When most people think of beer in Korea three labels come to mind: Hite, OB and Cass. The reason being is that government regulations on starting a brewery are too restrictive with the end result being that there are only two beer companies, Hite and Oriental Brewery. Brewpubs and beer importers are helping beer lovers satisfy their cravings, but that isn’t enough for everyone. Th ...

The first beer I drank was a 40 oz of Old English purchased by a friend’s older brother from a small deli in Jamaica, Queens. My two friends and I received the large bottles on a street corner near my house, wrapped in brown paper packaging reeking of mystery and rebellion. The anticipation while waiting for the delivery drove us mad, and we greedily darted off into the night with our secret ...

Dress. Even though you may never wear it again, sporting the traditional Bavarian gear will get you in the mood and looking like Hansel and Gretel before a “weizenbier” touches your lips. For the ladies, frilly dresses with plenty of cleavage called “dirndls” are sure to fulfill any guys’ wildest fantasy, while men don leather pants and suspenders in a cutesy, but m ...

Everyone loves a root beer float. That is a fact. We might not indulge in them too often now, but I remember the Friday nights as a kid: rented movies, delivery pizza, and the hope of a root beer float to finish off the night. It was a special treat because my parents didn't keep much soda in the house. Some people might be more familiar with the black cow or the Coke float, but my heart will alwa ...

My friend took his five-year-old son to the market last Saturday morning. As soon as the boy got there, he knew exactly what he wanted: a shrimp. But not for eating; that would be too savage. He wanted it for a pet.   After hearing about the pet shrimp, the thought of cooking the little crustaceans was almost painful to me. What would the boy think if he found out what I do with shrimp? That ...

For an almost authentic alpine experience (sans the Alps), visit Chef Meili.  As I stepped into the restaurant, I felt transported to one of the chalet restaurants ubiquitous in the Bavarian Alps. The smell, the simple homey styling, the plain square tables, the German spoken by the Chef and customers, the cowbell and the pictures of people in Lederhosen and Dirndls; all took me back to Bava ...

Note: What’s Brewin’ is a new series, in which we will scour the Seoul area to find the best beer experiences in the city.   We begin at Castel Praha, situated in a former cathedral with a blend of Gothic and Romanesque architecture. The whole restaurant has the feel of a Czech castle with the bars located in the basement floors. The space is very dark, with low buttressed ceilin ...

On the way to my Korean language class in Gangnam, I encountered a restaurant serving a classic in American sandwiches – the Philly cheesesteak. For the uninitiated, a Philadelphia (a.k.a. Philly) cheesesteak consists of thinly sliced beef with melted cheese served on a baguette-style bread roll. An authentic Philly cheesesteak will use a special version of Cheez Whiz (a processed cheese ma ...

Instead of braving the downpour in Seoul, I decided to spend most of the summer in Indonesia. I usually try to keep my vacation plans loose, with only two main objectives: eat as much good food as possible and drink the local beer. Most of my typical day was spent trying to find the best restaurants with the most authentic food, with the rest spent next to the beach with a Bintang, the popular pi ...

The end of summer is near, and 2012 is looming. Before the apocalypse arrives, let’s enjoy a decadent treat. The time of the “torrijas” has come.