Although the Harrington's love a good hamburger or taco, the truth is they love Korean food and cook plenty of it at home while also making their way out to the many fine-dining establishments of Daejeon. Time and time again, the Harrington's make their way to Gung-dong where some of the best food for the best prices is located. And of those Gung-dong restaurants there is one 싸다돼지마을 (Cheap Pork Village) that has them hooked, nearly addicted to their go-juchang bul-gogi (thinly sliced meat in a spicy, red pepper sauce, wrapped with lettuce)
If you live in Daejeon and spend any time on Facebook groups you've likely heard about the greatly renowned Cafe Moru where Daejeonites can sink their teeth into some fine quality brunch items. Always ready to check out the latest and greatest in Daejeon's dining options as well as enjoy some typical western breakfast items, the Harrington's recently made their way to Cafe Moru and were far from disappointed.
In Laramie, Wyoming one of the Harrington's all-time favorite restaurant is a place by the name of Sweet Melissa's. Now, aside from the fabulous name choice, the restaurant has a phenomenal all-vegetarian menu. And while our readers may be well aware that the man Harrington in particular has a deep love for meat and that Melissa gets her share too, the truth is they know the value of a good vegetarian meal. In fact, most of their home cooking is more aligned to that of a vegetarian than a raging carnivore.
Regardless of the Harrington's personal food choices, suffice it to say, the couple is always on the look out for restaurants that have foreigner appeal and a vegetarian restaurant is most definitely appealing to the vegetarian tourists or expats in South Korea who quickly discover that if there's no meat in the dish, there's likely to be fish sauce and if there's no fish sauce, there's likely to be meat.
So with an understanding that vegetarian meals are a) good for the soul and b) hard to come by in South Korea, the Harrington duo made their way out to Machera Well-Being a vegetarian buffet at the end of the Subway Line, Banseok Station.
If you're looking for a nice, cool way to top off a meal or kill some time before meeting up with friends at Daejeon Cantina or Yellow Taxi, why not situate yourself across from the TimeWorld LeeChard Pro Hair that looks like a tooth (you know the building) and enter the wonderful land that is SnowSpoon?
While 519 Kitchen boasts a fair share of veggies and vegetarian-friendly courses for a variety of reasons (Melissa's health-concious, dietetic soul and the couples mutual spirit of frugality being a couple) the truth is the man likes meat. Therefore, when driving around the city and spotting a sign for Dino-Meats - Meat Buffet, there is a clear and defined mission set before the couple. This being so,
With vacation season in full swing in South Korea a number of expats and other travelling bodies find themselves in need of transportation to Incheon International Airport. Fortunately, public transportation is rarely an issue in South Korea so getting to the airport is of little difficulty.
If you are beginning in Daejeon you have essentially two options: 1) Train (slow ~10,000 W/2 hours or KTX ~20,000 W/1 hour) to Seoul station followed by the Airport express (~4,000 W/45 minutes) to Incheon International airport or 2) Direct bus from Daejeon Dunsan (maybe aka Dong-bu) Bus Terminal (22,000 W/2.5-3hours). Either option lands you right at the front door of the airport for vacation adventures to begin!
And upon returning to Incheon one can easily back track option 1 looking for the Airport express line to Seoul station before returning to Daejeon or by looking for the following counter which is just outside of baggage claim and can hook the traveler up with a ticket to just about anywhere on the peninsula.
Following traditional markets and ice-bars, the Harrington's made their way to the Hanbat Stadium to cheer on Daejeon's most impressive sports team, the Samsung Blue Fangs. With all-star beast of a Canadian Gavin on the team Samsung Blue Fangs consistently put on an amazing show of athleticism and competition. Mike and Melissa were excited to show off their 'home-town pride' and introduce the rest of the family to an experience which is unique to the world of Korean sporting events.
Arriving about half an hour early the Harrington's watched the girls team finish out their game before being instructed in a wide variety of cheers which would soon be used to bring the Samsung Blue Fangs to a victory. Elaborate cheers and accompanying actions were a constant as the Harrington's watched volley after volley, spike after spike and serve after serve. The best break from these routines came from the Blue Fangs mascots who pulled off a stunning combination of K-pop style dance routine, gymnastics and break-dancing. All in a night's work for the Samsung Blue Fangs team and supportive mascots.
Getting There: Hanbat Stadium is nearest to Subway station Jugan-no. Exit 3 perhaps (which ever takes you opposite of the Flying Pan and past Angels-in-Us Coffee/The Mill). From here it's about a 10-15 minute walk, or numerous buses head in that general direction or for base taxi fare you can request Hanbat Stadium (stadium = 경기장 = gyeong-gi-jang)
In the past we've written about finding the best Mexican food in Daejeon and then our increasing joy as not only one, but two more Mexican restaurants moved onto the scene. However, we never blogged about Daejeon's infamous Indian restaurant Indy because it was never a secret, it was one of the first places we ate upon arrival and frankly, it's genearlly more expensive than we're willing to pay on a regular enough basis to return and take pictures (maybe someday, although now, Indy must compete with The New Taj Mahal)
But just like an increase in Mexican food got the Harrington's all worked up into a frenzy of excitement, now Daejeon's gone and added two more Indian restaurants to the scene. One, Bukhara, located at City Hall station is rumoured to be equally or more expensive than Indy, so likely won't see the Harrington's any time soon, especially because The New Taj Mahal is absolutely phenomenal!
An exceptionally wide variety of curries, including vegetarian, Indian BBQ, Nan and Masala Chai tea at the half the price of Indy or what rumors claim are Bukhara's prices lead the Harrington's to vote The New Taj Mahal in Gung-dong the number one choice for fulfilling your Indian delicay cravings.
In an attempt to try as much as possible in their first visit, the Harrington's and their entertaining and dear friend Paul shared a Family set for 30,000 won ($30). The set included a sample of tandoori chicken, butter chicken, rice, nan, three curries, and two Masala chai teas. For the three mouths, it was plenty! (Well, with an added nan, a roti and a third cup of Masala). Friends of the Harrington's who have dined at The New Taj Mahal have had equally agreeable evaluations of the food and prices, definitely worth checking out if you're looking for something a little less fermented in the Land of Kimchi.
Getting There: Gung-dong is the place to go! If you can find Santa Claus, Shisha House, Ali-Baba's Treasure or the Proper Chinese Restaurant, you are not far from the New Taj Mahal. Follow your nose and you're sure to find the basement restaurant calling you forth to a meal of deliciousness. Look for buses that head to Chungnam University of Hanbit Apartments, some that we know run in that genearl area include: 102, 105, 106, 113, 119 (but there are definitely many more!)
Perhaps a year ago Melissa made her way to Ali Baba's Treasure and was not impressed to the point of posting. However, a new cook and a few new menu items/recipes and Ali Baba's has now found itself a place here on The Harrington Times.
Offering a weekend special for 12,000 won, Ali Baba's lured the Harrington's in with the offer of salad, soup, falafel and lemon pepper chicken. The salad dressing reminded the couple of a salted lemon dressing they enjoyed while traveling in Guatemala and the falafel was pure joy! The soup was a bit salty compared to the non-salt-added foods the Harrington's typically consume, but delicious nonetheless. Only problem with the lemon pepper chicken is that there was such an abundance after having already chowed down on the deliciousness, fortunately, the Mr. can pack things in so he made sure to get the full value of the night out.
Getting There: Situated on the second floor of a building in Gung-dong if you can find Santa Claus or Shisha House you're just a few doors away from entering Ali Baba's Treasure.
Being an expatriate you find yourself and others like you asking a lot of the same questions: Where to find the best hamburgers, Mexican food, cheese and of course English speaking medical assistance. A few months back Mrs. Harrington found herself asking such a question: Where can an expat receive some dermatological care in this city with an English speaking doctor? Fortunately, in the 5th largest city of the land of Kimchi, it's not too tall of an order.
Perhaps the easiest of all Beautiful Stores to locate is that which is located at Daedong Station. Exit 6, walk straight a few hundred meters, look to your left, see the green symbol and you've succeeded.
Enjoy your thrifting adventures dear Daejeon readers, enjoy your adventures!
Having acquired a car in Daejeon, the Mrs. had a couple opportunities to spot her favorite Korean store logo - that of the Beautiful Store, the non-profit, Salvation-Army/Goodwill type second hand branch of Korea. With a deep-seeded desire to frequent shops such as this to bolster the wardrobe and household goods of the Korean villa, Melissa made mental note of these new shops.
Wanting to spend some time with the ladies, enjoy some shopping and check out these thrifting joints, Melissa coralled some friends into a Saturday adventure of second-hand shop hopping. The crew planned to hit up the three known Beatiful Stores at Government Complex Station, Youngmun Station and Daedong Station. Unfortunately, the Governemt Complex Station store no longer resides at that station and may actually have moved to Tanbang Station...go figure. So it is in South Korea.
As always, shopping at the Beautiful Store yields great to little success, but is always enjoyable with the right set of friends, a coffee break and adventerous spirits.
If you want to make your way to the Youngmun Station Beatiful Store
If you've been in South Korea long it's likely you've discovered that Chinese restaurants abound, however the cuisine is not always what you had hoped. It remains a challenge for the American citizen in Korea to track down sesame chicken, General Tso's chicken and other such dishes as may be familiar to the Chinese restaurants of the west. However, those wishing to dine on something a bit more authentically Chinese and a whole lot less Black Bean Sauce over Noodles, may want to head on down over to Gung-dong and check out a Proper Chinese Restaurant (of which the Harrington's do not know the name). However, the restuarant can be found
A polite suggestion and a three day weekend lead to the Harrington's enjoying yet another road trip, enjoying a Subway sandwich and touring the temple grounds of Song-ni-san National Park. Having caught wind of a nearby Subway shop on Thursday night, the Harrington's began daydreaming about the delight which is found in fresh baked bread, southwest chipotle sauce and the simplicity of 'eating fresh'. Four days later, they had found directions, called up the Dickerson-Bradford's and loaded up the car en route to Cheongju on October 3, a national holiday in honor of the foundation of Korea (a story which involves lots of garlic, bears, tigers and the son of a god - which is best saved for a later date when all the details are worked out) and set about finding Dream Plus near Cheongju's bus terminal. The building was easier to find than expected and the crew need only wait until 10:30 a.m. before they were able to order their foot-long subs which would later be enjoyed in the crisp, clean October air at the foot of one of South Korea's National Parks.
Continuing on, the couple enjoyed the beauty that is Korea's countryside on the windy roads leading to Songnisan National Park. Known for it's gigantic Golden Buddha built in 1993 and an ancient 5-story wooden Pagoda, Songnisan has numerous visitors throughout the year and a holiday weekend only increased the amount of visitors making the trip. Regardless, the sites were beautiful, the day perfect and the meal prior to wandering the grounds absolutely fantastic! While Korean food does much to please the taste buds of the Harrington duo, not much can beat the satisfaction of a hearty and delicious sandwich which Subway so perfectly provides.
Getting There (Subway): Get to Cheongju's Bus Terminal, either one, whether by bus or car or taxi and look for the Dream Plus building (pictured in the first collage, top left) . It is between the Bus Terminals, near Lotte Mart and a number of nice cafes and restaurants. Subway is on the first floor and opens at 10:30.
Getting There (National Park): Not sure. Most parks have a bus that will go into them. By car you can take National Road 25 from Cheongju or the Expressway 3. Out of Daejeon, take the Expressway or National Road 37. You should see many signs for 속리산. Southern entrance provides views of temple grounds and large Buddha whereas entering on the northern side will provide for less congested hiking opportunities and more picturesque scenes which the Harrington's have now placed on their 'to-do list'.
By far the most exciting thing about returning to Daejeon for a second contract year was the promise of more Mexican food. While Taco K has fabulous enchiladas and Dajeon Cantina has the best tacos and nachos this town has ever seen (as well as increasingly impressive live music, so THT has heard), Takorea hits the Korean market with the widest variety, a spicy take on beer (try the Michelada...if you enjoy tabasco that is!) and an ever-accomodating restauranteer.
Enchiladas are rumoured to be the #1 item although were a bit out of the price range for the Harrington's and friends who are pinching pennies and/or enjoying domestic travel on the peninsula. Therefore, nachos were shared, tacos, quesadillas and burritos were ordered and came with a fine assortment of sauces to add to the flavorful experience.
Congratulations Daejeon, you're moving up the ranks in restaurant diversity.
2-3 min walking distance from subway station no. 105 (Jungang-no), exit 4 (immediate vicinity of Jung-gu Police station)when you exit the subway walk to the left and turn left on the second street (at the Heungkuk financial) then turn right on the first street.
Throughout the month of July, coffee dates were held primarily in Eunhaeng-dong as Melissa stalked the cutesy shops of the neighborhood in search of gifts for the family and friends she will see in a matter of hours. Fortunately, Eunhaeng-dong provides a wealth of cozy, comfy, chocolaty, creamy, coffee-producing coffee shops, of which all were fabulous finds!
The first one featured is a chocolate cafe and aside from offering the regular array of coffee beverages, they provide their costumers opportunity to purchase some fine chocolates and even a chocolate Pat-Bing-Su (which was what Jen and Melissa went for after an evening in the market). You'll know you're there by the chocolate display in the window and if you're not sure, just look for the words "Shall we chocolate?" on the window and you'll know without a doubt!
On a Sunday Coffee date, Melissa and dear friend Holly made their way to the cafe above the Flying Pan named the Oven Story (pretty sure). This cafe not only features delectable drinks, waffles, a few sandwiches and cupcakes but also has on sale some adorable, not-so-Korean-cutesy-style skirts, shirts, accessories and nick-knacks.
A more recent and memorable coffee date took Melissa and Holly one floor above the chocolate cafe mentioned earlier. The cafe claims to be famous for their latte art and it's a sure possibility. The foam was perfect (according the expert of the two girls, Holly) and the coffee oh, so divine. Melissa opted for a cafe cream latte unsure what such would entail and was overjoyed to receive a slightly sweet cup of coffee with the smoothest, most delicate and delicious cream to ever pass these taste buds.
Getting There: All of these coffee shops are essentially in the same area. Get off an Jung-angro Subway station (unsure of the exit, perhaps 5?) Regardless, make your way to the large and famous Bakery or S.dot stationary store, or the Flying Pan and you should find one or all of these sweet little cafes. Enjoy!
The weekend of July 18th the Harrington's found themselves on the road with Kolt and Holly Callaway, drinking smoothies from a Ziploc and hoping that Everland would live up to it's hype. Just under a couple of hours by Kia Matiz and the couples were parking, gathering thier water, cameras and peanut butter jelly sandwiches and heading into the main gates of South Korea's Everland Amusement Park owned by one of Korea's leading companies, Samsung. Upon entering the park, the couples were greeted by the magic of dolphins hanging from trees and European mountain scenes...it was bound to be a good day.
Not wanting to waste any time, the group of four quickly made their way to Everland's claim to fame, the T-Express. Known for being the world's steepest wooden roller-coaster, T-Express draws in the crowds year round. For the Harrington's and Callaways, the T-Express was first on the list of rides to ride, and the four were far from disappointed. After a short 40-50 minutes of standing in line, the crew took their seats near the back of the coaster, buckled up and hoped for a thrilling ride. After a steep climb the couples were SHOCKED by how quickly and how steep the 'steepest wooden roller coaster' lets the riders fall into a series of twists, turns and near decapitations. Having survived the coaster once, the four friends made a few rounds in the animal 'kingdoms' before returning for another go on the T-Express. That's right, T-Express, 2 Times because they're champions!
For the Callaway's and the Mrs. of the Harrington clan, the animals always hold a special appeal. Everland's animals were no disappointment. From 'Wild Babies', to swimming seals, to acrobatic monkey's, prehistoric turtles to oddly functioning kangaroo's the animals of Everland are constantly entertaining and fascinating. Between one zoo enclave to the next, the four friends made their way into an animal show which highlighted birds that fetch 1,000 won bills, dogs that play pianos, and a myriad of animals that run across a stage. All in all, very good times to be had amongst the animals of Everland.
The following photo collage serves as a warning message to all who may one day venture to Everland. Should you be on your way to chow-down and have not been drinking much water nor eating, the following is not highly recommended. The Callaway's were not too thrilled with their decision to "Spin It" right before a picnic lunch. Learn from their mistakes dear readers, learn from their mistakes.
As is true of any day amongst Koreans, the opportunities for photos abound. Cute children and cute couples rule the lay of the land at Everland. For 35,000 - 38,000 Won, (check the Everland website or chat with Korean friends to find out about discounts) Everland is a perfect value. Food prices are reasonable (2,000 for Churro and 4,000 for Hot Dog, etc.), there is plenty to do, and the shows (animal, acrobatic, Summer Splash, Parade of Lights, etc.) are free of cost.
Were the Harrington's to make any complaints it would be only two things: 1) So many fake store fronts promising beer and European foods offer nothing of the sort and 2) There's not enough time in the day to do all that one would surely love do on their Holiday at Everland!
For a bit more insight, check out some video footage from the Harrington's day in Everland.
Getting There: The Everland website provides information regarding 3 buses that leave from Seoul. Tours likely go from other locations around South Korea. Everland attendees are best to team up with a driving friend or ask a Korean friend for assistance in finding the best way to go to Everland from their particular starting point.
When to go: Everland is open year round. Even on a Saturday in June, the park wasn't too busy, nor was the whether unbearable. From what can be gathered, the heart of summer (July and August) through the fall are the most busy but perhaps also the most comfortable times to be outdoors!
June 6 is Korea's Memorial Day and offered Guest English Teachers one more day for catching some morning Zzzz's and/or seeing a bit of the country. The Harrington's teamed up with their dear friends the Callaway's and made their way to the nearby Daedunsan Provinical Park. This park is similar to other parks, such as Wolchulsan, with it's steep staircases and suspended bridge. Additonally, this provincial park boasts a Cable Car which allows visitors easy access to the mid-way point on the steep mountain. The cable car is 5,000 won one way or 8,000 won round-trip - The Harrington's and Callaway's opted for the one-way...up the cliff side. Fortunately, the day was not too much of a scorcher and the trek down the mountainside was well shaded and at times refreshing.
As the hike came to an end, the couples made their way back into town for mak-guk-su - a cold, buckwheat noodle soup with some fresh veggies and half a boiled egg, absoultely refreshing at the end of a day on the mountain!
Daejeon (Seobu Terminal) to Daedunsan (45 minutes to an hour) OR Daejeon (Dongbu Terminal) to Nonsan, Nonsan to Daedunsan (city bus, the bus stop is right next to the Nonsan terminal)
Thrifting in Daejeon is a well-established past-time of Mrs. Harrington as evidenced by previous THT posts. Most common to the thrift-store, second-hand scene in South Korea is The Beautiful Store (such as this in Daejeon, the one in Nonsan and a recently seen one in Seoul!) However, The Beautiful Store doesn’t have a monopoly on thrift stores in Korea and it’s a good, good thing.
This month, the Mrs. has forgotten most of the names of the cafes as well as what she ordered, however, general location and highlights of the cafe can be offered ^^
If you take a bus to the Yuseong-gu Homeplus, cross the river, go straight at the light and take your first left you just may spot the sign to this second floor cafe. Major highlight - American-sized-and-flavored Cookies, none of those puny, cutesy Korean sized cookies with their own wonderful flavors, but full on, American-Bakery-Type-Cookies. Oh, and did we mention, free of charge? Cookies, free of charge with coffee or choco order. Why wouldn't you search for this Gung-dong gem?
Hot Choco The Chocolate
By far the coffe shop highlight of April and potentially of 8 months in Korea, The Chocolate is the #1 place for anything chocolate and a sure-bet for next winter's cold and frigid weekend afternoon's. It's darling inside with books, pillows and cutesy decor, but you don't go to The Chocolate for atmosphere (although they have it), you go for Chocolate. And, may we recommend the Hot Choco? You can't go wrong here! You'll receive a great gift of a mug. filled with milk. alongside a 'gravy' boat. filled with chocolate. and a whisk. Sip and enjoy this with a good friend and life enriching conversation. Once in Gung-dong, make your way 'to the back' away from the main street as far back as you can get, it kind of stands out, so you should be able to find it - best of luck!
Cinnamon Mocha "unkown" Book Cafe
Yet another sweet coffee shop, which may potentially greet you en route to The Chocolate is this cafe of whose name we cannot currently recall. Near the center of Gung-dong (i.e. Rodeo Street) this cafe has an adorable interior, fabulous hot choco and amazingly sweet teapots on display...in addition to a number books and magazines (in Korean of course).
