What do a Jordanian restaurant and a Thai restaurant have in common? This past week its been my great delight to sample two extremely fine restaurants: Petra and Wang Thai. The food was remarkably authentic for Korea, which has the very American tendency to adapt all imported foods to the local palette. The reason for the difference in taste is also the answer to the question: chefs native to the country whose food is being served.
Both of my meals, not surprisingly to people who know the city, started at noksapyeong station. This unconventional subway station seems a neon homage to Escher with its crisscrossing staircases and escalators. It's also the gateway to Itaewon, a district of the city that is home to both the American army base and the plethora of foreigners that has brought with it. There are few things Itaewon does well. Some, like the big and tall stores or the custom tailored suits, are quite useful. Others are much more shameful, and why I tend to avoid this part of town after nightfall as if it were Transylvania. However, if there's one thing Itaewon can be lauded for it's its tapestry of phenomenal food.
This Jordanian establishment has been an integral part of the Seoul food scene for 8 years. Though many have eaten here and raved about it, I had my first opportunity just last week and the hype is worth it. The chef is award-winning, the atmosphere is calm and colorful, and after one round of food I was ordering seconds.
I went, fortunately, with a like-minded food friend (that is to say, someone who believes in sharing, over-ordering, and the incommensurate values of money versus experience). We started with the hat trick: tabouleh salad, falafel, and a plate of various spreadables. Though much of the tabouleh I've had, either in Korea or otherwise, suffers from the crippling defects of excessive bulgur and over lemoning, this was not the case at Petra. The falafel was expertly prepared, and the hummus was only outdone by the babaghanoush that lay next to it.
Though our first impression was that the staff was a little coarse and unfriendly, we soon realized that the niceties were being lost in translation. After briefly struggling with our first course, the owner of the restaurant came over to show us how the three appetizers were mixed properly. With his own hand, he wrapped hummus, falafel halves, and daubs of the sauces on our table with a tortilla-like flat bread. He then packed it all with a spoonful of the tabouleh. The combination was overwhelmingly delicious.
The second course was a leg of lamb that just melted off the bone, flavored with raisins and dates and stewed with chickpeas. Again, just after a minute of our attempting to eat this new dish, the owner came back to the table. This time, he made little domes of rice on each of our plates and laid the lamb across it. While ladling on the gravy, he confessed that never in his life had he served food to a man before. I don't know if this was a sales tactic or not, but I choose to believe it.
Wang Thai gave off a similar vibe upon entering, although the restaurant was roomier than in Petra. Though it was spacious, it was still divided quite nicely, leaving a romantic sort of privacy that was complimented by the dim lighting. There is comfort gained from walking into a Thai restaurant and being greeted by Thai people. 
The sign advertised "All Thai Chefs," and the menu made note of their use of tamarind in the pad thai, rather than the cheap substitution of tomato. It was also nice to see a some authenticity in the drink selection. We opted for a bottle of the sweeter than average Chang beer, though I was curious about the Thai take on whiskey. Things were looking good, especially given that the other two Thai places in Itaewon are disappointing for the price tag.
Moreso than Korean, Thai benefits from the wide range of flavors that contrast so strongly but balance so naturally. A perfect example is green curry. Rife with the sweetness of coconut milk, there persists the heat of peppers with the freshness of lemongrass. The pad thai was as fantastic as expected. I could not get enough of the tom yam heth, a mushroom soup flavored with bay leaves, kaffir lime, lemon grass, chili peppers, and coconut milk.
I know this blog is typically dedicated to Korea and travel, but those are just two parts of my life experience here. While I do eat a good deal of kimchi and airplane food, there's also a vast cultural landscape that's available here, and sometimes I don't make that as clear as I should. It's not a life without luxuries. In fact, I couldn't get either of these foods in any town I've ever inhabited in the states. So there you have it: just another thing that life in Seoul has to offer.
Both of my meals, not surprisingly to people who know the city, started at noksapyeong station. This unconventional subway station seems a neon homage to Escher with its crisscrossing staircases and escalators. It's also the gateway to Itaewon, a district of the city that is home to both the American army base and the plethora of foreigners that has brought with it. There are few things Itaewon does well. Some, like the big and tall stores or the custom tailored suits, are quite useful. Others are much more shameful, and why I tend to avoid this part of town after nightfall as if it were Transylvania. However, if there's one thing Itaewon can be lauded for it's its tapestry of phenomenal food.
Petra
This Jordanian establishment has been an integral part of the Seoul food scene for 8 years. Though many have eaten here and raved about it, I had my first opportunity just last week and the hype is worth it. The chef is award-winning, the atmosphere is calm and colorful, and after one round of food I was ordering seconds.
I went, fortunately, with a like-minded food friend (that is to say, someone who believes in sharing, over-ordering, and the incommensurate values of money versus experience). We started with the hat trick: tabouleh salad, falafel, and a plate of various spreadables. Though much of the tabouleh I've had, either in Korea or otherwise, suffers from the crippling defects of excessive bulgur and over lemoning, this was not the case at Petra. The falafel was expertly prepared, and the hummus was only outdone by the babaghanoush that lay next to it.Though our first impression was that the staff was a little coarse and unfriendly, we soon realized that the niceties were being lost in translation. After briefly struggling with our first course, the owner of the restaurant came over to show us how the three appetizers were mixed properly. With his own hand, he wrapped hummus, falafel halves, and daubs of the sauces on our table with a tortilla-like flat bread. He then packed it all with a spoonful of the tabouleh. The combination was overwhelmingly delicious.
The second course was a leg of lamb that just melted off the bone, flavored with raisins and dates and stewed with chickpeas. Again, just after a minute of our attempting to eat this new dish, the owner came back to the table. This time, he made little domes of rice on each of our plates and laid the lamb across it. While ladling on the gravy, he confessed that never in his life had he served food to a man before. I don't know if this was a sales tactic or not, but I choose to believe it.
Wang Thai
Wang Thai gave off a similar vibe upon entering, although the restaurant was roomier than in Petra. Though it was spacious, it was still divided quite nicely, leaving a romantic sort of privacy that was complimented by the dim lighting. There is comfort gained from walking into a Thai restaurant and being greeted by Thai people. 
The sign advertised "All Thai Chefs," and the menu made note of their use of tamarind in the pad thai, rather than the cheap substitution of tomato. It was also nice to see a some authenticity in the drink selection. We opted for a bottle of the sweeter than average Chang beer, though I was curious about the Thai take on whiskey. Things were looking good, especially given that the other two Thai places in Itaewon are disappointing for the price tag.
Moreso than Korean, Thai benefits from the wide range of flavors that contrast so strongly but balance so naturally. A perfect example is green curry. Rife with the sweetness of coconut milk, there persists the heat of peppers with the freshness of lemongrass. The pad thai was as fantastic as expected. I could not get enough of the tom yam heth, a mushroom soup flavored with bay leaves, kaffir lime, lemon grass, chili peppers, and coconut milk.
I know this blog is typically dedicated to Korea and travel, but those are just two parts of my life experience here. While I do eat a good deal of kimchi and airplane food, there's also a vast cultural landscape that's available here, and sometimes I don't make that as clear as I should. It's not a life without luxuries. In fact, I couldn't get either of these foods in any town I've ever inhabited in the states. So there you have it: just another thing that life in Seoul has to offer.
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