Seoul food! (part 2)

I love eating out at restaurants because I usually eat with people who love to eat. You would think everyone loves to eat if they are going to pay for it but that’s not always the case. I’ve had meals with people who don’t really care where or what they are eating because they just need food to function. But to eat with people who taste ingredients and appreciate the production of the meal and the company – these are my people.

On my trip to Korea I went with complete strangers. I was not friends with any of the fellows – but that didn’t last long. As you saw in part 1 of my Korea food series, there’s a lot of family style eating. It’s common to reach over to grab some kimchi with your chopsticks or to ask someone to pass the soup. The eating experience is communal – you share flavors, conversation, and laughs. And when you’re sitting on the floor with limited table space, you get to know each other fast.

Here are some photos from the group meals we had. These are the seafood dishes from Gyeongju and Busan – cities outside of Seoul. I suppose this entry should be called” (not) Seoul food” but that doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Dishes galore! This was at the end of our meal. So glad I don’t have to do all these dishes.

This is the Korean style sashimi – it’s chewier than Japanese sashimi and you usually dip it in a spicy sauce instead of soy. I was impressed with the simple yet precise presentation.

Hand rolls!