Cycle 13 – Item 3

8 (Sat) January 2022

Ddeokbokki

2.5

at Namdaemun Sijang

-Namchang, Jung, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with the Family

A weekend trip to get new glasses for IZ, whose eyes continue to deteriorate (see most recently 12.055 Boribab), either due to relentless screen usage (as the father would contend) and/or sudden growth spurt (as the optometrist would suggest, much to the incredulity of the father).

While waiting, we had a snack at a food cart right outside the store (see most recently 10.354 Roast Lobster with Cheese).

Despite the wide selection available at these carts in Namdaemun, I can’t recall ever having anything but ddeokbokki and odeng (see for example 5.069 Ddeokbokki).  The items are fine per se, things that I would ordinarily like to eat, but they’re mostly dishes that are typically better enjoyed in restaurants; here, they’re aimed at tourists looking to get a quick taste while passing by.

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)