Korean Job Discussion Forums

[wylies99]

After hours: German food from German chef in South Korea

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=140&article=59994

By Franklin Fisher, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, January 15, 2009

PYEONGTAEK, South Korea � How intrigued we were when someone told us the other day that there was a "German" restaurant in Songtan, that most un-Teutonic of places just outside Osan Air Base in South Korea.

Probably, we thought, it�s operated by some enterprising Korean people who lived a few years in Germany, learned the cuisine, and now offer it � along with kimchi � more as a "fusion" restaurant of the kind found in many South Korean cities these days.

In fact, though, Memories is run by Konrad Wermers, 65, a native of Westphalia, Germany, who told us he worked for years as a chef at several major South Korean hotels. In the mid-1990s he opened Memories in Seoul, but moved it to Songtan about a year and a half ago.

Can you, he asked us with a smile, have a real German restaurant if the owner�s not German?

And indeed, Memories offers some staples of the traditional German menu � Wiener Schnitzel, Jaeger Schnitzel, and Zigeuner Schnitzel, as well as Nurnberger sausage and a sausage platter.

Also on the menu were appetizers � snails in herb butter, for example, and smoked Norwegian salmon; soups and salads; soft drinks and a variety of German beers. No bar, no mixed drinks.

On the cold afternoon when we came in for lunch, there were also specials on offer that included breaded beef steak, veal ball in caper sauce, and desserts.

We hadn�t been sure what to expect, especially on that particular rough-at-the-edges street in a faded section of town. Memories serves customers on the first floor of a two-story building that looks far from new.

The interior too was neither new nor glitzy, but it was nevertheless pleasant and well arranged.

We ordered the sausage platter for 14,500 won (about $11). It came to us with five types of sausage, slices of smoked pork loin, mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.

The sausages were so tasty that we thought it could be very easy to come back often just to order them. The potatoes were quietly flavorful, had just the right consistency. As to the sauerkraut, we tried to remember when we�d ever tasted better.

Wermers said about 95 percent of his customers are U.S. servicemembers, but Koreans and foreigners stop in, too.

To see previous After Hours reviews, go to: stripes.com/afterhours


� 2009 Stars and Stripes. All Rights Reserved.

At Memories, a German restaurant in the Songtan section of Pyeongtaek, South Korea, owner Konrad Wermers tends to business on a recent afternoon. His customers are mostly U.S. servicemembers, many from nearby Osan Air Base.

Memories, Pyeongtaek, South Korea




Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. or later, depending on customers

Prices: Main dishes range from 12,500 to 25,500 won ; appetizers from 9,000 to 11,500 won; soups, 6,500 won; salads, from 7,500 to 8,500 won; beers are 3,000 to 10,000 won; soft drinks are 3,000 to 5,000 won.

Specialties: Jaeger schnitzel, grilled sausage, bratwurst

English menu: Yes

Dress: Casual

Clientele: Mostly U.S. servicemembers

Location: About a four-minute walk from the Osan Air Base main gate, behind the Asia Hotel and next door to the Sun hair shop.

Phone: (031) 667-4249

Web site: None

[ZenMoto]

I've been to this place a couple times... I have some friends down there... It's not easy to find but if you're at the Osan Air Base main gate it's a very short walk from there. The food was good and the German dude doing the cooking was the real deal... They also have arguably the best Mexican restaurant in Korea in Songtan as well... Those lucky Air Force people have all the good stuff.

[Poemer]

This is a good reason to go to a place that I have never had a reason to go to before. I dearly miss Hofbrauhaus in Kangnam, and this place is probably better. Too bad it is so far.

[esetters21]

[Poemer]

I left the country for a few months and once I was back and had a serious thirst for some good German beer, I made the trip to Kangnam, only to find, instead of my most favoritest place to drink in all of Korea, a pool hall. Words cannot describe my disgust.

[jdog2050]

[i]

Checked out this place today (Memories in Songtan/Osan Base gate). Great food. Butcher platter was 5 kinds of meat, mashed potatoes and saurkraut for 17,500. I couldn't buy that much meat for that price in a store. Well worth the trip. Don't know where they get their brats, unless they make them themselves.

[wylies99]

[wylies99]

BTW, i, if you like Russian/Uzbek food I can recommend two places in Seoul. PM me if interested.

[craash]

[wylies99]

[Yesterday]

I was chatting to a German friend (who lives in Germany) today - and after chatting for ages - I told him - I had to go -

so I could cook some food for dinner..

he said to me "I hope your appetite is good after dinner"

what does that mean (after dinner)

he meant it just - like you would say to someone who is about to cook and eat..

but having a good appetite after dinner ?

I can't understand it...

[i]

Wow. Talk about hijack. About 6 months ago, I wrote a post about where to get good homemade tamales in Itaewon. The thread was hijacked and removed. Just trying bring back an old post for those who are looking for something different to eat. Hard to find German food in this country.

[cangel]

I spent 2 years in Germany back in t he early 90s and fell in love with the food. Mmm, it takes me back...

[roadwork]