Pizza Wars: Rodeo / April 4, 2015 by Tyler Wood

There are literally billions of pizza places in Apgujeong (too much hyperbole?) Ok, but there are too many pizza places to eat at them all without going broke and having cheese fatally block my arteries and choke the life out of me, so I have narrowed it down to the best two in the Rodeo area - The Kitchen and Grano. They are within a block of each other and both owned by Italian chefs. Which one is better? Much like any good dish, pizza was born of poverty and has risen to the ranks of gourmet. These two places are of the latter sort, the wonderful pinnacle of what is possible.

Best French Fries / June 6, 2014 by Tyler Wood

Invariably, when asked what is an “American food” around the world, this ‘dish’ will be in the top 5 on everyone’s lists. Don’t let the name fool you, fries have historically ambiguous beginnings that are still being debated. Was it the Belgians or the French that first started frying up thin slices of potatoes? I don’t know, but what can’t be argued is that since coming to America and, subsequently, being spread around the world by American fast-food chains and expats, this dish is now firmly deep-fried into the minds of most of the non-European world as uniquely American. In Korea, this is the first thing my students come up with when I ask them what is an American food. These days, Seoul is inundated with fries in many forms, mostly of the fast-food soggy sadness variety, however. So where do we get those greasy morsels of heart-stopping goodness we grew up clogging our arteries with? Keep reading to find out my picks for the top six fries in the neighborhood.

Best Burger Joint / May 9, 2014 by Tyler Wood

Being an American in Apgujeong means I eat a lot of burgers. Apgujeong is like a magnet for good food. If a place becomes known in another part of Seoul, the second location will most likely be in this area. Of all the types of food out there, it seems burger places are pulled in the strongest as well. I have eaten a lot of burgers to compile this list and my waistline isn’t pleased, but I gotta do what I gotta do for that review.

Best French Toast / April 6, 2014 by Tyler Wood

What’s more American than French Toast? French Fries perhaps? Although this dish dates back to the Romans and was usually made with stale bread, it has been popularized and breakfast-ized by Americans, namely, French immigrants (hence the name). When we wander around Apgujeong looking for bread cooked in milky, eggy batter we don’t see signs proclaiming “eggy bread” or “pain perdu” we see French Toast, implying that it is, yet again, the American expats that have brought this dish to Korea (or at least popularized it). This has been my favorite breakfast food since I can remember, so finding it in Korea was life-altering. When I first came, the only places I knew of were Butterfingers and The Flying Pan, but this list will show you how many more options we have for this delicious treat. Let’s all be “poor knights” and enjoy this dish!

Best Milkshake / April 5, 2014 by Tyler Wood

There is something special about milkshakes. You can’t drink a milkshake in a bad mood - I challenge you to drink one while upset, it’s like riding a jet-ski with a frown - impossible. So, where do we get these wonderful mood-changers around the ‘hood? Hopefully, this post will help you out. I’ve split them into types, in case you have a preference for flavor.

Best Hot Dog / April 5, 2014 by Tyler Wood

There is no need for a list on this topic, there is only one real contender in this category and that is the infamous Super Dog run by the fifth Sgt.-Pepper-era Beatle - Solbin. But there will be no lonely hearts in this club because there is always a band of fans gathered around this hot dog stand. Settled nicely in a back street near such upscale watering holes as the Ho Bar, Bunker, and the Monkey Beaches, he opens late to feed the drinking masses.