What I Ate in Korea, Part 2

When I am traveling in a non-Western country, I always make an effort to eat local foods the majority of the time. However, you can get a bit tired of rice and vegetables and unfamiliar dishes. And, Western-style food in a foreign country will always be a little bit different that if you had it at home, which makes it interesting to try as well.

Before we arrived in Korea, I read that waffles and coffee were two of the newest fads to hit the restaurant market. The guidebook was not overstating this in the least, as the streets were lined with coffee shop after coffee shop, many of which served waffles. One chilly afternoon, we ate lunch in an upstairs cafe in the Myeongdong district of Seoul, a young and trendy area.

For 10,000 won (about $10 US), I got this waffle extravaganza. It was a perfectly cooked waffle -- crispy on the outside, soft on the inside -- served with a whole banana, whipped cream and two scoops of ice cream, one chocolate and one strawberry. Not to mention the drizzles of chocolate and berry syrups and powdered sugar dusting.

Another Western indulgence while in Seoul was a trip to Taco Bell in the Itaewon district. We don't have it here in Hong Kong, and David, being British, had never eaten it before. That was enough of an excuse for me to pig out on cheap but delicious fake Mexican food. I ordered my usual, the burrito supreme, and we shared an order of nachos supreme, too. And, I have to say that Taco Bell is just as tasty in South Korea as at home.

A final note about Western food in Korea: donuts!!! Honestly, I think I saw more donut establishments in Seoul than I've ever seen in any city. There were countless Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kremes stores, along with other local chains of donut bakeries, too. Because you can eat whatever you want on vacation, I had donuts at least four times. It's probably good that I don't live in Korea!