Since the mid nineties I have been looking for a bibimbap that would stand above all others. A year ago I found it in Seoul, and yesterday I retraced my steps and visited again.
As I entered, the woman in charge appeared to recognize me and gave me a stoic look of “Oh, you again.”
This is vegetarian bibimbap, with egg, and you need to shake your lunch box many times. She will do it for you. They also serve a superb bean sprout and seaweed and rice noodle soup, and if that description doesn’t excite you, you need to get to Korea as soon as possible.
As a sideline, they sell Korean antique furniture out of the side room.
It is very close to Changdeokgung palace area, up the nearby street (first pass the Hyundai Cultural Center) with lots of shops and restaurants and old Korean roofs. French people walk there. I was told by another customer that the address was Jongro Gaedong 44, but on the other side of the street I saw the numbers 91 and 93, in any case this building is just short of The Cup Story and Uncle’s Bob stores. (02) 744-8130 and 010-9942-9967 are given on the business card.
It is worth visiting Seoul to eat this woman’s food.
And after you finish, it is about a ten minute walk to the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, where they have an excellent rice cake museum.
Originally posted on Marginal Revolution – click to see comments and suggestions.
A story about the place in Japanese – Translated. Possibly the “Golden Egg Restaurant”
Wait…the ideal bibimbap is something other than the one you make yourself with leftover banchan?