I never eat Agu-jjim before and since we're at Masan, the birthplace of Agu-jjim, this trip would not be complete before tasting steamed monkfish!
Eonni recommended us to eat at the 창동초가집 restaurant, which is near to Tourist Information Centre, instead of Masan Agu-jjim Street near Odong-dong because later we need to go back as Eonni will help us to call a taxi to go to Jinhae.
Agu-jjim at Changdong Thatched House (창동초가집).
Add: 창원시 마산합포구 불종거리로 16, 2층. Ph: 055-247-0011/010-3594-5609.
Steamed Monkfish and Steamed Crab are signature dishes in this restaurant.
Dishes can be ordered in small (2 person), medium (3 person) or large (4 person) portion. Spiciness degree: mild taste, a bit spicy, spicy or very spicy!
Agujjim Small - ₩ 28,000 + 2 bowls of rice ₩ 2,000.
Monkfish is rich source of protein and vitamin A, making it good for the skin,
as well as having little fat and helping with digestion. The vegetables mixed
into the broth contain vitamin C, making this spicy dish very healthy.
They serve Kimchijeon for free with dongchimi and other sidedishes.
I told them that the Kimchijeon was delicious when they served us the agujjim. They offered to serve us another one, but we rejected because they served such a big portion of agujjim and we're shocked!
The staff scooped the rice from hot metal pot into our individual bowls,
and poured water to make Sungyung (Scorched Rice Tea).
Eonni told us that Agujjim is a very spicy dish, so we selected the least spicy one and still, we could taste the spicy and strong taste.
The fish itself is pretty chewy, and we bit some small and weird things as it burst with salty water. At first, we thought they're fish' eyes but couldn't be so many eyes. Therefore, we asked Eonni, and she said it's Omandi / Mideodeok (오만디 / 미더덕= sea squirt).
Overall, we loved this dish a lot, but we couldn't quite finish all the bean sprouts because we ate too much rice and kimchi jeon.
The restaurant's staff were accommodating and provided excellent service. I do recommend all of you to go there if you're in Masan to taste this authentic and delicious agu-jjim.
While dining, my hubby couldn't find his earphone and realised that he didn't take it out from the Hanbok. So, after we'd our lunch, he went back to Hanbok Cultural Experience Hall and I walked to Tourist Information Centre to wait for him.
Jeong Ok Eonni was so concerned that we went there alone, because he might lose his way. She said even locals had a hard time to go there and somemore he only went there once. So, we walked there and he really couldn't recall where to go at the end of Sang Sang Gil. Luckily, we have kind Eonni to guide us.
It's indeed a bit tricky as it's hiding at the small alley inside Burim Market. But, you will be able to find it with this Video.... So, what are you waiting for? It's Free Hanbok and you can wear it to go around Masan!
Most of the time, my family and I couldn't resist sweet treats. The snacking frequency will normally increase when traveling to taste something different and local delicacies that hardly available in Singapore.
I started to buy and collect some of my favorite Korean beverages such as:
sikhye, milkis, vinegar, barley tea and others canned drinks.
The other reason is to make sure that my two non-stop nibbling monsters will stay sweet and not become moody monsters. They eat more than me because they're in growing stage. My daughter even told me that she need to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks because she's underweight! Therefore, Korea is perfect place to bring my them along for holiday because you can easily find diversity of affordable and delicious snacks at almost every corner... a real food paradise~!
While in Korea, do make sure to try various local food throughout the country, which the tastes and flavors entwined in its history, culture and regions. Here are some of the places awaiting you for tasty journey of street foods, snacks, desserts and drinks in Korea. Please click the link for more information:
1. Local Markets
Traditional Market is now a popular tourist attraction because not only you can purchase local products at cheaper price, it's also the best place to find the real taste of Korean local street food.
Street vendors, carts, stalls, cafes are usually sprouting around crowded shopping districts such as Myeongdong, Sinchon, and high human traffics touristy area such as Hangang Park. It's actually awesome, because you can have 2-in-1 shooping and food paradise at the same place!
Street foods in Myeongdong - source of happiness from 1,000 won.
Must-Try: Tornado potato, Dokkaebi hotdog, 30cm ice cream cone, assorted meat skewers, egg bread, Korean sweet strawberry, fresh juice, and many more.
Insadong is the place for you to experience the traditional aspects of Korea
in the heart of the city. You can find traditional Korean food and
Pojangmacha is a small tented wagon (布帐马车) selling variety of popular and comfort street foods such as hotteok, gimbap, tteokbokki, sundae, dakkochi (Korean skewered chicken), gyeranmari omelette, odeng, ramen, dalkbal chicken feet, squid, and anju (dishes accompanied with drinking) at reasonable price.
Many of these establishments serve alcoholic beverages such as soju, makgeolli and beer in the evening. It's a popular place to have a snack or drink late into the night.
In Seoul, you can find pojangmacha tents lining around Jongno 3-ga outside subway station.
You probably seen a lot of scenes of the main characters went there, ordered food and soju.
Jeonju Pojangmacha at the backstreet near JIFF Street.
Jeju Must Try: Skewers, tteokbokki, corndog, twigim.
4. Food Trucks
Recently the food truck leads new trend of food culture. In Korea now the food truck is the most popular form of street food. On the basis of proving food truck's real worth as a form of street food in park and culture-art space and so on
100 years Traditional Hotteok available from food truck near Unhyeongung Palace.
The food trucks parked at the colorful Market Ground in
Wide selection of menus ranging from drinks, desserts, local food and also foods from different countries such as Hamburgers, churros, hamburgers and onigiri can be purchased from these fancyly decorated food trucks near Konkuk University.
5. Traditional drinking Houses / Taverns.
Makgeolli is the oldest alcoholic beverage in Korea. Nongju is another name for Makgeolli, which means “farmer’s liquor.” It's considered as healthy form of alcohol because consist of lactic acid bacteria and dietary fiber. It is made from grains such as sweet rice, regular rice, barley, wheat and malt, which gives it milky off-white color, sweet and slightly fizzy from the fermentation process.
It's long popular among the older generation, now gaining its popularity and trendy drink for younger generation. There are a lot of places like bars or taverns serving makgeolli and anju.
I asked my friend to recommend good restaurant around Garosugil when I participated in Psy Wiki Korea Contest. Although I didn't win the contest, but I went there because I like to drink Makgeolli.
Chez Maak (셰막) is a Makgeolli House that famous for their Baekryun White Lotus Makgeolli and Makgeolli Cocktails. They also serve Fusion Korean foods that matched well with Makgeolli.Pajeon is the best dish to accompany makgeolli.
We only ordered Rice makgeolli + Stir-fried squid, but
the table was full with side dishes including exotic dishes:
Silk worm pupa (번데기) and Fermented skate (홍어).
6. Food Themed Streets
Korea has many food-themed street throughout the country, where numerous restaurants lining a long the streets or alleys where visitors can conveniently taste and experience unique or special delicacies.
If you think, a small cup of tteokbokki is not enough, head to tttekbokki town where you can have a large portion because this spicy dish is served as full meal with lots of ingredients such as dumplings, boiled eggs and glass noodle, cheese and ramyeon.
You can find cafes almost everywhere in Korea. I think Korea really like to drink coffee after their meals. Well, I'm not drinking coffee, but somehow there are a lot of unique and interesting themed cafes in Korea where serving wide varities of beverages and desserts. Here are some of the themed and popular cafes I visited:
It's the firstthemed cafe I visited during my second trip to Korea in year 2013. It's actually Hanbok photostudio where you can rent beautiful Hanbok and take snap photos. Then you can enjoy a few sips of different Korean traditional teas and practice your Hangul brush calligraphy skill.
Wiki Cafe is located at romantic Samcheongdong-gil is owned by the K-pop idol Super Junior's Sungmin's mother. We went there during VIP Invition Tour and lucky to met his handsome brother in the cafe.
This cafe serve eye-catching and cute cakes with cute and fun 'nicknames' such as: 기분좋아 케이크 (Feel Good Cake) is the pleasant nickname for 'Rainbow Cream Cheese Cake' and 'Oh My God' (오마이갓 케이크) for M&M 'Choco Choco Choco Cake',..
My Korean friend introduced Caffe Bene and patpingsu to us when we're in Busan. This Korea coffee chain is mostly available everywhere and most of the time we just resting and enjoyed one or 2 servings of Patpingsu.
Sulbing (설빙)
Sulbing is another dessert cafe chain in Korea. Don't care whether it's scorching hot or snowing outside, kids still want to have their favorite Korean Bingsu.
Savoureux (샤브르)
154, Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul
Savoureux is famous for its shaved layered ice cream sorbets.Originally, sorbet was a dessert made in France to eat frozen juice to refresh the mouth after the meal. Savoreux introducing new concept sorbet ice cream dessert made with the creamy softness of premium milk.
Traditional tea house offer teas like Sipjeondaebotang (traditional Korean medicinal tea with 10 different ingredients), Jujube tea, Citron tea, Ginger tea, Sikhe and Sweet Red Bean Soup (단팥죽 = danpatjuk).
I was craving danpatjuk after ate this, and I ordered Chestnut Sweet Red Bean
Porridge (밤단팥죽) from Gmarket Korea but it tasted salty instead of sweet.
Therefore I learned to cook it (click here for the recipe).
This traditional hanok-style cafe also serve danpatjuk which the taste is similar to what I had in Seoul. It also serves various types of teas and patbingsu.
Duimo cafe is owned by CLC (씨엘씨) Yoojin's (최유진) mother and auntie at Jaman Mural Village. A perfect cafe to stop by for a cup of traditional fruit tea, bingsu and healthy bibimbap waffle after strolling charming Jaman Mural Village.
The best ice-cream that they've ever tasted. It's because this was their fruit of labour... first time ice cream making experience at Wind Village using Samyang premium milk produced from the dairy farm in this village.
8. Convenience Stores / Stalls / Marts
Need quick bites, to occupy your mouth and munching on the go, or buy Korean snacks for your own stocks or as gifts before traveling back to Seoul or your home sweet home...
Dosirak, Ramyeon. breads, snacks and banana milk are some of the items that we usually grab from the convenience stores in Korea. Cheap food and easy to prepare a simple hot meal as you need to add boil water for ramyeon or just reheat using microwave provided there. You can also dine there as they usually provided tables and chairs inside or outside the stores.
Gimbap rolls: our must buy which mostly available at train stations.
Regional delicacies such as Hwangnam bread (황남빵), Chalboribbang (찰보리빵),
Choco Pie, and others available at chained-stores at train / bus stations.
Bought local snacks and corn makgeolli from peddlers at Chujeon Station.
Minimart and stalls at bus resting areas.
Ginseng and MarketO Real Brownie: Must buy from Lotte Mart.
9. Food Courts
Food courts is easier to taste various local delights at one stop at affordable price. However, it might quite difficult to get seats during lunch or dinner time.
As you know I have a sweet tooth, and that's explained why I love to go to buffet restaurants to indulge myself in yummy cakes, desserts and ice cream. Just can't stop myself for sweet temptation!
.JPG "Our table almost full with all sort of seafood")
