Korean Job Discussion Forums

[madoka]

I'm used to seeing potatoes, kimchi, hot dogs, and corn as pizza toppings already. And I'm used to not being able to recognize anything on Domino's and Pizza Hut's menu. I've seen some pretty strange pizza toppings here in Seoul, but today took the cake.

I went into the place after examining pictures of the brick oven, the photos of the various TV shows that featured the restaurant, etc. Everything looked in order. I asked for a pepperoni pizza as I figured it would be the hardest one to screw up, but they didn't have pepperoni as a topping unfortunately. They did, however, have fresh strawberries, kiwi, and mango as toppings though!

So what's the weirdest pizza topping you've seen?

[JongnoGuru]

Some background: This was back before there were any Western-brand pizza chains in Korea, and even domestic-brand pizza chains were almost non-existent. Pizza was freaky ethnic fringe food, not something any sane person would attempt to build a whole menu or restaurant around. To Koreans, it was just something you might see in a Hollywood movie, or something that someone's uncle who worked on a U.S. military installation talked about.

But any self-respecting (pseudo-)Western restaurant in Korea had the obligatory "Combination Pizza" on the menu. If you wanted pizza, that was it. No alternatives, no "toppings". The very idea of "toppings" as something you could select or exclude was seen as unfamiliar, alien and subversive.


Maraschino cherry halves, both red and green. Very Christmasy, whatever the season.

[cdninkorea]

What year was this, Jongno Guru?

The strangest thing I've ever seen was nacho chips and sour cream. I know this doesn't top the OPs or the Guru's posts, but that's the best I have anyway.

[Xuanzang]

The yellow daikon radish.

[littlelisa]

The oddest I've seen was a banana curry pizza in Herr�ng, Sweden. Going back there this year, so I'll get to have it again. Yum!

Nothing weird enough to compete with anything in this thread, though.

[bluelake]

When I first lived in Korea, back in '84, pizzas were pretty much unknown. However, the principal of the school I taught at back then, along with his wife, visited the States the year before I came; we met at a pizza restaurant (along with the American who founded the school back in 1960). The pizza was excellent and really impressed the visitors.

After I came to Korea, the principal's wife asked me to make pizza. I knew how to make it, but supplies in Korea were hard to come by, so we had to improvise. The dough was no problem, but for sauce Koreans only had ketchup; for cheese, they only had imitation sliced; for toppings, well... The results were rather sweet and yucky, but the Koreans didn't seem to mind.

Later, word got out to the local chain bakery (England Bakery). The lady who owned it wanted me to teach her bakers how to make them. I told her I would, but on the condition they got the right ingredients. She agreed and came through. She went to the black market in Daegu and bought tomato paste, spices, mozzarella, and even some type of pepperoni. I showed them how to make pizzas and they did. After that, the bakery made mini pizzas that you now see all the time all over the place.

[Crockpot2001]

I make handmade pie from scratch with thin crust, my garden grown basil pesto, buffallo moz, a bit of garden grown rosemary, and whole olives. It's like showing a wristwatch to a hog when the Koreans see it. After a few sniffs and giggles it vanishes and their plates are held out for more.

My bastard side then apologizes for the lack of corn, potato, or mayo. They shrug and say "I did not miss those things. Will you be making more pizza?".

[pec5002]

Hey crockpot where on earth did you get buff mozz here???

[VanIslander]

Mexican chocolate chicken is awesome.

[blackjack]

It's what they like whats the problem

how about these pizzas

[Yu_Bum_suk]

I don't think there's a single restaurant in Korea that actually has everything on its menu available on any given day. I once went to Bennigan's to find out they were 'sold out' of clubhouse sandwiches.

[eIn07912]

i have a tie...

as for the strangest pizza: in cambodia, especially near Siem Reep (angor watt) the "happy pizzas" r everywhere. i had a large extra happy, the most awful tasting thing ive ever put into my mouth. god it was terrible, but, it had other "benefits" *wink wink, nudge nudge*. lets just say things were pretty bright and shinny for the rest of the day and even the next morning. blaaazed!

and the oddest pizza: here in the good old daehanmingook, at Mr. Pizza, they have the Grand Prix. Half spicy asian shrimp, half potato-nacho-sour cream. this could almost be good, until, the cookie crust with blueberry dipping sauce. im all for experimentation and creating new flavors, but choose one of the three mr. pizza. potato-nacho sounds great. even a spicy shrimp pizza is good. i could almost eat a blueberry cookie crust pizza, but mixing them all 3???? ick.

[Ebrown]

[poet13]

Bluelake wrote; "The dough was no problem, but for sauce Koreans only had ketchup; for cheese, they only had imitation sliced; for toppings, well... The results were rather sweet and yucky, but the Koreans didn't seem to mind. "

Yer [mod edit] busted pal. Yer the [mod edit] who started the whole sweet thing. Let's get him!

err....anybody know where he is?

[Crockpot2001]