pasta. This is my go-to place to show visitors my neighborhood.
Recommended: Fish n Chips (small, better batter-to-fish ratio)
Asteria: Greek place that is perfect for large parties. They serve you Ouzo when you arrive and keep refilling, with large portions of food and great service for pretty cheap this place is the best to go with a large group for cheap (also big dining room). This place was under construction last time I passed it though, so may be temporarily closed.
Recommended: Shredded lamb meat with sauce (Forget what it's called)
Suppe & Salat: A great lunch place I would go to more if it wasn't so far away from me, this place has tasty salads that are more than just lettuce, and a cafe-style atmosphere that I could see just chilling here for hours.
Recommended: Pick a salad with fruit and nuts !
Mauerpark: Not the best or most elegant food, but if I'm craving sausages or belgian fries or other hand-held food there's a sunday market at Mauerpark that fills that street-food craving.
(note: havn't really found good german food in this area, let me know if you know something I don't)

Breakfast/Brunch-

Le Midi: A super cute small place with delightful outdoor seating in the summer this place is my favorite breakfast place. The fruits are super fresh, the meats and cheeses are strong, the bread is warm, the egg is soft, and the jams are the best part. This place made me fall in love with european breakfast. Also while I don't drink coffee people have loved it here.
Recommended: the Le Midi, meat/cheese/fruit platter (it's awesome).
Cafe Krone: While the menu isn't as minimalist as Le Midi, this place has unique options that have been delicious. Pancakes and egg dishes for those who want hot-food, this place has a wider selection as Le Midi, but I don't favor the cheese or fruit selection as much.
Recommended: The pancakes
(some other quick options, Butter is a good place for larger parties, but not as good as le midi. My favorite bakery has been: Konditorei Krautzig, though it still leaves me with some left to be desired. If you know good bakeries throughout berlin LMK)

Burgers-

The Bird: You can't talk burgers without this renown "NY style" burger joint near Mauer Park. With a ton of "Steak Quality" beef, english muffin style buns, american beers, and really spicy wings this place is definitely worth a visit. While as an american I question it's 'authenticity' it is still delicious. Reservation helpful.
Recommended: Da Birdhouse is large but my favorite by far. Their 1-patty burgers don't get enough browning.
MaMF: There are a lot of other burger places in this area (Yellow Burgermanufaktur, Spreegold, Stargarder Burger, etc.) and I've been to all of them and this little stall under the U-Bahn is my favorite, with what I think is the best burgers (under 10 euro), and cheaper than most. However, their fries are the real killer, with belgian-style fries with 20 different homemade sauces, they are worth the visit alone.
Recommended: MaMF Cheeseburger, Fries with Gorgonzola sauce.
Note: when I first moved here I hated the burgers here. But I have been coming around to them, idk if my tastes have changed or they got better. Probably the former.

Pizza-

Rocca Pizza: I miss American pizza a lot, however it isn’t as bitter with Rocca pizza, a thin-crust by the slice (or whole pizza) place, this place is the identity of European pizza to me. 1000x better than call-a-pizza, the Margherita pizza alone is worth your time with loads of cheese, a crisp thin crust, and light sauce.
Recommended: Prosciutto & Ricola slices, pretty salty but it is amazing with the crispy Prosciutto, thin crust, and Ricola to add some balance.
Standard Serious Pizza: A bit far from shonhauser this place serves Neapolitan style pizza, with puffy crust around the edges and blotches of mozzarella cheese. This place is super hipster and always crowded. Best Neapolitan pizza I’ve had in Berlin, but it doesn’t have much competition. Reservation Helpful
Recommended: Margherita
If you guys know of any American style pizza (thicker crust, extra cheesy with real PEPPERONI), let me know

American Food-

Salt and Bone: A nice gastro-pub style restaurant this place has good beers and rich food (a bit confused of a menu imo, with things like pumpkin potato-skins and some odd tacos) however it turned out well and would be a great place to go if you want that mix of beers and food.
Recommended: Ribs or some over the top meat dish
Mogg & Melzer [Rosenthaler Platz]: A Jewish deli style restaurant I’m not in love with this place but have gotten good reception from the people I’ve taken there, and there isn’t many places like this in Berlin. Great place for lunch.
Recommended: Pastrami sandwich, PICKLES (they were awesome).

Eis-

Out of all the things here one of the things I love most about Berlin is the eis. There are ice cream stands every 2 blocks and they are super cheap making a night stroll in the summer feel so nice. As such I'm pretty stringent on this list as I hold it dear to my identity of Berlin.
Hokey Pokey Patisserie: this is my favorite ice cream shop in the world. I went back to one of my favorites recently (bi-rite creamery in SF) and it didn't compare at all. I've had some better ice cream but not at a stand and not as consistent as this place. The lines get sometimes crazy but this place is worth it! I kinda doubt that this is the best Berlin has to offer, but I haven't found a better one yet (especially in this neighborhood).
Recommended: chocolate (as boring as it sounds it is my favorite), hokey pokey (sweet and soft), pistachio, or the combo of mango and raspberry scoops.
Georgio Lombardi [Rosenthaler Platz]: this is gelato not ice cream but it is great and another place I'll always hit if i have the time / room. Great inside location if it is cold out too (and doesn't get too busy). My favorite gelato I've had outside my trip to Italy.
Recommended: fruit flavored, melon, mango, strawberry. In combination they are amazing!

Travel ranking:

Now, most people don't live in Schönhauser alle and thus this food guide can be misleading, so if you want to travel to this neighborhood to enjoy some of the great food I've created ones that are best worth traveling from other parts of the city for (this skews towards sit-down type restaurants, as it would be kinda silly to travel 30 min for take-away type food)
Top Tier Travel Destinations: Kochu-Karu, The Bird, Sasaya (these are best with reservations and are a bit pricier) Second Tier: Maria Bonita, Cocolo, Hokey Pokey, Le Midi (or Cafe Krone on a Sunday because it's next to Mauer Park) Third Tier: Der Fischladen, Asteria, Standard Pizza.
Please let me know if you think anything is missing or if you have recommendations for me :D - obviously always looking to try different places!
Edit I made a google map here of all these locations: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1sw_o2pX7uvT8uUyCjDVUoxGMVQE&usp=sharing .. This isn't as good as the map making tech... but alas.
submitted by spellsy2 to berlin [link] [comments]

Need help with bibimbap recipe

I got Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking cookbook for Christmas and I’m finally ready to try it out, but the bibimbap recipe has me perplexed.
The ingredients for the beef portion are listed as:
The instructions say to mix those ingredients together and put them in the fridge until ready to use, and the next time the flank steak is mentioned it is to arrange it on top of the rice.
I’ve only eaten bibimbap once, but I’m pretty sure the meat was cooked. I can see three possibilities that would fit with what’s in the cookbook:
  1. Cook the steak, then cut into matchsticks, then add seasoning.
  2. Cut the steak, cook it, then add seasoning.
  3. Cut the steak, add seasoning as marinade, cook right before serving.
My instinct is to go with the third option, but Maangchi is pretty clear about when and how to cook the other ingredients in the recipe so I’m really not sure. Her bibimbap recipe on the website uses ground beef, so it isn’t the same process. Does anyone have any advice?
Thanks!
Edit: I made this last night using the third option and it turned out well. I also took a closer look at the photos (which were on a different page from the instructions so I hadn't really noticed them before) and it shows what is clearly the raw meat with seasoning on it by itself, and what was clearly cooked meat as part of the final dish so I think that was the right call.
For those who keep making comments regarding ground (or minced) beef or downvoting my statement that I don't find that set of instructions helpful, I don't necessarily cook ground meat and pieces of meat the same way. I'm not sure I've ever seen a recipe for ground meat (aside from meatloaf, meatballs, or other dishes where you are forming the ground into a solid mass) get the majority of the seasoning before cooking. Generally you cook the ground meat first, drain off the fat, then add your seasoning. I assume this is because if you season first you would either drain off all of your seasoning or end up with a greasy and unappetizing mess. That doesn't really hold true for chunks of beef, because the fat is in larger pieces that can be removed while prepping.
I knew I wanted the beef cooked, but my question was really whether the other ingredients should be as well. If I add everything after cooking the beef (which would make sense if the recipe assumed cooked steak in the ingredients list), then I would have raw garlic and raw sugar on my meat, which seems unusual but I'm new to the cuisine.
Thanks for all the help!
submitted by MidnightBlueDragon to AskCulinary [link] [comments]

I am aware this is FoodTORONTO, but those of you who drive or/and do not mind the commute once in awhile...

Here are the top restaurants in Mississauga.
Best Korean food in town. They have more locations in downtown Toronto. A bit embarrassing but I have to go to Owl like every week.
What to try: Spicy Bulgogi, More Bulgogi, Kalbi - beef ribs, Bibimbap
Easily the best yet affordable Italian eatery in Mississauga
What to try: Spaduch - it may look weird but fresh mozarella and anchovies in a garlic bread, you HAVE to have it. Tiramisu
Absolute best and fresh sushi. People drive out to this place just for a la carte sushi.
What to try: Sushi
The better Shawarma place and definitely beats Osmow's. Unlike Osmow's where they serve up stinky chicken meat from a reserve tray, at Lazeez you will find fresh meat carved up from the rotisserie
What to try: Shawarma
What to try: Lobster Sandwich, Oysters, Calamari, White fish stuffed with shrimp, scallop and lobster sauce
Original restaurant is in Queen + Spadina in Toronto. Handmade burgers.
What to try: Armageddon, Pope
My boyfriend's favourite place. If there is no food at home, we are usually getting Nando's take out.
What to try: Flame Grilled Chicken, Peri-Peri Fries
Afghan Kabob place, it is better than Bamiyan Kabab. Sorry.
What to try: Sultani Dinner Plate
Pretty neat small restaurant. The owner and servers are so nice!
What to try: Seafood Platter, The small Souvlaki plate, because you won't be able to finish the big one alone, Calamari
Taiwanese Bubble Tea place. If you haven't tried out Bubble Tea yet, you must!
What to try: Caramel Pudding Black Milk Tea, Minced Meat
Vietnamese soup, noodle bowls and grilled meat rice plates.
What to try: Pho! Best soup in the world
Neat little French Pastry shop. It is also halal!
What to try: Macarons
Cupcake shop in Meadowvale Town Center. They also have cake pops and can make custom cakes for special occassions.
What to try: Cupcakes More Cupcakes
Best Chinese bakery in Mississauga.
What to try: Coconut Buns, Tarts
South Indian vegetarian food. Eventhough it is unlike your typical Indian butter chicken stuff, it is still very good and crowded always
What to try: Mini Tiffin, Masala Dosa
Awesome diner near the airport.
What to try: Huge plate of Souvlaki
Y'all gotta try Hakka Chinese food. It is chinese food with a more spice and it is so flavourful and yummy.
What to try: Manchurian/Chilli Chicken, Chilli Beef, Manchurian Fried Rice, Hakka Chow Mein
The more popular and overcrowded Hakka place. Go any night of the week, you will be waiting in line. Also Halal!
What to try: Manchurian Chicken, Hakka Chowmein, Fried Rice, Dry Chilli Chicken, Mongolian Beef Sizzler
Need I say more?
What to try: Chicken, Side order of Rice
All you can eat 45 cents/wings Monday - Wednesday after 4 pm
What to try: Wings
This is the Ben Thanh near Credit Valley Hospital. It's a family owned restaurant and the people are really nice. Their red and green curry are definitely the best in Mississauga with huge portions.
What to try: Malaysian Seafood Laksa, Thai Red Curry
Cute Japanese Ramen shop. The stuff Naruto eats, lol. The original Kenzo Ramen is in Toronto but I am so glad they opened up in Mississauga.
What to try:Takoyaki, The King of King Ramen
Apparently one of the best Malaysian restaurant in GTA
What to try: Nasi Goreng - Malaysian Fried Rice.
Halal restaurant. A little bit pricey.
What to try: Stuffed Cajun Chicken Breast
Boys and girls, for all of you meatatarians this is a all you can eat bbq! And their meat quality is not bad.
What to try: The Whole Menu, More Menu
Anoter all you-can-eat grill-it-yourself Korean but also a la carte.
What to try: AYCE menu
Portuguese Chicken place next to Cooksville station.
What to try: Bbq Chicken Plate
Cute little cafe near UTM campus.
What to try: Salmon, I forget what this is called
Little family owned Thai restaurant. For those of you looking for halal Thai place in Mississauga, this is the place to go to.
What to try: Pad Thai, Spicy Squid
A signature late night spot that serves chicken balls, fried rice, dim sum and all types of greasy Chinese dishes. You want to be here devouring their food when you are piss drunk. Trust me.
What to try: Dim Sum, Noodles, Lobster
One of the oldest Fish and Chips place in Mississauga.
What to try: Halibut, Halibut, Halibut
Italian bakery in Port Credit area specializing in fresh baked goods.
What to try: Pizza, Fresh Baked Bread
Easily some of the freshest, most authentic and tasty Chinese food in Mississauga... I was so close to not posting this because I don't want too many of you mouth breathers eating at my favorite spot. Cash only!
What to try: Seafood Congee, Chinese Doughnuts, Fried Shrimp Dumplings
Good Mexican food in the hood and definitely better than Burrito Boyz
What to try: Burrito, Quesadilla, Salsa
What to try
Family style pizza place
What to try: Deep dish pizza
Sister restaurant of The Apricot Tree. Little pricier, little higher end. Take your date here :)
What to try
Home of the super smoked sandwich
What to try Thich-cut smoked meat, Hoagies
Another hidden Korean gem.
What to try: Soon tofu soup, Banchan (side dishes)
Quiet strip mall sushi serving up large portions
What to try:
Simple restaurant serving traditional Turkish eats.
What to try: Adana Kebab, Bulghur
Gastropub, live music, heated patio
What to try
Usually overcrowded Chinese BBQ place.
What to try: Chinese bbq, Char Siu, Dumplings
Hamburger joint.
What to try: Poutine
Authentic Neapolitan-style wood oven pizza, salad, and Italian inspired dishes.
What to try: Pizza
I mean it when I say forget Osmow's. Tarboosh knows how to keep their patrons happy by serving them fresh good quality meat, unlike Osmows.
What to try: Chicken Shawarma
As Featured on "You Gotta Eat Here
What to try: Pasta
submitted by 0fjune to FoodToronto [link] [comments]

[PI][CC] Second Chances (Time travel has a price)

Inspired by the prompt: "A stranger you once helped has now become your best friend. Today she reveals that she is a time traveler. Together you get to explore time and space, but it comes at a cost."
Any comments are appreciated.
Second Chances
Everyone has fantasies. It's part of being human. There are regrets, there are what ifs, there are might-have-beens, there are maybes. They regret the words that were never said. What if they had been there, when it really mattered? What might have been? Maybe they would have a better life now.
Maybe they would be better man now.
For Sean, it had been twenty-seven years, and what did he have to show for that? A drone job, buzzing around a small space for a 8 hours a day. The type of job that's done because it's there--and not in some noble, George Mallory-type way. Not because someone wants to do it, but because someone will do it. The type of job that might even be excusable if it was something he did to get by, so that he could spend the rest of his time doing what he enjoyed. But it wasn't that. It had instead become the defining feature of a rudderless life. He didn't do that whole enjoyment thing. He lived alone, in a small, poorly lit apartment. He ate every meal out of a bowl, and he watched bad TV.
There was one exception, one thing that did for himself. He listened to his father's old vinyl, on his father's old stereo. They were all Sean had from his father, a few stacks of strange experimental blues-rock, of funky, offbeat jazz, or psychedelic prog-rock so obscure that it wasn't even a conversation starter. They were his father's legacy. Sean would sit with his eyes closed, with his headphones on, and he'd try desperately to understand what he heard. Sometimes, he thought that he might find the bottom, touch it with his feet, but for the most part he could only tread water aimlessly. In his ears the music was dissonant, random sounds that never fell in line, lyrics--when there were lyrics at all--that seemed to be nothing more than the ramblings of someone on a particularly bad trip. He had listened sober, he had listened drunk, he had listened high, but the music never put itself together for him.
That was as close as he came to a hobby. Torturing himself with his father's music in the vain hope that it would tell him something about the man. It was the only means he had left. His father had died when Sean was only fourteen years old, when Sean was a child, and his father was only his father. That was the extent of their relationship. Years later, while he was cleaning out the basement for his mother, Sean found the records. He found notebooks of poetry, and a dusty keyboard that had never once been played in his presence, as far as he could remember. Sean asked her about those things, and she told him that his father had given them up when Sean was born. He had put his life away and gotten a job, which is how Sean knew him from beginning to end.
"Sounds like a pretty shitty way to live, Sean." said Anna.
They were in a bustling little Korean restaurant, sitting across from each other over a narrow laminate table. Sean had agreed to come out and eat with her here, and was being careful to not mention the odd smells, or the loud K-pop playing out of a scratchy iPod dock mounted behind the cashier. He was trying to simply take in a new experience with a new friend.
He didn't get out very much.
"It's like, I don't know," said Sean. "It's like, I wish he could have, just once, talked to me. You know? Me. Not his kid, not the mouth he was feeding, or whatever else he thought of me as. I wasn't a real person yet when I was fourteen. If that makes sense."
"It does," said Anna as she picked up a piece of kimchi with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth. Kimchi is essentially over-spiced and rotting cabbage. Sean know that, because he'd looked it up before meeting her here. It was supposed to be good for you, but it both looked and smelled just as he expected over-spiced rotting cabbage to smell, and he wasn't going to have any part of it.
Anna is someone he met a little while ago. He'd picked up her computer bag after she'd left it in the coffee shop he stopped in every morning before work, he'd called the number printed on the little tag inside, and they'd met that evening, at the same coffee shop, so that he could return it. For whatever reason, they'd also struck up a conversation, and Anna insisted on seeing him again. It had have been her, because that's not something Sean would ever do. He didn't regret becoming friends with her, really, but it had made his life a lot stranger. Eating Korean food was only the latest in a string of new experiences, and also something Sean would never have done on his own. A week ago he didn't even know there were Korean restaurants around that he could go to.
When she started making significant chopstick gestures toward a small dish of what looked (and also smelled, even with that kimchi hanging in the air) like tiny, dried out fish, Sean panicked a little, and trying to deflect attention, he said, "What about you?"
She looked at him with large green eyes, vibrant with a curious intelligence. Sean often felt like there was something else going on behind those eyes. Plus, they were really nice to look at. So was the rest of her face, the way it was framed just so by her short brown hair, the way the corner of her lips always seemed slightly raised, as if there was something amusing that only she could see. It made it difficult to not stare. Not that he would ever say that to her. She already thought he was boring, he was sure, and he didn't need her thinking he was creepy as well. "What about me?" she said at last.
He shrugged. "What about your life?" She had never once talked about even what she did for work.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said, and gave a little elvish grin.
"Oh," said Sean. He drank some water, fixed the angle of his spoon on top of his napkin.
Then Anna burst out laughing. Sean looked up, startled. "Come on dude," she said. "Don't be so goddamned serious about it. I'm not admonishing you for asking. I just mean you probably wouldn't believe what I have to say."
Sean felt his face flush, and he was a little more defensive than he'd have liked when he said, "Try me."
Which is when their food arrived. Anna had ordered the gamjatang, a bowl of stewed pork neck bones in a bright red broth that was still boiling as it was set on the table. It was supposed to be very spicy, according to what Sean read online. He had ordered the bibimbap, which came as a bowl of mixed veggies and beef over rice, and a fried egg on top of that. It had seemed like the most accessible dish on the menu, but now he wasn't so sure. The conversation was abandoned while Anna poked and jabbed at her neck bones, trying to scrape away the meat before piling them in an empty bowl that had been provided. Sean spent a long time prodding his dish with a spoon. In the end, he managed to eat the fried egg, some beef, and a bit of the rice. He told the very nice Korean woman who cleared their table afterwards that the food was great, but he was feeling a little ill. He wasn't sure she understood, or even heard him over the noise of the gang of students in the next booth. He left a generous tip.
They walked together for a while. Sean offered to call a taxi, but Anna said she needed to walk off the meal. It was a warm evening, still not fully dark yet, though a large moon hung in the sky already. They passed a bar, and the sound of a steady house beat spilled into the street for a moment as a couple of young men shoved the doors open and stumbled onto the sidewalk. Sean stepped wide, grazing against the newspaper vending machines at the curb. Anna walked straight, passing the men with less than an arm's distance between them. They both stood and watched her go by. She looked at them and nodded her head, and they dutifully returned the gesture.
Sean swerved back to Anna's side, and she poked him playfully in the ribs with an elbow. Without thinking, he poked her back, and she stumbled to the side, laughing out loud as he reached out to catch her fake fall. She was a strange person, and for the hundredth time he wondered why she was hanging out with him.
Eventually, they had walked far enough, and Anna stopped outside a large condo. "This is me," she said, and stood there, looking at him.
"Okay," I said. "Bye."
She stood there for a few more seconds, and then turned to walk inside. "Wait," Sean called. She turned back. "You never answered my question. You know, about your life. You don't have to, I know that, but I did want to know."
Anna took a few steps forward, till she was standing right in front of him. Sean looked down at her, met her eyes. "How about I show you?"
Which seemed an odd way to respond to that sort of question. "Sure," Sean said.
They passed a doorman on the way in. "Ma'am," he said, tipping his hat to Anna as he opened the door. Sean nodded at him, and the doorman gave him an odd look. Was that pity?
A modern elevator carried them smoothly up to the penthouse apartment. It was a large, open space, with high, vaulted ceilings. It looked expensive, but lacked something. Sean thought it must be uncomfortable, but couldn't identify any specific part of it that told him that. The furniture was soft and white, the carpet was deep enough to leave footprints in. There was soft lighting, and plenty of windows. Even the counter tops, all smooth marble and stainless steel, were pleasant to look at, and perfectly spaced.
Anna tossed her jacket down on a couch as Sean was removing his own jacket and looking for a place to hang it. There was a closet next to the door, and he slid it open. It was empty. There wasn't even an old coat hanger. There were no shoes on the shelf next to the door, either. That's when he realized what made the apartment feel so off. It had all of the trappings of a home, a place where somebody lived, but it was clearly not a home, not a place where anyone had ever lived. The bookshelves were full of cardboard cutouts, the art on the walls looked like placeholders. The fruit bowl on the kitchen island was empty, and the large TV in the living area wasn't even plugged in.
"Follow me," said Anna, and Sean did.
She led the way back to a closed door. Inside there was everything Sean expect to find in an expensively done up master bedroom, except for the bed itself.
Instead, there was a metal cylinder the size of a large SUV set on its back end. Anna walked up to it, hit a button that was suddenly just hanging in the air, and the cylinder opened itself up, an entire half of its outer shell sliding away. Inside was a space like the inside of an elevator, large enough for a group of people to stand in comfortably.
"Well," said Anna. "What do you think?" She waved an arm theatrically around, like the woman who introduces the prizes on a cheesy game show.
"What is it?" Sean asked, because what else could he ask?
"It's a time machine," said Anna matter-of-factly, like she was telling him the make and model of her washing machine.
"A time machine?" he repeated.
"A time machine," She said again.
"Okay," He said. "It's a time machine."
Anna grinned. "Want a demonstration?"
"Okay," he said. "Give me a demonstration."
So she did. She stepped into the machine, the walls closed up around her, there was a brief humming sound and the feeling of intense, electric pressure. Sean's ears popped. Then the machine opened up and she stepped back out, wearing different clothes and holding a crisp, new newspaper. He knew that paper had stopped printing years ago, and the issue she held was dated to August 7th, 1929, She also had a brand new Detective Comics #27--the first ever appearance of Batman, printed in 1939--and what looked like an original run print of an album from some obscure late '70s blues band that Sean only recognized from the beat up copy in his father's collection. He examined every inch of the metal cylinder, but found no trap doors or hidden spaces, and, after needing a glass of water and some fresh air on the roof, he decided that Anna was just the kind of strange person who, in dreams, might be a time traveller.
"Now what?" Sean asked her as he leaned heavily against the safety railing and stared down into the city below, a valley of moving lights and sounds. He was having trouble focusing on anything in particular, his mind only wanting to see that machine and the possibilities it represented.
"That's up to you," said Anna as she moved to stand beside him.
Sean looked at her. His instinct was to mistrust her, even now. There had to be something else going on, even if he didn't know what it was. Still, she had just shown him a time machine. That's not the kind of thing someone does without intent, without consideration. It had been her choice to bring him here, and now it was her choice to ask him what he wanted to do. "You can take me back?" he asked, because it seemed polite to ask. "Back, into the past. Any time I want?"
Anna beamed at him and nodded her head. "Any time you want to go to."
"Ancient Rome?" he said, though it wasn't where he wanted to go.
"That's a little more complicated," she told him. "We can go back, but it's a time machine, not a space machine. We'll still be right here. Think H.G. Wells, not Doctor Who. If you want to see Caesar cross the Rubicon then we'd need to walk, and that's a pretty long walk."
He nodded. They were stuck to this geographical place. A bit disappointing, perhaps, but it didn't change what he was going to ask next. "Would you take me back to 1982?"
"I would," she said, as if that was what she'd been expecting him to ask. "But there will be a cost."
"Like, I can never come back?"
"No," she said, with the hint of a laugh. "Nothing like that. And not money, either, if that's what you're thinking."
"Okay," said Sean. "Then let's go."
The sensation from the inside of the machine was wholly different from what Sean had felt standing outside of it. There was no pressure, no hum. There was barely anything to tell him that the machine was working. Anna had pressed a button, which had appeared out of thin air like the one she'd used to open the machine, and after entering the exact date he specified into a dial nearby, she pressed the button again. He felt a moment of gentle vibration under his feet, no longer than the span of a heartbeat. Anna pressed another pop-up button, and the machine's wall slid open.
Anna stepped out, and then offered him a hand. Sean took a step forward, and then was assaulted by an intense sense of vertigo. It crashed into him like a physical wave, and he reeled, unable to keep his balance as the ground he stood on tilted violently. He reached out to steady himself, and found Anna's hand. "Relax," she said. "It happens the first time. It will pass."
It did pass, and a few minutes later Sean stepped out into the bedroom, the same bedroom as before, but also different. He followed Anna out into the apartment, and saw the same space refurnished and redecorated with the styles of a different era. Mirrored glass and polished chrome dominated, filling the place with angles and edges. There was a large CRT TV, also not plugged in, where the flat screen had been before. Outside it was as dark as it had been when they'd left. "All we need now is some coke and a Betamax player," he muttered.
"Oh, I've got one of those," said Anna, gesturing vaguely toward a closed cabinet next to the TV. "Stay here for a second," she told him, and then went back into the bedroom. A few minutes later she came back out, accompanied by a strong scent of hairspray, wearing a new outfit, and with her short hair imbued with spiky volume. She tossed him a plastic bag filled with clothes, and soon he was examining himself over in one of the living room mirrors, marvelling at how silly pastels looked on him, and wondering if Miami Vice had even begun airing yet.
It was her turn to say, "Now what?"
"We're in the exact same place, right?" said Sean.
"We are," said Anna.
They took the elevator down to the lobby. It wavered uncertainly as it stopped to let other passengers on--a broad-shouldered yuppie with a fake tan and his girlfriend, hair blown out into a cotton-candy mane--and rocked gently as it descended. The doorman tipped his cap at them as he opened the door. "Evening," he said.
Out on the street, Sean watched blocky cars pass, engines chugging noisily. Crowds of people walked the streets, and there wasn't a smartphone in sight. He breathed in the air. It tasted different to him. He thought it was air that he never could have tasted otherwise, and it was a strangely foreign experience that banished any lingering doubts about what was going on. He checked the dates of the papers in nearby racks. They all said it was 1982.
Anna was hovering beside him, clearly waiting for him to lead the way. So he did. He followed the route they had taken from the Korean restaurant, until they were back at the bar they'd passed. Live music leaked into the street, and there was a heavy, pulsating buzz, an energy field that wrapped around the building and extended outward like a gravity well, tugging at anyone who walked by. Sean felt it pulling him, and he did not resist. Anna followed him inside.
Sean had been into this bar before, a few times. He remembered it as a rowdy, wooden space with garish lighting. It was the place where the collage kids went to drink bad liquor and listen to repetitive, overproduced music that was all chirpy, electronic highs and overbearing bass thump lows, so digitally compressed that it came out of the speakers like an angry mob, every note and beat pressed tightly against the next as they demanded to be heard. The kind of place where he couldn't hold a conversation, and wouldn't find anyone he'd want to converse with anyway. Now, though, it was a completely different place. He had to resist the urge to cough as he took a deep breath and got a lung full of the cloud of cigarette smoke that hung like a fog in the poorly lit room, a haze that obscured the walls, the corners, creating the impression of an intimate gathering in a boundless expanse. Almost everyone he could see was puffing away on something, and there was an ashtray at every table. He would have to get closer. He had to see the band.
Anna found them a table right away, even though the place was crowded, surprisingly close to the stage, and ordered them some drinks after they sat down. Sean barely noticed any of that, because he was too busy staring at the stage, a low platform that seemed more like it was designed to be a tripping hazard rather than a performance area. Up there was a tall, rail-thin man wearing a red smoking jacket over a bare chest that was glistening with sweat as he aggressively slapped at a bass guitar. He knew that jacket, had seen it laying moth-eaten in the attic. He knew that man, had seen him looking implacable, with eyes that bore the weight of authority and the duty of punishment. He had seen him as the one who gave orders, who was obeyed, who had responsibilities, who was always--even in the few quiet, personal moments--a man who could be appeased, or rebelled against, or even manipulated, but never understood.
Sean was watching his father, watching him do the things that he had only heard stories about.
Anna sat next to him, but said nothing. Not that Sean would have heard her. Mouth open, he stared at his father, not even seeing the rest of the band as his eyes become more and more focused, and watched the way he moved, the way he responded to the music. It was an alien vision, the uncanny valley, as his brain tried to process what he was experiencing. His father, who stood straight, who had occupied Sean's life like a pillar, an obstacle that always had to be accounted for. Who would occasionally smile for a family photograph, if he was asked nicely. He was scrambling wildly around the stage, a huge grin on his face as he dictated the song's groove--a raucous, train-track pulse that had the entire building shaking. Without realizing it, Sean began to tap his foot in time, and slapped his palms on the table when he began to anticipate the next movement in the music. Drinks were delivered, and ignored. Sean sat in rapturous awe for the entire set, never once looking away from the man he had come to see.
When it was finally over, Sean closed his eyes, a long, luxurious moment of total darkness. Eyes open, and he was still there. The room was still filled with the cheers and applause of the other patrons. It was not a dream. He smiled, and thought to himself that he finally understood--or was at least on the road to understanding--those records. This was not music that demanded attention, it was music that required it. It was not a tailored and tested, not prepackaged and prefabricated. It was a fevered expression. It was the result of work, and needed to be worked at to be understood. There was something personal and confidential in that, like he'd been told a secret, like he was part of a relationship. Sean felt his eyes moisten, and it had nothing to do with the smoke.
"What is it?" asked Anna, and he suddenly remembered that he was not alone.
"That was--is--my father," said Sean. "The bass player."
She nodded and sipped at her drink.
"I don't know how to really describe it," he said. "It's like, how can I say it? It's like, just having heard that, he's told me more about himself than he ever did while I knew him."
Anna smiled at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "How would you like to know him even better?"
Before Sean could respond, she had left the table, walked confidently to the stage, where the band was putting their instruments away, and caught the attention of his father as he was unplugging an amp. She leaned in and began talking to him, making gestures toward the table where Sean still sat, frozen in place. A minute later, they walked back to the table together. His father pulled up an extra chair as Anna ordered another round. A rum and coke for his father. Sean almost mouthed the words himself.
"Hey man," said his father, offering him a hand across the table. "Name's Eddy."
"Sean," said Sean, and took the hand, matching the grip, trying to shake once, properly. He didn't have much experience with handshakes. It was one of those things that you learned from your father, he'd always thought. He really hoped that he wasn't messing it up.
His father withdrew his hand and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Sean."
Sean imagined that if he was the type who went to dinners and parties he'd have to answer one of those questions like, "If you could invite anyone, alive or dead, out for coffee or beers, or dinner, who would it be?" He'd lie, say someone perfectly tailored, like Joseph Heller, a name that people might recognize, or might not, but that would dovetail into another conversation. A deflection tactic, of sorts. He sure as hell would not have said, "My dad."
But he sure as hell would have wanted to.
They sat together, huddled close to be heard over the general din of the bar, and for a while Sean couldn't speak. He saw the scene superimposed on his childhood. Eddy, as he called himself now--who had been an Edward in their house, and Dad, or Sir, for Sean--was both this sweaty, energetic man, all open, boxy grins and slow, friendly nods, and the man who Sean had always looked up to. Literally, as he had been taller--or, more accurately, Sean had been shorter--the entire time Sean had known him. Clean shaven then, wearing at least a month's worth of scruffy, dark beard now, his father looked around the room, looked as if he was searching for the next thing that would ignite him, that would inspire him.
It was that literal perspective shift that he found really threw him off. Sean sat, ramrod straight, propped up by unconscious memories of being scolded for his posture, and looked straight across the table at his father. Not up at him. Their eyes were level with each other, equal to each other. That new perspective also broke him out of his past. As Anna made polite chit-chat noises, Sean folded his childhood into itself, breaking it down so that it no longer blocked his view. The Eddy across the table from him was the Eddy he had always wanted to get to know.
And so he did. He opened his mouth, and after stumbling over a few words, he began to talk to the man. To ask him questions, to find out about who he really was, just then, just as another man. He thought that every son must wonder what that would be like. He had thought about it often: without everything else, would my father want to know me? Would he like me? Would he respect me?
Drinking in a noisy bar may not be the best place to truly get to know someone, or it might be the best place. A few drinks in, and Eddy was laughing, telling stories, clapping his big hands against the table for emphasis. He even laughed at a joke Sean told. Just a flippant remark that popped into his head, something he would never had said at their dinner table. His father guffawed, he swore. He stomped his feet and let out a howl, "It's a great fucking night to be alive!"
They were there for hours, or minutes, or days. Time was expanding and contracting around Sean all at once, until it became a wake behind him. As suddenly as it had begun, it was over. Eddy had to leave, the bar was going to close soon anyway. He had promised his girlfriend he'd be home before morning. She didn't come to his shows, he said. Well, she had come to one of them, but it wasn't for her. He didn't mind that at all. He loved that about her. She was his rock, his home base. He would do anything for her. "Even give this up," he said, gesturing around the bar. "But she doesn't mind, either, so no worries there, man."
"What if she got pregnant?" Sean asked.
"A kid? Man, I don't even know. Hah, you know she actually asked me about that the other night? 'What if I'm pregnant?' she says. I mean, she doesn't mind this, the band, but, yeah, a real job? Fuck, crazier things have happened."
"I think you would be a good father," said Sean.
Eddy looked at him, eyes narrowing slightly, then snorted in amusement. "You're a crazy dude, Sean."
Then Anna stood, followed by Eddy, and finally Sean. They shook hands again, and then, as if his body was moving by instinct alone--and not his instinct, because Sean was not the touchy type--Sean felt himself pulling on the hand, jerking his father forward until they were close enough to embrace. There was a single, solid moment of resistance, and then they were slapping each other on the back, once, twice, three times. They backed away, and he could see the look of honest surprise in Eddy's eyes. Sean opened his mouth, "I don't--."
"You're a crazy dude, Sean," his father said again, and smiled. "But I'm glad I met you."
Then he left, and Sean fell heavily into his chair. His knees felt like rubber, and he could not stop his hands from shaking as he reached for his drink.
"We should go," said Anna, placing herself back into the scene. Sean had almost forgotten she was there.
"Yeah," said Sean. His shirt was still damp where his chest had pressed against his father's.
They left the bar and walked back to the condo. Anna nodded at the doorman, "Ma'am," he said. They took the elevator up the penthouse. They changed back into their original clothes, Anna keeping her hair the way it was. Anna opened the time machine up again.
"Are you ready?" she asked him. Her face was placid, her eyes watchful in the bedroom's diffused lighting.
He knew he was still shaking slightly from the bar, but he was taking deep, steady breaths. "I'm ready," he said, and then followed her inside.
She set the date on the dial to July 31st, 2000.
"Wait, what are you doing?" asked Sean. "Aren't we going back to the present?"
Anna looked at him, eyes focused and bright. "No," she said, and she watched for his reaction.
He looked back, quite sure what was going on, still in the flush of the previous moment. "What did you say to my father?" he asked at last. "Did you say something to him, about me? Did you lie to him about me? Say I was dying or something? Is that why he was being nice to me?"
"No," she said.
"Then why did he come to our table?"
"Because he knows me," she said. "We'd met before."
"What?" Sean asked. "How? Where?"
She only shook her head, eyes cast down, toward his feet. "I can't tell you that."
Sean was quiet for a while. He felt as if he couldn't press the issue. "I guess I have to accept that, Anna," he told her, "but not this." He pointed at the date. "Tell me why we're going to that time."
"I told you there would be a price, Sean," she said, letting out a great sigh. "This is that price. I'm sorry, but there is no getting around it. If you want to go home, you have to do this first."
"The price," said Sean, resigned, and he thought he understood. The one thing he'd wanted, paid for with the one thing he'd spent most of his life trying to avoid.
Sean knew he was not a brave man. Not that his cowardice was broadcast to the world; he was never put into situations where he even had the opportunity to be brave. He had spent his life avoiding conflict, responsibility, avoiding action of any kind, really. It was one of his failings, and he tried to accept it.
He tried to accept it, but he couldn't. He couldn't accept it because of a single moment that haunted him, that resided in the deep, pressured parts of his mind, that bubbled up when he wasn't actively tamping it down.
That moment had come on July 31st, 2000. It had come while he was alone in his room, reading. Distracting himself. It came with a knock at his door, and his mother's soft-spoken voice.
"Do you want to see him?" she had asked. Such a simple, obvious question.
He had never answered. He kept his eyes on the page, reading the same two sentences over and over again until she closed the door and went away.
Many people believed themselves to be capable of bravery, if they were put in a situation that called for it. Most would never have to test that belief. Sean didn't even expect that much of himself, and he had still fallen short.
"You have to do this," Anna said again. Gently, the voice of a concerned family member. Someone who only wanted the best for him. The words were razor blades on his skin, scratching, leaving cold, bloody tracks. They only emphasized his cowardice. "You have to follow the entire path. That's how it works."
They stood in a wide, white corridor. It smelled of sterilizing bleaches, of cold plastic, of sickness and death. A public address system chattered, and a woman in a long, white coat hurried past, a look of concentrated concern on her face. In front of Sean was a door, a narrow barrier of smooth, blond wood. He grasped the handle and pushed it open.
On the other side was a small room, coolly lit by cloudy sun coming through half-shut blinds. In the corner was a sink, next to that a closet. A comfortable looking chair. Machines. A bed. A man.
There was no sound save the gentle beep of the monitoring equipment and his own tentative footsteps, then the door shut with a soft click. He glanced back and saw that Anna was staying outside. Sean stood next to the bed and looked down at his father. This was the third version of the man, the one that lived in Sean's nightmares. The one who was already a skeleton, a corpse. He weighed a much as a child, was pale and glistening with cold, clammy sweat. Long, bony hands were clenched tightly at his sides. There was a sickly sweet scent of vomit hanging on him like a cologne.
Sean wanted to look away, wanted to run away. He wanted to have ignored Anna the same way he'd ignored his mother, to have never come here. He wanted to be anywhere else but in this room, at this time. But he also wanted to be a man who didn't look away, who didn't run. He wanted to be the man he should have been, or at least tried to be.
So he took one of those cold hands in his own. His father's head turned, moving in jerky stops and starts as he forced his neck around. Cloudy eyes opened and began to focus. His lips trembled, pulled tight over yellowed teeth, began to open and close. Sean leaned in close, heard the words, like the gentle gust of wind in the cold of autumn, that final tug that dropped the last dead leaf to the ground. "Sean," whispered his father, his breath hot against Sean's ear. "Sean," he whispered again.
"I'm here, Dad" said Sean. "You aren't alone. I'm here now."
There was a gentle squeeze on his hand, a slight convulsion of the muscles in his father's body. "Sean," he whispered again.
Sean didn't know if his father saw the boy who did not come that day, or the man he had met in the bar, all those years ago. He had been lucid so rarely toward the end, and it had scared Sean more than he would ever have admitted, though he was sure everyone knew. He had been a kid, and his father's illness had been, at first, an inconvenience--trips to the doctor, afternoons in the hospital--then a burden. They had talked only once about it, when his father had asked him to sit down near his bed, had told him that he was going to beat this, that he was going to get up again. Then came the but, the what if, the maybe. Sean had sat, stone-faced, and said nothing until his father was done speaking, and then only, "Okay."
What came next was nothing short of a betrayal. He had been lied to, by his own father, because he never beat it, he never got up again. That was the example he set, that he was weak. Like father, like son. Sean shut himself away, he ignored his father and mother both. He stayed in his room and read his books, played his video games, and waited for everything to end.
This time he didn't see a liar, or weakness. He saw only a man, who had done his best to live a good life, who had sacrificed himself to be there when Sean needed him, who was an example to be followed, and would have kept being that example if he'd had the chance. "I love you, Dad" is what Sean said now, on July 31st, 2000, at 2:49pm, in the last hour of his father's life.
The lips kept moving for a while longer, but no more words came out. Sean straightened, but did not let go of the hand. He needed that connection. He needed to feel his father, he needed him to know that his son, his friend, was there, that he wasn't alone. That he didn't die alone. The breaths came, agonized and laborious. They shuddered out, one by one, until they had all left, as though a finite supply had been exhausted. The body lay rigid and still, the arms went slack, but the hand Sean held did not loosen. He laid it gently on the bed. He tried to close the eyes, like he'd seen in movies and on TV, but they wouldn't budge. He realized that some of the monitoring machines were active, making noise. Someone would come to confirm the death. He had to leave.
Anna said nothing to him the entire way back to the condo, which was fine with Sean. He was sure he couldn't speak, though he did manage to croak out, "Take me back now. Please." when they stood in the bedroom.
"I will," said Anna, calmly. Not coldly, not insistently. Just calmly, like anyone should in her situation. He hugged her, wrapping his arms completely around her and burying his face in her hair, breathing in the hairspray fumes and not caring.
"Thank you," he told her, softly. Not numbly, not sadly. Just softly, like anyone should in his situation.
She hugged him back, fierce strength in her small arms. She let him hold her as long as he needed to, only releasing when he did. Then they stepped into the time machine together, and she set the date to the present.
Sean stepped out of the machine, back into that still, empty apartment that was so full of things that meant nothing to anybody. He turned around when Anna didn't follow. He raised a quizzical eyebrow at her.
"I have to go now, Sean," she said. "This is the last time you'll ever see me."
He nodded. "Thank you, and have a safe trip," he said, and they shook hands.
Sean watched as the machine hummed into life, felt that pressure push into him and pop his ears. Then it disappeared, leaving only a dark imprint on the carpet where it had been. He left the room, grabbed his jacket, then left the building.
"You have a good one," said the doorman with a nod.
Sean waited until he was home to make the call. He turned a lamp on and sat on the corner of his bed as he dialed.
"Hello." said a voice.
"Mom," said Sean, and then he finally said those three words that he had never been able to say, that he had never deserved to say. "I miss him."
And he began to cry.
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what is korean beef bibimbap video

How To Make Korean Beef Bibimbap - YouTube Korean Beef Bibimbap HelloFresh Demo CarnalDish - YouTube How to make korean beef bibimbap? - YouTube Savage Kitchen* Korean Beef Bibimbap - YouTube Korean Beef Bibimbap KOREAN BEEF BIBIMBAP by Lorie's Cooking - YouTube MUST-TRY KOREAN FOOD: RAW BEEF BIBIMBAP - YouTube

Korean Beef Bibimbap is a delicacy that is mostly common in Korean restaurants and even cafes, where people from all walks of life flock together and enjoy a bowl of freshly-cooked Korean Beef Bibimbap with the company of their friends, co-workers, parents and peers. Korean Bibimbap is a mixed rice dish full of vegetables and Korean beef that is bursting with flavor and textures. If you haven't tried this nourishing and healthy dish, you need to! If you haven't tried this nourishing and healthy dish, you need to! Korean-style beef bibimbap recipe 9 ratings This street-food favourite from Korea is an exciting bowl packed full of flavour and texture. Rice, spiced beef mince and fresh veg are topped with a crispy fried egg and drizzle of spicy dressing for a healthy dinner for two. Beef Bibimbap is a quick and easy Korean rice bowl mixed with assorted vegetables, savoury banchan, sweet spicy beef, all topped with an egg. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights. For weeknight dinner solutions, look no further! Here at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen we’re big fans of fast and flavourful. Jun 7, 2017 - This Beef Bibimbap recipe puts a Korean classic within the grasp of any home cook. Our Beef bibimbap recipe takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. What Is Bibimbap? Meaning, “mixed rice,” bibimbap is comprised of warm rice topped with different seasoned vegetables, sauce like gochujang (korean red pepper paste), and often meat and/or an egg. It’s all mixed up, and usually just eaten with a spoon (no chopsticks needed). It. Is. Awesome. First Exposure to Korean Home Cooking A classic Korean comfort dish, the term "bibim" means mixing various ingredients, while the "bap" refers to rice. Our version is beyond delicious and full of veggies for the perfect, easy weeknight lunch or dinner. We can't wait for you to try it : ) Active Cook Time: 9 min. Total Cook Time: 19 min. What We Send Aller Bibimbap is one of the most well known Korean dishes. A rice bowl topped with all sorts of seasoned sautéed vegetables, marinated meat (usually beef), a fried egg sunny side up, finished with a sprinkle of sesame and generous dollop of a sweet-spicy-savoury Bibimbap sauce. <- Heads up, this sauce is so awesome, you can basically use any vegetables and any meat and your Bibimbap is going to be delish! Bibimbap literally translates to “mixed rice” in Korean. This traditional dish can be made with almost any ingredients, but always starts with a bed of rice and a medley of sauteed veggies. A perfectly fried egg tops it all off in a spectacular fashion! Learn how to make Korean Beef Bibimbap the easy way! It’s a wonderful flavors of rice, seasoned meat, vibrantly cooked vegetables and the distinctly Korean seasoning and spices. Serves 4 people Prep Time: 30

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How To Make Korean Beef Bibimbap - YouTube

One of my favorite korean dish. Most of the time I always order bibimbap whenever I eat at korean restaurant. I enjoy eating this food. I love how it taste t... Easy, delicious Korean Beef Bibimbap from HelloFresh. One of their most popular meals. Get 6 FREE HelloFresh meals when you use my code CARNALDISH60 https://... This dish takes its name from the Korean word for mixing rice. Which is exactly what you’re meant to do after serving it: you put your rice in a bowl, add th... You might have tried the regular Korean Bibimbap or mixed rice with veggies and meat, but have you ever tried it with raw beef? We went to this unique restau... I hope you give this one a try, it is very good! Here's the normal recipe, I pretty much doubled it up in the video 2 Zucchinis (sliced into half moons) 8 ounces Button Mushrooms (sliced) 4 ... Another Awesome recipe guys from Hello Fresh. One of the coolest things about Hello Fresh is the ability to try new things and get used to cooking especially... how to cook korean beef bibimbap? very easy recipe.ingredients:230 grams beef ( i use sukiyaki style cut beef)3 tbsp oyster sauce1 tbsp sugar1 ...

what is korean beef bibimbap

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