[Foodie’s Seoul] Itaewon’s must-eat cuisine

Eating out in Korea goes far beyond local cuisine with kimchi.
You will be surprised to see a wide diversity of dishes from Alabama-style barbecue to German schnitzel.

First things first: favorite restaurants in Itaewon, the most exotic and global tourism site in Seoul. With its proximity to a huge U.S. army base Itaewon is known for its diverse food culture, which features cuisine from around world.

May you enjoy your meal -- or as they say in Korea, “Masit-ge Deu-se-yo!”

◇ VATOS URBAN TACOS
181-8 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Vtos Urban Tacos is a rising star in Itaewon after a successful Kickstarter campaign. It offers creative, mouthwatering tacos in both Korean and Mexican styles. On a weekend, crowds of Koreans and foreigners alike wait in a long queue outside the restaurant to eat Korea‘s ubiquitous pickled cabbage dish into traditional taco forms. It follows Korean-style taco food trucks that can be spotted in American cities.

◇ Linus’ Bama Style BBQ
56-20 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

And there’s Linus’ Bama Style BBQ, run by Alabama native Linus Kim. Its menu offers a soft and succulent brisket that is very juicy inside but has a nice dry rub around the edge. It comes with southern side dishes like deep fried pickles, homemade coleslaw, pork ‘n’ beans, deep fried ribs and buns toasted with butter.

◇ Gilbert’s Burgers & Fries
453-15 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Gilbert’s Burgers & Fries specializes in burgers and fries as the name indicates -- that is, real American-style gourmet burgers, not the regular burgers you’d expect in a fast-food chain restaurant.

◇ The Baker’s Table
691 Itaewon-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Located in Itaewon’s Gyeongnidan Street, The Baker’s Table offers generous breads, sandwiches, and soups. Run by a German pastry chef, Micha Lichter, It provides a wide selection of hearty homemade breads, from muesli and cookies to the biggest pieces of schnitzel in Seoul. All are available in-house or for take-out.

By Bak Se-hwan (sh@heraldcorp.com)