Yes, Loving Hut is not just for vegans.

One of my closest friends in Korea just recently became a vegan. A vegetarian at first, I commend her for taking the next big step, especially knowing how difficult it is in Korea. However, things have changed unlike just a few years ago when there were even less restaurant, produce and food options.

Tomatillo: THE taco place (Dec. 12, 2009)

So recently there’s been all these rave reviews about above said restaurant so I thought I’d add my own two cents and let you know the real deal. To make it easier for all of us, I’ve coyly divided my review into four categories for location, price, ingredients/food and service. Let me know if you’ve found this helpful and whether your experience was better or worse.

The Location:Getting to Tomatillo’s is pretty simple. Go out of exit 6 from Jonggak Station and in less than 5 minutes of walking (about 30 meters) it’ll be on your left side. You can also go from Gwanghwamun Station exit 5. There are two other franchises near Samsung Station (exit 5 in connection with the Hyundai Department store, B1) and Yeoksam Station (inside Gangnam Finance Center building connected from B2 of exit 2). Looking at just the convenience of location, I would say that Tomatillo has done pretty well for themselves in the efforts of branching out not only in the southeastern region but in the north end as well. I would hope that in the future, they’ll consider opening another location near Hongik or Yonsei University as well as some other branches near Hyehwa, Sindorim and Apgujeong.

Dinner at Wazwan (Sept. 27, 2009)

Today was S2H3’s run at 11 from Dongjak Station. After last nights bar hop I ended up staying at a friend’s house and was able to wake up just in time to catch up with everyone else a few minutes after the starting point. The trail laid by one of our more senior runners was exceptionally good! Yes, it kicked my butt and I almost tripped over a few times along the way, but after a night of drinking and dancing, the light jog through some forestry was refreshing. Anyway, back to today’s highlight; Wazwan.I had previously been to Curry Town and Namaste and give both restaurants high marks. Alas, it was time to try other restaurants and make honest judgements of comparison.  Similar to Namaste, they served a special 2 person set menu for 41,000won which included soda, samosas, tandoori chicken, 3 kinds of curry (one from each category: veggie, chicken and lamb), rice, garlic naan, plain naan and finally dessert. My sister and I decided on this, hoping to enjoy a well-rounded meal and boy did we. First the samosa; it was tender, steaming with vegetables on the inside and crispy on the outside. My favorite was their white sauce which reminded me of Tzatziki on gyros, which I also dipped my tandoori chicken in. The chicken itself came next; on top of a piping hot plate and a bed of onions but nothing fantastic. It was tender but lacked in spices and flavor, and oh…don’t eat the onions!For the main course we chose Makai Palak Khumb (from an extensive menu of other vegetarian options), Saag Chicken and Mugulai Gosht (lamb). At first glance, I was sorely disappointed by the lack of meat. Only 2 pieces each! It’s as if they expected us to fight over the food and so decided to make it easy by arranging everything in pairs beforehand. Of the three, I enjoyed the bold flavors of the vegetarian curry the most. The combination of spinach, mint and coriander was well balanced and safe for those who can’t do spicy. The texture of the Mugulai Gosht was oddly delicious with hints of licorice and something floral, perhaps lavender. Another safe bet, but where were the cashew nuts?? Finally my least favorite; the Saag Chicken which tasted like spinach dipping sauce. A mental note for next time: try a red sauce curry!Their naan, also fresh, was chewy inside and crispy outside but thinner than those I remembered at Namaste or Curry Town. I did have a slight suspicion that they used processed garlic paste on their garlic naan, as it lacked that punch of flavor I hoped for. Last but not least, the dessert; keer. It’s pretty thick stuff, with the consistency of yoghurt and half&half. My sister didn’t really enjoy this but I didn’t really mind. Overall, the dessert was a good ending to a hearty meal. Another upside is the intimate setting. You won’t find a TV blaring Bollywood and Indian music (as the owners and waiters are Pakistani) and the service attentive to your every needs. I was even surprised when they asked how it was only after serving the main course, as this is usually not the custom of many establishments in Korea. They were friendly, but did not disrupt the flow of conversation and made sure we had everything we needed. Even after paying for the meal we exchanged polite questions/comments. Among other things, we learned that one of the waiters had been adopted by a Korean family thus able to speak Korean, English and his native tongue…I give this place 3.5 out of 5 stars.

We said our goodbyes and headed out the door only to be enticed by a sign that said “Salam Bakery!” This is not the typical Paris Baguette ya’all. Here, they have a variety of ethnic sweets/breads unique to the area around the Mosque. We bought a variety of bite size delectables and was once again trotted out the door for more window browsing around the markets. For those looking to experience something other than a drunken night out in Itaewon (ie Evilwon), the area around the Mosque (and this restaurant) are definitely worth the trip up the main street (past Cancun and hooker hill to your left).