My wedding photos

So finally after three months being someone's wife, I decided to put some of the photos taken from my wedding event. Tho it's not an official wedding photo, most of it was taken using phone, urgh dammit professional photo take too much time to bear. Anyway~

 Solemnization -Tie The Knot-

 Reception, Groom's Side

Halal Food in Seoul - Chilgabsan Grilled Mackerel

Disclaimer: I do not claim this is 100% guaranteed halal since they do not have any halal label but I decided to say it’s halal in terms of type of meat and the presence/absence of alcohol in the food. You may ask the staff before making order. Make sure you know simple conversation to survive eating at Korean restaurant. What’s important is you must not feel heavy-heart while eating. If you do not feel confident of its halal status, please do not eat

If you happened to be around Insadong and you’re looking for lunch, I suggest you to go to this restaurant. I noticed that restaurants in Seoul are small and compact but love the way they managed to put things in order so that many people can come in at one time. After freezing outside, once you enter the restaurant, you’ll feel the warmth of this restaurant because the floor is heated and sitting on the floor is much better than sitting on the chair.

Once you take your seat, the waiter will serve you hot tea. Perfect to warm up your cold body upon waiting for your food. I ordered mackerel set which comes with a LOT of banchan (side dishes). If you want to order, make sure to remind the waiter to exclude meat in the meal. They will actually be alarmed if you looked like a Muslim, I mean by wearing hijab, they have received a lot of Muslim customers so they will always exclude meat for every meal ordered. Make sure to tell them you can’t drink soju too (or any kind of alcoholic beverages) in case the staff changes etc.

I want to highlight that this is the best mackerel I have ever eaten in my life; it melts in your mouth after a couple of chewing.  The banchan are all good, but yeah the one in JBSD is incomparable though.  I still have the heart for the perilla leaves banchan.

How to order? Ok, first of all after you choose your seat, browse through the menu. The signature dish here is Chilgabsan Jeongshik 칠갑산 정식 which means Chilgabsan full course meal.  You can just pointed at the picture on the menu book, and say: yogi juseyo (여기 주세요) which means please give me this. However, the original menu comes with meat. To order meal without meat, say ‘Gogi na noh ji masaeyo'  (고기를 놓지마세요)’  which means please do not put meat. Don’t forget to say kamsamida (감사합니다) with smiling eyes after the staff have taken your order. 

Building rapport with the restaurant is the key to get a cheaper price or lots more of banchan lol. 

After you have done eating, go straight to the counter located at the front door to pay the bills. Don’t bother the staff to go to your table for payment.

How to get there? Get off at Anguk Station (by subway) and walk towards Insadong through Exit 6. You will pass by Ssamziegil building and please look for the pharmacy (it's written in hangul as 수도약국) which is not far from Ssamziegil. Look up for this sign: Insadong-10 gil (blue color sign). Then you have to turn left and walk through the road about 10 meters and walk through the small alley at your right until you see this:

The sign I draw a circle is Chilgabsan. If you find this then you have come to the right place

Ssamziegil

Mackerel Set

Hot tea

OMG salivating

Small & compact but comfy

끝!

Halal Korean Food Delivery In Korea

"Most of our Muslim friends in dilemma when they choose our home country, Korea, as a travel destination.   

You can find many recommendations on blogs or your friend’s Facebook on Halal food in Korea. But those self-claimed Halal food here in Korea are cuisines of non-Korean origin, like Turkish or Pakistanis. What's the point of coming to Korea and you are forced to eat non-Korean food while you are here? Might as well travel to other countries then. 

In order to help solve our deer Muslim friends’ very basic problem, we introduced the very first Halal Korean Food Delivery Service- Halal DoSiRock- in Korea.  Now do you want to know about the people running Halal DoSiRock?"

Actually, a few days before I flew to Korea on March this year, a guy name Andrew Kim added me in Facebook. Though I didn't usually accept friend request from unknown, I did accept his request based on his bio and mutual friend. My action brings me luck! I got to taste the amazing food!

Andrew Kim is currently promoting his new 'Halal Korean Food Delivery In Korea'. I was excited because during my last trip, I didn't get to eat any kind of Korean food because I have no confidence to go and try the local food (including the delicious street food).

I PMed him after I saw the advertisement about Korean food delivery in Seoul as I want to give it a try. At the moment, they only accept minimum order of 20 pax and above. There's only three of us and to gather another 17 people is impossible. Luckily on the date I request, Andrew Kim had to deliver the food to a tour group which is around Myeongdong area. So, we combined the order together.

Andrew Kim arrived around 6 pm, just right after we went back from Nami Island. Because everyone was so hungry, we straight away eat it as soon as the food reached the pantry. Wonder how the lunchbox looks like??? I'll show you~~~

 The bulgogi dosirak (beef lunchbox) costs 7,000 won per set and comes with:

1. Korean Rice with Black Sesame

2. Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef or Chicken)

3. Miso Soup with Tofu and Seaweed

4. Stir-Fried Sweet Anchovies

5. Gangnam Style Riceball

6. Kimchi

7. Yellow Pickled Radish

8. Seasoned Fish Cake

9. Sweet &Spicy Dried Squid

10. Egg Roll

11. Angry Bird Egg

12. Seaweed

13. (Oksusu Cha) Roasted Corn Tea

                               The lunchbox set ^^

                                             
           The angry bird quail egg (super cute!), stir fried anchovies, gangnam style rice ball, egg roll,

The well marinated bulgogi yummy! I'm salivating now T_T

                               Sweet and Spicy Dried Squid, Yellow Pickled Radish, Kimchi

I really love the banchan (side dishes) especially the sweet and spicy dried squid. I should make it one day! So, if you are planning to go to Korea, leave this guy your order. He can be contacted through his Facebook account and his page written down below. Thank you for reading!

Andrew Kim
Halal Korean Food Delivery In Seoul
The Street Cafe (Malaysia)

Sam Tsui, the cute talented singer

I discover this cute guy upon searching for Justin Timberlake 'Mirror' cover cause I just can't get enough of that song. He did a lot of covers and I love most of them, but apparently I'm stuck at this song, would like to share it here in case you might like it too! Enjoy~!

Around Seoul -Sightseeing (Namsan Tower)

Namsan Tower or also known as N-Seoul Tower is a very famous tourist spot in Seoul. It can be an incomplete tour if you went to Korea without going there. Namsan Tower is the tallest building in Korea. Namsan Tower is becoming popular after it was featured in dramas and variety show. For me myself, I got to know about Namsan Tower in ‘Boys Over Flower’ and ‘We Got Married featuring 2PM Nickhun and f(x) Victoria’.

This tower is famous for its ‘Love Padlock’. Young couples always come here to ‘lock’ their love by hanging the padlock and throw away the key as a symbolic to eternal love. The concept is pretty much like a fairy tale love story. But despite everything, there are still loves that fade, fade by time or on certain circumstances. I find that this ‘Love Padlock’ is very youth-friendly (although I even find a newlywed middle age couple coming here to hang their padlock) and it’s something you would be happy to do with your love one. 

Namsan Tower is located at Mount Namsan. To get there, you have the option of either to climb the hills (like we did on our first trip), by bus or by cable car. During my last year trip, we actually lost direction because we suppose to take a bus from Chungmuro St but we walked instead, because we thought that it might be only 1-2km distance from the station. Ended up we hiked the hill for approximately 8 km. I’m not even kidding! And it’s a bit sloppy up there if you didn't wear proper shoe.

There correct direction is to get off at Chungmuro St and take a bus to Namsan Tower. Asked around please, if you’re confused. The easiest for me (only figured it out during the second trip) is to get off at Myeongdong exit 4 and walk up the alley (use the alley that brings you to Namsan Guesthouse). Walk for about 300 meters above and you will be able to find the cable car station.

The cable car fare is 8,000 won for round trip. I recommend you to buy the one way trip and to get down the tower by walking. The scenery is so beautiful that will make you hesitate to leave the place. From up there you will see Seoul’s from the top and along the way to the tower, there are trees and paths that change color every season transitions. Please go there, please, pretty please^^.

I totally regret that I didn't get to taste the coffee here. I dun know what makes me wait like a dumb, without even have a sip of coffee here. Next time, I will definitely buy a cup of latte here. Oh by the way, Namsan Tower is a worth visit. Definitely one of my MUST-VISIT places!

More photos:

Don't know what to eat in Korea? Don't worry, I'm a Muslim too! Read this >>  What To Eat In Korea
Where To Stay in Seoul? >> Korea Central Backpackers
Which Restaurant To Go For Lunch/ Dinner? >> Famous & Cheap Sundubu Jjigae at JBSD Seohyun, Seongnam
Hello Kitty Cafe >> Cute Latte Art & fresh waffle
Will fly to Korea soon? Have you make a checklist? Recheck your list here

Nurungji Tea at JBSD Seohyun

Nurungji tea

This is how nurungji tea is made. My first time eating 'burnt rice' specifically, made as a dish

 1) A full table setting should look like this. I ordered seafood sundubu jjigae (soft tofu stew) that comes with a full table of banchan 반찬, that we consistently asked for refill. Er we actually didn't asked that much except that the ahjumma/imoo refill it as soon as she saw our empty banchan saucers. Believe it or not, banchan served is enough to make you full, even without the main course.

 2) Rice in hot stone pot (earthenware pot) and sundubu jjigae

 3) Scoop out the rice but leave some at the lowest part of the pot. They will give you an empty bowl to put the rice, so no worries.

 4) Pour the tea into the pot

 5) Cover the lid

6) After you have finished you meal, open the lid and stir the nurungji tea well. Koreans love to eat this, as we Malaysian will throw away this burnt part. For me, it taste 'normal'. And I don't really enjoy this kind of tea.LOL. If I have a chance, I want to eat rice snack (nurungji), the one in maangchi's video

The price for this complete meal is just 6,000 won per person. So cheap!

Related Posts:

Don't know what to eat in Korea? Don't worry, I'm a Muslim too! Read this What To Eat In Korea
Where To Stay in Seoul? >> Korea Central Backpackers
Where to go around Seoul? Sightseeing Around Seoul
Hello Kitty Cafe >> Cute Latte Art & fresh waffle
Will fly to Korea soon? Have you make a checklist? Recheck your list here

The uncertain things

There are a few, and it keep sticking inside my mind. Phew~

Hello Kitty Cafe Hyehwa

This Hello Kitty Cafe located at Hyehwa district. This place is near the guesthouse I stayed during the trip last year, which is Korea Central Backpackers. Because the cafe only open at 11am, we didn't managed to visit this cafe last year because the time frame doesn't allow us to do so, but we did went to Hello Kitty Cafe Hongdae. It's slightly bigger than the one in Hyehwa but both provides ambient surroundings that makes one heart happy, or maybe it's just me. LOL

 If you go there, please do not expect your coffee to arrived like 5 minutes upon ordering. The barista usually takes more time than any barista in other cafes needed. You will understand why once your coffee have been served. The coffee art here is way too cute. Prepare to be happy?

 The menu and the pricing

 I ordered cafe latte as usual and if not mistaken, with caramel waffle? I guess so.

Isn't this cute? Oh I miss the coffee

Don't know what to eat in Korea? Don't worry, I'm a Muslim too! Read this >>  What To Eat In Korea
Where To Stay in Seoul? >> Korea Central Backpackers
Which Restaurant To Go For Lunch/ Dinner? >> Famous & Cheap Sundubu Jjigae at JBSD Seohyun, Seongnam
Hello Kitty Cafe >> Cute Latte Art & fresh waffle
Will fly to Korea soon? Have you make a checklist? Recheck your list here