Incheon's Finest: Chinatown At Night.

After dinner and getting my glasses from the optical shop that night, we drove to some familiar sights in Incheon. I didn't want to go home just yet, especially when my stomach feels like a ticking time bomb and about to explode anytime. I was so uncomfortably full and guilty as hell that I planned my very own penitence to burn that massive amount of calories. So we climbed towards Jayu - Freedom Park and spent 2 hours there walking and jogging till the lights were all turned off. Then we went to Chinatown which is a few minutes away from the area in hopes to burn a few more. The steep roads there are perfect for my self-induced torture you know.

It was almost midnight, and all the shops were closed. But then we found this place - like a shrine of some sort. There's a cute little pond and it's surrounded by lanterns. It was raining a little bit so went to the gazebo for shelter. When the rain halted to a quieter drizzle, we looked around for a place to get coffee. We found a vendo machine - you know that coin-operated thing that serves coffee in teeny tiny cups? Well, Chris doesn't like it. He said something about the water being old and the cups being dirty.. So I told him "Puhleez, you're no Goo Jun Pyo so drink up!" (translation: don't be such a wuss). He's probably offended but he took a few sip to appease me. After that we called it a night. Anyway, here's how the shrine in Chinatown looks like.







*For those who are clueless about Goo Jun Pyo, well he's a character from a drama that was shown a few years ago called "Boys Over Flowers". Being the ridiculously rich person that he is, he refuses to drink coffee in vendo machines - much like Chris, except for the ridiculously rich part. : )

Incheon's Finest.

***Another food post right here. I hope you're all hungry!

Two weeks ago, Chris and I went to Incheon to celebrate Children's Day. We don't have kids, but we thought it would be nice to celebrate it in our own little way. This Spring, he's been very busy at work and stress-free days are basically non-existent. He really needs to take a breather from work-related issues that suck the life and youth out of him. And when holidays are rare as a matron's menstruation (excuse me for the comparison ^^), we just can't stay idle at home and let it pass just like that.

That night he brought me to Heuksan-do Sashimi Restaurant which is right beside his old neighborhood in Incheon. When he was younger, he frequently visited this place with his family to celebrate special occasions. He said it's the best sashimi restaurant in town. I get it, this restaurant is filled with fun memories from the old days, and it may or may not be Incheon's finest, but that remark is enough to stir the 'foodie' in me.

Before entering the restaurant, he warned me that we're gonna eat till our tummies explode, and that I should kick my caloric conscience out of the window for that particular night.

This is the first set of appetizers they served.

And this is the second one.




I don't know what this sinful dish is called. Just think it's steamed tuna belly in spicy sauce. It's really, really good. The flavor is so rich and tasty. If you're on a diet, this is maybe hard to swallow. I prefer it grilled to make it a little less fatty.




This is San Nakji - or live, squirming octopus. Kinda gross for most people, but they love it here. It's kinda funny when you eat it, especially when the suction cups hit your tongue.




Some grilled seafood and buttered corn.




This is Al-bap or fish eggs in rice. It's really tasty, that is if you're not worried about cholesterol! It's one of my favorite rice dish in Korea.

And for the main dish - Hui or Sashimi. It was love at first bite! This is sahimi heaven right here...

And lastly, Maeuntang - spicy fish soup made from heads, bones and innards of fish. A sashimi experience could never be complete without it.

And for the verdict... This is by far, the best sashimi I've ever tasted - really fresh and tasty. I was so full that I probably gained a kilo or two that night! This meal comes with a hefty price tag - about 65,000 won for two people. But it's worth it if you want to taste a lot of different things.

I never had an allergic reaction to food in my entire life. But that night I had one, probably because I exceeded an average person's seafood threshold for one night (is there such a thing?). Anyway, when we went to the optical shop after, I had rashes stippled all over my torso. Some were so huge you could even see it in the pictures!

Chasing Cherry Blossoms Part 2

Last Saturday, Chris drove me to his hometown to visit Incheon Grand Park, and later to meet some friends whom I haven't seen in a while. The said park is known to be the best place to view the Cherry Blossoms in all of Incheon, but we were kind of disappointed to see that the flowers are barely out of their buds. Seeing how disappointed I was looking at bare trees and dead grass, Chris offered to bring me to a different place where I'm gonna see the flowers for sure. But I figured it's better to make the most out of our time there instead of chasing the elusive flowers.

I've visited Incheon Grand Park before so I know how insanely beautiful it looks come spring time. I can't help but blame the strange weather for ruining what I thought is gonna be a picnic-perfect day. And so we walked for a good 2 hours or so, slowly taking in the view and admiring how big the park is. The lake and the zoo are still under construction and that sort of added to my disappointment, but I did enjoy watching people having picnics and walking their dogs. They all looked like they're having a blast inspite of the cold and breezy weather. Anyway, here's how the park looks...

I realized I haven't posted pictures of myself lately, so here are some pictures of me all bundled up in a thick jacket (which for some reason they call "jumper" here). Like I said, the weather is still too cold for skin-tight cardigans and light sweaters. But days are becoming warmer so I think I gonna give my winter jacket a rest soon.

Later that afternoon, Chris brought me to Bupyeong station to meet my friends. Just outside the station, we saw lots of Cherry Blossom trees so I didn't pass the opportunity to admire them up close.

I really had a blast that day, especially after seeing my friends. For now I'm gonna put the chase for the Cherry Blossoms to rest. There are so many things to see and look forward to this Spring that'll keep me entertained for sure.