[Jinhae] Korea’s most beautiful place in Spring: Jinhae Cherry Blossoms

Posted on by Jamie Liew

it’s my 4th year here and I thought.. I might not be able to go to Jinhae next year since it’s going to be my last year and I might be busy. so.. I’ll just go there this year. some of my friends come here every single year but the jam and long hour bus ride is too tiring for me. unless I can afford a KTX ride, I don’t think I want to come to this festival again. 5 hour bus ride one way and the place’s pretty crowded. it wasn’t like super duper crowded. more of a bearable kind of crowded. but maybe because I went there at 630am in the morning and I left at 2pm.

but one thing for sure, the pictures came out really well. like, really really well. indeed the most beautiful place to be at during spring. the whole city’s filled with cherry blossoms as well! but I was too tired to explore it all… I only had 1 hour of sleep the night before hahaha.

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here’s my favourite shot! Neoh told me to “PRETEND TO LOOK AT THE FLOWERS!” I looked like a robot in the first few pictures and then it became better. Continue reading “[Jinhae] Korea’s most beautiful place in Spring: Jinhae Cherry Blossoms” →

Halal or not?

Posted on by Jamie Liew

okay, to be honest, Korea is probably like.. one of the most difficult when it comes to Halal food; you don’t know the language and you would like to avoid food that’s against your religion. while you can still eat and dine at various halal restaurants in Seoul. Halal food is widely UNAVAILABLE. most shops sell pork. and most Muslims do not know what they can eat or not in Seoul and it made them refrain from trying many things especially when they are not with a guide. (most Muslim friends opt for seafood restaurants or seafood dishes, it may contain pork or non-halal meat sometimes) but through Halal in Korea, you can now know what is halal and what’s haram in Korea. and here’s the list.

I just thought I’d let my fellow Muslim readers know what can be or cannot be eaten in Korea with the list I found online since I find it difficult to come by a list as complete as this one. I tried googling for Halal food when I first came but I had to filter through blogs and websites which was a hassle.

hope this can help my Muslim friends and have a great time in Korea!

[Seoul: Hongdae] KAREÖ 카레오 홍대

Posted on by Jamie Liew

the no.1 Japanese curry shop in Seoul?

that must be Kareo! a restaurant that I frequent a lot in Hongdae. I am not quite a fan of most curry shops in Korea because they are normally too sweet or just.. too bland for my Malaysian taste buds. but what’s good about Kareo you ask?

well.. it’s affordable! while 8,000 and up is the price of a plate of curry at other shops, the curry here has such a big portion that.. you should only order one portion for 2. since I eat a lot, I normally order the huge portion and share it with a friend. while many shops dislike the fact that you share your portion and insist on having each person ordering one portion, in Kareo, they told me that one portion is very huge and I should not order 2 for 2 of us in case we cannot finish it. kind staff yes? they care for their customers more than their profits =D.

가끔식 카레를 땡기신적 있죠? 저두 그런 마음이 있겠죠~ 그래서 카레를 땡길 때마다 홍대 카레오로 찾으러 갑니다!

카레오와 다른 카레집의 다른 점은 보통 달달한 카레와 달리 일본카레라 약간 더 매콤하고 스파이스의 맛이 조금 더 강합니다~ 카레 꼽빼기 하나만 시켜도 2사람 먹기엔 녹녹합니다~ 나누면 생각보다 가격이 되게 착해요!

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here’s an ugly picture of myself =D. I was extra hungry because I spent hours biking before that.

자전거 배운 후에 머리가 엉망진창이네요 @@. Continue reading “[Seoul: Hongdae] KAREÖ 카레오 홍대” →

[Seoul: Samcheongdong] the 2nd best place in Seoul 서울서 둘째로 잘하는 집

Posted on by Jamie Liew

the 2nd best place in Seoul is one of the oldest cafe/dabang around as they are open since 1976. although not as old as Hakrim Dabang, this is actually my.. 3rd time here? and my second post on it. the first post here.

ever since my good friend came with me 3 years ago and I’ve never once came here again since he passed away.. but it’s a cafe filled with our memories and the cafe stayed the same.

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located at the end of Samcheongdong street, the cafe isn’t difficult to find. Continue reading “[Seoul: Samcheongdong] the 2nd best place in Seoul 서울서 둘째로 잘하는 집” →

[Yokohama] Yoyoyoyoyokohama!

Posted on by Jamie Liew

it was actually my second time to Yokohama, the place where all imports and exports in Japan started, a very historical place especially for the development and growth of Japan. the first time I merely explored the place as I only “dropped by” after visiting Kamakura which was amazingly beautiful. so for this Tokyo trip, I spent one whole day at Yokohama.

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meet my tour guide for the day, probably the funniest man in Yonsei University’s language school — BOB!!!

Continue reading “[Yokohama] Yoyoyoyoyokohama!” →

[Seoul: Bukchon] Keungiwajib Michelin Soy Crab 큰기와집 간장게장

Posted on by Jamie Liew

there is this one thing which I didn’t enjoy at first because I thought it was weird– Ganjang Gejang. but as time passed I opened up my mind to all types of food and when I started to think raw food ain’t that disgusting, I begin to fall deeply in love with it. and because it’s raw in a way, you need to go to a restaurant that does it right. of course, there’s “PRO Ganjang Gejang” at Sinsa but because I live in Jongro, it’s very far for me hehehe.

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Keun Giwa Jip is a famous restaurant for Ganjang Gejang in Seoul and I dare say, it’s one of the best Gejangs in Seoul although I hadn’t had too much of it (it’s expensive!). it even earned a Michelin Star! from reading Korean blogs, I heard that there are very few good gejang places in Seoul. so far, Pro ganjang gejang and Keungiwajip is the best. Continue reading “[Seoul: Bukchon] Keungiwajib Michelin Soy Crab 큰기와집 간장게장” →

[Seoul: Anguk Station/Bukchon] Meet Market Steakhouse

Posted on by Jamie Liew

I am not sure if I’ve ever said this on my blog before. but I am sure I’ve told my friends over and over again that.. I’ve never had any decent steak here and I personally do not recommend chain restaurants like TGIF for steak because they’re… not worth it.

but thanks to my friend who works nearby Anguk, my faith in Korean steaks is restored. =3.

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Meet Market is a quaint little one story building along Bukchon-ro. this restaurant was modified from a Hanok and certain Hanok architecture remains in the restaurant so I thought it was really unique! there was a glass roof in the middle too so the lightings in the afternoon’s purrrrrfect. Continue reading “[Seoul: Anguk Station/Bukchon] Meet Market Steakhouse” →

[Sapporo] what to eat in Hokkaido? : SOUP CURRY!

Posted on by Jamie Liew

I didn’t know that. and I guessed most of you didn’t know that.. Soup Curry is a Hokkaido specialty. other than the amazingly cheap and fresh sushi, Gengkhis Khan (mutton), milk etc, one of the MUST EATS in Hokkaido will definitely be the Soup Curry. Japanese curry may not suit the tastes of most people whom prefer their curry to be more fragrant and spicy rather than being sweet like how most Japanese curry is.

I wasn’t a fan of Japanese/Korean curry at first but I came to like it later. but SOUP CURRY? it’s like.. a whole different type of curry. I don’t know how do you put it. it ain’t exactly sweet but it’s very fragrant and yet the curry is adjusted just right so that the “soup” will be drinkable; not too salty!

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soup curry is said to be all around Hokkaido but honestly, I’ve only seen it twice in my 1 week holiday and I had it on my first day at the JR Tower’s Stellar Dining area (6th floor). Continue reading “[Sapporo] what to eat in Hokkaido? : SOUP CURRY!” →

[Sapporo] Hokkaido SUSHI! Nemuro Hanamaru, JR Tower

Posted on by Jamie Liew

ask the locals they say, because they’d know. and so the recommendations of a true Japanese who was born and bred in Hokkaido recommended me to Nemuro Hanamaru. 6th floor of the JR Tower (Sapporo Station), Sapporo.

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we actually came here on the first day but due to limited time we headed on for something else and came back the next day. with a similar line. waited for around 45 minutes at around 1pm. I’ll have to say.. the wait’s worth it. Continue reading “[Sapporo] Hokkaido SUSHI! Nemuro Hanamaru, JR Tower” →

[Tokyo: Tsukiji] Sushi Dai vs. Sushi Daiwa

Posted on by Jamie Liew

Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo.

if you’re planning a trip to Tokyo, Tsukiji Fish Market shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you. especially half of this world renowned market is going to be relocated in 2016 so this year is the only last chance you have to enjoy Tsukiji as it is. and if you’re planning on a trip there already.. you might probably have heard of the most famous sushi restaurant bar in Tsukiji, Sushi Dai. BUT, you might’ve also heard of the sushi bar a few shops away, called Sushi Daiwa. and as a sushi enthusiast as myself, I went to both.

okay, actually because of my budget, I could barely afford such luxury but I skimped throughout my whole Tokyo trip for it. so it better be worth it. so at first, I was dying to look for someone to be kind enough to go with me to Tsukiji as NOBODY wanted to wake up early and queue for hours just for good sushi.

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I started queuing for Sushi Dai from 6:15AM as soon as I’ve reached (my friends told me how it was complicating to find bla bla but I found it ridiculously easy to find. just google for the directions from Tsukijishijo Station to Sushi Dai and screen cap it. then use it as your guide there. =). that’s what I did for EVERYTHINGGG hahaha.) Continue reading “[Tokyo: Tsukiji] Sushi Dai vs. Sushi Daiwa” →