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Pork On-The-Bone Hangover Soup: The Ideal Hangover Remedy
Sin Dong Kung: Seoul, South Korea
On the way back from a day and night of exploring I decided to stop by Sin Dong Kung in Myeong-Dong which was a restaurant close to the hotel I was staying at. Luckily it was open late since there weren’t too many options by the time I ventured back to the hotel.
An item on the menu that stood out to me at once was the pork on-the-bone hangover soup. I’d read about it’s popularity in South Korea but hadn’t given it a try. Tonight was the night!
Haejang-guk in Korean literally translates to hangover soup. Fittingly, the name orginates from the soup being a favorite following a night of drinking. That’s not to say the soup is only eaten when hungover of course, it’s also a comfort food for when people aren’t feeling well in general.
The Hangover Soup
I love soups overall, but always feel that one of the many things that makes South Korean soups / stews unique is just how hot they come out. The come out boiling. Like a steaming, bubbling, boiling hot bowl of goodness. This was no exception.
This meat… 
was… 
so TENDER!! 
Hungover, drunk, sober, sick, this is one good soup! The soup base, I’m guessing a pork broth with soybean paste (doenjang) and red pepper flakes amidst other spices, was steamy with a rich, deep flavor.
They didn’t skimp on the pork here. Two big chunks of pork were in the soup. The meat was incredibly tender. You know you’re in for a tender, meaty treat when it just peels off the bone with minimal prodding from the chopsticks. It’s a really melt in your mouth kind of tenderness. The flavor is great as well since it soaks up all of that delicious broth.
The kimchi included in the soup was a nice touch. Getting a scoop of the pork, kimchi, some broth and putting it over rice is truly a satisfying spoonful of goodness.
Is It Worth a Try?
If you’ve never had Korean Hangover Soup, it’s definitely worth a try. If you’re a fan of Korean soups and haven’t had this before, it’s a MUST try. This is a hearty, flavorful soup, which will really put a smile on your face as it warms your soul. Or at the very least it’ll help you with that hangover.
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Chillhops Brewing Co, Seoul, South Korea: Inviting Micro Brewery With Great Beer And Food
First Impressions
Located in the very popular Itaewon district sits a small, non-descript micro brewery called Chillhops Brewing Co. I’m a big beer guy, so finding different breweries in countries and sampling the local beer is always something I look forward to while traveling.
I did some research on Chillhops prior to heading over and read it was an Australian, New Zealand, Korean influenced brewery. Sounded interesting!
Chillhops logo 
Entrance to Chillhops in Itaewon Upon entering the brewery, you instantly feel a chill, cool vibe. The lights are dimmed, and black painted walls are adorned with brightly colored art painted directly on it. It’s not a large place at all and feels more like a lounge than a brewery, which is my kind of place.
The Experience
There’s a great selection of beers to choose from on tap. I didn’t come here with the intent to blog about it so the pictures are a little lacking and I didn’t get one of the beer menu BUT trust me theres’ a nice variety of brews to choose from.
There were two people working on the night I went and they were both awesome. Super friendly and knowledgeable about all the beers they had on tap, offering up suggestions on ones I should try. They were also handling all the cooking for the night!
I didn’t intend on staying at Chillhops too long but found myself hanging out long enough to where I decided to grab some food here as well. The cheeseburger was the most popular item on the menu so I decided to give it a try.
I gotta say the burger was exceptional. Consisting of two, well seasoned, juicy patties, with lettuce, tomato, melted-gooey cheese, and if memory serves, a thousand island sauce lathered on it. It really reminded me of an In-N-Out burger for those of you who know that burger!
The Verdict
Chillhops Brewing Co. offers an impressive number of diverse drafts on tap to choose from, while providing quality, friendly service. The food, at least the burger, is quite tasty as well. The brewery has a real neighborhood bar kinda vibe to it which adds to its charm. I’d defintely recommend stopping by for a pint or two if you find yourself in the area!
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Charcoal Grill Korean BBQ – Pork Only – In Jeju City
On my last night in Jeju City I found myself wandering around in search of a perfect last meal. In the area where I was staying at there were a bunch of side streets packed with different restaurants. With a plethora of interesting, tantalizing options available it was a hard choice.
I’d had a fair share of Korean BBQ up to this point of the trip. But can you really eat enough Korean BBQ while in South Korea? This particular restaurant only served pork cuts over a charcoal grill. Unfortunately I have no idea what the name of the restaurant is. Google translates it to Buanjip. I’m not sure if that’s another way of saying BBQ or pork BBQ but I couldn’t find the actual translation.
A spot specializing in only pork BBQ sounded like a good place to finish off my travels in Jeju.
The menu was pretty short and concise with minimal items on it. Google Translate was still having difficulties properly translating the majority of it. Due to this, I’m not 100% sure WHAT I ordered. I figured I couldn’t really go too wrong here though.
Something unique about this BBQ, besides it being all pork based, were the charcoal grills. I’d heard about charcoal grill KBBQ places in South Korea but hadn’t tried them up to this point. I was definitely curious to see how it would impact the flavor. And if there was any noticeable difference in taste versus the usual gas grill.
Most of the banchan spread 
Mystery cuts of pork First, all the many dishes of banchan came out. Followed by a hearty plate of pork cuts. Since I couldn’t read the menu, I had no idea what cut of pork these were.
It was definitely different seeing the server come out with a plate of white hot coals and put them in the grill pit.
I expected the cook times on these pieces of pork to take a little bit more time than on charcoal opposed to a gas grill.
Although it does take longer to grill, it’s worth the wait. The charcoal adds a nice smoky taste with a wonderful smoky, crunchy outer layer. The charcoal allows the fat to render more slowly than it would on a gas grill which creates a real melt-in-your-mouth type of sensation. Combined with that pure smoky flavor, it makes each piece a tasty delight with just a dip in some salt.
In addition to the salt, there’s also a wide variety of other dips, sauces, and usual banchan fare to pack into the leafy greens with the meat. Finding that perfect combination was a lot of fun with all the banchan and dips /sauces providing an assortment of wide ranging flavors and textures.
This was defintely an enjoyable experience with the charcoal bbq combined with an all pork menu. Just getting a different tweak on the Korean bbq flavor I’m so accustomed to was fun, especially for my last night in Jeju.
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Unique Tanghulu Hallabong And Juice At Dongmun Market
Tanghulu Hallabong
Once I finished up the Hallabong sundae I really thought I was good for the night. I was wrong.
On the way out I passed by what looked like just another Hallabong juice stall. However, something on the side of the stall caught my eye. Glistening orbs of Hallabong on a stick chilling in mid-air will certainly catch your attention. Intrigued by these “Hallabong kabobs”, I walked up to get a closer inspection.
A glossy sheet of sugar syrup coated the floating Hallabong. This sugar coated treat is called Tanghulu.
Originating from China, Tanghulu is a traditional Chinese snack. Consisting of skewered fruits and dipped in a coat of sugar syrup, it’s quite popular. Once the fruit of choice is carefully skewered, the sugar syrup is heated up to just the right temperature. This creates that fabolous glossy shell of sugar that coats the fruit.
The glossy coating, combined with the vivid orange color of the Hallabong, really grabbed my attention. I’ve never had Tanghulu before and figured this would be a nice “healthy” treat after all the other food I had earlier in the night. Sure, it’s sugar coated. But it’s fruit so it evens out right? Let’s not answer that…
The stand convenientely packages the skewers in an easy to go cup so these were easy to transport back to the hotel I was staying at to enjoy throught out my stay in Jeju.
The other thing about the sugar coating is that it acts as natural preservative which keeps the treat fresher for a longer period of time so I could take my time eating it. I couldn’t wait for that first bite.
The Taste Experience
The first bite didn’t disappoint. It had an abundance of flavor with the crispy sugar shell shattering and providing a sugary sweetness combining with the release of the sweet and tangy flavor of the Hallabong and its juice.
They were kind of addicting to be honest. It’s more like candy on a stick since the Hallabong is naturally sweet on it’s own. I had to refrain from eating them all in one sitting, I wanted to make them last a little while longer!
This was the perfect ending to my experience at Dongmun Market. Finishing up with something Hallabong related was fitting since it’s so famous on Jeju Island and really capped off a fun food night trying a bunch of good food stalls at the market place.
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Refreshing Hallabong Sundae at Dongmun Market On Jeju Island
After sampling a handful of the different stalls in the market place my belly was getting quite full. But let’s be honest there’s ALWAYS room for ice cream. This dessert stall had some interesting sundae options with different syrups and various toppings to chooses from.
The Hallabong inspired sundae really stood out to me amongst all the options. The orange / tangerine sundae looked so vibrant, it really stood out amongst all the desserts. It was definitely the most popular item with many of the customers walking away with it.
The vanilla was extremely light, creamy, and tasted great. The Hallabong syrup drizzled over the vanilla was both tart and sweet, a perfect blend of the two. Small bits of delicious Hallabong were spread throughout the ice cream which added additional flavor and texture.
The dried slice of Hallabong on the top of the sundae provided a nice bitter crunch. I have no idea if you’re actually supposed to eat it or if it’s simply for decoration but no harm no foul.
Overall no flavor was overpowering and everything really blended well together. Since the sundae was so light it was actually quite refreshing.
I could have easily eaten another of these or two or three, don’t judge me lol. This was definitely a great way to end my food adventure at Dongmun Market!
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Flaming Grilled Tteokgalbi At Dongmun Market On Jeju Island
I noticed this Tteokgalbi and cole slaw stall as I was walking around the market. There was a sizable line so my foodie assumption was that it was a must try! The allure of sizzling meat along with the sweet aroma of a bunch of different spices, certainly caught my attention.
When I peered at what was being grilled it literally just looked like a big grilled ball of meat. That “ball of meat” is known as Tteokgalbi in South Korea. It’s definitely not something I’d heard of before so I had to do some research on it.
Tteokgalbi is a Korean style meat patty with minced beef or pork. The marinade typically includes soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and brown sugar. This creates a flavorful, sweet and savory taste when combined with the meat. The brown sugar carmelizes when the meat is on the grill. The end result is a deliciously crispy and slightly charred outer layer.
Something that typically comes with the Tteokgalbi is a side of coleslaw. The coleslaw can be a mix of mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, and sugar. It contrasts nicely with the sweet and savory flavor of the meat and it’s sauce.
This particular Tteokgalbi had a couple of different types of sauce, the regular sauce and then a spicier version. I’m a big spice fan, so had to go with the spicy sauce.
The meat was a little crisp and charred on the outside. Smothered in sauce, the interior when you dig in is juicy and moist with great flavor.
It really reminds me of a Korean version of meatloaf. Just in a different sauce.
The ground pork mixture included some onion and green onion in it which adds some texture and additional flavor to the meat.
The cabbage was pretty heavy with mayonnaise. It was difficult to tell if there was anything additional in the dressing since all I could taste with each bite was mayonnaise. The dressing seemed simple but it was effective in melding a unique flavor with the meat and the meat sauce.
The combination of the heavy mayonnaise dressing with the crunch of the cabbage was actually quite tasty when eaten with a bite of the juicy meat and meatsauce.
This was a simple yet very comforting dish. It definitely conjured up fond memories of a souped up version of meatloaf.
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Sampling Jeju Island’s Famous Tangerine Juice At Dongmun Market
After enjoying food from the Lobster / Grilled Pork Roll and Abalone Butter Rice with Spicy Pork stall, I thought I could use a little breather from the food. Luckily for me there was an ideal stall selling tasty beverages in the same area.
One of the items that Jeju Island is famous for are their tangerines. Known for their high quality and delicious taste, the tangerines on Jeju Island are referred to as Hallabong. It’s a special hybrid fruit that originates from the island. The fruit is a cross between a kiyomi orange and a ponkan citrus fruit. The end result is a sweeter citrus fruit with a hint of tartness. It’s certainly something that Jeju Island takes pride in as you hear and see a lot about these tangerines.
I figured this was a good opportunity to take a break from the food and see if this well known fruit lived up to the hype.
At the stall I visited they make the juice to order right in front of you. Can’t ask for any fresher juice. The juice was ice cold and the first sip was certainly refreshing! It was a nice balance of sweet and tanginess. Very similar to a freshly squeezed cup of orange juice. At this point in the evening it was perfect to sip on after eating at a couple of the food stalls.
Moreover, it was nice to take a break, people watch, and enjoy the drink after a few salty dishes. Without a doubt it helped to wash the food down and prep me for some more delicious food.
By no means am I an orange juice connoisseur or anything, but I thought this was some refreshing and tasty OJ, er, tangerine juice.
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Dongmun Market On Jeju Island-Abalone Butter Rice With Spicy Pork
After a nice appetizer of lobster and grilled pork rolls, I made my way over to a stall I had mentally circled as a “must try”. This stall specialized in abalone butter rice with spicy pork which was prominently displayed in the front of the cart. It had my mouth watering as I walked by it and I couldn’t wait to give it a try.
By the time I made my way over to the stall there was a long line waiting for me. It was clearly one of the more popular stalls in the market place. Always a good indicator for tasty food!
While waiting in line, watching the cooks prep and work their craft was pretty mesmerizing to me. It’s certainly enjoyable to see the food cooked right in front of you. When there’s a limited menu, the cooks really know how to create everything on it perfectly. It certainly helped to pass the time while waiting in line!
When it was my time to order the choice was obvious: I had to go with the abalone butter rice with spicy pork.
It comes nicely packed in the container. The proportions are perfect.
I didn’t really taste any hint of abalone in the rice. But it was very buttery and seasoned with nori on the top. Simple and delicious.
A chili based sauce coated the pork bits which were cooked to perfection. Tender and juicy with melt in your mouth bits of fat thrown in for good measure. The sauce coats the meat well and is quite tasty. A little sweet, a little spicy, it has a nice kick to it but isn’t overly spicy.
There’s also some crunchy green veggies (similar to a green onion but crunchy) in the dish as well. Getting a spoonful of the pork, cruncy green veggie, and abalone butter rice, provided a mouthful of delicious flavors and textures with the veggies providing a nice crunch. While the dish didn’t appear particularly large, it actually contained a substantial amount of well-packed food.
The abalone rice and pork offers a unique and enjoyable combination of flavors, that I’d defintely recommend!
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Garlic Lobster and BBQ Pork Wrap at Dongmun Market on Jeju Island
Dongmun Market
Dongmun Market is an expansive and vibrant marketplace filled with an abundance of souvenir boutiques and culinary kiosks scattered throughout. Without a doubt it’s definitely a major attraction for tourists in Jeju City. I always have an entertaining time wandering through these lively markets. Exploring the different kiosks and sampling as much food as possible is always a lot of fun while traveling.
One of the entrances to Dongmun Market After about 45 minutes, I made my way to the area where all the food vendors were located. I did a lap of the area, making a mental note of the places I wanted to sample. Having a food plan is ALWAYS important to maximize stomach space, lol. A good rule of thumb to live by is the longer the line the better the food. Is it accurate? Who knows! But it makes deciding on what to get slightly easier for an indecisive foodie.
Garlic Lobster and BBQ Pork Wrap Stall
The first stall I stopped at was basically the first place you see as you enter the food court area. It’s impossible to overlook. Music is blaring, strobe lights flashing, and the chefs put on quite the show with their grilling prowess. Large plums of fire shoot up from the grills as they barbeque items like pork and lobster, among other items. It certainly provides entertainment while waiting in line for your food.
Google Translate failed me here, so the name of the stall remains a mystery. Lobster was clearly the dish they were pushing here though. I opted for the half garlic-infused lobster along with the pork wrap. This combination seemed to be a crowd favorite and certainly looked appetizing.
The lobster did seem like it had been prepared a bit in advance and wasn’t fresh off the grill. But nonetheless the lobster was brimming with sweetness. A generous amount of roasted garlic was ladled over the top which complemented the lobster’s natural sweetness . The lobster seemed like it had been sitting for a while and wasn’t right off the grill and was pretty small, but it was still a tasty dish with all the garlic sauce mixing well with the sweetness of the lobster meat. Although it was on the smaller side, the dish was certainly satisfying. I can only imagine what it tastes like right off the grill!
The pork wrap consisted of bbq pork wrapped around cabbage, rice and nori. A thick,sweet and slightly spicy sauce, was superbly drizzled on top. It’s a thicker sauce and really coats and sticks to the rolls very well. The pork had a delightful crispiness to it, coupled with a fantastic barbecue char and flavor. The cabbage provided a nice crunch with every bite. The sauce paired well with this dish and added to the flavor without overwhelming it. The smoky barbecue flavor of the pork still shines through all the other elements of the roll, which says a lot of about the pork. All in all, this was a very solid barbecue pork roll!
Undeniably, roaming around these areas is always a treat. Energy abounds, with skilled chefs showing off their culinary skills. The variety of distinct smells from the many different stalls always gets me excited to eat! One stall down, many more to come!
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Las Vegas Raiders |Allegiant Stadium Gameday Mandalay Walkway Experience | Stadium Food
First Impressions
Updated on after the 10/15/23 game against the Patriots!
Having been a lifelong Raiders fan visiting their new stadium in Las Vegas was definitely a top priority.
The stadium from the outside is all black with tinted windows. It’s extremely sleek and modern looking. The stadium itself is much more intimidating than the actual team it fields (at least for the most part of the past 20+ years, sadly).
Appropriately nicknamed the Death Star, it’s definitely one of the coolest stadium nicknames out there and certainly fitting.
View from the Mandalay walkway 
Right outside one the entrances Getting To The Stadium
Walking to the stadium is a great experience.
Getting to the stadium on foot is very easy and accessible if you’re visiting from out of town. Especially if you’re staying on the Las Vegas Strip. Even if you’re not staying on the Strip, you can simply get dropped off at Mandalay Bay. From there the walk over to the stadium will only take about 15-20 minutes.
If you choose to drive, parking is quite limited. Due to that, there’s limited tailgate opportunities from what I saw. I believe there’s a designated area for it.
To be honest, I’m not too sure how important tailgating is at the stadium when the Strip is right there. Obviously there’s a TON of places to eat, drink, watch the morning games, gamble, really do whatever. It offers a whole different kind of game day experience compared to other venues.
I got dropped off at New York New York, had a couple of drinks there, and then proceeded to Excalibur to catch the free tram to Mandalay Bay. This was around 11:00ish and there were already a ton of people cramming into the trams.
Once you get to Mandalay Bay there’s a ton of signs that help guide you through the casino to the stadium walkway.
Conveniently, it’s right next to the sports book. You can stop by and bet on the morning games or chill and watch them prior to the Raider game. Because it’s a Sunday and a Raiders home game, the sports book will be packed. You won’t find a seat if you aren’t there early. But it’s still cool to stand around and watch the games.
Once you’re ready to head over to the stadium the exit to the Hacienda Bridge leading to the stadium is literally right next to the sports book. It’ll take about 15-20 minutes to walk to the stadium. It’s definitely a fun game day experience since the bridge shuts down and fans stream across it to get there.
Start of the walk right outside of Mandalay Bay What makes the walk memorable is the palpbable sense of excitement amongst the crowd in anticipation of the game. You can really feel the energy in the air.
Getting into the stadium was quick and easy. The security lines were fast and efficient. It only took a few minutes to get through, which is always nice.
Inside The Stadium
Once inside, the interior of the stadium is really beautiful. Silver and black is everywhere, including the seats themselves. You can really feel the whole Raiders vibe and it’s wonderful if you’re a Raiders fan!
I didn’t get a chance to walk around and truly explore the stadium. That will have to wait until another visit.
Once comfortably in my seat I was able to take in the whole stadium and was truly a happy camper.
I was sitting on the Raiders sideline in the nosebleeds (second row from the very top) at the 30- yard line but really not THAT bad. I like having a bird’s eye view to be able to see plays unfold.
The Food
There’s a ton of food options available throughout the stadium as you might expect. I’ve been able to try a few and will update as I visit the stadium more.
Ferraro’s
I ended up getting a Ferraro’s sausage sandwich with peppers for a quick snack.
Ferraro’s sausage sandwich at Allegiant Stadium I wasn’t expecting much to be honest, but it actually turned out to be pretty decent.
The sausage had good flavor with a hint of spice. Peppers weren’t overly soft and had a little crunch to them. The bun was steamed and wasn’t dried out. This wasn’t the most amazing sausage sandwich ever but it was simple and tasty. Perfect for a sporting event food to go along with a beer.
Speaking of beer, the best part was that they sold the sausage sandwich at the beer cart. Definitely convenient!
Picanha Steak
As one might imagine, this stand in the 343 section sells Picanha items. Picanha is a cut of beef taken from the top of the rump apparently. I had zero idea what it was. I just saw grilled steak sandwiches and nachos. Both of which sounded delicious.
There are only three options here: the sandwich, nachos, and regular chips. I went with the sandwich and nachos which I split. The Picanha Sandwich which is served on a french roll with shaved spinach, chipotle aioli, and chimichurri ($17.99). The Picanha Nachos are served on tortilla chips with black beans, nacho cheese, chimichurri and chipotle aioli ($17.99).
The first thing you notice is that the sandwich isn’t all that big for the $. Not a ton of meat or veggies or chimichurri, which was disppointing. Nonetheless, it’s a pretty tasty sandwich. The steak tastes great. Very good flavor and meat is fairly tender.
The fresh spinach goes well with the meat and the chimichurri is good. The chipotle aioli comes on the side and you drizzle it over the top of the sandwich which adds additional flavor. The french roll wasn’t all that fresh. It seemed a little stale.
Taste wise, this is pretty satisfying. However, they really skimp on stuffing the sandwich full of goodies. I get the lack of meat but there could at least be more spinach and chimichurri to help compensate. This will leave you hungry by itself which shouldn’t be case for the price.
The nachos, much like the sandwich are pretty tiny both in size, toppings and chips. They’re pretty much glorifed stadium nachos with steak and some black beans with chipotle aioli mixed into it. The nachos themselves are pretty tasty. Mainly due to the steak. Otherwise they aren’t very noteworthy.
Pizza Rock
After splitting the sandwich and nachos my friend and I were both pretty hungry still. Luckily, there was a Pizza Rock near Picanha Steak.
They serve three different Sicilian slices here: Cheese, Double Pepperoni, and Veggie. We got the Double Pepperoni ($13.99)
The Sicilian square slices are a good size loaded up with pepperoni. This pizza is really, really good. The chef, Tony Gemignani is a well-known pizza chef. The quality and taste you’d expect from a famous chef has been upheld at the location in Allegiant Stadium. The sauce has fantastic flavor and the cheese is equally high quality. The dough is some of the best I’ve had. I wouldn’t expect that of stadium pizza. It’s light and doughy with some crispiness to it. Everything blends so well together. This is definitely an Allegiant Stadium food I’ll look forward to getting next time.
Exiting From The Game
Getting out of the stadium did take a little while. Being seated in the nosebleeds most likely contributed to this. I navigated an exit route with several flights of stairs that were crammed with people. Getting out of the stairwell back onto Hacienda Bridge took some time. But that was expected given it was a good game and not many people had left the stadium yet.
Even still, once you’re out of the stadium and on Hacienda Bridge you can go anywhere obviously. There’s no figuring out where you parked at or fighting the parking lot traffic to get back onto the freeway. It’s just another little perk to seeing a game in Vegas that’s minutes away from the nearest casino.
The Verdict
This is such a cool stadium. I may be biased as a Raiders fan, but the stadium is truly a sight to behold. The experience is so unique. With the stadium being a walk away from one of the most fun places on Earth with world class resorts and casinos right next door. I highly recommend catching a game here if your favorite NFL team is in town (there’s a TON of visiting fans that go to Vegas for games). You will definitely have a good time, regardless of the outcome of the game, you’re in Las Vegas after all!
