Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea

Tag Archive: Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea

Kimbap Places in Korea

November 18, 2006 Category: Restaurants (In Korea), Tips for Living in Korea

I remember buying some rolls of Kimbab couple of years ago.

There was a shop called “Kimbap Nara” and they sold Kimbap for 1000 won. (About US $1 that time) It was so sensational because it was so cheap. Kimbap used to be 2000 won for the cheapest one. So everyone lined up to get some Kimbap at Kimbap Nara, sometimes I had to wait for about 10 minutes or more. But still everyone was so happy that they could get some Kimbap so cheaply, so it became more popular as a simple meal or snack. Before that time, it was only a picnic meal.

Anyhow, as the shop got popular, lots of other similar shops opened near the Kimbap Nara. In the town where I live, we have 3 Kimbap shops on the same street about 25m away from each other.

These three franchises are what we have in this town and are the most common franchises.

Kimbap Nara (means Kimbap country)

Kimbap Cheonguk (means Kimbap heaven)

Kim-ga-ne (means Mr.Kim’s households) Kim/gim also means sea weed sheets in Korean.

They all have similar menus, especially the first and second one. But Kim-ga-ne is a little more expensive than the other two shops, though its food quality is better. Since I first went to Kim-ga-ne I haven’t been to Kimbap Nara nor Kimbap Cheonguk. I like tuna Kimbap best from Kim-ga-ne.

I wanted to talk about these cheap Korean style fast food shops for a long time, but I just couldn’t dare to mention them. Because, simply, their menus are just too much. There are about 70 items on each menu. However, yesterday, Mary from maryeats pulled the trigger. She named all the menus from Kimbap Nara in Korean and English, the prices, and also simple but descriptive descriptions. I was simply amazed with her effort. It will be very useful if you are living in Korea, if you are not, just be jealous.

Related Post

Vegetable kimbap

Tuna Rolls (Chamchi Kimbap in Korean)

Tags: Kimbap, Korean-cuisine, Korean-restaurants, Restaurants (In Korea), Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea

Sushi from Homeplus

October 21, 2006 Category: Tips for Living in Korea

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Whenever I go to Homeplus (big supermarket), there is a corner I always keep an eye on. It is a sushi corner. I often buy sushi at Homeplus. Only when it is cheap though.

Its usual price is 400-600 won each. But sometimes they sell any kind of sushi for 390 won each (US $0.40), like today. So I bought some. This is the picture of my portion and I always get the same stuff. (I bought 2 each of them.)

They are all my favourite.

From the top: Red and yellow salmon caviar sushi, shrimp sushi, smoked salmon sushi.

Amongst these, the most expensive sushi is salmon caviar sushi when it is not on sale. I like them best too, because I like the popping feeling when I chew them.
If you go to Homeplus you should try some too. It tastes very good too.

Tuna Salad Sushi Rolls

Tags: homeplus, Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea, smoked_salmon, sushi, Tips for Living in Korea

Tefal Mini Oven (8.5L)

October 7, 2006 Category: Kitchen Ware

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This is a picture of my TEFAL mini oven.

I bought this oven about year ago. I would have bought a big built in oven if I was going to stay in Korea permanently. I can bake 6 medium size cookies at one time, so it takes me about 3 hours to bake a reasonable amount of cookies. I bought this for 86,000 won ($US 90.50), now it is available for 77,000 won on the internet (US $81.10).

This is a picture of “Convex” brand oven. Very popular in Korea at the moment. (available from 90,000 won, US $ 94.80, 18.5L, 2 story oven).

This is a picture of the cheapest oven in Korea at the moment. “Namyang Kitchen” brand (available from 25,000 won, US $26.30, 9L)

Tags: Kitchen Ware, Mini-Oven, Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea, Tefal

Get a Free Appetizer From Outback Steak House

September 30, 2006 Category: Tips for Living in Korea

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What are you going to do in this coming Chuseok holiday?

Today I just found a free coupon for an appetizer at Outback Steak House.
So If you don’t have any specific plans during the Chuseok holiday and miss your own country’s meals, go to the Outback Steak House and get a free appetizer (only with a meal purchase of course, also only one coupon can be used per table).

To get the free coupon just click here : Free Appetizer coupon
To print the coupon, Click the “쿠폰 출력하기 (Which means “Print this coupon”) button of that page.

If you can’t read any Korean just compare if the letters are the same.
Unfortunately you can’t find out about this information at the English page of their website.

It is valid only from October 5th to October 8th, 2006
Also you can only print it during that same time. (I don’t know why.)

This is the picture of the appetizer you are going to get for free with the coupon.

Before I published this article I called Outback Steak House to find out if you need to be a member to print the coupon. Unfortunately you need to be a member. I also wrote how to become a member at Outback Steak House and how to eat efficiently at Outback Steak House. If you want to find out just click the link.

Tags: coupon, free-appetizer, Outback-Steak, outback_steak_house, rangeland-riblets, Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea

How to Eat Efficiently at Outback Steak House

September 29, 2006 Category: Tips for Living in Korea

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There are lots of Korean blogs talking about “How to eat cheaply at Outback Steak House.” You may laugh at me, before I went there for the first time, I studied about it for about one hour.
It was worth doing, because as you know it is so expensive to eat there. (especially as their price on the menu doesn’t include VAT.)

Ways to eat efficiently at Outback

1. Go there at lunch time (12-5 pm). They have a good range of lunch time menus, and lunch has more courses included for the price (soup, salad, drinks).

2. Become a member and get a free coupon. Click here to find out how to become a member. Print out the Birthday coupon. (You can get this birthday coupon once a year, but you can use it any time you want.) With this you can get a free appetizer (with one meal minimum purchase). You can choose one amongst Bloomin’ Onion, Coogee Bay Calamari, and Rangeland rib lets.

a) If you choose to have Rangeland rib lets with a free coupon, the real saving starts from now. (If you go there with more than one person that is). Say that you want to use this birthday coupon, and say that you want to add some topping or side menu. such as chicken breast (for only extra 2,900 won -US $3.00) Then it is a smaller version of the Drover’s Platter. You pay only 2,900 won for this great meal. (It is as filling as the other steaks too.)

Combined

Nearly equals

b) If you don’t want to bother with this coupon, then order half ribs on the barbie from lunch time set menus, at lunch time of course. Add chicken breast as a side meal. Then it is also a Drover’s Platter. (You will pay 16,400 won before VAT, so you only save 3,500 won. still better than nothing.)

Combined

Equals

3. Ask for as much bread as you want. It is free with the meals. Also, before you leave the table, ask for take away bread if they haven’t give some to you. (It is also free. When I ask they usually give me 2 loaves of bread in a bag.)

4. If you are having some beverages such as coke, sprite, lemonade , and even fresh juice etc, once you finish it, you can ask for soft drink refills as much as you want. (though you can only ask for a cheaper one like coke, fanta, sprite etc.) But still better than nothing.

By the way, I don’t work for or paid by Outback steak house. I just want you to know this information that most Koreans already know.

how to become a member at Outback Steak House

Tags: Drovers-Platter, Outback, Outback-steak-house, rangeland-riblets, Small-Tips-for-Living-in-Korea, Tips for Living in Korea

A Practical Guide to Korean Food and Korean Fusion Food