13.227 SPAM Sticks

Cycle 13 – Item 227

20 (Sat) August 2022

SPAM Sticks

3.5

at Beer Suda

-Seogwipo, Jeju, Republic of Korea-

solo

Dive Trip to Jeju, Day 2

Solo dive trip.  First time diving in almost exactly 2.5 years – previously 16 February 2020 in the Philippines, a month before the pandemic lock-down of Manila on 16 March 2020.  First time diving in Korea – ever.  First time visiting Jeju in over 15 years – previously 18 May 2007 for a faculty workshop when I was a professor at AUSOM, pre-GMTD.  The plan is to recon the local diving scene, with an eye towards bringing the family next time.

DIVING

Research on various dive shops in the area led me to Under the Sea aka Big Blue 33.

Small but well-maintained.

In addition to positive reviews from Koreans, several foreigners noted that the shop is English-friendly – not that I was worried about language in Korea, but I did want to support an operation with a global outlook.

Just me and a divemaster for today, we drove to the harbor in a truck, then took a ferry to Munseom.
We unloaded our gear at Munseom, which features a perfectly flat platform made of volcanic rock.
As if built for divers.

The Republic of Korea is the 8th country and the East China Sea is the 10th body of water where I’ve enjoyed the privilege of diving.

  1. Philippines, Balayan Bay (Anilao) (9.042 Garlic Squid + Buttered Vegetables); Batangas Bay (Puerto Galera) (9.115 Budae Jjigae)
  2. Fiji, Nadi Bay (Nadi) (6.104 Seared Mahi Mahi); Pacific Harbour (Pacific Harbour) (10.189 Clouds in Sky)
  3. Maldives, Arabian Sea (Male) (9.190 Grilled Snapper)
  4. Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park (Kota Kinabalu) (9.248 Homemade Chicken Curry)
  5. Jordan, Red Sea (Aqaba) (9.265 Mixed Grill)
  6. Lebanon, Mediterranean Sea (Beirut) (see 9.334 Deep-Fried Red Mullet)
  7. United Arab Emirates, Persian/Arabian Gulf (Abu Dhabi) (10.299 Black Pepper Chicken)
  8. Republic of Korea, East China Sea (Jeju) (13.227 SPAM Sticks)
The water itself was relatively clear, but dark from overcast skies.

I wouldn’t recommend diving in Jeju for beginners.  Nothing majorly difficult, but various small factors in combination, including chilly water (around 25 degrees) + strong current + low visibility + difficult access (requiring 1+ meter jump from platform).

Alas, not a great dive destination for the family.

LUNCH

After 2 morning dives (currents are too strong in the afternoon), I was on my own for whatever.

Located around the corner from the hotel.

Baeknyeon Gaya Mil Myeon is a Korean restaurant chain.  Specializes in the eponymous mil myeon.

Mil myeon is relatively mainstream in Jeju, perhaps due to the southern orientation, near Busan, where the dish originates (see 13.093 Mil Myeon).

The mil myeon at Baeknyeon Gaya Mil Myeon was pretty good.  Similar to the style at the similarly named Wonjo Gaya Mil Myeon in Busan (see 13.094 Just Regular Eomuk).  An excellent post-dive lunch item, light and refreshing with a slight kick.

DINNER

After lunch, I slept most of the day.

Getting up around 20:00, I wandered out in search of food.

I came across Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market, the central commercial venue of the city.
By 21:00, most of the vendors had already closed.

Finding most of the restaurants within the market already wrapping up for the day, I was about to give up and find an alternative area to explore, when I turned the corner and found Olle 54 Beon-ga Ya Sijang.

Located on the northern end of Seogwipo Maeil Olle Market.

Olle 54 Beon-ga Ya Sijang (Olle 54th Street Night Market) is a food court.  An assortment of food stalls, each offering a different type of item, mostly westernish, anju-like tidbits.

My first stop: a stall selling local brews.
Magpie Brewing Co. Pale Ale

Very quickly, I grew tried of logistics.  First, I had to find a table among the few and far between.  Then, I had to order 1 item there, another 1 there, booze from there, bring everything back to the table, by which time the food was flabby and the booze was flat.  Like eating at hawker centre in Singapore (see for example 4.267 Hainanese Chicken Rice), but not worth the effort.

Yuseongjang Garibi Gui (Yuseonjang Scallop Roast)
Most stalls had a gimmick of some sort, like this flame-grilling technique.
Ultimately, what could’ve been delectable food was ruined by regrettable Korean habits, like dousing seafood with mayonnaise-y cream sauce, ketchup-y hot sauce, and dried parsley flakes.

Beer Suda is a bar.  Located in Olle 54th Street Night Market.

Takeout window facing into the food court.

After 30 minutes of scrambling on the outside, I was grateful to take a seat within the quiet, air-conditioned bliss of Beer Suda and eat whatever they had to offer.

Inside seating, including tables and bar.

The SPAM sticks were amazing.  Perfectly crispy crust.  The dipping sauce provided both a creaminess and kick.  My only complaint was that the meat was too salty – if remedied by substituting low-sodium SPAM, the dish could aspire to 4.0.

Dipping sauce = mayo + soy sauce + minced chilies, reminiscent of the dip for squid (see for example 12.245 Ban Geon Ojingeo Ddangkong).

The irony of featuring a SPAM dish – while in Jeju, especially as a self-proclaimed non meat-eater – is not lost on me.

(See RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)

(See HANSIK)

(See MNM)

(See also BOOZE)

(See also DIVING)

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