Sunny-side trip: The Trail for Taste Buds (Part 2)
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Day 4: Hearing from my friend that this place was worth a visit other than Gamcheon Cultural Village in Busan.
태종대유원지 (Taejongdae Recreation Area) can be found in the small island east of Gamcheon, connected by only a few bridges. Thanks to that traffic heading in there took forever, but getting out of there was smooth sailing. |
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The ride was so long that i became restless and got off the bus a few stops away from 태종대. I thought before I explore further, getting lunch would be a good idea.
Off the main road, I found a diner that seemed quite welcoming and its 5-10 min away from 태종대. Many of the dishes are meant for 2 people minimum and even for a big eater like me, 1 is plentiful. So I ordered...... |
낙지볶음 (Nakji Bokkeum, Stir-fried Octopus), served on a portable stove half cooked. The staff said heat for about 5 minutes till the vegetables cooked properly, then dig in. And dig I did, firstly with the variety of side dishes. One of the surprise was that there was marinated small soft shell crab (it may not be soft-shelled), and instead of digging out the meat, suck it out. Absolutely tender.
As I eat the octopus dish, the spiciness slowly rises and that's when the second surprise came, a refreshing bowl of beancurd with mussel soup. I was amazed with how the Koreans somehow mix aggressive taste with refreshing ones. No wonder people keeping going for more.
Tip: If you find sipping on the octopus sauce still too spicy, mix it with rice. The taste becomes more tamed but still maintains its edge.
As I eat the octopus dish, the spiciness slowly rises and that's when the second surprise came, a refreshing bowl of beancurd with mussel soup. I was amazed with how the Koreans somehow mix aggressive taste with refreshing ones. No wonder people keeping going for more.
Tip: If you find sipping on the octopus sauce still too spicy, mix it with rice. The taste becomes more tamed but still maintains its edge.
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Later in the night, I met up with a friend from Busan and asked him to bring me to where locals usually gather.
We ended up in 민락수변공원 (Millak Subyeon Gongwon, Millak Waterfront Park). A 10 min stroll from 광안리 해변 (Gwanganli Beach) and the park is a like setting the sea as a stage. People buy food, drinks, happy drinks, and mattresses, spread them over empty spaces and have a chill night. |
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Lots of youths and young adults come by this hip area. Not to mention the night view of the Gwanganli Bridge which has a light show starting from evening into the late night.
Street side food are priced reasonably and there a buildings where all they sell is freshly seafood, ready to be filleted into sashimi (횟집) |
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My friend bought a few stuff so I'll just list them all first.
막걸리 (Maggeoli) , 소주 (Soju) - These 2 don't need much explanation right? 닭강졍(Dalggangjeong, Fired Chicken with Marinate) 파전 (Pajeon, Spring onion pancake) The chicken is boneless so you may eat to your heart's content without spitting out any bones. and the pancake is once again accompanied by....... soy sauce. All these cost 13,000W only, no joke. I didnt get to try the sashimi, but I didnt regret at all. Food, drinks, happy drinks, and the ambience just made me feel so relaxed and the waves swept up so close to our seats. Totally worth a visit. |
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Day 6: In the evening, my friends took me to my very first baseball match. After watching so many anime and manga, I finally get to see it live. Better yet the atmosphere was electrifying with the cheers coming from both sides.
Not to miss out on the food, we order 치맥 (Chimaek, Chicken+Beer), Then a mix of 떡볶이 (Ddeokbokki), 순대 (Soondae), and one more thing i forgot called what |
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The match will be told in a different post. But after the game, the four of us headed to a nearby diner that mainly sells 해장국 (Haejangguk, Hangover Soup). The slight tinge of spice and mass of protein in the soup really woke me up.
We order 3 different kind of soup but i forgot what were their exact names |
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My friends wanted me to take on 선지 (Seonji, Ox blood), and they were surprised I even knew what it was. It was pretty okay and apparently, good for blood circulation too. We also had 매화술 (Maehwasul, Plum Wine), fragrant as it is delicious. The soup and drinks were perfect companions for us as we chat deep into the night, and right before the last train leaves.
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Still upcoming since we're only up to day 6 out of 11
Writer: Min Sunn