Blueberry Makgeolli @해달밥술

By -

On a recent trip to Korea I stopped for dinner at a restaurant serving slow food and Makgeolli: 해달밥술 (Haedalbapsool).

My friend had wanted to take me to a place that serves Makgeolli since she found out about my hobby and this blog. We walked around Yeon nam dong (연암동) in Seoul for a while looking for somewhere that serves Makgeolli. The first place we went to was only serving soju; they have Makgeolli on a seasonal menu, but not this season!  We searched and walked some more to the second place, which was temporarily closed. We thought it was a bummer because they supposedly had house made Makgeolli. On we walked, following my suggestion to go to a place near Hongdae station where I remembered seeing a Makgeolli restaurant two years back. We didn't find the place I had remembered; instead we stumbled upon 해달밥술.

From the exterior it looks like a humble 식당 with simple tables and stools and a long bench seat running along the side wall. But the food and Makgeolli exceeded my expectations.

Ordering at 해달밥술 is simple, but different from what you may expect. First you pick a bottle of Makgeolli or Soju. Then food comes out. It just comes out. There is no selection of dishes, just alcohol and the chef's choice. Food came out in two or three waves, with dishes ranging from steamed clams to fried veggie pancakes. I could list everything, but that would be a separate post itself!

We ordered a half serving of the house blueberry Makgeolli. They don't normally do halves, but we weren't interested in drinking a two liter full serving by ourselves.

The blueberry Makgeolli was amazing: a slightly sweet, light-bodied drink that goes down easily and pairs well with salty or spicy food. The blueberry taste was not overwhelming or pungent, and floating bits of blueberry skin and settling blueberry seeds made it clear that this was the real deal. We had the blueberry Makgeolli with food, but I could see this Makgeolli working well as an after dinner drink as well.

We ate and drank and talked for over two hours it seemed, and food came out gradually over that time. We ate slowly and drank slowly and talked slowly and experienced real "slow food".

The bill?
Blueberry Makgeolli (1/2) - 8,000원
Seating charge - 16,000원 /person
Total - 40,000원

Considering the amount of food and quality of the Makgeolli I think it was a great deal!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

H-Mart Nuruk

By -
Image
Here are pictures of the nuruk I mentioned in the previous post. One brand is Choripdongi 초립동이 and the other is Haeoreum 해오름. Both brands sell a one pound bag, and I recently confirmed that they are sold at both Philadelphia area H-Marts! What I find interesting is the different nutrition facts for the different brands of nuruk. Check it out for yourself below.
Read more

Nuruk Comparison

By -
Image
Currently brewing is a comparison between two brands of nuruk: a "market" nuruk purchased stateside and an artisan nuruk produced in Busan. Initial notes on the nuruk itself: To review, nuruk is the fermentation starter used for makgeolli and other kinds of traditional Korean beverages. It consists of fermented grains or rice and is home to a diverse set of micro-organisms. The "market" nuruk was purchased at H-Mart in the US under the brand Haeoreum. It has a pungent earthy aroma that is somewhat tangy on the nose. I would definitely describe the smell as moldy, but not foul or rank. It does not smell like decomposition. You may even describe the smell as reminiscent of a cellar or attic, but remember: no two smell alike. It definitely has an older scent than the Busan nuruk. The Busan nuruk was acquired from a friend, and I don't think it is available to purchase in the US. The aroma is a combination of earthy and woody, but neutral. There is n
Read more

New Hangari

By -
Image
Great news! I got a new hangari! What's a hangari? (항아리) Hangari is the clay jar traditionally used to ferment all kinds of foods or beverages in Korean cuisine. These are the big brown jugs that house kimchi, rice wine, and medicinal extracts. They come in various shapes and sizes, but they are usually made with clay and have a characteristic brown glaze. They are heavy, cumbersome objects, but they represent a traditional way of brewing makgeolli that I must explore. I used a small hangari several times when brewing makgeolli in Korea. However, I've learned a lot since then and want to continue experimenting brewing using hangari. Hangari may also be called onggi. Below I'll give a quick summary of the pros and cons of using a hangari, as well as a few methods used to prepare hangari for brewing. This content was originally found in Jeontongju that You Can Easily Make at Home  by Lee SeokJun ( 전통주 집에서 쉽게 만들기, 이석준  ). It has been translated from the original text b
Read more