Buccella, bakery and cafe

Visited Buccella at its Cheongdam location and enjoyed a delicious sandwich with a friend. The menu is filled with drool-enducing pastas, salads, and sandwiches, however, the usual rule of ordering different meals in an effort to taste as many dishes as possible went straight out the window, apparently the grilled salmon camembert sandwich was calling to both of us that day. The salmon was grilled and covered with a delicious camembert sauce enclosed in a soft airy ciabatta-like bread. While waiting for your meal you can help yourself to even more bread as you enjoy the beautiful interior and relaxed vibe Buccella has to offer.

Here's the phone numbers for all locations:

Not the best picture ever (the sandwich is much bigger than it looks here) but you can see how airy the bread is... yum. Also the menu didn't state it but you get a generous side salad.

Directions:

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Sala Thai

Sala Thai has several locations in South Korea. We frequent the Jeongja, Bundang establishment. The green curry with chicken calls to me longingly every time I eat there, but this time I forced myself to try one of the many other options. I added chicken to this dish of thick noodles, vegetables, basil and spicy thai sauce and it did not disappoint. It was full of chicken and vegetables and just spicy enough. Also on the plus side, there were enough green curries ordered by the table that I was able to negotiate a taste trade to satisfy my green curry craving. The spring rolls and Thai iced tea are also popular among our crowd, although I don't have a picture here. The Thai iced tea is a milky black tea but tastes much better than it sounds. The food is reasonably priced. Most dishes fall between 9,000 and 13,000 won. The restaurant has a really nice atmosphere and is a good place to come and enjoy some delicious food with friends or a date.














Map of Sala Thai Locations (Bundang, Jamsil, Bucheon)

View Sala Thai in a larger map
Sala Thai Jamsil

Go out Exit 7 at Jamsil Station and go into the Lotte Castle Gold. The Sala Thai is on the second floor.

Sala Thai Jeongja (Bundang)

Go out Jeongja Station Exit 4 and walk north along the main road, so that you are walking parallel to the river and the river is on your right. Keep walking until you get to the 폴라리스 Building. Sala Thai is on the third floor. (see the map)

Sala Thai Bucheon

On the eighth floor of the Hyundae Department Store. The closest subway stop looks to be Songnae. You can navigate the map above to find directions.

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Dos Tacos: Mexican in Gangnam, Hongdae, and Bundang, and Several Other Locations

Dos Tacos is taking over Seoul. There are currently eight locations (as of July 2010; but by the time you read this, there may be more).

Dos Tacos offers high-quality Mexican in a small, trendy setting. (And there's actually cilantro, if you're into that kind of thing). It's not weak, Koreanized Mexican. Nor is it the anemic burritos of Pancho's. It's both reasonably authentic and objectively delicious. Die-hard Mexican purists will probably tell you to hit up Taco Rico instead, where the food is cooked an an actual Mexican person. But hey, let's not kid ourselves; Dos Tacos is really good. The portions are a bit small, though, so I normally end up ordering several things and spending more than I'd like there.

Note for vegetarians/vegans: there are vegetable, fried vegetable, and potato burritos on the menu. For vegans, though, you will have to request no cheese, sour cream, etc.

Take a look at their website (http://www.dostacos.co.kr/) for their menu and for their eight locations:
1. Gangnam Station
2. Apgujeong Station
3. Seoul Station
4. Seohyeon Station (Bundang)
5. Ichon Station (on the Jungang Line; the really light blue line)
6. Seorae (near the French Village and the Express Bus Terminal Stop on Lines 3/7
7. Seoul National University

Here's a google map showing all the Dos Tacos locations to help you out (the website's own maps are rather vague at times). You can zoom in/out or move around at will:
Dos Tacos Locations

View Dos Tacos Locations in a larger map

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Brasilia: Seohyeon's (Bundang's) Brazilian Meat Restaurant (Churrascaria)

Brasilia is a bit of a hike away from Seohyeon station, but it is worth it. See the map below for directions.

An endless supply of meat on skewers brought to your table by waiters: beef, chicken, pork, lamb, steak, sausage... An excellent salad bar, including several great hot dishes and a vast array of sushi. Ice cream for desert. Brasilia is a Brazilian restaurant that has it all. (for roughly 30,000 won a person including the VAT tax) Here's the breakdown:

Salad Bar: Some Brazilian restaurant salad bars disappoint. Brasilia's salad bar is not one of them. It is the full spread. Feijoada, shrimp-fried rice with egg, a sweet and sour dish, usually another hot dish, an excellent crab soup, many different kinds of sushi, lettuce and all the normal salad fixings. Of course, don't fill up on the salad bar, because then you won't get your money's worth of:

Meat: A vast array of tender meat. My favorite is the beef and the steak, especially when they bring out a skewer that's very rare. But of course, there's all kinds here: chicken, pork, sausage, lamb. It's an endless supply. Book a solid couple hours here with a group of people and you can eat, talk, jest, and be merry until you're all burstingly full. Ahh.......

Desert: Then, just when you can't take any more meat, partake of the delicious cooked pineapple. The waiters will bring out pineapple cooked on a skewer just like the meat, often coated with some cinnamon. And then go back to the salad bar to get some ice cream (not soft-serve.)

All in all, a great place to go when you're in the mood for a big, gut-busting meal.

Directions: (Note: about a 15-minute walk from the station) Go out Seohyeon Station in Bundang, Exit 5. Walk out the doors of AK Plaza and keep walking straight until you get to the street. Cross the street and keep walking. When you get to the next street, cross to the far side, but stay on the same street. Turn right and walk. You will have to walk for a while (see map). When the street forks into a left and right street, stay on the right fork. Just keep walking. Eventually, you will see Brasilia in a shopping area off to the right of the street (It is hidden a bit from the road, but if you're looking out for it, you'll see it.) Make sure to check the interactive map below so you don't get lost.

View Brazilia Location (Seohyeon, Bundang) in a larger map

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LaMerce, Mexican in Seohyeon (Bundang)

Back in the day, LaMerce stood forth as a beacon of hope in Seohyeon, one of the few places in Bundang offering passable Mexican food. Now that Dos Tacos has moved in down the street, LaMerce is less necessary, but hopefully Mexican-hungry restaurant goers won't just toss away Lamerce like an old overcoat. Sure, the dishes are a bit Koreanized, but if you stick to the burritos and tacos, you'll be fine. In fact, I really like LaMerce, even if it's not 100% authentic Mex or Tex-Mex. Plus, the atmosphere is festive, there's beer, there's the nostalgia factor for long-term Bundang residents.

Directions: Go to Seohyeon station and go out Exit 5. You'll come up in an indoor shopping plaza. Walk straight outside into the outdoor plaza. LaMerce is on the lefthand side, down a small alley. You'll usually see an advertisement display pointing the way into the alley.

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