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Kitchen 5 – Pizza, Pasta and Pork Cutlet – Seongnam-dong

Posted by TigerMum on May 28, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: cheesy pork cutlet, Cutlet, Jung-gu, Kitchen5, Old Downtown, Pasta, Pizza, pizza pasta, pork cutlet, Restaurant, seafood pasta, Seongnam-dong, Set menu, South Korea, Ulsan, Western Food. Leave a comment

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It’s a funny obsession that is very apparent in South Korea – the number of “Pizza, Pasta and Steak” places made available are ample to say the least. And I am not talking about the Western franchises like TGI Friday’s and Outback Steakhouse. I mean the locally owned western themed restaurants.

Kitchen5 is another one of these little gems (insert sarcasm here), bless their little cotton socks. Found on the street that runs parallel to the street the fire station is on, Kitchen5 is on the second floor above The Gam clothing store.

A word of warning: don’t be fooled by the word “Steak” plastered across their windows, if that is indeed what you’re craving. We have been eating so much Korean and Japanese lately, that we thought that we would take a chance, and just try the first restaurant that stood out.  The result – cheap dinner, but not much else more.

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Inside the restaurant, it is exactly the intimate type of place that you would take a first date, or if you just like eating in pretty surroundings. Try not to sit at the tables near the windows though, it appears that they do not own a feather duster, and so, the window sills are a little filthy.

The Menu

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We ordered numbers three, nine and twenty-one, all of which came out in substantial portions, and did not take very long at all to come out (which pleased my husband immensely). Unfortunately the food was very ordinary, and definitely nothing to write home about. Basically, we ate it because it was dinner time, we were hungry, and it was in front of us. So disappointing.

The pork cutlet was supposed to have sweet potato, however I am not too sure where it was hiding, as the cutlet itself had cheese in the middle and was saturated with BBQ sauce. I would definitely recommend asking for the sauce separately if you can manage it. The BBQ sauce flashing off with the steam is overwhelming when it gets up your nose.

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#3 Sweet Potato Pork Cutlet – 8,000 Won

My seafood pasta was more than generous in portion. It could definitely feed two people easily. My husband’s first comment at my meal – “Would you like some pasta with that sauce?”, and it was about right. It was spicy and tomato-ey with pasta and seafood, so completely satisfied the menu description. My stomach on the other hand, has had its fair share of spectacular pasta, and unfortunately this wouldn’t even rate.

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#21 Seafood Pasta with Spicy Tomato Sauce – 15,000 Won

You think Pizza base, tomato paste and cheese – how could anyone get it wrong? Well, apparently you can. I cannot even begin to describe my daughter’s displeasure at her meal. She did well to finish one and a half slices though, just for functionality purposes – to satisfy her hunger.

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#9 Margarita Pizza – 6,000 Won

I think that I can confidently say that it would be unlikely that I will return to this eatery ever again. Having said this, one man’s junk may be another man’s treasure! If you decide to give Kitchen5 a chance to serve you a meal, you can find them at the following location.

Address: Level 2, 29-1 Jeolmeumui-geori, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative Address: 191-27, Seongnam-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

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Traditional Korean Restaurant 외기집 – (oe-ga-jib)

Posted by TigerMum on May 6, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: Beef, Dolsotbap, Fish, fish stew, Galbijjim, haemulpajeong, Hanjongsik, 한정식, Jung-gu, Kim Chi, Kimchi, Korean Cuisine, restaurants, seafood pancake, Seongnam-dong, Side dish, Stew, Traditional Korean Food, Ulsan. Leave a comment

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If you enjoy Korean food, you must make your way to this cute little restaurant hidden just off from the main road, Beon Yeong-ro in Seongnam-dong (old downtown/Jung-gu), serving up a touch of nostalgia with your meal. With only six items on their menu, you are sure not to be disappointed with your traditional Korean feast with an array of Kim Chi (side dishes). There are so many though that this is definitely somewhere that I suggest you take at least one friend so that all the sides are not wasted.

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Shoes must be left at the door, and once inside, you will feel a little like you may have stepped into your own little DeLorean. Charming and charismatic, the decor reflects the restaurant’s exterior. Unfortunately, I will only be able to bring my husband back at a time where he feels a little more limber than usual as there is only the traditional floor seating available.

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Since I was dining solo, I chose the cheapest item on the menu (the fourth item, 대표정식돌솥밥 dae-pyo-jeong-sig-dol-sot-bap at 11,000 Won per person) hoping that firstly, it was edible, and secondly, that it would not be too much for me to finish. It was definitely edible, however far far too much for me to finish. I have been told that the first three listed items on the menu are basically the same thing, however at different budgets. I am guessing that at 32,000 Won per person for the top menu item, that you will receive a whole lot of meats and seafood. For 13,000 Won per person, you can have 갈비찜 gal-bi-jjim (beef stew – one of my favourites), and at 14,000 per person, 갈치찜 gal-chi-jjim which I believe is a spicy fish stew. There is no English menu, however, it is easy enough to pick up a business card from the counter which has their menu items listed on the back and give your good old pointer finger a work out.

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돌솥밥 Dol-sot-bap – 11,000 Won

With my meal, I received fourteen different side dishes, three types of soups and a small fried fish. My rice was infused with red bean and pumpkin, which was not over powering. I am not a massive fan of red bean usually, however this was pleasantly mild and a nice accompaniment to all the different Kim Chi I had in front of me. The fish was lovely and fresh, and to be honest, I could have done with a bigger portion.

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After serving my meal, and me sitting there not really knowing where to start, the waitress was kind enough to show me how it was supposed to be done. At this stage, I had already poured the milky soup in the brown pot into the empty bowl (how embarrassing!). The lady was lovely, and I thought it was cute that she was trying not to laugh at me for not knowing how to eat the meal. She poured the milky soup back into the brown clay pot, then scooped all of my rice out of the stone pot into the empty bowl, THEN she poured the milky soup into the stone pot that my rice came in and put the lid back on it. The milky soup is quite bland and tasteless, however did serve as a pleasant palate cleanser between selecting which side dish I was going to eat next.

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Incorrect!

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Correct!

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I also learnt that the cold wet towels that they give you are to be used to take the hot lids off the stone bowls and not so much for wiping your face or mouth – I know, who would have thought, right?

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Beef Rib Stew – Gal-bi-jim

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Seafood Pancake – Hae-mul-pa-jeon

This is a definite must try if you truly want to embrace the korean culture and food. I can’t tell you all how much I enjoyed my dining experience here, and I will definitely be back to give the other items on the menu a go. Now, to derive a plan to get my husband to entertain the idea of sitting on the floor for a meal.

Enter either of the following addresses into Google Maps for directions by foot, road or bus.

Address: 5 Okgolsaem2-gil, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative address: 168-2 Haksan-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Phone: (052) 246-2352

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New York Kitchen Cafe

Posted by TigerMum on April 24, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: breakfast, breakfast foods, brunch, cafe, Coffee, Dal-dong, Eggs Benedict, food, Nam-gu, New Downtown, New York Kitchen Cafe, restaurants, Samsan-dong, Ulsan, western breakfast, Western Food. Leave a comment

NY Exterior

Oh the excitement when I saw someone post on a public forum that Eggs Benedict was available in Ulsan! Breakfast was always my favourite meal to eat out with my husband back home. I loved the simplicity of the dishes and how satisfying they tasted when a restaurant or cafe got it spot on. This is one of the things that I miss the most – being able to get out of bed and drive to one of the many locations (and for a good breakfast, I would drive up to half an hour to get to my destination) we had to choose from for an exceptional breakfast. Try finding somewhere to even eat at 8:30am any day of the week in Ulsan and you’ll be hard pressed. Sure, there are hotels who serve up a western breakfast menu, but also at western price bordering on extortion.

NY Entrance

So we made our way to New York Kitchen Cafe just down the street from KFC in new downtown (Nam-gu or this section is known also as Dal-dong to the west of Samsan-dong), getting there just after 10am, which is when they opened. From the street, the cafe’s signage is displayed in all it’s glory and definitely not at all difficult to spot. As you enter the front door, you are welcomed by a beautifully decorated chalk board, and a charming set of stairs. Once you reach the top of the stairs, the cafe is gorgeous and looked very much like many of our favourite breakfast spots back home. The menu, in english (although the descriptions written in Korean) was displayed along with pictures so that you have some idea of what it is you are ordering.

NY Menu

NY Kitchen Cafe Counter

NY Kitchen

NY Interior

My husband and daughter both ordered the Eggs Benedict (after all, she is her father’s child) and as a point of difference, I would go out on a limb and try the American Brunch Combo. It worked in our favour later on – but we’ll get to that. With the absence of banana smoothy (boo!) we ordered two caramel frappacinos and an apple juice to compliment our breakfast.

When the frappacinos arrived, I was delighted! What an adorable idea, using small jugs as drinking mugs. I am not a religious coffee drinker, so I can’t really comment on how good the coffee blend was in my caramel frap, but I am an experienced Starbucks (and Zarraffa’s if you’re on the east coast of Australia) patron and I do know what a good frappacino tastes like and this was definitely above average, but I wouldn’t be so confident as to say it was outstanding. Nonetheless, we were off to a good start!

Caramel Frap

Again, as advised by my caveman husband – you need to get here way before you’re starving. They took some time to prepare our order and my husband was already beginning to give me the “you’ve already made me wait until after 10am to eat breakfast, and now you’ve brought me to a place that takes 10 hours to make my meal” look. In his defence, he wasn’t being completely precious, we were the only patrons in the cafe and it felt like a good 20-25 minute wait until our food arrived.

Unfortunately when it did arrive, my daughter could not hide her disappointment because what was presented in front of us was far from any type of Eggs Benedict that any of us has ever seen before (and I’ve seen some Hollandaise on the paler side of yellow). The sauce, which was so generously poured on top of each stack, is what I can only describe to be a mix between mayonnaise and ranch dressing with a slightly thicker consistency. Edible however far from enjoyable.

NY Kitchen Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict Combo – 8,000 Won

A few moments later, my American Brunch was served, and no surprise, the child wanted to trade (and this time, by child, I don’t mean the husband) so it ended up being a good thing that I had ordered something different. Again, it was unimpressive. Luckily my daughter didn’t mind the french toast drizzled with what tasted like maple syrup. The accompanying side of salad was interesting to say the least – sweet pineapple with a vinaigrette-like dressing. The beans in the short coffee cup was quite delicious though, simply steamed and sitting in a pool of dipping soy sauce. Definitely the best thing about the meals! To be honest, they could have very easily pleased me by piling on a bunch of cooked bacon and banana (cooked or uncooked, I’m not prejudice) on top of the french toast, and topped if off with a drizzle of maple syrup. As for the Benedict, it was only the sauce that missed the mark. There was nothing wrong with how they poached the egg (which isn’t always the easiest of tasks when it comes to ways to cook an egg perfectly).

NY Kitchen American

American Brunch Combo – 9,000 Won

All in all, as if you haven’t already gathered, I was disappointed with the meals. Agreed, I probably set myself up for failure when my expectations went through the roof after hearing about this place – something I will need to tone down. I can’t decide if the meals were intentionally tweaked for the Korean market, or if in fact, this was their best effort to put forward a western breakfast/brunch menu. If it is the latter, perhaps they will be fortunate enough to stumble upon a foreigner who can give them a few tips as to how they could do it right (if it is in fact the foreign market they’re catering for). Unfortunately, New York Kitchen Cafe was close, but no cigar…

To get there, enter either of the two below addresses into Google Maps to show you how to get there by foot, road or bus from your location.

Street address: 10 Samsan-ro241beon-gil, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative address: 1366-1, Dal-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

NY Kitchen Cafe Map

Haeundae Korean Restaurant 해운대참숯불구이

Posted by TigerMum on April 21, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: Barbecue, Beef, Cheap Eats, food, Jung-gu, Kim Chi, Korean BBQ, Korean Cuisine, Korean Restaurant, mash potato, Pork, pork belly, restaurants, Seongnam-dong, Ulsan. 1 Comment

Haeundae Korean Restaurant Map

I am going to admit, I LOVE Korean BBQ in almost any way, shape or form. In Australia, my husband would only entertain this in the winter time, and even then it had to be smack bang in the middle of winter as he didn’t enjoy sitting in his pool of sweat while trying to enjoy his meal. You can imagine how much it thrills me that it is still cold enough outside for me to still BBQ in the spring time here. I am not overly fussed when it comes to BBQ, as long as the restaurant has beef and pork for me to cook and eat. Located above a 7-11 in Seongnam-dong (known as old downtown or Jung-gu), across the lane way from the CGV cinemas, you will find a set of wooden stairs which will lead you to the second floor where this restaurant can be found. Inside, you can sit on the floor (but remember, if you choose this option, you will have to remove your shoes), alternatively if you have smelly feet or if your limbs defy you (like my husband’s – limbs, not the smelly feet), the tables and chairs will suit you just fine.

Haeundae Interior

The thing I love most about BBQ at this restaurant, is the plethora of side dishes that accompany your order of meats. I have not yet come across another Korean restaurant, to date, that are so generous with the variety of sides on offer. In addition, I have also not yet encountered the mash potato side dish (one of my favourites and a common side at Korean BBQ in Australia) that they have here, at any of the restaurants that I have been to yet.

Haeundae Sides

What is the downfall? You only have three types of BBQ meats to choose from. Beef, Pork Belly and Marinated pork, which are the first three meats listed on the menu below respectively. You will also need to order your rice (밥 – bap) separately at 1,000 Won per bowl. Unfortunately, there is no english menu available so  you will have to use your good old Google translator with this one, and the staff barely speak any english. Whilst dining at this restaurant, I had spotted other diners enjoying what resembled a Kim Chi type soup, and the traditional Korean pancake with the chives and other goodies mixed in. Perhaps I will try them when I can figure out what they’re called so that I can order them, but for now, I will stick with the BBQ meats!

Haeundae Menu

The other thing that I am not a big fan of is that fact that I have to cook different types of meats on different cook tops, which means that I cannot enjoy my selection of meats together. I can only have one type of meat at any one time. But for the side dishes, I am actually willing to look pass these faults.

Haeundae BBQ Beef

소갈비살 (so-gal-bi-sal) – Beef – 4,900 Won per 100 grams

Haeundae Pork Belly

생삼겹살 (syeng-sam-jyop-sal) – Pork Belly – 7,000 Won per 120 grams

This establishment does not provide extraordinarily top quality, high-end meats, but you get what you pay for really don’t you? At these prices, for us, the quality will suffice. The other plus is that generally, I find that I don’t leave here reeking of BBQ through to my hair, clothes and even down to my underwear, which I have experienced at other BBQ restaurants both in Australia and Korea. For me, I go back to Haeundae Korean Restaurant for a non-fuss quick and easy meal with no nasty surprises that won’t break the bank. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this is an absolute must try, but if you are living here or are in the area, it is an option if you’re after some Korean food.

Enter either of the following address details in to Google Maps to give you directions on how to get there.

Street address: 39 Mannamui-geori, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative address: 257-4, Seongnam-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Phone: (052) 248-2402

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Haeundae Stairs

Haeundae Doors

Haeundae Business Card

릴라 밥집 (Rilla Bap-Jip) Pork Curry and BiBimBap

Posted by TigerMum on April 20, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: Bibimbap, Cheese Pork Curry, Jung-gu, Korean Restaurant, Pork Curry, Seongnam-dong, Ulsan. Leave a comment

Gorilla Exterior

I think the curiosity gets the better of us when we walk pass this restaurant in Seongnam-dong (old downtown or Jung-gu) only a couple of doors down from Paris Baguette and across the road from Woori Bank. Usually when I walk pass, there is a line-up outside, which was partially the deterrent (because I hate queuing), but also because there didn’t appear to be any pictures or english found anywhere in or around the shop, ergo, it was put in the “too hard” basket even though I was desperate to find out if the food warranted the queue.

Gorilla Sign

You will all be pleased to know that this adorable little restaurant only serves up three main dishes. All of which – thoroughly enjoyable! My husband agrees, that sometimes it is comforting to know that there is a limited menu choice so you hope that they do what they do have particularly well, and that they do.

Gorilla Interior

For 6,000 Won, you can treat yourself to the plain pork curry or the bibimbap, both of which were generous portions. Both of the pork dishes on offer come with their own little servings of sides, including a portion of Kim Chi (radish), green onion salad, mash potato salad and something that resembles coleslaw with thousand island dressing. But it doesn’t stop there! You also receive a small bowl of udon noodles. The pork curry with the cheese cost slightly more at 8,000 Won, but it is well worth it. I must say, I am partial to this the cheese pork curry – when you cut into it, the cheese oozes out just like the garlic butter does when you cut into a chicken Kiev. Indulgent and delightful!

Gorilla Donkatsu

왕 돈가스 (wang-don-ga-seu) Pork Curry with Rice – 6,000 Won

Gorilla Cheese DonkatsuGorila Donkatsu Cheese치스 돈가스 (chi-jeu don-ga-seu) Cheese Pork Curry with Rice – 8,000 Won

The bibimbap is not served with meat, but does have egg, along with a small selection of sides including radish Kim Chi chopped into tiny bite size pieces which make them so much easier to eat. The accompanying soup is what appears to be a dry squid base, and is delicious and full of flavour. I enjoy bibimbap, so I found this of the same standard to many other that I’ve had since arriving in Korea, but it is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea and if bibimbap is not your Korean dish of choice, I would highly recommend that you stick with either of the pork curries.

Gorilla Bi-bim-bap비빔밥 (bi-bim-bap) – 6,000 Won

The staff in this establishment has very limited english, however were able to convey that the meat was pork and that the other dish was pork with cheese. I can now (after four weeks of Korean lessons) recognise the characters for bibimbap in Korean, so that was a no brainer. In addition, the staff were very quick to clear up the dishes from the departing patrons, and even took our order whilst we were still in line outside so that once we were seated, our meals were served almost instantly. I cannot express to you exactly how much it just tickles me with joy on the inside when I observe a business being run with efficiency.

There is no english menu, but never fear, I have deciphered it all for you so you know which one to point to when it comes time to order. Conveniently, there is also a store in Nam-gu (new downtown / Samsan-dong), but its exact location escapes me.

Gorilla Menu

The Menu

샐러드 (sael-leo-deu) – Salad – 3,000 Won

공기밥 (gong-gibap) – Plain Rice – 1,000 Won

맥주 (maek-ju) – Beer – (price not stated)

콜라.사이다 (kolla saida) – Cola Soda – 1,000 Won

You can find this little gem in old downtown by punching the following address details into Google Maps.

Street Address: 4 Sigyetap-geori, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternate Address: 19-4, Seongnam-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea (use this address for your in-car GPS if it’s anything like the one that my car is fitted with)

Phone: (052) 242-0002

Trading Hours: 11am – 9:30pm

Take Out/Take Away: Yes

Gorilla Map

Gorilla Exterior Window

Gorilla Business Card

Toolbox

Posted by TigerMum on April 18, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: Bangeo-dong, Burgers, Burgers in Ulsan, Club Sandwich, Dong-gu, Fries, Good Burger, Jung-gu, Old Downtown, Sandwiches, Seongnam-dong, Ulsan, Western Food. Leave a comment

Street View

Here is a place that I think all expats will appreciate at one time or another during their stay in Ulsan. Agreed that you could potentially knock out something similar, for some of you who fancy yourselves a bit of a cook then maybe better, at home. But for those nights where you really just don’t feel it is necessary to indulge the domestic obligation following the feast (the clean-up), make your way down to this cosy little rustic diner and let Mr Toolbox put a smile on your little taste buds with his range of burgers and sandwiches.

Toolbox Menu

Upon sliding across that oversized door and entering this eatery, you are welcomed with an open warehouse-like feel. The decor is simple, what I would call modern rustic – very much a reflection of the food. Leaning against the counter, what is better than food itself – your menu proudly displayed entirely in English. This is mostly a one-man-show, and on occasions, you have the luxury of having two staff members on and both speak English well enough so that you can request minor alterations to your order. My daughter is not overly a fan of rabbit food, through my own doing, as I was never forced to eat things I didn’t like, I decided to bring her up without the same imposition. More importantly, she adores Toolbox, but I don’t think I’ve ever met a kid yet who doesn’t love a good burger… or two.

Rumour has it that the inception of Toolbox all came about when a group of Australian expatriates, who worked at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard, convinced a local (Mr Toolbox) to open a burger shop. It is also said that they taught him how to make the burgers and as such Toolbox was born. I actually don’t know how much truth there is to this story, or if in true Australian style, we wanted to take the credit for such a great product, but either way we have something that feels a little more like home without the typical “western food” prices. The first Toolbox has been operating in the Bangeo-dong area in Dong-gu near the HHI shipyard for a while now as I understand it, however I have not yet been there, but my husband enjoys lunch there every now and again.

The burgers, complete with soft buns, generous patties and just enough of the other fillers so that it is not falling out from the bottom when you go to take a bite, range from 8,000 -12,000 Won, making this a moderately cheap eat. They also allow you the luxury of extras on your burger like bacon, egg or cheese for an additional 500 Won each, which in my opinion is reasonable. None of the burgers or sandwiches come with fries, but the “Signature” is served with a side of potato chips (crisps if you’re from the UK). If you like chilli fries, it would be better to lure a friend on false pretences as 6,000 Won a pop is a little steep for chilli fries I find, so it would be better to share the cost with a mate. With a burger, there is definitely more than enough for the two, if not more, of you. Regular fries are 3,000 Won per serving, and keep in mind that the serving does seem to be smaller than that of the chilli fries. In addition, the “fries” are really more like wedges as we know it. Slight technicality, but still delicious all the same!

The signature

“Signature Burger” (albeit with the absence of the lettuce and onions that usually accompanies this burger) – 8,000 Won

The Classic

“Classic Burger” – 7,500 Won

Hot Club

“Hot Club” – 8,000 Won

Fries

“Chilli Fries” (left) – 6,000 Won and “Fries” (right) – 3,000 Won

The thing I did find a little surprising, (let me preface this by saying that my beverage of choice is not of the alcoholic variety, and I have not consumed nor attentively purchased alcohol in any way shape or form since I have been in South Korea) was the price of the imported beers that they had on offer – 8,000 Won a can. I will be honest in saying that I did not take careful note of the size of the beers, however at the same price as some of the burgers, from someone who doesn’t have that appreciation for alcohol, it’s a little rich. In saying that, my opinion is completely subjective, and I am wildly unacquainted with the cost of beer at the retail level in Ulsan.

As previously mentioned, primarily this is an owner operated business and to not compromise on the quality of the burgers and sandwiches, they are freshly prepared. So direct from my husband’s mouth – “you have to make sure you get here before you’re starving!”. In fairness, the wait time is not unreasonable but is noticeably longer than many other restaurants in the area. I think it’s very much worth the wait. For the locals, Mr Toolbox has not forgotten about you – the menu is written in Korean on a chalk board leaning against the window outside. Apologies – I know you may have been getting your hopes up as to whether there was a “Kim Chi” or “Bulgogi” burger, but unfortunately you will not find this here. Apart from the fact that you are physically sitting in a shop in Korea and the chef and staff are Korean, this establishment has been so westernised that you forget you’re even in Korea… momentarily.

How to get to Toolbox in Seongnam-dong (old downtown or Jung-gu):

Type either of the following addresses in Google Maps and it will provide you with directions by foot, road or bus.

Street address: 117 Jungang-gil, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative address: 105-4, Seongnam-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Phone number: (052) 910-5631

Trading Hours: Tuesday-Sunday – 11am-11pm, Monday – Closed

Take Out/Take Away: Yes

Toolbox Map

Street Sign

Toolbox Business Card

Oishi Ramen 오이시 라멘

Posted by TigerMum on April 17, 2013
Posted in: Food. Tagged: Japanese Restaurant, Jung-gu, Oishi Ramen, Old Downtown, Ramen Restaurant, Seongnam-dong, Ulsan. Leave a comment

Oishi Ramen - Seongnam-dong

Who doesn’t enjoy a good Ramen, and whilst it is actually the first Ramen that I have tried since being here, I can’t say that I was disappointed.

You will all be relieved to know that upon entering this restaurant, which you can find down a cute little side alleyway in Jung-gu (Seongnam-dong or Old Downtown) right near the fire station, you are greeted at the table with pictures on their menu! Whilst a majority of restaurants here have become wiser to this (due to the increasing number of foreigners expatriating to Ulsan) and adopted this format, it is still always a relief when you sit down and are presented with a menu where you don’t have to google images of the listed item.

Ramen Menu

This is one of the better laid out menus that I have seen, allowing you the option to “upsize” your Ramen in a sense. The Ramen itself, whilst inexpensive at 6,000 Won per serving, comes with only one slice of pork, half an egg and a modest serving of noodles, which is probably enough to satisfy the ladies, however for the gentlemen (well, my husband at least), I wouldn’t be surprised if it took two extra servings of the pork (at 1,500 Won each extra serve), one extra serving of the egg (1,000 Won) and one extra serving of the noodles (1,000 Won), which would bring his dish to 11,000 Won for his belly to be satisfied. This defeats the purpose of a “cheap eat”, but the quality of this establishment will not disappoint, and the flavours are just delightful.

(si-o-ra-men)

시오라멘 (si-o-ra-men)

Like many other restaurant in the area, Oishi Ramen will not deny you a serving of Kim Chi, of the cabbage variety, as your side dish. The perfect accompaniment for those of you who, like me, enjoy a little flirt with spice, but don’t want to have the love affair burn my entire mouth for ages after. Besides, I can’t think of anything more unglamorous than breathing like you’re in a Lamaze class practicing for child-birth when you’re just trying to enjoy a civilised meal. For those of you who do enjoy the sting of pepper, they would not make the mistake of leaving a spicy soup Ramen off the menu – in fact, Oishi Ramen offer two. After all, we are in Korea.

Also included on their menu are the Japanese curries, as well as rice dishes with the same pork they use in the Ramen – absolutely delicious, and a good alternative to satisfy your roast meats craving, like the kind that you find hanging in the window of a Chinese restaurant. My husband was exceptionally pleased as he has been craving Char Siew (the roasted strips of pork covered in a red glaze) since we arrived in Ulsan.

Oishi Ramen has two locations, Jung-gu (old downtown, also referred to as Seongnam-dong, which is the one that I visited), and Nam-gu (new downtown or Samsan-dong).

The following addresses can be entered as shown into Google Maps to give you a precise location.

Old Downtown Address: 9, Meokja-geori, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative Old Downtown Address: 232 Seongnam-dong, Jung-gu, Ulsan, South Korea – (This is the address that you can usually use for your car GPS)

Old Downtown Phone Number: (052) 244-5232

Trading hours: 11:30am – 9:30pm

9 Meokja-geori, Jung-gu, Ulsan

Oishi Ramen Business Card

I have not yet tried the Oishi Ramen in new downtown (Nam-gu), but in case any of you would like to visit, here is how you can find it. It is about 100 metres from KFC, if you head west on that street away from Hyundai Department store and pass the Guam (or Kuam) stationery store immediately after KFC.

Street address: 20 Wangsaeng-ro66beon-gil, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Alternative address: 1363-8, Dal-dong, Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea

Phone number: (052) 267-5232

Oishi Ramen, Nam-gu Map

Oishi Ramen, Nam-gu

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