Myeongdong, Seoul Street Eats – Part 2

Did you ever think that you could have a working oven assembled on a street cart?  One that could produce freshly baked yummy cakes?  One particularily memorable street eat Fannypack and I had in Seoul was a snack made from one of these incredible innovations….

Victoria Weekend Trip Part 2 – Caffe D’Amore & AYOeat

We were fortunate to come across a pretty good deal on LivingSocial for our hotel stay for this Victoria trip.  Hitman and I got a pretty nice room at the Executive House Hotel in downtown Victoria.  It was within walking distance to pretty much everything (unless you’re in heels like I was…then it was excruciating =P) and we got a room on the 14^th floor with a pretty side view of the harbour.  The nightview was pretty awesome, so we were happy.

Included with the voucher was full breakies for 2 people at the onsite Caffe d’Amore.  Hitman chose the Corned Beef & Hash ($9.99) with a tea and I had the Blackstone Benedict ($10.99) which was an eggs benedict with grilled tomatoes and bacon.

Both breakfasts were solid.  Hitman’s was a decent portion with lots of onions, green peppers and mushrooms mixed in.  Mine was also pretty good.  The hollandaise sauce was not the best though and the eggs could be poached a tad softer and runnier but really not too much to complain about.  Both were served with mediocre hash browns.

Now, we got up especially early so that we could fit in both breakfast AND lunch before we headed to the wedding ceremony at 2pm.  This is because as stated in the previous post, prior to the trip, we had already researched where we wanted to eat.  Our next destination was to AYOeat.

 

It took us a little bit to find AYOeat as google maps on my phone did not give the correct location.  I should’ve read AYOeat’s website clearly because it clearly tells you that it’s inside the courtyard of Market Square.  By the way it’s a very nice courtyard.  If we weren’t in a hurry and it wasn’t that cold out and I wasn’t in a skirt and heels, totally would’ve sat there to feast.

It’s a little food stand if you will along the shops of the courtyard.  Vibrant red, can’t miss it.  Plus the directory of the square is pretty clear too.

And it’s literally a hole in the wall.  It’s just the kitchen plus a fridge that’s it.  The menu’s on the door.  Chef Bana is very friendly, even offering us water while we waited.  But that’s probably because it does take him a little while to make the food.  I wouldn’t call it fast food.

After 5 years… I’ve finally found you! I ♥ u Ho-dduk…

My first encounter with ho-dduk was around 5 or 6 years ago at the Night Market in Richmond. It was by the same clan that now does the hurricane potatoes and fish waffles. They made fish waffles back then too but no hurricane potatoes.

I got one because it was only $1 each and I love anything chewy and rice flour-y and man was I glad I tried one. However, a few years ago the clan stopped making them and I was so disappointed to not be able to have them yearly 😦

But this year my luck has changed. On a visit to the Summer Night Market this year, I asked the same stall if they still make sweet rice pancake. They said no, but that a few stalls over did. They also taught us what it’s called. It sounds like “hot dog”.

This particular food stall made their version with lots of nuts.  Too bad we didn’t get a fresh one…It was kept hot on the grill and got more crispy on the outside from that… When it’s piping fresh it should be chewy and soft.  Nonetheless Hitman and I enjoyed it very very much and Hitman especially enjoyed the oozing goodness.  For me probably more so due to the fact I had been longing for it for so long.  But for Hitman, it was his first time.  At first we debated getting two, but him being the health nut he is insisted we share one.  However, one bite into it he basically fought me for it.  But with the expression he made when he had it…it was the cutest thing ever…I had to let him eat more of it.

I was then determined to find out if I could get it anywhere else, so I eventually asked my Korean coworker where I can get this ho-dduk.