Hangover? Forget hair of the dog, sip blood of the ox.
1. Hangover stew (해장국)
Given
Korea’s dedicated drinking culture, it’s not surprising that Korea’s
hangover-curing culture is equally as developed, from pre-drinking
drinks to post-drinking drinks to a glorious array of spicy and steamy
stews and soups.
Made from a beef broth, with cabbage,
bean sprouts, radish and chunks of congealed ox blood, the deeply
satisfying taste does wonders to kick-start your sluggish brain in the
morning.
Chungjinok has been making haejang-guk since 1937, so they must be doing something right. 24 Jongno 1-ga, Seoul (청진옥, 서울특별시 종로1가 24 ); +82 2 735 1690
The most popular "Kim" in Korea.
2. Kimchi (김치)
Dating
to the Shilla Dynasty (approximately 2,000 years ago), kimchi is the
beloved spicy sidekick at every Korean table. It's made by salting and
preserving fermented cabbage in a bed of pepper, garlic, ginger and
scallion.
Feeling adventurous? Exchange your regular
red cabbage kimchi for ggakdugi (chopped radish kimchi), a popular side
at gimbap restaurants. Yeolmumul kimchi is a less spicy kimchi made with
young radish stalks floating in a tangy soup.
For a selection of handmade kimchi, try online kimchi sellers Real Kimchi.
3. Soft Tofu Stew (순두부찌개)
Soft
tofu, clams and an egg in spicy broth? This popular stew is a classic
example of unexpected flavor combinations yielding delightful
sensations.
The soft tofu -- which breaks into fluffy
chunks in the stew -- holds the flavor of the clam and serves as a
relief from the overall spiciness.
Proper
sundubu-jjigae comes in a traditional earthenware pot designed to retain
heat. The egg is cracked into the stew after serving, and cooks inside
the bowl.
Jaesun Sikdang has the Korean blogosphere
buzzing with appreciation for its ambitious menu: four types of sundubu
jjigae, all for less than ₩6,000. 182-3 Nonhyun 1-dong, Gangnam-gu (제순식당, 서울특별시 강남구 논현1동 182-3); +82 2 514 3864
So juicy and fatty, you won't even need condiments.
4. Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)
The
best part of eating in a samgyeopsal restaurant is the atmosphere -- a
rollicking party punctuated by soju shots, pork strips sizzling on a
grill and shouts for “one more serving, please!”
Served
with lettuce, perilla leaves, sliced onions and raw garlic kimchi, it's
smudged in ssamjang (a mix of soybean paste called 'doenjang' and chili
paste called 'gochujang') or salt and pepper in sesame oil.
Bulzip
Samgyeopsal in Hongdae serves delicious pork barbecue 24 hours a
day. Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (벌집 삼겹살, 서울특별시 마포구 서교동); +82 2 323
3384; www.bulzip.co.kr
Greasy and thick? Must be borrowed from Chinese cuisine.
5. Jjajangmyeon (짜장면)
Although
originally a Chinese dish, Koreans have taken the noodles and created a
thicker, yummier version that holds only a vague resemblance to its
Chinese predecessor. (Think of New Yorkers and the wonders they’ve done
with pizza.)
It would not be an understatement to say
Korean diets would not be the same without this dish -- most Koreans eat
it at least once a week, and have their favorite jjajangmyeon delivery
shop on speed dial.
Yangjagang, 660-15 Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu (양자강, 서울특별시 강남구 신사동 660-15); +82 2 543 2233
6. Chimaek (치맥)
Chimaek,
short for “chicken, maekju (beer)” is actually not a dish, but an
institution. This glorious pairing features two surprisingly mundane
foods: fried chicken and beer.
Neither half, chicken
nor beer, is particularly remarkable on its own. But their popularity as
a joint entity demonstrates a glorious combination devoured by millions
of Koreans every weekend.
The Frypan in Sinchon takes chimaek very seriously: 2-2 Changcheon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul (더 후라이팬, 서울특별시 서대문구 창천동 2-2번지); +82 2 393 7707
The international symbol for student and single life.
7. Instant noodles (라면)
Anyone
can follow the directions on the back of the ramyeon package to boil
water and sprinkle in the spice packet, but connoisseurs will add extras
like canned tuna, eggs, and cheese for enhanced flavor.
Need
some pointers on how it’s done? Try Ilgongyuk Lamyun in Hongdae, named
for the time of day when ramyeon supposedly tastes the best: 106 for
10:06 pm. Their upgraded ramyeon dishes are replete with everything from
bean sprouts and tofu to mussels and sea mustard. And as if that isn’t
enough, all meals come with a complimentary supply of eggs, glutinous
rice, and toast.
2/F Prugio Sang-ga, 486 Seokyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul (일공육 라면, 서울특별시 마포구 서교동 486번지 푸르지오 상가 2층); +82 3142 1241
8. Kimchi Stew (김치찌개)
A
lesser-known fact about kimchi is its versatility as an ingredient in a
whole slew of derivative dishes, which comprise a category of their
own.
In kimchi jjigae, red cabbage kimchi is chopped,
sautéed in oil, and cooked with tofu, cellophane noodles, pork
(sometimes tuna), and other vegetables.
Despite the stew's debt to kimchi, you know it has come into its own when it’s served with kimchi as a side dish.
Try
Gwanghwamunjip Kimchi Jjigae for kimchi jjigae as kimchi jjigae was
always meant to be: obscenely orange and obscenely delicious. 43
Dangju-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul (광화문집 김치찌개, 서울특별시 종로구 당주동 43); +82 2 739 7737
9. Army Stew (부대찌개)
This
hodgepodge stew of sausages, Spam, American cheese, instant noodles,
tteok, and assorted vegetables dates back to the aftermath of the Korean
War.
Because meat was scarce, cooks found creative
replacements in the surplus foods from the American army base stationed
in Seoul, hence the stew's name.
Although meat has since then become plentiful, a buddae jjigae without Spam is unimaginable.
Buddae
jjigae Jeongjaengteo serves an updated, modern variation of buddae
jjigae. 25-34 Chungmuro 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul (부대찌개 전쟁터, 서울특별시 중구 충무로1가 25-34); +82 2 464 5564
What can't they ferment over there?
10. Soy sauce crab (간장게장)
Ganjang
gejang, or crab marinated in soy sauce, can be so addictive that it’s
often affectionately called “rice thief,” the joke being that you keep
eating more rice just so that you can have more gejang since it’s just
that good.
Slightly tangy, tantalizingly bitter,
pungent and cold, the taste may come as a shock for first-timers. But
among Koreans, gejang has been carving out a niche for itself as more of
a centerpiece than a sideshow to other seafoods.
Pro Ganjang Gejang in Sinsa-dong is over a quarter of a century old. 27-1 Jamwon-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul (프로간장계장, 서울특별시 서초구 잠원동 27-1); +82 2 543 4126
A
night of exciting live entertainment and fine cuisine, all with a
distinctive Russian flavour, the Russian old New Year Gala is an evening
not to be missed. Over the years, the event has been sponsored and
supported by the Mayor of London, Aeroflot, Gazprom, Beeline, bmi, Green
Mark, RIA Novosti and Lukoil. Media partners have included BBC, CNBC,
CNN, Kommersant, The Moscow Times and many others.
Over
the years the Gala Dinner has been attended by a legion of high-profile
guests including: HRH Prince Michael of Kent; Alexander Zhukov,
President of Russian Olympic Commitee; Len Blavatnik, Chairman of Access
Industries; Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom; Roger
Munnings, Chairman, KPMG CIS; Irina Kudrina, Founder of Northern Crown
Charity; Dmitry Peskov, Press Spokesman for the Prime Minister of the
Russian Federation; Sir Andrew Wood, former British Ambassador to
Russia; Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and Chief Executive of Sochi
2014; Nikita Mikhalkov, Oscar-Winning Film Director; Vyacheslav Fetisov,
Head of Russian Federal Agency of Sport; Nikki Haslam, Interior
Designer; Lady Ali Forte; Stephen Webster, Jewellery Designer; Donatella
Flick, socialite and philanthropist; Jo Malone, Beauty Industry Star;
Dmitry Bertman, Artistic Director of Helikon Opera; Alina Kabaeva,
Olympic Gymnastics Champion; Andrei Malakhov, TV Presenter, and many
other well known names.
This year the Gala Dinner will welcome such honourable guests as:
· Akhmed Bilalov,
Member, Federation Council of Russia; Vice President, Russian Olympic
Committee; Chairman, Supervisory Board of the Non-for-Profit
Organisation “Sport of the Highest Achievments”
· Anton Sikharulidze, Chairman, Russian State Duma Committee for Physical Culture and Sport; pair skater and World and Olympic champion
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Di India, nasib RUU anti korupsi menjadi tidak menentu setelah majelis
tinggi parlemen gagal menyetujuinya. Oposisi menuduh pemerintah meredam
RUU yang menjadi puncak perdebatan politik dan protes masyarakat di
negara itu. 
