Recognize some brand names?
Frito Lay section of a convenience store. | Fanta Orange, and Pocari Sweat is a popular amino/Gatorade type of drink. |
Nestle Quick! |
If I remember this right, the Pringles were "Light Ranch" flavored. |
Coke Light -- Diet Coke -- was a rare treat to find in Korea. |
Elaborate Fanta can design. |
Another great can design. |
Meat and cheese on sticks. Also corn on the cob. |
The two bags at left contain walnut cakes. |
One of the bags has fresh-made walnut cakes. |
This machine made the fresh cakes. Two halves automatically flip waffle-type batter over the fill-paste and bake. |
An amazing number of microwave ovens in a convenience store to cook purchased food. |
More or less, the first thing I saw after leaving the subway station in Dong-dae-mun. I couldn't believe that I was actually in Seoul! | I joined some friends for dinner in one of the restaurants here. We walked back and forth weighing all the choices before deciding to have a traditional meal. | ||
A few of the restaurants had additional choices to make. Yes, truly fresh fish! |
A traditional dinner has a hot coals or gas-fired cooking surface. Your server chops up your choice with scissors. Open areas in the cooking surface are frequently cleaned with a wet towel. This is different -- in the US we usually let charred material accumulate on a grill surface for additional flavor. |
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As the meat cooks, vegetables are added. |
The full meal, with all of the choices. |
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This restaurant was even more family-style and traditional. Note the stocking feet and low tables. |
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At this restaurant they would change out the grill in addition to wiping the open areas with a wet towel to keep it clean. |
Outside the restaurant on the third night. |
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Of all the meals, this was my absolute favorite! So many choices! So much good food to choose from! |
Digging in! Our interpreter was very kind to walk around and explain the choices we were unfamiliar with. |
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Tater Tots! |
My first of two plates. |
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Our third night restaurant. |
Selections. |
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Additional items, ready on the table. |
This time our meal came in a HOT stone bowl! Much like a Cesear salad, the components of the meal were separated. What you are supposed to do is mix it together, and the bowl heats it in the process. |
Another Lotte brand. I'm a huge fan of Lotteria! The food is fantastic! |
Harwoo Bulgalbi, Bulgalbi, Hot Rib Sand, Tender Grill Chicken Shrimp, Herb Porkcutlet, Squid, Chicken. |
European Frico Cheese, Mega Big Paprika. (W1000 is roughly $1.) |
Some of the delicious sides. |
I ate several of Lotteria Shrimp Cutlets. What a great sandwich! |
Another Shrimp Cutlet, at Everland park. Note the black sesame seeds on the bun. |
Some sides at a Chinese restaurant in Everland. A flat bread and honey-drenched corn fritters! The fritters were great! |
Cafeteria meal at a Chinese restarant in Lotte World. |
Shrimp stick at Everland. Awesome! |
Peanut-cooked Squid at Lotte World. I'd give it another try, but I'd rather have another shrimp stick! |
Corn came off the cob as whole kernels, rather than the sweet corn we know that has high water content. At Lotte World. |
Some sort of omlet that was being prepared right in front of me, as I bought a thick cold cinnamon drink. At Lotte World. |
An innovation I have not seen anywhere else. A soft drink is below, the fried food is in a smaller cup insert at the top. At Lotte World. |
The only Burger King I saw. At Everland. |
At Lotte World, in the mall levels. The only pizza I saw the whole time in Korea. |
At Pizza Hut there! |
You've heard of KFC? This was at Seoul Land. |
Dunkin Donuts, at Seoul Land. The heart was both jelly and cream filled. The green donuts are a version of green tea cake. |
Fries at Everland. |
Pumpkin chips and a Mango soft drink from 7-Eleven. Shrimp burger and the equivalent of a McFlurry with strawberries, from Lotteria. |
Recognize some brand names?
Can coffee from Maxwell House. | Some local soft drink brands. |
Gatorade. |
Mountain Dew. |
I didn't try the Milkis, but it reportedly tasted "purple". |
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Powerade. |
This was a rice soft drink. The label showed rice floating at the top. Really, it was at the bottom and an unexpected texture. |
An energy drink, Never Stop. |
An amino drink |
Confidence in a bottle and can. |
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There's a European folk tale not well-known in the USA about a donkey who poops gold coins. Parks outside the US commonly have it where you put in some coins, a mechanical donkey raises its tail, and you chase after a coin. |
At Lotte World, a plastic coin contained a round gum drop that looked like the park's Racoon masket. |
First I've seen of a hand dryer with a heat lamp! | Unique water fountain shape. Something like an upside-down faucet. |
Sign says: "This is clean water. Please feel free to drink." |
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Korean Air jets always have a cup holder in their seat back tables! |
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Onions on their way to market, as seen from the bus. |
A rice field. The "castle" is German-themed hotel we stayed at in Kyungnam |