Korean Job Discussion Forums

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

We're gonna go for a cruise to Songtan, my nearest "western" hangout, on sunday and splurge on a good brunch or lunch.

Can any locals suggest a nice place for a cost-no-object treat?

I'm really after a western munch....a bloody 1/2 kg of venison, redcurrant jus and some nice roast spuds would be bliss. I 'm not likely to get that, but I'll settle for the next best thing, whatever it may be....just no rotten cabbage and no rice for a change.

osangrl · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Location: osan

hmmm i live close to Songtan and thats a good question...... I want to hear an answer to this too.

I usually just go to Happy Teriyaki (cheap ok crap) or that interesting looking coffee shop place, great atmosphere, average food and prices.

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

I don't recall ever seeing anything that even remotely looked like a decent Western restaurant in Songtan (Kalbi- now that's another story!); I think you have to keep moving on to Seoul/Kangnam for that.

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

Rats!

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

Good news: my info is 2&1/2 years out of date...

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

I feel better already!
But still a little peckish....

justagirl · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Location: Cheonan/Portland

They have BK and Subway sandwiches. That's about all I've seen there!

justagirl

Zyzyfer · Posted: Thu Jan 15, 2004 7:22 pm Post subject:

The Subway is the best in Korea, though. The only thing that they got wrong is that the Sun Chips are those nasty ass Korean ones with way too much seasoning. The Subway Melt is heaven on bread.

The shop is really small, though...it's better as a take-home-for-later meal.

Otherwise...Osan Hotel has edible French toast(sorry...Freedom toast) in their restaurant, but I'm not sure if you have to be a guest to go to it. There's a pizza shop or three lying around, and also some cheap Korean-style hamburger joints. Songtan, from what I gather, is mostly bars, though...

jajdude · Joined: 18 Jan 2003

How is Songtan as a place to go on a weekend night?

RedRob · Joined: 07 Jul 2003 Location: Narnia

I love the place, we cruise up and stay in a love hotel called Rose, about 40 thou, but it gets a bit less every time we stay there.

It's like a small itewon but a bit cooler, there's a bolevard? like a wide open street that is cruisy, vendors for 78 kindsa stuff, but no hassles of the sirdoyouneedgoodsuit kind.

A lot of the bars are on the second floor of the main drag, in summer the windows are all open and you can check out what happens in the other bars without moving too much.

Phillies is a good place to start....the same Dave and SooJin from Hae Bang Chon.

We even found a full-on heavy metal bar one night, but 'twas 4am and I can't remeber the name of the joint.

I rate it as the kinda place that i wish Itewon was, but with a more laid back vibe. Worth a look for def. if you are semi local, and maybe even worth a day trip from Seoul.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

I like the Filipinas there.. others like the Russians.. and others actually go there for the koreans.. which is one thing i don't really understand.

osangrl · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Location: osan

hmmm thats funny, im a whitie and the Russians like me!!! Razz

Guess i just got game Wink

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2004 8:50 pm Post subject:

I second Red Rob's comments. If the typical Korean night out is getting you down, you can find enough off-the-wall stuff happening in Songtan to refresh that.

gajackson1 · Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 5:55 pm Post subject:

for the restaurant issue, I have some suggestions:

Just down from the Young Chon Tourist hotel, on the opposite side of the street, is a darned good Vietnamese restaurant. The only thing they don't seem to do properly is ca phe phin (Vietnamese coffee). Good food, nice looking place, open & airy.

For Chinese & Pinoy in the same restaurant, try the place on the 2nd/3rd floor above Burger King on the main strip. The adobo & kare kare are both soldi bets there, as are the spring rolls. That place can hold large groups, as well. Pinay waitresses mean competent English service.

Actually, considering the Pinoy population, there are quite a few good places. Probably the best of those is Subic Bay (ha! the restaurant).

Chakraa Indian buffet/restaurant has opened a Song-tan location as well. If you like northern Indian-style, this will suit you fine. It is at the very end of the strip, close to the Zone. Go just past the railroad tracks, and look up to your left.

Acquaintances of ours opened an outstanding Thai place a few months back; it is on the main strip, right-hand side (same side as BK), 2nd?3rd? floor on a corner. However, the kitchen & dining areas were too small for the response they got. If you can get there away from the usual lunch & dinner times, the service is friendly & food is great. They stock Tiger, Tiger - but no big bottles of Chang yet.

Where else??? hmmm . . . Kalbi? I believe it is on Joon-gang ro, on the right side (turn right just off the main stip, down by Chakraa), a place called Kalbi House was really, really great - after you turn the right, it is just 2 buildings down on the left. Waterwheel out front; looks like a traditional Korean jjib-style restaurant.

I am really, really surprised that there is no western-style bbq or wings place in Song-tan yet. However, just do what we did - befriend a bar owner on Aragon Alley, and tell them you want to do a BBQ - most of them have grills and can easily be talked into it in good weather.

Breakfast buffet? Best is on the OAFB; if you can't get signed in, there is a passable one at the Young Chon (between that & the swimming pool, it is an ok option for summer stays, if a bit pricey still now that the World Executive is open).

Final plug: the Subway, just east of the Main Gate, is gotta be the best one in Korea, hands down.

Hope that helps out some.

Regards,

Glen

HamuHamu · Joined: 01 May 2003 Location: Seoul

It was....umm...2 years ago now I *think* since my friends and I found this place, and my directions are a bit sketchy due to lack of memory (and possibly the hangover) - BUT -- we had a breakfast sooooooooooo good that we all ordered seconds, and freaked the waitress out.

Bacon, eggs, sausage, perfect toast, tomatoes, coffee, juice and English tea. I think it was 5000 won?

All I remember is it was on that main "boulevard" that someone in a message above mentioned, and it looked like a cafe type place. It possibly had a big dragon / creature-type painting on the front, but nice cafe-looking tables in the windows.

It's worth going to Songtan JUST for that breakfast...I know that I would be able to find it again just because I would recognize it, but dodgy giving directions. If you walk DOWN the boulevard from the army base, it's maybe 2 blocks down on the right.

MMMMMMM real breakfast in Korea...the first and only time it's ever happened!