Korean Food the Traditional Way

Korean Dining Traditional Style

This type of paper is fairly easy for me to write. It is all about what I feel was the best experience/food I have had. I would have to say the best experience in the food industry would have to be, Mom & Pop’s Korean restaurant in the back alleys of Seoul, Korea. I was able to experience this because my parents are both military, and were stationed in Seoul for 2 ½ years.

The wonderful restaurant that I speak of was deep in a series of alleys fairly close to our apartment complex, which is about 2-3 miles from the military base. The first thing you notice about this cozy little establishment are the food carts leading up to and surrounding the doorway. As you enter you are greeted with a very welcome hello in Korean (if I could spell it I would, saying it is easier). You politely take your shoes off before you go any further and place them in the shoe cubbies lining the entryway. You find yourself looking around at the lush native plant life flourishing in the indoor environment, a really nice koi pond with a Buddha style statue spitting water out of the belly. I know you’re reading this thinking “man how does he remember these little things he was only 9 the last time he was there”. The answer is simple, this restaurant and this one alone is the reason that Korean food sits at the top of my favorite styles ever! There is nothing like rolling into a traditional Korean restaurant in Seoul and being coddled by every old Korean lady on the way because you’re a blonde headed kid. Nowadays I would have to believe that this is probably different because of the amount of drama our government is in currently.

Back to Mom & Pop’s, after you get past the beautiful visuals your nose begins to register intense smells coming from all sides. Sounds of sizzling beef, pork, or chicken on a hot plate or tableside hibachi. The combination of all three hitting you is almost entirely overwhelming; you almost want to just roll out a...