Grill5 in Garusogil

In the past 2-3 years I’ve noticed an increasing trend in Korea: fusion Korean-Mexican food

This probably all stemmed from the immense fame the Kogi taco truck had in Los Angeles about 3 or 4 years ago. The chef of the taco truck used popular Korean marinated BBQ meats and merged them with Mexican street tacos. The rest, as they say, is history.

But what makes Seoul the target of this new food trend? 

Unlike Los Angeles where street tacos have DOMINATED the street food scene for years, Korea has had very little exposure to other cuisines besides Korean ones. Ten years ago, I doubt even 20% of the population knew what a tortilla was. Nowadays, walk along the trendy Garusogil and you’ll bump into one Mexican restaurant and one fusion restaurant: Grill5. 

Grill5 is serving pretty much exactly what the Kogi taco truck serves. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Kogi taco truck was its inspiration. Koreans can be welcoming of other nationalities food, but they will always say Korean food is best. That’s why I’m sure fusion places like Grill5 are experiencing a surge. They are using traditional Korean flavors and injecting something new into them. 

That specializes in the Korean-Mexican fusion trend. I’m a big fan of their kimchi carnitas fries. Grill5 also has a similar version called Seoul fries.

 

To be honest, I found the Vatos kimchi carnitas fries better than the Grill5 one. The Grill5 one is sweeter and the fries were too thin for my taste. I also felt that for the price, Vatos gave you a bigger portion.

I did love that Grill5 offered free tortilla chips (unlimited!). You have you order salsa separately though.

This is a order at a counter, get a buzzer type place.

Overall, I'd say if you can go to Vatos. I think they're food is better than here.

Directions:

The best way to get to Grill5 is to go out of exit 8 at Sinsa Stn. Keep going straight and make a left after Café Benne. Then make a right at the end and an immediate left into the long street. Keep going down and you will see Grill5 on your left.

White Day

Some offerings from Paris Baguette!

Brace yourselves folks! It’s officially White Day!

This is what you call a “Hallmark Holiday” since (according to Wikipedia) it was created by a Japanese candy company who thought there should be a corresponding holiday to Valentine's Day.

For those of you who have lived in Korea a long time, you will know that Valentine’s Day and White Day are both a couple’s holiday where candy/chocolates are exchanged. On Valentine’s Day, women are supposed to buy men chocolate. White Day is where men buy candy for women. Both of these traditions came from Japan (not America, obviously).
I have found these Valentine’s Day/White Day traditions interesting, since they are completely opposite of what I’m used to (no roses, no giant box of chocolates, no diamonds, etc.). 

Asia tends to have these really commercialized couple holidays compared to the States. For now, they are fun to partake in, but I can’t imagine getting all excited for Pepero Day in my mid-30s.
For now, I'm going to eat the candy I've received at work (yes, my male co-workers passed out candy to all the female co-workers) and wait for the next made-up holiday.

Have a great White Day!