Budaejjigae (Army Base Stew) in Seoul

Budae jjigae, or "Army Base Stew," is a contemporary dish that, while hearty and savory and delicious, actually originates from a dark period in Korean history. During the Korean War, when food was scarce, people had to prepare meals with whatever they could find. In areas near the US army base, processed meat like sausages and spam were a common source, which was boiled in water with other vegetables and seasoning (red pepper paste). Today, budae jjigae is a popular dish that includes many more ingredients like ramen noodles, macaroni, rice cakes, beans, and such. It's hard to go wrong with budae jjigae because the spam and other unhealthy ingredients makes the soup so darn savory. :)

An especially famous budae jjigae chain in Korea is called Nolbu; it can be found in almost any area that has a street full of restaurants (so basically everywhere). The one we went to was... guess where? Right beside Renewme Skin Clinic Seocho branch, smack in front of Nambu Terminal Station exit 6.

This is what the restaurant sign looks like; the good thing about chain restaurants is obviously standardized taste! You can find any restaurant with the same sign and can expect a delicious meal regardless of what neighborhood it is in.

Most restaurants that have a stove built into the table (to cook as you eat) provide aprons to protect your precious clothes from getting stained. 

Every Korean restaurant needs its side dishes.

This is the stew before it's boiled. Broth, along with all the ingredients. The good stuff is hidden on the bottom so you can't see yet.

Noodles and ham cook quickly, so these are put in last.

And we're all done! Steamy, spicy, and savory. It was a filling and delicious meal.

The smell of budae jjigae lingers for hours after on your clothes and hair. Some restaurants, like this one, actually have a bottle of Febreze ready at the counter so you can spray yourself before returning to work, or wherever it is you need to be. Quite convenient, isn't it?

If you haven't tried this dish in Korea before, you are definitely missing out. Bring a friend with you to try out budae jjigae, for the ultimate Korean experience!

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